The Great Commission

As I make my way back to Christ, I see more and more flaws in myself.  One is that I’m not really doing anything. 

If asked, most, if not all, Christians know what The Great Commission is.  A command that Jesus gave to his disciples after rising from the dead.  It says (NIV) in Matthew 28, beginning in verse 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.”

To me, it seems simple to understand that Christians/disciples of Christ are to go, teach, and baptize everyone.  Everywhere.  Regardless of Race, color, creed or current belief. 

But it seems, that the same people that will receive a message like this one in a church or wherever will go home, do what they always do, and not put it into practice.  Then they come to church again the next time, meet with the same people, talk to the same people about God and start the process all over again.  Ignoring a simple but powerful command given by our Lord before his ascension.   I’ve known a lot of Christians who are afraid to go places, talk to certain people, or do certain things because of the sin that could be accompanied with it.  They don’t want to get to know who they perceive as sinners because they’re afraid.  Maybe afraid of keeping bad company, which is understandable because the bible warns us against bad company.  Maybe afraid of what other “Christians” may think.  Or maybe we’ve just gotten used to talking only to eachother, loving only eachother, and being a support to only eachother and forget who Jesus himself commanded us to go out and save.  Those that need saved.  Jesus spoke directly to this topic.  In Mar 2:17  “When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”  There are multiple examples of him eating and keeping company with people that were considered sinners because they were his concern.

 What I learn from The Great Commission is to go out into the world that most of us fear, teach what Jesus has taught us, create disciples and to be unafraid because he will be with me.