ALL POWER
19th July, 2026
Matthew 28:18–20
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
The context of the passage is seen after the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord, and before his ascension to the Father in heaven.
He had appeared already to many, but now meets with his remaining disciples, the “eleven” at the appointed place and at the appointed time, to give to them his final instruction and promise.
He employs a word in the 18th verse, “All power”.
It is a word which varies in meaning depending upon the context of the passage.
289 appearances within the scriptures, so it is not very difficult to ascertain its meaning, or its range of meanings.
Ability, Strength, Might, Supernatural Ability, Right, Supernatural Authority, Revelatory Authority, Derived Authority.
1. The first time it is employed is Jacob speaking to Rachel and Leah saying; Genesis 31:6
6 And ye know that with all my power I have served your father.
Here we have it attesting to “Ability“.
2. The next time we see it referred to is by that same ‘father’ that Jacob was speaking of, testifying to his Strength (Physical or Numerical for Laban “took his brethren with him” v23) in doing Jacob “hurt“;
Genesis 31:29
29 It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.
3. The third time it appears in the scripture again concerns Jacob when he wrestles with God where the word is literally incorporated into his new name;
Genesis 32:28
28 And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.
Testifying here to a Supernatural Ability.
4. The fourth time we see it employed as a “right” which God naturally grants as “the right of the firstborn” (Dt 21:17), but in this case was taken away due to his sin;
Genesis 49:3–4
3 Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power: 4 Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel; because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.
5. The fifth time it appears we see it as a testimony of God’s own power, his divine or supernatural authority over his creation;
Exodus 9:16
16 And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.
6. The sixth time it appears in the scriptures we see it employed as Revelatory Authority, where the world sees God’s hand alone in the work. The song of Moses when the people crossed over the sea and the army of Pharaoh drowned when the waters turned back over them;
Exodus 15:5–7
5 The depths have covered them: they sank into the bottom as a stone. 6 Thy right hand, O LORD, is become glorious in power: thy right hand, O LORD, hath dashed in pieces the enemy. 7 And in the greatness of thine excellency thou hast overthrown them that rose up against thee: thou sentest forth thy wrath, which consumed them as stubble.
7. Lastly, the seventh example of the use of this word is that which pertains to “derived authority, or rights” given to men, but this example is in the negative;
Exodus 21:8
8 If she please not her master, who hath betrothed her to himself, then shall he let her be redeemed: to sell her unto a strange nation he shall have no power [no right, no authority], seeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her.
So it is a matter of interest that the seven fold scope of definition to the word “Power” is seen in the first seven appearances of the word in the scriptures.
Ability, Strength, Might, Supernatural Ability, Right, Supernatural Authority, Revelatory Authority, Derived Authority.
Both coming from God and Given to man;
In the last passage of the Gospel of Matthew we read it not just in passing, but as the ultimate culmination of the work of Christ from the fall of man to this day.
It is not just one of the SEVEN aspects of POWER that the Lord Jesus refers to in our passage, but ALL POWER;
Ability, Strength, Might, Supernatural Ability, RIGHT, Supernatural Authority, Revelatory Authority and finally Derived Authority, that which comes from God the father, to Christ the Son, through the Holy Ghost to man!
Matthew 28:18–20
18 … All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
We will look at four aspects of this passage this morning;
The Power Is Christ IN the Gospel
The Power Is Christ BEHIND The Gospel.
The Power Is Christ COMMANDING The Gospel
The Power Is Christ ACCOMPANYING The Gospel
Pray
The Power Is Christ IN the Gospel
Matthew 28:18–20
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
The culmination of all things of history, from the fall of man to the time of Christ and to this very day, has been the focus of redeeming mankind to his creator. Jesus was spoken of in ancient times, he is “from old from everlasting” and has fulfilled the times that were before appointed of the father.
4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. Galatians 4:4–5
And now, ALL POWER is given to Christ to fulfil the work which was foreordained through the foreknowledge of God to come to fruition in the cross of Christ and the power of his resurrection. The command given to man for the redemption of the nations, in which he himself will accompany “even unto the end of the world. Amen“.
The Power is Christ IN the Gospel!
Such was evidenced from the beginning of the work of the disciples; Turn to Acts 3.
A lame man, asking for alms, was healed by peter in the name of Jesus Christ. The people who knew of him and had seem him”walking and leaping and praising God” (v9) greatly wondered at that which had happened, and so Peter begins to answer there “wondering“;
Acts 3:12–21
12 And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?
13 The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go. 14 But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; 15 And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.
16 And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. 17 And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers. 18 But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.
19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; 20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: 21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
Beloved, The Power is Christ IN the Gospel! For there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
In the name of Christ there is power, power to save, power to cast out devils, power to redeem man for the wages of his sin, ALL POWER is given unto him and him alone!
Acts 4:33
33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.
