Often, the Great Commission Jesus announced to his disciples (you and me) is usually regarded in the church as a mandate for Americans to go outside the United States to share the Gospel. This is great and we need to do this. But there is a needed observation that Jesus gave this command from Galilee. This means right where you are in your neighborhood and resident city in the United States is smack dab in the midst of the Great Commission! Here are three ways to be mobilized in a Great Commission lifestyle living out these black and white words of Jesus in living color.
“I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 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.”” – Jesus (Matthew 28: 18-20)
- Follow Jesus’ command! With the same heart of our loving Lord, Jesus, may I be bold to say Jesus is not giving a suggestion here? Today, in a culture of options, Jesus is not giving you an idea to opt out of. Making disciples is a command given to YOU from your Lord and Savior who shed His own blood to free you from slavery to Satan.
- Among your existing daily spheres of influence. Did you know that in the Greek language the New Testament was written in, the word “go” means “as you go”? So, as you live your life among your four spheres of influence; your family, friends, co-workers and strangers you meet, this missional command to make disciples of Jesus and to teach his commands Jesus has given you is among them. Remember, Jesus sums up His commands. “Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Mt. 22:37)
- Baptize! In our megachurch culture when baptisms are done on a “baptism Sunday” once a month or a few months, this part of Jesus’ command is pertinent to be observed. Notice, he commands His disciples to baptize in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. As a disciple of Jesus, YOU can baptize people in YOUR life. In fact, there’s an urgency. When the Ethiopian Eunuch in Acts gave his life to Jesus, he deeply knew the urgency to be baptize into Jesus. “As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch *said, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?” And he ordered that the chariot stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him.” (Acts 8:36) He did not wait for Baptism Sunday
As Jesus promises, He will always be with you, view your life commissioned by Jesus thriving in this daily mission. He has blessed you with right where you are planted. So far this summer, we have baptized two people and two more have just asked us to baptize them. Thank you for making this thriving Great Commission ministry possible through your generous faithful giving.
(All giving is tax deductible)
1008 Linn Lane
Yukon, OK 73099