“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…” Matthew 28:19
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.” These were the words Jesus spoke before giving His final command to His followers. For 33 years He had willingly humbled Himself in order to make a way for sinners to be right with God. For 33 years He chose to look like us, live with us, and struggle among us…but most importantly, He chose to model for us the ministry that He would leave in our hands – the ministry of making disciples.
By His authority, Jesus issued His final command to the followers He dearly loved. Most Christians know it as, “The Great Commission.” The purpose of each and every Christian begins with one little word, “Go.” It must have been one of Jesus’ favorite words, especially after He rose from the grave. In five of His ten resurrection appearances, Jesus told His disciples to “go.” Christianity is a faith on the go.
Somehow along the way, Christians have gotten the idea that our primary responsibility as Christ-followers is to come instead of to go. Our primary responsibility is not to come to the church, but to go out from the church to the people who need Jesus. We come to the church so that we can grow and mature. This equips us to go out and make disciples in the name of Jesus.
The only way anyone becomes a disciple of Jesus is when someone who already knows Him shares the Gospel. This is what we call evangelism. Evangelism is not making Baptists or Methodists or Presbyterians. It is making disciples – fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. If you are a follower of Jesus, your number one reason for being here is to make other followers of Jesus.
There is one of two things true about every person on the face of the earth. You either need to become a disciple because you are not a follower of Christ; or, you need to become a disciple maker, because you are a follower of Christ. Christianity is the most culturally diverse faith movement in history, and it should be, because we have been commanded to, “Go and make disciples of all nations…”
Dear Lord, thank you for your Word and how it teaches us to become and to make disciples. Help me to continue to grow as a disciple, and give me the opportunity to make disciples as well. Amen.
Topics: Discipleship
