August 27, 2024

Matthew 28.19, 20 (NIV)

“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.”  

Never allow the thought – “I am of no use where I am,” because you certainly can be of no use where you are not.*

I began an offering meditation for my church during Missions Emphasis month by asking everyone in the audience to stand. I told everyone who had been born right there in our county to sit down. More than 90% remained standing. Then, everyone who was born elsewhere in our state was told to sit. A few more sat. Next, if they were born in any other state in the US they could sit. In our multi-cultural community, that left a lot of people still on their feet. My point? We don’t have to go far to reach the world because the world has come to us.

It seems that we have been slightly off the mark in how we have been interpreting Jesus’ final command. A more accurate translation, some say, would be, “As you go . . .” rather than the imperative, “Go.” Another version (Young’s Literal Translation) renders it, “Having gone, then, disciple all nations.”

 

To tie these two points together, I say this: We are commanded to go and teach. Jesus didn’t say how far to go or where to go or how long to stay. “As you go” implies that you teach about Jesus as you live your life. It isn’t a matter of some of us being “goers” while others are “teachers.” We are commanded to be both – in our place in the world. Some people are called to leave home and everything familiar to spread the gospel in another part of the world. But if we all “got up and went,” we would be milling around aimlessly and there would be no one to provide the financial support we need.

You may not be called to be a missionary in a foreign land, but you are still under orders. How can you obey Jesus’ command to go, teach, baptize, and teach while leading the life that God has called you to? Ask yourself: am I going as far as I can? If the answer is yes, then ask yourself this: What am I doing to help others to go?*

Your mission starts where you are, not where you think you should be.*