Paul had stated that that very declaration of the Son of God was testified to “with power” through his resurrection;
Romans 1:4
4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
He wrote of his confidence in the Gospel of Christ, knowing that the power is of God to save man;
Romans 1:16
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Finally, in the 1st Chapter of 1 Corinthians, we see that God deliberately chose, not wise men, not powerful men, but all the foolish things of the world to save man. That it is ONLY Christ in the Gospel that has the power to save.
1 Corinthians 1:18–24
18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. 20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: 23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God,and the wisdom of God.
Do you know this to be true beloved? Do you not yet see that all you need to do is to have the courage to open your mouth in faith and share the hope of Christ to the lost?
Even Paul wrote saying
4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. 1 Corinthians 2:4–5
We, of ourselves can do nothing,
27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.
1 Corinthians 1:27–29
O there is so much more that can b e said to this brethren, but suffice to say that the power is NOT IN YOU, but IS CHRIST IN THE GOSPEL.
The Power Is Christ BEHIND The gospel.
Matthew 28:18–20
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Not only is the power of Christ IN THE GOSPEL, but THE POWER OF CHRIST IS BEHIND THE GOSPEL.
Here we shall find a DERIVED AUTHORITY that was to be given to those entrusted with the gospel of there salvation.
Turn to
Acts 1:8
8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
To all places of the Earth, where this gospel is faithfully preached, will there come power to save such as should be saved.
The gospel itself is a miracle. You must understand that to be the case lest you think for any moment whatever that it will come through the enticing words of mans wisdom.
For any man or woman or child to come to Christ, we are seeking for nothing less than a miracle.
When Jesus gave the command to preach the gospel to all the world, and in testifying that ALL POWER IS GIVEN UNTO ME, he states this to be the reason why men could have confidence that Christ is the power BEHIND the gospel. And so he says “Go ye therefore and teach all nations…”.
‘This is the reason ye should go, for ALL POWER IS GIVEN UNTO ME, I am the power behind my gospel, it will not be through your wisdom, your strength, your authority, your ability, it will be ME BEHIND the gospel that has the power to save.’
In Acts chapter 4 we have another account of lame man brought to strength through yet another sign required by the first recipients of the gospel, The Jews.
Who was the gospel to go to before it went to Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the world?
The Jews (Acts 1:8), it was to go to “the Jew first” (see also Rom 1:16, Rom 2:10)
Why a sign for the jews?
Because “the Jews REQUIRE A SIGN” (1 Cor 1:22)
Acts 4 has just such a sign for which men make their enquiry!
Five thousand men just heard the word of the gospel and beleived, and such a thing astonished the ‘powers that be’ and so they took the preachers of this gospel and made their enquiry
Acts 4:7
7 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?
What POWER? What NAME behind such POWER?
Peter answers;
Acts 4:8–12
8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, 9 If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; 10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. 11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. 12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
Beloved THE POWER IS Christ BEHIND THE GOSPEL.
This is a DERIVED AUTHORITY, given by Jesus Christ to you and I that we may be bold in the sharing of this eternal hope to the lost. He gives it to you and the miracle to transform the heart yet belongs to HIM.
One of the incredible testimonies of the truth of this is the level of antagonism that can come when the gospel is faithfully preached beloved. Do not think that THE POWER TO SAVE is not also witnessed in THE POWER TO CONDEMN!
Acts 6:8–10
8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. 9 Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen. 10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.
The Power Is Christ COMMANDING The Gospel
Matthew 28:18–20
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
To show his disciples that he has the power and authority in COMMANDING them to preach the gospel, he sends them into the world having nothing on their person but the words of Christ in the gospel.
Turn to Mark 6
Jesus desires to PROVE to you his faithfulness if your heart is tuned to his. He wants to show you that he is faithful, to build up your faith and your trust.
Missionary after missionary has attended to just such a prove in work BEFORE THEY GO into the highways and byways of a lost world.
Mark 6:7–9
7 And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits; 8 And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse: 9 But be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats.
If you have never read the accounts of faithful missionaries and how the Lord had tried their faith, your ought to read them. Hudson Taylor and his China Inland Mission work.
John Williams, born in 1796 and murdered at Dillons Bay, Erromanga, an Island of Vanuatu, in 1839, only 43 years of age and yet he transformed many places from the devilish pagan traditional beliefs of the peoples. His first mission was in Raratonga in the Cook Islands, expanding to other Islands, and including a wonderful work established as the Samoan Mission in the early 1830’s.
He began Schools in many of these places, planted Churches and converted the people from e=devilish worship to Christ.
Arthur T Pierson records such about those areas in those days two centuries ago;
“The moral darkness of the people was so deep that, in many cases, the idea of the true God had almost disappeared from their minds, and the conception of the brotherhood of man was as nearly lost as that of the Fatherhood of God. In these islands dwelt ferocious savages, constantly engaged in desolating wars, cannibals who killed and ate each other, and among whom cannibalism was but the crowning vice and crime of a system of iniquity, the like of which has seldom been found elsewhere among any of the children of men.[1]“
He goes on into such detail that I cannot bring before you in this Church, but suffice to say if there was NO POWER IN Christ to COMMAND THE GOSPEL, there would never have been a people who turned to Christ in the South Pacific Islands.
