Tuesday, October 20, 2009

The Great Co-mission

Matthew 28:18-22 - "And Jesus came and said to them [the eleven]: 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore, 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 observe all I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.'" - ESV

Our ultimate mission is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. In this present age, however, we have another temporary mission. A co-mission, if you will: We are to make disciples. A disciple is one who thinks, feels, and behaves the same way his Master does.

Who - all Jesus' followers
What - make disciples of all nations - this is the only imperative command, grammatically
When and Where - as you are going in the present age
How -  ultimately by His power and presence, but also the 3 participles (go, baptize, teach) 
  • Go (Incarnation) - embody the Word in community, sharing life as you go - John 1:14
  • Baptize (Initiation) - Lead them into complete functionality within the body - Hebrews 5:14
  • Teach (Indoctrination) - teach the essentials, expecting transformation and multiplication - 2 Timothy 2:2
Why - all authority is His

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