Perhaps you know the well known missionary banner of Matthew 28:19-20, where Jesus commands his disciples to "go." It's commonly called, "the great commission." What do you think about it? For some, energy and passion for evangelism get "a shot in the arm" simply by hearing the words "great commission." I fear it's to my shame that's never been true of me, not even close. I have heard that passage hundreds of times over my lifetime, and I have most often received it with some form of eye rolling. Yes, that has not been a passage that I've wanted to rally behind, or even think too much about. Evangelism. It's extremely important... for someone else. In place of passion for evangelism, my empathy has much more readily supported the singer of the classic christian song, "Please don't send me to Africa." Evangelism is intimidating, scary, and not my gift. Again, to my shame, these kinds of thoughts, articulated or not, have characterized most of my life.
But, Jesus says, "Go."
God has been at work in our hearts for several years now. We've been teaching the 5th grade boys Sunday school class for the past 6 years. Though we haven't always recognized it in the moment, God has been using that effort to change our thinking about the "great commission." Through 5th grade Sunday school, He has been continually revealing and clarifying two profound truths to me.
- Jesus is extremely good news, but that has not been true for me for much of my Christian life.
- The "great commission" is for all believers, and "evangelism" is only a small part of it.
Occasionally, we are approached by financial advisors who want to tell us the "good news" about the many and varied ways they can help us guarantee a better financial future for ourselves. Without fail, their message causes stress for me. They tell me what we should do with our money, and how amazing the future can be as a result, etc. Again, without fail, there's one huge problem that they seem to miss. To fund any of their amazing future plans requires taking money away from other things that are already underfunded. To fund a "savings for the future" plan requires action out of a sense of duty to responsibility. It's a sacrifice. It means years of discomfort with the hope of comfort in the future. That's similar to how the "good news" of Jesus has felt to me for much of my Christian life. As a result, you can easily see how I might be reluctant to become like the "financial advisor" telling others about Christ.
I was wrong. While considering the 5th graders, youths who've grown up in the church, who've heard all the stories, and know all the answers, I've begun asking some life changing questions. I want those boys to love Jesus, but "what's in it for them?" jumps out and slaps me in the face. Why is Jesus good news? What's in it for me? I know some may consider that question inappropriate, even sinful. I believe that's been true of me in the past. But what does God say? I find it increasingly important to notice that God answers that question again and again, from cover to cover, in the pages of the Bible. It takes only an elementary effort of Bible study to find verses that tell of the good God has for His creatures if we do things his way. God does not chastise the asker of the question, "what's in it for me." No, he answers the question over and over and over again. The problem is not the asking of the question, the problem is that I don't agree that God's answers are good answers.
God is no "financial advisor." Jesus isn't asking that we scrape up all the righteousness we have as a payment for a better future. He isn't pressing us to fulfill a duty of responsibility, and sacrifice for hope of a better future. He's asking us to recognize that we can not possibly in any way on our own pay for the future (and present) hope He has for us, ever. He's asking us to receive, with open hands, his favor unmerited, His gift of infinite value that will benefit us profoundly and powerfully from this moment through eternity. He's telling us about extremely good news, and yes, it's extremely expensive, but He paid for it in full! The more God enables me to recognize how true these things are, the better the news becomes to me, and the more I want to tell others about it.
And Jesus says, "Go."
The great commission is not about "evangelism" exclusively. In fact, "evangelism" isn't even included in the text of Matthew 28:19-20. The verse actually says, "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, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." (NIV) So these are the actual imperatives: go, make disciples, baptize, and teach. Now, "evangelism" is a way to obey these commands, but it is far from the only way. Or, think of it this way: evangelism is making disciples, but making disciples is not necessarily evangelism; evangelism is "going", but "going" is not necessarily evangelism; evangelism is teaching, but teaching is not necessarily evangelism.
This is the direction my thoughts about the "great commission" have been moving:
- I am a disciple (follower) of Jesus Christ. Therefore, I must go, AND I love Jesus and His message so I WANT to go.
- Go. Where? Zambia? Yes. Florida? Yes. Wisconsin? Yes. Calvary Bible Church in Neenah? Yes. To the kitchen? Yes. To the couch? Yes. Think of a place, are there people there? Yes. Therefore, this command is for all Christians all the time. The "going" doesn't necessitate being where you're not, but obeying where you are.
- Make disciples, baptize, and teach.
- For 17 years, Erin and I have been intentionally pouring our lives into 4 people who are extremely important to us, who live in our house and wear our last name. That's obedience to Jesus' command in Matthew 28:19-20.
- For years, we've been teaching 5th grade Sunday school. That's obedience to Jesus' command in Matthew 28:19-20.
- For years, we've been marriage mentors. That's obedience to Jesus' command in Matthew 28:19-20.
So, why "goribble?"
Jesus says, "Go." Our heart and prayer is; may we stay-go or go-go, but never no-go.
Jesus says, "Go." Our heart and prayer is; may we stay-go or go-go, but never no-go.
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