Then Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 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, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:18-20 HCSB
This Scripture passage is what is known as the Great Commission. The word commission is defined as an instruction, command, or duty given to a person or group of people.
If someone identifies themself as a law enforcement officer, it’s not their badge that’s important, it’s their commission. The commission is a photo identification stating that they have taken a sworn oath and have been given a duty to act as a law enforcement officer in the jurisdiction stated on the commission card.
In our Scripture passage, Jesus is speaking to the 11 remaining disciples. Judas has taken his own life after betraying Jesus. These 11 men have given their lives to follow Jesus. This is what Jesus means by disciple, someone who follows Him.
There is a huge difference between making a decision or a public profession of faith and being a disciple. It takes very little time to go before the church and profess your faith and be baptized, but it takes a lifetime of following Jesus to make us disciples.
It’s a job we never retire from. It’s a job that we love too much to retire from. Our love for Him should be such that we all want to not only follow Him but share the love we have found in Him with others.
It’s like when we have a crush, or we fall in love. We are constantly talking about this wonderful new person that has come into our life. We want to tell everyone about all the wonderful things they do for us. We want everyone to know the love we feel for them.
When we accept Christ as our savior it should be no different. We are told in Matthew 22:37-38 to love the Lord with all our heart, all our soul, and all our mind as this is the greatest commandment. If we have that kind of love for the Lord, how can we not talk about Him all the time? How can we not constantly reflect on His goodness and our joy at His presence in our lives?
Charles Spurgeon said, “Every Christian is either a missionary or an impostor.” I ask you to consider these questions. Which is it? How do you see yourself? How do others see you? Do you witness to others? Do you speak of the great love and peace and joy you have found in Christ? Do you tell others they can find the same in Him? Jesus was speaking to his 11 disciples at the time, but these words were written as a commission for all of us.
You wouldn’t expect a law enforcement officer to stand idly by and watch someone be beaten, raped, or murdered. Why, as Christians, is it okay for us to stand idly by and watch people go to hell?
We are commanded to be missionaries. We don’t have to go to faraway lands to do this. We can make disciples of people in our communities. We must try to make disciples of people in our homes. Are you doing your best to make disciples of your parents, your spouse, and your children?
We are called to be disciples. We are called to spread the good news of Jesus Christ. We know that some will reject it, but we are called to do it anyway. We must plant the seed.
We must also remember that making a disciple of someone takes time. It can take years. When someone finally decides to go to church or profess their love for Christ, these are just the first steps. There is a growth process. They will need to be mentored. We must be there for them.
If we have truly accepted Christ as our Savior and are His followers, we will not want anyone to go to hell. We will be missionaries and encourage others to follow Him. If we fail to do this, we must consider ourselves impostors.
Which do you choose to be?
Have a great day!