Our Commission

Matthew 28:18-20: “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘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 of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ Amen.”

Jesus spoke these words to his disciples just prior to ascending into heaven. These were His final words on the earth. Jesus had been crucified by the Roman government in response to influence of the Jewish religious leaders. According to a worldly viewpoint, it wouldn’t seem like Jesus had all authority. But He had overcome the power of death and was now resurrected. He demonstrated His authority over everything by conquering death and the grave. Since the ultimate threat of any worldly power is death, and Jesus defeated death, no worldly power could threaten Him. 

Based on this truth, Jesus commissioned His disciples with a very clear goal: “Go make disciples.” Jesus had all authority in heaven and on earth, but this didn’t mean the church didn’t face opposition. Far from it. The Roman Empire and the Jewish leaders continued to oppress the church. Throughout all of history, the church has been oppressed by political and social powers that sought to limit or eliminate it. But throughout the ages, the church has survived and THRIVED. 

Our hope has never been based on our standing with the political powers of the day. Nor is it based on the popularity of the message of God’s Word with the culture. Our hope is based on the resurrection of Jesus. We show that we believe this truth when we obey this great commission and make disciples. The enemy and the world know they can never eliminate the church. Their strategy is to either intimidate us to keep quiet about the truth of the Gospel, or distract us from our calling and get us entangled in meaningless arguments that keep us from making disciples. Paul said it this way in Titus 3:9: “But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless.”

Let’s make the Great Commission our personal commission and make disciples. Find ways you can communicate the love of Jesus to those around you. Tell someone how you have been influenced by your relationship with Jesus. Share practical help as a demonstration of God’s grace in you. Pray for those you interact with. All of us have a role to play in fulfilling the Great Commission, and as we work together as a church, we can see the fruit of it through changed lives.

What's the Point?

Now what? I’ve been a Christian for awhile; what’s next with my walk? Have you ever felt that spiritually monotonous feeling? I know I have from time to time, and I’ll tell you where I’ve landed. The point for the Christian is twofold: glorify God and represent Jesus.

Glorify God in everything. Whether I’m alone, with a friend, with an enemy, or with a large group, it makes no difference. My pursuit is to glorify Him in all things. I may be doing something simple and seemingly insignificant, like vacuuming or driving. I can glorify Him there with my attitude and the meditations of my heart. I may be doing something seemingly more meaningful, like teaching a child or sharing a talk in front of a crowd. I can glorify Him still with my words and actions. 

“Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus…” (Colossians 3:17)

Represent Jesus to everyone. As I go about my life as a Christian, I have the privilege of showing others what Jesus is like. I became His representation when I said, “Yes” to being His follower and the Holy Spirit made His home in me. When others watch my life and work, or hear me speak and interact, it proclaims to them what Jesus is like. My kids are watching, my family and friends are impacted, new believers are learning from me. What I do day-to-day matters greatly. It’s not just ho-hum, meaningless. I certainly want Jesus to be represented well. I know how amazing He is, and I don’t want others to get the wrong impression about Him. If someone doesn't know Him yet, my aim is to encourage them to be united with God. 

“Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:20-21)

That’s what it boils down to for me. That’s what it’s all about. Glorify God and represent Jesus.

Don't Settle for a Cheap Substitute

Jesus says in John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” During this season of living with restrictions, but also pursuing heaven’s agenda through prayer and fasting, this warning coupled with a promise has been on my mind. The enemy takes things with the intent of harm and destruction, but Jesus takes things with the sole intention of giving better things, and not only that but abundant life. Think of the things Jesus is in the business of removing: sin, shame, condemnation, loneliness, addictions. When these things are removed, there’s new life! 

For this fast, I chose to fast all food. It’s been challenging, but I’ve already been contemplating what foods I’ll continue to omit from my diet now that I’ve broken the stranglehold of things like sugar, caffeine, and junk food. These things are bad for me. So now that I’ve cleansed my body, why would I go back to consuming them?

Proverbs tells us “As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly” and “A sow that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mud.” I’ve given up sugar multiple times in my life, but I’ve always gone back to eating it. I could kick myself! My human nature continues its folly. I turn to this cheap substitute for comfort or enjoyment, knowing that it’s bad for me. How true can that be of other sin in our life? What substances are we turning to, rather than seeking the comfort of the Comforter?

Ephesians 5 exhorts, “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Let’s encourage one another to maintain these good habits we’re creating with this corporate fast and help each other continue leading a life of prayer and worship, giving us the ability to keep from falling into our past follies! If you are using a cheap substitute for fulfillment, cast it aside and ask for more Holy Spirit!

Richard Foster on Prayer

Since we are in the middle of our church-wide “21 Days of Prayer”, I thought I would say something helpful and encouraging on the topic of prayer. As I thought, I pulled out Richard Foster’s classic Prayer: Finding the Heart’s True Home. He is such a helpful guide in this area. I will let him speak to us today.

“We today yearn for prayer and hide from prayer. We are attracted to it and repelled by it. We believe prayer is something we should do, even something we want to do, but it seems like a chasm stands between us and actually praying. We experience the agony of prayerlessness.

We are not quite sure what holds us back. Of course we are busy with work and family obligations, but that is only a smokescreen. Our busyness seldom keeps us from eating or sleeping or making love. No, there is something deeper, more profound, keeping us in check...It is the notion—almost universal among us modern high achievers—that we have to have everything “just right” in order to pray. That is, before we can really pray, our lives need some fine-tuning, or we need to know more about how to pray, or we need to have a better grasp of the great traditions of prayer. And on it goes.”

Foster continues by saying that these are important ideas that deserve some attention, but we should not start in prayer this way—as something that we must master. This idea “puts us in the ‘on-top’ position, where we are competent and in control. But when praying, we come ‘underneath,’ where we calmly and deliberately surrender control and become incompetent.”

Foster here hits the nail on the head. There are so many things that keep us from actually praying. But let’s be willing to be incompetent, to merely bring our fallibility and foolishness to the Lord and pray. 

“Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong” (1 Cor. 1:26-27).