Sunday, August 31, 2014

Commissioned







Matthew 28:18-20

And Jesus came to them and spake unto them, saying, All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth. Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. 

Whole books have been written about this passage, songs have been sung, preachers have spent hours teaching their congregations about this verse.  Most Christian people call it the Great Commission.  What I have to say about it won't be much, however I've been observing churches friends and family have been attending and I've witnessed a disturbing trend.

The above verses command Christians to go and make disciples.  One observation I have is churches today aren't doing that.  They set their program and present it as a takei it or leave it proposition.  To me this is not how churches should operate, they should look and see what their community needs and offer that.  In some communities this outreach might be a food bank. In others it might be a community center with projects or games for children, youth and families alike.  In a more rural setting an outreach might be a roping, or a ranch fun day.  Here's the kicker in all these settings the message is the same.  "Your past doesn't matter, God loves you, He's provided for your future, your eternity, in the form of Jesus Christ. Trust In Jesus for your salvation."  John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."

The next observation is that the above message is getting lost in the shuffle. Church leaders today are so worried about attendance, tithes and offerings, the congregant who is the squeakiest wheel, and so many other details that pale in comparison to The Commission.