Passion for the Great Commission - Part 3!

             My last two blogs have talked about developing a passion for the Great Commission. We have settled the fact that the Commission is a commandment, not a suggestion, and it is a commandment for every Christian.  Now, the next question is what does that require us to do?

            Let’s start with that little word “go.”  I think that’s probably the word that stops most of us more quickly than others, and that includes me. I remember writing a paper in my High School creative writing class about how I wanted to go into ministry but since being a missionary meant going overseas, that was out of the question (like it was up to me). Unlike most people, I have never had the desire to travel to other nations, not even for vacation. I have only been out of the country four times in my life, and two don’t count since I just crossed over the border into Mexico and back, and the same with Canada. The bottom line is that the “go” word has held me back too. The question is why?

I think it’s because we misunderstand that word. Our first thought when we see the word “go” is that we must travel thousands of miles, to a place we have never heard of, and to people that we know nothing about. We can’t speak their language. We don’t understand their customs, and if you are like me, you probably won’t like a lot of their food. The truth is that not everyone is called to “go” to a foreign land but that is not an excuse to not “go.” 

The word “go” as used in Matthew 28 should probably be translated as “go on your way” or “as you are going”. That brings a whole new thought to the command. Jesus was saying “as you go on your way” or “as you live your life” make disciples. For some, that may mean going to another place or another culture or another land but for every one of us, it means that the commandment to make disciples goes with us wherever we go. That includes our families, our neighborhoods, our workplace, our schools, our social groups, and the list goes on and on. Once again, neither you nor I am off the hook. Just because I have no desire to go and do not feel called to a foreign land, I am not released from Jesus’ commandment to “go” and make disciples.

So, what does it look like to obey the Commission as we go through our daily lives? First and foremost, it means that we must represent Christ well. II Corinthians 5: 20 says that we are Christ’s ambassadors. Our actions and our words are a reflection of Him. We may be the only “sermon” that some people ever see, so we need to make sure that it is a sermon that catches their attention and shows them a different way.  Besides, do you really want to disobey the Savior of your soul?

That’s only the beginning. Next time, we’ll talk about some other ways to begin the disciple-making process as you travel through life. Until then, talk to God about what kind of “sermon” you are presenting to those around you, and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you as you seek to be the best Ambassador you can be.

II Corinthians 5: 17 - 21