Matthew 28:16-20
16 “Then the eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 “When they saw him, they worshiped him—but some of them doubted!” 18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.””

Not only is His authority and power sufficient to prevail over ALL of my iniquities but second His authority and power is sufficient to prevail over

B. ALL MY INCAPACITY

Many times we find ourselves at a loss as to what we are to do and how we are to carry out what God is calling us to do. But as Jeremiah 10:23 clearly states it is not about our plans but His: “LORD, I know that people’s lives are not their own; it is not for them to direct their steps.” God mocks man’s power, and laughs at our egotistical efforts. God never uses the pridefully powerful, the high and mighty but, instead, uses the weak things of this world to confound the wise. As 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 clearly communicates, “Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” The beauty of this truth is that God can work through you in spite of your weaknesses. When God gives you a mission to carry out He will also give you the the might and the gifts you needed to carry it to completion. The problem is that we often focus on our weakness instead of the Power of His Word. But it is never about what we can do but about what He wants to do both in and through us. Our weaknesses are just a canvas upon which God paints in power, so that a watching world cannot boast about us, but because of our weakness is forced to give God the glory. We need to stop seeing our weaknesses as an obstacle and start seeing them as an opportunity to step out in obedient faith. As Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 12:9 “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” Your frailties and failures are an opportunity for God to show the world His power. There is an African saying that reminds us not to despise and dismiss the small things , “If you think you are too small to make a difference, try spending the night in a closed room with a mosquito.” When we focus on ourselves our faults, weaknesses and limitations we may be tempted to conclude, logically enough, that we are insignificant. But look at the people God used to make a monumental impact in this world. For example, when God told Moses that he would use him to liberate Israel, Moses replied, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue” Exodus 4:10. But God reminded Moses that, as Creator, He was more than capable of helping him. God used David, who was the youngest in his family, and just a simple shepherd boy to conquer the Philistines and become the great king of Israel. He used Peter, who was fickle and unfaithful upon which to build His church. God loves to choose people and circumstances that are so simple, weak and ordinary that everyone who witnesses it knows with absolute certainty that God alone is the one who is in charge and the One creating the change. Third His authority and power is sufficient to prevail over:

C. ALL IMPEDIMENTS

There is nothing, no matter how severe, that can happen for which God does not also provide a way out, because God’s grace will always prevail. Hebrews 10:13 tells us that: “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” At its root the Biblical word “power” is the ability to bring to completion something that is hindered or impeded in various ways. In the days of Jesus, the Roman Emperor had the authority to send the Roman legions from one point in the empire to another. The legions had within their ranks the power to carry out the Emperor’s orders by overcoming any and all obstacles in their way. Nothing could stop the legions when they were on the march. In like manner Christ has given us the mission to carry out His orders, overcoming any and all obstacles and impediments in our way. Not only has He given us the order but He also provides the power with which to carry them out. Which means fourthly His authority and power is sufficient for me to carry out:

D. ALL HIS IMPERATIVES.

As we have already seen if God gives you a mission He will provide the might to carry it out. What God originates He orchestrates. Philippians 4:13 reminds us “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Through Jesus Christ you can do everything God wants you to do. Not what you want but what He Wills. You can face everything he calls you to face, you can fight every battle he wants you to fight, you can obey every command, you can endure every trial, and you can overcome every temptation through Jesus Christ. Our problem is that we get our eyes of of Jesus and focus on the failure instead of the finish. Today we need the reminder of 1 Corinthians 15:57 “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Its time to start living in the victory and not the vices, to celebrate the finish and not get stuck in the failure. What are His imperatives, what is Christ calling you to face? Don’t focus on the trials and temptations focus on the truth of His word, focus on trusting not trying, resting in the Almighty and not in your ability. So what about you are you plugged into His power or are you still striving in your own strength?

