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Tuesday, July 07, 2015

No, Lord

The Great Commission. It isn't new. Or controversial. Most believers know what it is.
"All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matt 28:18-20)
"Yeah, yeah, we get it. Go and preach the gospel." No, that's not what Jesus commanded. That was part of it, but it was much, much more.

What's interesting to me (perhaps "interesting" isn't the right word) is the way so many well-meaning, genuine, Bible-believing Christians seem to be able to blow right by this text. They'll nod and they'll agree and then they'll keep moving.

Think about it. Which part of it are you actually doing?

"Go," He said. So, are you? Where? Is there anywhere you go to make disciples? Even if it's just "preach the gospel"? Most of us aren't.

"Make disciples," He said. Do you? Do you work at making genuine followers of Christ? Do you walk alongside as He did? Do you share the gospel with them and speak to them and encourage them? You know, where you are (or are not) going? Most of us aren't.

"Baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit," He said. Now, you have to admit, most of us aren't doing this. "It's not my job," most of us will inevitably say (or think). "That's the pastor's job." As if baptism can only done by pastors. Or official church leaders. Like it was in the New Testament. Oh, wait ... that's not right, is it? So most of us aren't doing that, either.

"Teaching them to observe all that I commanded you," He finished. "Oh," you'll say, "I'm definitely not qualified to do that." Or, "Teaching is not my gift." Or, "There are people who are supposed to be doing that." Except I can't find that in the text. And, sadly, we're at the end of the Great Commission and have run out of things we're supposed to do. And most of us aren't.

How is that? It's not controversial. It's not unclear. It's not a matter of interpretation. There are certainly lots of texts with questions, but this isn't one of them. It's pretty straightforward. And yet we nod and agree and, as well-meaning, genuine, Bible-believing Christians, we head off to completely ignore Jesus's command. Oh, maybe if it becomes necessary we'll actually tell someone the gospel. But "go" and "make disciples" and "baptize" and "teach"? No, I know of very few actually doing all that. And we call ourselves followers of Christ. You know, the Christ who was given all authority--He has the right to command--and promised to be with us always--we're not in this alone. And still we nod and look around for someone to do that stuff because, after all, it is not going to be us.

Does that strike any of you odd? Because it really bothers me. Remember the story Jesus told of the two sons?
"A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, 'Son, go work today in the vineyard.' And he answered, 'I will not'; but afterward he regretted it and went. The man came to the second and said the same thing; and he answered, 'I will, sir'; but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?" (Matt 21:28-31)
When you see Jesus's command to go, to make disciples, to baptize, and to teach, which son will you be? (Hint: Don't be the second one.)

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