What would happen if Jesus gave His Great Commission today?
You may ask, “What is the Great Commission?” It is the purpose, goal, reason for the church to exist, given to us by Jesus Christ before He went back to be with His Father in Heaven
He said, “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature. He who believes in me and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. “ Mark 16:15-16
Look at what it says, “He who believes in me will be saved!” That’s not only fantastic news, it’s a fantastic task that Jesus has given to us. How can people believe if they haven’t heard, and how can they hear unless someone tells them?
The question is, are we fulfilling that task? I have to sadly admit, for the most part, we are not. That, my friends, is why we see the crumbling state of many churches, our country, and the world. It may sound simplistic to the uninformed, but Jesus is the answer. Are we sharing this? Are we seeking to transform our society, not by rules or force, not by government policies or diversity, but by the transformation of hearts through Jesus Christ?
What’s the problem? Are we lazy? Are we forgetful? Are we too busy? Are we too comfortable in our lives to bother with such things? Are we fake Christians?
The early church was on fire with a total commitment to get the job done! But, I fear if Christ challenged the current church with the Great Commission, it would go something like this-
Jesus said, “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.”
And Peter said, “I don’t know, Lord. Go? Not if it’s Wednesday nights. I got Yoga on Wednesday nights. Can we go on Tuesday?”
And Thomas answered, “I doubt it. I have to take the kids to ball practice on Tuesdays.”
And Matthew chimed in, “Besides, isn’t that what we hire ministers for?”
John added, “Hey! As long as I’m inviting people to church, I’m doing my job. Right?”
And Jesus wept…
I certainly hope you see the humor in the above illustration. Yet, we have to also see the sad touch of truth that maybe we use excuses like these to neglect what God has called all Christians to do. I have to admit, I see it in myself, and I see it in my church. Are we fulfilling the Lord’s Great Commission?