Every few years the teenagers go through this video series called Gospel Journey: Maui. In that series, this guy name Zane tells a story of a little kid from a camp he worked at. Zane’s a skateboarder and when he walked in to his cabin, he saw this little kid who had his skateboard upside down spinning the wheels. As Zane tells it, the kid was having a blast just sitting there spinning the wheels around and around. That’s when he walked over and told the kid, that he could teach him what the board was supposed to be used for. The kid agreed, and Zane proceeded to flip the skateboard over, and started teaching the kid the true purpose of the board. The kid had an even greater time, when he understood the purpose behind the skateboard.
Because the reality is, when we understand the purpose behind something, then we can better utilize what we have been given to accomplish it’s purpose, and the more joy we can get from that which we’re a part of.
And it’s this idea of understanding what we’re suppose to do with the commission we’ve been given, that brings us into our third week of our commissioned series. This week we’ll be jumping back into the Great Commission passage of Matthew chapter 28 verse 16.
Now in the last two weeks we have been diving deep into this passage to better understand what it means to do the work that God has called us to.
In the first week, we talked about the context of the passage. In this context we focused in on the fact that the disciples met Jesus on a mountain where they worshipped him. But as they worshiped him, there was still doubts as to whether or not Jesus was truly the Messiah. It was on this point that we recognized that even though we may have doubts, God can still use us. He still used these disciples when they doubted, and he can use us as well.
Then in our second week we tackled the idea of what it means to be commissioned in Jesus’ authority. Jesus said he had all authority in heaven and on earth, and since we are the ones being commissioned we asked, how do we work within that authority. This is where we went pretty deep into what is the authority that Jesus bestows on us to complete this commissioning. We walked away with the information that we have several areas that we are given authority in, but at the core of that authority is the fact that we have to be completely reliant on Jesus to enact it and that we are not to misuse that authority.
Now with three verses out of the way, let’s dive into Matthew chapter 28, verse 16. Where we’ll read through the short passage again.
16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Today I want us to ask the question, what exactly am being told to do by Jesus? See what I’ve found, is that we tend to use ideas that are method base, rather than Scripturally derived. What do I mean by that?
Well one method base approach to being commissioned are tracks. If you don’t know, a track is a simple mini-booklet with information about the Gospel and how to receive Jesus as Savior. Now, I’m not saying tracks are bad, or any other method of sharing the Gospel is necessarily bad, but rather, we allow those simple methods to take the place of what we are called to do. Instead of utilizing methods, such as tracks in a commissioned drive understanding, I’ve seen them used with the mindset of, “I’ll just give ‘em a track and I’ve done my duty.” Which I must confess I have done myself.
But, what we see from Jesus is a more time-consuming work. It’s not method focused, but rather relationally burden. So let us dive into what exactly Jesus was calling his disciples to, and us as well, when he spoke the words of commission that we just read.
Let’s return to verse 19 and really understand what Jesus said.
“Therefore go.” I have heard these two words used in two ways. One way is, we got to get out there and spread the Word. Which is true. The other way is, as you live your life, spread the Word. Which is also true. One approach is aggressive; get out there and get ur’ done! You’re street evangelism type of approach. The other approach is more passive; as God brings people into your life, then you should share. This is the, wait and see when I can bring it up in a conversation approach. I think both have their place and both can be effective. But I think that these two approaches miss the totality of what Jesus is saying with these two words.
See the Greek word that’s used for “therefore”, is poreuomai (por-you’-om-ah-ha-ee), which instead of being translated as “Therefore go”, or “Go therefore”, it’s better translated as “having gone.” Which, when I first came across this exact translation, I didn’t understand what it meant. But there was this gnawing at the back of my head to go deeper. So, I spent more time than probably I should have, to find that the implication of the word wasn’t a future goal. As if we had a clear cut destination to arrive at. "Therefore go”, implies that Jesus sending the disciples on a new journey to a specific place, but that’s not what the word poreuomai (por-you’-om-ah-ha-ee) implies.
The implication of the word would be better understood as, continue the journey you’ve been on. See Jesus isn’t telling the disciples or us, I’m sending you on a new job assignment, rather he is telling the disciples to not give up on the original call he gave them. To Peter, James and John, Jesus walked along the shore and called them to be fishers of men. He is now telling them, to keep going forward with that same call.
This makes sense, because some of them are doubting Jesus, doubting why they’re there. So he’s encouraging them to not give up, that their original call to be his disciples was not in vain. So they are to continue as they were called.
But then Jesus tells the disciples what their work is to be as they continue down this road. “…make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”
Jesus gives us three aspects of the commission.
First, to make disciples. Up to this point, Jesus’ closes disciples have been in the training process. Everything they did was under Jesus’ direct tutelage. He taught them something, and then sent them out to practice it. They came back and told what happened, and the process began again. This happened twice in the the Gospels; once in Matthew chapter 10 with the sending out of the original 12, and then in Luke chapter 10 with the sending out of the 72.
But now, it was their turn to be the teacher. The word disciple here, is mathéteuó (math-ate-you’-o), which means, train another in the way you have been trained. Jesus is telling his disciples to train others as he trained them.
Second, they are to baptize. Literally they are to dip people in water as a sign of that person’s discipleship. This outward symbol would connect them to Jesus’ in his death and resurrection. This is part of discipleship. We are called to baptism. Not because it saves, but rather because it’s walking in obedience to Jesus’. And when we walk in obedience, Jesus himself says in the Gospel of John, that we show that we love him (John 14:15). But did you notice that the criteria to be able to baptize another person is simply to be a disciple yourself? If you are a disciple of Jesus, then you are commissioned to baptize other disciples. I personally am not special because my title is Reverend. A title does not give you the authority to baptize. Jesus gives his disciples the commission to baptize, so we need to do it.
