Matthew 28:19-20
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
These are the last two verses of the gospel according to Matthew. These are the final instructions that Jesus gave his disciples before ascending to heaven. It is better known as “The Great Commission.” Jesus has wrapped up His earthly teaching to His disciples with one last command. Go and make disciples. Take all your life experiences and everything I have taught you in the past three years. Please bring it to other people in your life. Follow my example and find those to follow Me through your example. And Jesus’ last statement is, “no matter what happens; I will be with you!”
Disciples Go
Poreuomai is the Greek translation for go. Strong’s Concordance poreuomai is “I travel, journey, go, die.” In the NASB, poreuomai is translated to some of the following: am on my way, following, go, go on their way, goes, going, indulge, pursued a course, sets, started, walking, and way. I have heard sermons where “go” means as you are going through life, you are to make disciples. Which I believe is true, but my question is, what kind of disciples are we making? Do we have a set course in mind? Which way are we walking? Are we indulging in the things of Christ, or are we indulging in the things of the world? I firmly believe that we shape those around us no matter what actions we take. We influence the lives of those around us.
Have you ever just been living in a manner that pleases God, and someone kind of close to you starts asking about your faith? They see something different about you and try to understand what it is. Are you a peculiar person? Does your faith even stand out?
What church do you go to?
At points in my life, I can say that my faith would shine better than others. And not even because I got older. I had a job several years ago where I worked under a guy who was rather crass, loud, and very lost. He asked me about a week or two into being on his crew. We were doing something on a construction site; it was hot. The team was getting at each other; tension was in the air. And out of the blue, he looks at me, “What church do you go to?”
Going on my way, I did enough things counter to the culture that a lost man could see that I didn’t fit in with the crowd. How are you going about life? Are you influencing those in your sphere to ignore the bible and God because you verbally claim to be a Christ-follower, but your actions don’t line up? What you do matters! You are being discipled. What are you being conformed to in your discipleship? You are discipling. What are you teaching others to be like?
Going doesn’t require being in another country, state, city, or town. It doesn’t even mean you have to leave your house. Do you have kids? What are you teaching them about faith? They will gain their knowledge of who God is through you. What are you teaching them?
Prayer
Father, remind us that others are observing everything we do. Help us follow you, and stay a peculiar person. Let our lives reflect Jesus and bring you honor and praise. Amen
