Sent Out - The Rest of Us

Alright, the last post in this series.

In the last post we looked at Jesus sending out the 72.  This time we're looking at his last sending out of disciples if you will.  What has been called, "The Great Commission."

The scripture for this commission is found in Matthew 28, verses16-20.  To set this moment up, here's a quick recap of what led up to it.  Jesus has made is triumphal entry to Jerusalem.  He teaches, he heals, and continues on as he has done for the last three years.  He is then betrayed, arrested, put on trial, beaten, flogged, crucified, buried and raised from the dead!  So his disciples, the elven remaining, and all the other followers have been on an emotional roller coaster.  But he's back.

I think of things in terms of movies.  This is the final epic heroic moment.  It's Robert the Bruce leading the armies of Scotland after William Wallace is executed.  Only better.  Because the hero that everyone thought was dead...is alive!  He's there telling his "captains," and in turn us what's next.  So here we are in Matthew 28.  Jesus tells the women who came to his tomb to sent the disciples to Galilee where he would meet them.

16Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in^a the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

  There is no story on the planet that is this exciting!  Can you imagine!?  You're following Jesus, everything is awesome.  He's given authority to heal, and raise the dead, and proclaim that the Kingdom of Heaven is near.  Then...he's arrested and killed.  Everyone saw it happen.  It's not a rumor.  That had to be the darkest hour of the disciples lives.

They weren't arguing over how communion should be served.  They weren't debating what songs to sing at their next gathering.  Their mortgages were not important.  They weren't worried about what shoes to wear to the funeral.  They were in fear for their lives.  They had been following a man that promised them so much.  They hung all their hopes on him.  He was taken, and executed.

All hope was lost.

But it wasn't!  Hiding in a room, waiting in fear for the soldiers to come for them.  Then Jesus is there among them.  He isn't dead.  There's nothing to fear any more!  He overcame death!

Oh.  Right.  He told us he would.

I love how in the gospels it's written something to the tune of, "but they didn't remember this until after..."

But that's a whole other post for another time.  Point here is...their leader, our leader, came back.  His death wasn't the end of his mission.  It was just part of the plan.  And it's not even the end of the plan.  It's more like the end of the introduction to his mission.  Ok disciples, training is over.   Go do it.  You don't need me physically with you.  But I'll send you my Spirit to be with you until the end.  Not just your end...but the end of the age.

And what does he tell them, and us, to do?

He tells them "All authority on heaven and earth has been given to me."  He's in control.

Of everything.

So, Jesus has the power over heaven and earth.  What does he do with it?  He tells eleven guys, who are about to become for lack of a better word, outlaws, to make more of themselves.  He gives them 3 instructions and a promise.

1.  Go, make disciples of all nations (note he doesn't say "in all" nations, but of all) 
2.  Baptize them (disciples)
3.  Teach them to obey everything I have commanded you

The promise:  And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

It's so simple.  But it's so hard.  We, as flawed humans, want to tamper with what it means to be a disciple, to put regulations on being baptized, to teach beyond our obedience.

The great commission, is a charge to Jesus' disciples past/present/future to crawl out from under our hiding place, to leave the safety and comfort of what we know, to remove the mask of self-righteousness and just follow him.

After all that's what being a disciple is.  Following Jesus, and bringing him to others.

And that wraps up our "Sent Out" posts.  Please leave a comment or question below.  Also, you can subscribe to the blog in the links to the right.

Grace, Peace & Hope
-Jersey