Matthew 28:16-20
16 “Then the eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 “When they saw him, they worshiped him—but some of them doubted!” 18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all power in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.””
It is here in Matthew 28 that Christ calls His disciples to meet Him on the mountain so that He can commission them to be about His mission. Now suppose that you had just bought a brand new car, I know very few of us do, but myself included. But imagine that you have and you take the instruction manual out and read it, paraphrase it, even writing a commentary on it as you make an outline of the material. You even go as far as to put it into poetry and set it to music so that you can sing about it. You even take time to sit in this new car and admire the beautiful craftsmanship while relaxing in its power reclining seat as you enjoy the rich Dolby surround sound stereo. But you never actually start it up, put it in drive and take the car out. What good would that car be? Even though you know all about the car you have never actually put it to use. No matter how beautiful, or comfortable the car is, it would be useless to you, because it was designed to be put into action and driven not just stared at or sat in. To put it to use and actually get somewhere we all know that we must get in it and drive it. Today many of us are missing the mission because we are approaching Christ’s call the same way, we read about it in God’s Word, some of us even sing about it; but very few actually put it into action. In 1994, over 20 years ago, the Barna Research Group found that among American adults who said that they were “born again,” seventy-five percent couldn’t even define the Great Commission. Sadly, 95% of all Christians have never won a soul to Christ let alone discipled anyone; more than 80% of all Christians do not regularly witness for Christ. It is here in the Great Commission as Christ sums up discipleship that He makes it clear that it is every Christians responsibility to make disciples of all people. In the Great Commission, Christ emphasized the small word “all” three times to convey important truths about the mission He has entrusted to us as His disciples. The fist all is:
1. ALL Power
In Verse 16 we see the disciples respond in obedience to Christ’s call to come and meet Him on the mountain. Upon seeing Jesus they immediately break out in spontaneous worship but even in the praise we are reminded that some still doubted. It is here that we see so often our own sad response to the Redeemer, where one moment we find ourselves in deep devotion and the next we are overtaken by doubt. It’s like looking into the mirror of our own lives where we are faced with the twin realities of our hearts, we start with worship but soon our hearts are ruled by questions and doubt. What is so shocking about their doubt and disobedience is that this comes on the heels of Jesus greatest miracle, being raised back to life, where He conquering sin and death. It doesn’t get any bigger or better than this and yet some still doubted. The same is true for us Jesus shows up in powerful ways, conquering our enemies and disarming our fears and yet in no time at all we respond to His miracles not with marvel but with doubt. So how does Jesus respond to their doubt, He quiets their questions not with a rebuke but by reminding them of His power. Verse 18 says, “ALL POWER has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” Jesus reminds them that He holds ALL power not some power or most power, but ALL power. Two Greek words are used in the New Testament; dunamis from which we get words like dynamite, dynamic, and dynamo, and exousia which denotes permission or right, privilege, control. He has the right to command and enforce obedience. Jesus is declaring to His disciples that He had been given “All Power” reminding them that He possessed the divine attribute of Omnipotence. So what is His power sufficient to prevail over, first:
A. ALL MY INIQUITIES.
In Psalm 65:3 the Psalmist writes: “When we were overwhelmed by sins, you forgave our transgressions. There is an intended contrast made by the Psalmist in these two clauses, which are more pointed and emphatic in the original than in our English Bible. They call attention to man’s impotence and God’s power in the face of the fact of sin. The first clause might be translated, with perhaps a little increase of vividness, ‘When my iniquities are too strong for me’; and the next clause ‘as for our transgressions which we cannot touch, ‘you shall forgive and purge them away.’ As Isaiah 1:18 states “Come now, and let us reason together,” says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”. When the true power He possesses penetrates our hearts we will come to understand that there is no sin so great that Christ our Savior can’t forgive it. There is no sin whose chains are so great that Christ cannot unshackle. Only Christ has the power to break our bonds and set us free. As 1 John 1:9 so clearly states: ” If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness. Not some sin, or most sin, but ALL sin‬‬‬. In Mark’s Gospel we have the account of a paralytic man who friends sought to bring to Christ for healing. In verse 4 of chapter 2, we pick up the narrative, “And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!” Mark 2:4-12. Jesus demonstrated that He has the power over both our sins and our sickness. So what do you need to come to Christ and confess, so that He can break the shackles of sin in your life? Many of us are living powerless lives today because we are not walking in the freedom of forgiveness. For some it is because we have never confessed and come clean before Christ. As a result we are trading true freedom for faking. Instead of living on mission we are wearing masks. Instead of faking it to make it we need to seek His forgiveness and start faithing it. What about you are you living in the power of forgiveness or the prison of faking?