Matthew 28:16-20
Jesus told us, through The Great Commission, our duty as Christians is to share and spread the good news of Jesus Christ and the Word Of God.
Estimated reading time4 min read
(Read Matthew 28:16-20)
Jesus told us, through The Great Commission, our duty as Christians is to share and spread the good news of Jesus Christ and the Word Of God. The word “gospel” in Greek means the good news or good telling. The Great Commission is seen as the start of “faith in action” for Jesus’s followers and for us. Basically, it’s fine that we call ourselves Christian, but do we tell others? Do we show others what this means?
“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.”
In Christ’s command, he declared, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” This is a crucial statement because it confirms Jesus as God. Therefore, when he makes his command to, “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”, it is a clear directive as to what our role is. Christians have no choice but to share the news and after everything that Jesus has sacrificed for us, we should WANT to make disciples of all nations. It is proof of our conviction and proof of our obedience to his will.
Many Christians dedicate their lives to sharing the news of Christ. For almost 2000 years, Christians have gone on missions to share the teachings of the Bible to those who don’t know yet, or who might not have access to the information in the first place. As a Christian, you might be thinking that you aren’t able to take a mission trip at this time in your life. That’s OK. However, there are other ways to share the good news of Jesus. Talking to your friends and strangers about what Christ has done for us, how he saved us is one way of sharing the good news. Supporting and praying for churches and mission groups is another way that demonstrates your obedience to Jesus’s command. Even living your life with Christ inside you is an outward way of showing your faith in action. Luckily, modern technology has made it easier to share the teachings of Christ. Sharing and subscribing to Christian groups, organizations, and ministries are good ways of sharing the word of God. That is exactly what we are doing here! The glory of God is not something that Christians should hide.
The Great Commission is intended for individual Christians to have faith in Jesus Christ’s saving grace and to spread it around. By sharing the news of Jesus and essentially making disciples of people who do not know the story, it becomes a communal act rather than a personal one. As Christians, we have faith individually, but we need to extend our faith to the world. Faith in action.
Summary:
- What is Jesus telling us to do in our lives? Did he tell us how to do it, or just do it?
- Jesus never claimed it would be easy to share his news but he did say that he will always be with us. Remember that in your interactions with others. Always be Christlike.
- Try to imagine the awe, confusion, and ultimate joy the disciples were feeling when Jesus appeared to them after his resurrection. Imagine their excitement when Jesus gave them this command.
Application:
- Have you shared the good news of the story of Jesus Christ with someone else? Consider not only who you would share this with, but how?
- There is no right or wrong way to “make disciples of all nations” by telling them Christ’s story as long as it is true to his word and it glorifies God. Challenge yourself to start a conversation with someone who you believe might not know the story.
- By living with Christ inside of you, you are demonstrating your faith to the world. By sharing his story with others, you are being obedient to what Jesus commanded. Pay attention to how much closer this makes you feel. Pay attention to how this faith in action transforms you.