On a side note, you might notice that we’re skipping over the name in which Jesus directs us to baptize in, we’ll look at that more in-depth next week.
But it doesn’t stop there, Jesus goes more in depth about what exactly the disciples are suppose to train people in. Jesus says, “teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”
Jesus want’s the disciples to disciple others as they were discipled. That means, he doesn’t want them to start making up new teachings. Jesus wants the disciples to help people understand his teachings. And the Greek word for obey téreó (tay-reh’-o), conveys the idea that Jesus wants the disciples to help people guard every part of his teachings in their lives. Jesus wants the commands that he gave to these first disciples, communicated to every generation of disciple thereafter in a continuous cycle of disciples making disciples who make disciples.
Taking all of this together, we can see that this commission that we are given is not simply handing a person a track, or giving one Gospel presentation, or calling them to the alter at a worship service. All these things can be effective, but we’re called to something more. We’re called to a life’s work of training others to follow Christ, as we have been trained to follow him. Each of us is called, not to just share the Gospel with someone, but to be a teacher of the life of Christ, who we know ourselves. We see this type of discipleship model with Barnabas and Paul, and then Paul and Timothy. We see this with Peter and Mark. John and the churches in Asia Minor.
Right now in the US, about 65% of adults say that they are Christian (https://www.marketwatch.com/story/americans-are-now-much-less-likely-to-say-they-are-christian-2019-10-17). That’s about 165,000,000 people. Yet, a poll done of church attendance that looked at just attendance numbers rather than asking individuals, put the number at around 24% being in regular attendance (https://churchleaders.com/pastors/pastor-articles/139575-7-startling-facts-an-up-close-look-at-church-attendance-in-america.html). That means that on an average Sunday morning, we’re looking at around 40,000,000 people attending a church. Which means, about 125,000,000 people are most likely not getting discipled on a regular basis. Could they be attending places that doesn’t count attendance, could be. Could they be attending small groups, or house churches, that could be also. But there is definitely a gap in the discipleship making process when we can look around in our society and see it breaking down all around us.
And for once I’m going to point fingers at who’s fault I think it is. It’s mine. It’s the leadership of the Church as a whole for generations. It’s the pastors and leaders who have taught you that all you need to do is give a track, or invite your friend to a church service and you’ve done your duty. That all you need to do is follow a simple method, that doesn’t require any blood, sweat or tears from you. Just maybe an awkward moment in time. But the reality is, that’s wrong. Can we utilize methods like a track? Yes. Can we use simple Gospel presentations? Yes. Should we invite friends to the church? Yes. But we are called to so much more. Each of us as individuals are called to disciple people as the original disciples were called to. Jesus lived with them for about there and half years. He taught them on a regular basis. Corrected them, encouraged them, showed them what it meant to walk the path of God.
Paul spent about that same amount of time when he was in Corinth, and when he established churches.
But this type of discipleship takes time, it takes effort, it takes a denying of self for another’s sake. It’s being asked the same questions over and over again and watching some succeed and fail. It’s having great victories and major defeats. It’s following up in the lives of those we’ve given the track to. It’s following up with those we’ve shared the Gospel with. It’s following up with our friend about attending the church.
Listen to Paul’s heart for the disciples of the Colossians Church in his letter to them, "21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. 22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— 23 if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.
24 Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. 25 I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— 26 the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. 27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
28 He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. 29 To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me (1:21-27).
The type of commission that we are called to is one where are lives are spent building up others in the faith. Will we be there fore every aspect of a person’s disciplined life? No, we’ll move in and out. Using biblical imagery, some will plant, others will harvest (1 Corinthians 3:6-9). But all of us need to be working together as disciples who disciple.
And our response might be, I’m not qualified. I’m not a pastor with a degree, or outgoing enough for something like this. And my response to that is, you’re not. But I’m not either. None of us are. Even the the eleven disciples, as they were standing on that mountain being commissioned by Jesus, were not qualified for what he was sending them out to do. But that’s why his last words were so important, "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age (v.20).”
It is not you, you have to rely on, it is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in you, which you received when you accepted Jesus as you’re Savior. Or as Paul put it to the Colossians church in that passage we just read, “To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory (1:27).”
Christ is in you if you have accepted Jesus as your Savior. God himself dwells with you. That was the final point of our ARK Series. You are God’s ark of his presence on earth. We are not called to give theological proofs, we are not called to answer the question of the universe, we are called to teach Christ’s teachings, building up disciples who make disciples, giving responses for the hope we hold.
I challenge you every week, because we need to grow in our faith. We cannot become dormant, waiting for either the day Jesus returns or our going to him in death. I take this discipleship process very seriously, it’s what we are commissioned to do. We cannot stop at the Gospel presentation and think we’re done. We must go deeper ourselves, we must teach the deeper life of Christ to others. Because we are commissioned for this very work.
So my challenge for you this week is simple, ask yourself the question who am I discipling? Am I teaching them the teachings of Christ? Am I giving them that which I received? Am I pouring into them so that they would understand the riches of Jesus? Or am I doing my minimum duty that I think is required of me? Yet I’ve never trained up a disciple, never poured out my blood, my sweat, my tears on their behalf.
If you can point to people that you can definitively say, yes I have discipled them, then ask, have you communicated to them that they too need to make disciples? Because that’s the end goal, disciples who make disciples, who make disciples.
If you can’t point to a person who you can definitely say yes to, then this is not a condemnation, but an encouragement to seek God for the opportunity to share in that disciple making role that you have been commissioned to.
If we would each make it our goal in life to disciple two people, who would then disciple two people, then the churches that are closing their doors today, would have to build new rooms for the disciples that are about to come.
Let us be the people that God commissioned to this life-lived discipleship process. Amen.
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