We finish the call stories with the famous "great commission" of Jesus, often called "the great omission" of the Church. The point of including this passage is that God doesn't just call us as individuals. He calls as groups: classes, local churches, denominations and the body of Christ as a whole.
The scene takes place on a mountain (which one we are not told)in Galilee (where they were told to go twice in chapter 28, verses 7 and 10). Some see the location as the mountain where Jesus gave his sermon (Mt. 5-7), while others see it as the "Mount of Olives" with Jesus ascending from there with the promise of returning there in his second coming. There are two responses to Jesus' appearance there: worship and doubt. Give Matthew an "A" in honesty. We know Thomas doubted, but this account indicates that there might well have been others. The resurrection still brings both reactions from people.
Jesus is now ready to pass on his ministry to the "eleven" (one short of perfect and one short of the divine, inadequate but usable, as we always will be by the grace of God). We go with his "authority", not our own and we go in his name, not our own. What right do you have to share your faith and follow God's call? The authority and grace of God in Jesus Christ gives you that right.
The call of ministry is to "make disciples of all nations." What were they called in verse 16? Disciples. They are now to multiply themselves. What is a disciple? A disciple is someone who is introduced to Jesus - his person, his teachings, and his presence for daily life. A disciple chooses to follow Jesus as the first priority of her or his life. A disciple grows in the faith and matures in his or her relationship with God through prayer, study, fellowship and service. A disciple introduces other people to Jesus, and the discipleship cycle begins again. I often receive chain e-mails that encourage me to forward them to everyone I know, some even threatening great tragedy if I don't do so. But the discipleship cycle is one that has come to us through someone else and it is crucially important that the cycle not finish with us.
We have the baptismal formula of the early church in 28:19b. Some churches have substituted "Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer", so as to be more gender inclusive. From our discussion last week, you know why that is a problem for me. The contemporary terms are more functional (one who creates, redeems and sustains), when the Trinitarian formula itself is relational.
Jesus finishes with a promise - that he would be with us always. Frederick Dale Bruner sums up the great commission this way:
Mission Commander (I, Jesus, am in charge around here)Maybe that's why I always feel closer to God when I'm sharing my faith with someone who doesn't now the Lord. That word always is big. Do you think he meant it? See you this evening.
Mission Commands (So you move out, obeying me)
Mission Commander (I, Jesus, will suppport you all the way - relax and enjoy!)
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