Matthew
28:16-20
As they were out there living their lives
under empire, their mission was going into the world in a different way. They had learned about the Kingdom of God,
God’s Will and how it was fulfilled in Jesus’ Way of agaph. Their lives were
changed by it. They changed the lives of
others through healing and sharing Good News.
Now, Jesus was sending them out into the world of empire to continue to
shed the light of the Kingdom of God on it, expose it for the evil it is and
lead people to live differently in resistance to it.
As Jesus had called them, taught them,
commanded them, guided them, lived with them and loved them, so they are to
disciple all people. As they followed
Jesus, so others were to come to follow, not them, but Jesus. As they were transformed by the Good News of agaph, so they were
now given the imperative to bring other student followers who would learn the
way of the Kingdom, Jesus’ Way, and transform the world through the living of
that love.
Including.
It is about inclusion. They were
to include others, people of all nations, diverse peoples into the body of
Christ. They were not to discriminate or
exclude. Baptism is about inclusion and
belonging, not just to Christ Jesus, but also to one another. It is inclusion into a movement of agaph addressing the
darkness of empire with its light, and about transforming the world to see that
Jesus’ Way is God’s Way, a better and more sustainable way for all people to
live, belonging to one another and thus, as a body to God. There is no message about individualism here,
personal salvation or “me and Jesus.” It
is about inclusion and belonging in the body of Christ together, regardless of
differences.
By example.
They were taught by Jesus. Jesus used
teaching statements while addressing the evils of empire before them. Jesus used imperatives to command that they
do or not do, according to the Law of Love.
Jesus used parables to teach about how the Kingdom is different from empire. Jesus taught by example as He modeled the agaph of which He
spoke and which was at the center of His message. Jesus acted.
Jesus did not just sit and talk or offer thoughts and prayers
alone. Jesus addressed the evils all
around and acted to counter the devastating effects of those evils, while
teaching people how to live differently and be there for one another, resist
empire and usher in the Kingdom of God.
Imperatives were given. They were commanded. Do not judge.
Forgive. Love God and Love
Neighbor. Give them something to
eat. Heal them, share the Good News with
them. Do not live as the purveyors of
empire live or adopt their values. Do
not imitate those in power, with wealth or those with great status. Be humble, give of yourself to others and
share power so that all have agency in their lives.
All authority had been given to Him, so Jesus
OWNED the commandments. His fulfillment
of Deuteronomy 6 and Leviticus 19 took on very active, direct applications in
repairing the world of empire to be reflective of the Kingdom of God. Jesus made agaph THE COMMANDMENT. We are to actively commit our words and
actions to the well-being, completeness and wholeness of the other, even stranger
and enemy, and especially the most vulnerable among us.
And remember, Jesus is WITH US to the end of the age. That is meant to represent both comfort and accountability to us.
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