MATTHEW 28:18–20 – And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

THEME OF THE DAY: OBEYING THE GREAT COMMISSION.   The Great Commission. Get in a group of Christians and likely 90% of them would be able to say, “Great Commission?  No problem.  It was a command given to the disciples, and all believers afterwards to go and share the Gospel.” That would be partially true.  We are commanded to “go” but not to share the gospel. It is part but the Great Commission is about making disciples not converts who merely pass out information about salvation and Jesus.  Now we ask this question, “How active are you in making disciples as Jesus defines the process?”  I think the 90% just went down, way down.  So what would it take to be a Christian making disciples?  Three things.

First, we have to be obedient.  Jesus did not give us the “Great Suggestion” to consider but the Great Commission to obey. Making disciples is every Christian’s responsibility. It is simply disobedience not to be a disciple actively growing and to be a disciple actively making disciples. There is a very probing question our Lord asks in Luke’s gospel that is fitting to this point – “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord’, and not do what I tell you?” (Luke 6:46). It is a question that cannot be avoided or excused because the One asking knows our answers. The only true evidence we are Christians, and the measuring stick of our spiritual health is our obedience to His commands. And our biggest area of disobedience is sins of omission, not commission. It is neglect of what we know the Lord commands of us and none more neglected than the Great Commission

Next step toward obeying the Great Commission is to be a disciple ourselves.  This means obeying the exhortation the Apostle Peter gives closing out his second letter – But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen (2 Peter 3:18).  Simply stated, we cannot be used of God to make disciples if we are not growing ourselves as disciples.  We cannot give the living water of the Lord Jesus from a dry well.

The final thing in being a disciple-maker is do it.  Start sharing the gospel with the unsaved and be on the look out for those wanting to be a disciple.  It might be a young believer in our churches or at work.  Disciple family members.  Ask God to give us a burden for disciple making then be an answer to our prayers.  Initiate contact with people with a goal to build spiritual relationships which are a significant part of making disciples.

Obeying the Great Commission.  There is much joy in doing so, and perhaps our joy in the Lord levels are low because we might be neglecting to obey the Great Commission?

PRAYER: “Father, help me to take the Great Commission seriously knowing it reveals my purpose in life.”

QUOTE: “The Great Commission is not the great suggestion.  It is a command to be obeyed in God’s eyes .”

In the affection of Christ Jesus,

Pastor Jim