Fulfilling the Great Commission

Fifty2 Sunday’s ~ Listening for God

The sermon was titled “God’s Assignment for Your Life” and the minister asked those present if had we personalized the Great Commission and were living out God’s mission for our lives.  The scripture text for this sermon was Matthew 28:16 -20:

“Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

The three main points from the sermon were:

• ·       God gives us the power to complete his mission. God enables and fulfills in accordance with his will. Believe in his power & honor him with worship.
• ·       The plan – God gives us the plan to execute (see verses 19 & 20) - we are told to “Go and make disciples” and follow him where he is at work.
• ·       Teach people to observe and obey-as the gospel is taken to the ends of the earth. And know that He is with us until the end of the ages.

This sermon took me back to my early years of being a Christian when, under the inspiration of the Great Commission, I went to graduate school to get a degree in community health nursing hoping that in combination with an undergraduate degree in nursing and experience working as an RN – I would be well qualified to work in the mission field overseas. But that was not what followed next. In fact other than a short term medical mission trip to Guatemala twenty years ago - I have never been on a mission trip.  

Recently I met two young women who are getting ready for missions abroad. One leaves this week to go to Cambodia and the other one is raising money to go on the World Race—leaving in January to travel to 13 or 16 countries over the course of a year. These are passionate individuals who want to serve God and other people in an effort to make Jesus known unto the ends of the earth. I applaud them for their faith, commitment and courage.

One thing that really spoke to me in the sermon Sunday was the explanation the minister provided regarding the “go” part of the Great Commission. He said “go” translates to an “as you are going”. This means in our everyday lives we are to make the most of the opportunities God provides with people that cross our path. As simple as “the person who is in front of you today” is what the minister said. There is no shortage of humanity to whom we can “go” to who has yet to hear the gospel or come to faith. After all, Jesus said the “fields are ripe unto harvest” (John 4:35).

Unrelated to the sermon but seemingly relevant to the subject of the Great Commission are the two scripture verses;

Matthew 24:14: “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”

Romans 11:25: “I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.”

Is it possible that Christ's return is connected to the fulfillment of these two verses? Is it pointless to pray "Lord come quickly if we are not busy about sharing the good news and making disciples? 

(See for additional information: Roman's 11 - Barnes Commentary)