Beloved, if you are called of Christ and have a burden for the lost of the world, and he touches your heart to preach his gospel, know for a certainty that he DOES NOT COMMAND THAT WHICH HE HAS NO POWER TO FULFIL THROUGH YOU.
He looks, he looks and looks and looks for faithful men and women the world over who might trust him enough to offer themselves to the work, to WHATEVER END.
ALL POWER is given to him. He will not throw you in the deep end, he knows you have but little fiath, he will confirm the work in you and build your faith to trust him.
He has done so already in us as a Church and many of you have been witness to it. How is it possible for such a small church to go out and do that which which larger Churches must BAND TOGETHER to do?
The said this Pastor was “not qualified” to do youth camps. TRUE beloved, true. This pastor has no “certificate”, no “degrees”, this Church is of “Little strength”, it is small and young with no proof of mans approval in any work.
But the qualification for the gospel is FAITH!
THE POWER IS CHRIST COMMANDING THE GOSPEL
That such a small church can offer for FREE that which a group of much larger Churches do at a COST is a miracle of faith that TESTIFIES JESUS CHRIST IS THE POWER of the work;
2 Corinthians 4:5–7
5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
We ARE week, we acknowledge this to be true beloved, we know we CANT do anything and that is exactly where the Lord needs us to be that HE MAY RECEIVE the Glory;
1 Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake. Psalm 115:1
The Power Is Christ ACCOMPANYING The Gospel
Matthew 28:18–20
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Moses had the charge over the people of God, such was the trial, such the command before a Holy God who promised to be with him and the people as they journeyed.
Such was the dependance on God to accompany them in their journeyings that Moses said to the Lord;
15 And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. Exodus 33:15
and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Said Jesus.
Indeed, if it were not for Jesus to accompany us for the work of the gospel, how can a single soul ever be saved?
Our own pride, our own vanity, our own backslidings and sin that so heavily compasses the flesh, if it were not THE POWER OF CHRIST ACCOMPANYING THE GOSPEL, we could do nothing.
lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
The early Church knew this to be the case. They knew that the full value of LIFE was to do that for which God had created them to do, for from the beginning of the world such was the work to be attended to;
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.Ephesians 2:10
The early Church knew this and set themselves to trust the Lord implicitly, they knew;
The Power Is Christ IN the Gospel
The Power Is Christ BEHIND The Gospel.
The Power Is Christ COMMANDING The Gospel
The Power Is Christ ACCOMPANYING The Gospel
Acts 4:32–35
32 And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.
33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. 34 Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, 35 And laid them down at the apostles’ feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.
It was a VOLUNTARY Choice that was made, that the work of the Gospel of Christ would not be hindered.
Early Churches through history committed much to the work of Christ.
Sadly these days social clubs have a better testimony than most Churches. For temporal enjoyment of a temporal life, many give for temporal gain to the cost of the eternal.
This is just the reality of the days in which we live. The love of many has waxed cold, the trust in the value of the gospel has become a light hid under a bushel.
The harvest is white, but the labourers are few.
Acts 17:6
….These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;
Interesting?
The world was turned upside down by a few good men, a few….not many.
They did not seek the approval of the MANY to preach the gospel and trust the POWER behind the Gospel, Jesus said “Go..” And so they went.
Some see fit to support the work, they did not seek permission to do so, they trust that the Lord would provide for their needs and so they gave to the work and never went without.
It does not take many people with many lights to illuminate the darkness beloved, it takes but one with a powerful light to direct ships to safe harbour.
A few years ago I rode my motorcycle in the night and the light that came from it was not enough to warn me of a Kangaroo coming from my right side. I had seen it just in time, but it was then I realised that having little light was dangerous.
I spent an amount that I could not really afford on the most powerful lights that I could find that it might be safer for both me and others.
They were called Clearwater Lights, relatively small, but they turned night into daylight. On the dimmest setting I could ride during the day and everyone could see me. It was safe.
Beloved, we sometimes go through our life as Christians with the standard light. We go to church on Sundays, perhaps read a devotional now and again, give the minimum we can for the work of Christ so as not to be too uncomfortable, and very occasionally tell someone we are Christians.
There is a POWER we are neglecting that can transform your life in a way that you will NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN if you are willing to trust him.
God does not ever work through committees. Never through boards. Never through a COMPANY of agreeable people. NEVER.
God works through INDIVIDUALS.
He always has.
Isaiah 6:8
8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?
Everywhere God looks for just one man, one woman, just one that will “Go”, that will trust him, that will do the work, support the work, pray for the work, help the work. He pulls the hearts of many, but all it takes is one to “turn the world upside down”, one that would completely give himself/herself to whatever it is, in whatever capacity they are, in whatever circumstances they be, to trust him.
Isaiah 6:8
8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.
ALL POWER is in Christ, ONLY THE WILLINGNESS NEED BE IN YOU.
[1] Arthur T. Pierson, The Miracles of Missions, (New York; London; Toronto: Funk & Wagnalls, 1891), 11.
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