Have you ever heard of the word 'Maligned?' Have you ever thought of the person who is being 'Misled' or 'Misguided?' Unfortunately here in America we have a huge problem within modern day American Christianity and how 'It' decifers the Word of God. The modern day church forgets that 'He' is the Potter and 'We' are supposed to be the clay. We are not the ones that are supposed to lay the foundation, but it is His Word that lies the foundation and it will always be firm and solid.
The Great Commission is found in Mathew 28:19-20 and it says "Therefore 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. And surely I will be with you always, to the very end of the age." Don't we all love this passage? Right now you are reading this thinking "Yep, this is me!" Some of you might be looking to someone else right now saying "That's their calling, or thats only for Clergy." The truth is, it is for any and all professing Christians. Let us break this down for a second and see just where the buck stops and where things get maligned, or misguided:
Therefore Go..... Sounds simple enough, but I want all of us to know this truth "Jesus wasn't saying go to your church", He was saying "Go!" We may not 'Go' to another country, or even another city, but we all go somehwere each and everyday. Whether it is school, work, the grocery store, the hardware store, or anywhere else, we are going. His will isn't that we become part of the scenery wherever we go, but to impact that scenery wherever we are. Make Disciples...... To the believer Jesus is telling us that we are to invest time with those we share the gospel with, and to walk with them and teach them what a true Jesus follower is. He did not day "Go make converts" but instead said "Go make disciples." being a member of a church is not by any means making a disciple. He told them all to go, and not just a few. Baptizing them ..... For the true disciple of Christ making others disciples this is an important process of total devotion, dedication, belief, surrender and trust in Jesus for those in whim they are discipling. The new disciple will want to get Baptized not for church membership, or the following of a ritual, but because they have chosen to die to themselves completely and live for Christ. The cart get s put before the horse way to many times today. We Baptize them before we disciple them (Pay attention to the order Jesus gave this command.) Teaching them to 'Obey' everything I have commanded you ....... Obey is a huge word. The word 'Everything' actually magnifies the command. Today many churches say "You don't have to do anything but believe." They also teach people that they really don;t have to 'Obey' anything (Much less everything) thaty Jesus commanded and taught. I will be with you always, to the very end of the age ........ We have all heard people over the years say "Jesus is always with me." Lets really look at what Jesus is saying "If you go, if you make, if you obey, then I will always be with you even to the end of the age."
Do you see what this last cricial command Jesus is giving really means? It means that if we are truly His, and If the Holy Spirit is truly in us, then we will be going, discipling, baptizing, and teaching to obey Him, and not our own fleshly desires. Can you be a true believer and not follow the great commission? What did He say...............
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