Making Disciples

Matthew 28:16-20 is the lectionary text for Sunday, June 7

Please note that Jesus' final command is not, "Go and Save people by getting them to accept me as their personal Lord and Savior."  That was not Jesus.  No.  We leave salvation to the Holy Spirit.  God works salvation in us.

First, Jesus proclaimed, as we have witness in Matthew's Gospel, that He had ALL AUTHORITY in the Kingdom of God - both, the heavenly part of the Kingdom AND the earthly part.  Jesus is THE authority for any who would like to be right with God, who follow in Jesus' Way to walk with God.
Jesus is Lord of our lives and not just Savior.  If we would be right with God, who claim the name of Jesus, we must follow Jesus - go where Jesus went, live what Jesus taught, commanded and modeled for us, as we have witness in the Gospels and especially Jesus' Great Commandment that we live Agape Love and Grace with Neighbor as Self, as an expression of our complete Agape Love of God with whole hearts, minds, souls and strengths.

Then Jesus commanded that we GO.  It is a command.  It is movement.  It is putting the Good News of Agape Love and Grace out there in the world around us, in the public sector.  It is not here about preaching on corners, but living Agape Love and Grace in the world around us so that others will see the witness of Jesus in us.  It is taking the teachings, commands and examples of Jesus and applying them to every aspect of life - familial, social, political, economic and ecclesiastical.  It is putting something different in the world from the values of empire in greed, lust for power and desire for status.  It is different from what the world gives, and thus people will take notice of it, be moved by it and be drawn to Jesus through it.

Jesus commanded that we MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS.  Because of our witness of love, people will be drawn to the difference that Jesus' Way makes.  It will make folk want to come and be a part of it.  So, we need to make them student followers of Jesus and Jesus' Way.  All people, regardless of nationality, country of origin, ethnicity, race, culture, class, sexual orientation, ability or age are to become student followers of Jesus' Way of Agape Love and Grace because they have seen our witness of how it works in the world.  We are not supposed to spread intolerance, exclusivity, devotion to money, abuses of power or value for position in the name of Jesus.  We are to spread Agape Love and Grace, and then to make followers of Jesus' Way of those who respond positively to it.

And when they come, Jesus commands us to BAPTIZE THEM.  Like the Ethiopian Eunuch who was baptized by Philip in the desert, so no matter what differences a person may have, even if they have been traditionally excluded by the Law of Moses because of their sexual orientation, they are to be INCLUDED in the Community of Agape Love and Grace.  We are to acknowledge that they are sisters and brothers and a part of the body of Christ of which we are a part.  Like the Hellenists included in the leadership, they are to be respected, valued, honored and included in ministry.  They are to flavor the Shalom Community and its work with their presence, needs and gifts.

Jesus commanded us to teach them to OBEY everything that HE commanded.  Jesus, fulfiller of Law and Prophets, with ALL authority in heaven and on earth, commands us to live what HE commanded, as we have witness in the Gospels.  Jesus' imperatives are our imperatives.  Chiefly, Jesus' central command is to live Agape Love and Grace in the world around us.  For some, Jesus is prophet.  For some, Jesus is the Great Prophet.  For us, Jesus is Messiah and LORD.  Jesus has authority in our lives and how we live them.  Jesus is THE authority for us.  In teaching those who come to live everything that Jesus commanded, we must be living it ourselves.

This is the Great Commission.  We are called and commanded to THIS as OUR MISSION, the MISSION of Jesus and Jesus' Way.  Leave salvation to the Holy Spirit.  Leave hatred, greed, lust for power and desire for status to the promotors of empire.  This is the Kingdom of God, and for those who would be right with God, this is our mission in the world around us.  It really is that simple.

And remember, says Jesus, "I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, TO THE END OF THE AGE."
This, I believe is both Comfort and Accountability for us.  The Holy Spirit, we know is with us always, relentlessly pointing us to Christ Jesus.  Jesus is with us, the Judge of the living and the dead, the one with all authority in heaven and earth.  Our Lord is with us.  If you claim the name of Jesus, that must give you pause.  It does me.

Pastor Jamie