A Great Commission

Rob Kaczmarek
Written By Jeff Rybacki
 
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”
— Matthew 28:19-20a

As a father of five I have come to learn that the hardest thing for my kids to do is usually something new. Whether it is taking swimming lessons or if it's trying a new sport or learning something new in school, those first steps always seem to be the hardest. There is the fear of the unknown, not being sure of how it will all workout, and the unsure feeling of not knowing what to do makes those first steps feel quite daunting.

Jesus sends his disciples into the world and tells us to make Him known to others. Like young children we can feel the fear of doing something outside of our comfort zone. And this may seem even more unsettling because the King of heaven has told us to go! We think things like, “What if I mess this up?” “What if I don’t know what to say?” “What if I say the wrong thing and the person turns Jesus down never to listen to the gospel again?” And on and on our thoughts often spiral.

Our excuses don’t seem to be a problem to Jesus, however. He tells us to “Go” with full awareness of who we are, what our fears may be, and what our “issues” are. And yet, no matter what our thoughts are, they didn’t deter Jesus from sending us to those right around us.

One thing I really love about this passage is that Jesus, while telling us to talk to others about Him, gives us a wonderful way to do it. The command Go, is more accurately  translated, “as you go.” Meaning that no matter what your day looks like, the things you are doing, the place you work, the hobbies you enjoy, the store you shop at, all position you around people who are a lot like you! And while you get to enjoy their company Jesus says, “Hey, let them know about what I did in your life and let them know I can and will do the same in theirs!” 

The great commission truly can be a fun commission if we remember what Jesus is saying to us. No matter what we are going to do, while we are doing it, don't forget to talk about how Jesus helps you do that thing differently now. The task should be a joy, so don’t allow fear of thinking you have to be doing something so different from everyday life or so grand in its scope and scale that you don’t know where to begin and causes you to be paralyzed from doing anything! And If you wonder why Jesus is so confident, well it’s because you aren’t going to do this alone. He says in the next sentence after commanding you and me to “go”, “and I will be with you…”  So, if you’re ready to go, then He is ready to help! 

Prayer

Father, we ask that you help us have joy in doing our daily tasks. Help us to talk about you as we are going about life. Help us tell our friends and neighbors about how you have changed our lives and how you are willing and able to change theirs too! 

Amen.

 
Jeff Rybacki
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