Go And Make Disciples.....

Matthew 28: 16-20

As we near the end of the Easter period it is a good time to look back to the last appearance of the resurrected Jesus recorded in Matthew’s gospel, when the disciples met him on the mountain in Galilee and he gave them what has been called “The Great Commission”.

Jesus told them: “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.  Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples: baptise them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you.”

These words were, of course, spoken to the very first disciples; but for centuries the church has seen them as applying not just to the twelve, but to all of Jesus disciples throughout time to the present day.  These words are for all disciples of Jesus Christ today.

Jesus said, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.”  This is no idle boast, there is no bragging here, it is a simple statement of fact.  God the Father has given to God the Son all authority over both the physical and spiritual; in other words total and complete authority.

As I have said, there is no bragging here.  Jesus tells the disciples of his authority because they and we need to know about it.  It is important that we know about it and understand its implications.

It means that good has won over evil.  Whilst Jesus was fasting in the desert the devil was able to offer him all the kingdoms of the world because he had authority over them due to human sin.  That is no longer the case.  As the modern chorus by Graham Kendrick puts it:

“Satan has no authority here,
powers of darkness will flee;
Christ has the victory.

Jesus reigns over all.”

By giving his life freely on the cross Jesus conquered the powers of sin and death; he brought forgiveness for human sin wiping out the devil’s authority over our world.  The devil still tries to trick and tempt human beings into sin, but if we belong to Jesus he has no authority whatsoever over us.

This authority of Jesus over both the physical and spiritual means that we had better listen to him.  As his disciples we need to take seriously the words he spoke whilst on earth, words recorded in our gospels because they have the authority of God behind them.  Yes, we need to understand what these words meant in the original historical, religious and social context in which they were spoken, and yes we may need to reinterpret them for people living in 21^st century Britain; but that does not mean that we are at liberty to change the meaning to suit our own agenda or to ignore them because they are at odds with our culture.  Our opinions and behaviour should be influenced by scripture; we should not let our opinions and prejudices influence our understanding and interpretation of scripture.

That authority of Jesus means that, as a church and as individual Christians we need to take seriously his command to “Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples: baptise them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.”  This command of Jesus was not just a command to the first disciples surrounding him on the mountain, it is for us as well.

In his Commentary on John’s gospel Rev Michael Green suggests that “The role of disciples becoming evangelists…. is the inevitable outcome of the revelation in Christ, once you’ve found it, you long to spread it” He goes on to write; “The baton has passed from the Master to the disciples.  The power of the risen Christ is available for those disciples.  The commandment of the risen Christ is given: go and make disciples.”

Why then, if the outcome of the revelation of Christ to us is to make disciples, are we often so reluctant to share our faith?  We are not all called to be evangelists in the way that our current Methodist President, Steve Wild, is; talking to people about Christ almost every time we venture onto public transport, but we are all called to share our faith with others.  Why are we so reluctant?

Partly I think it is the pressure of modern society.  It doesn’t seem to be politically correct to talk about our faith to others or to offer to pray for them.  Some Christians have been disciplined in the workplace or even lost their jobs for talking to people about their faith or offering to pray for them.  We are also told by society that all faiths are equally valid, that we have no right to try to convert somebody from another faith to Christianity.

Who do we obey?  Where does our modern authority lie?  In 21^st century society and its subtle and not so subtle pressures, or in our Lord Jesus Christ who said “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth”?  Jesus didn’t say, “Go then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples, except for those who are already following another faith path which is equally valid.”  Jesus said, “Go then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples.”  As Christian disciples the command from Jesus is very clear.

The other reason we are reluctant to talk about our faith is that we are not often quite sure how to go about it.  How do we broach the subject of our faith with our friends?  Sometimes such things come up in conversation or conversations go in a direction that gives us an opportunity to bring our faith into that conversation.  Often we witness our faith not with our words but with our actions and attitudes.  The way we live our lives, our values and priorities, should immediately signal our Christian discipleship to anybody who knows us even remotely well.

What if our friends reject us because of our faith?  It is a very real possibility, but our first loyalty as Christian disciples is to our Lord Jesus.  Remember Jesus said, “blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness” and also “Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.”

“Go then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples.”  We are to go to all, making no distinctions, welcoming all into our church fellowship as brother and sister disciples of our Lord Jesus.  We must not discriminate against the colour of their skin or their social background or the way they dress; or the length of their hair or for any other spurious reason.

Welcoming people though, and talking about our faith, isn’t just something we do within the walls of this building.  We cannot just sit here and wait for people to come through our church doors, whether it be to a service or to one of the many activities that take place in our church hall every week: as individuals and as a church we need to get out beyond our doors and tell people about Jesus.  And it isn't just the job of the church Minister, Pastor, Priest or evangelist; Jesus charged all his disciples to “Go then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples.”

Jesus didn’t just tell us to go and make disciples though; he told us to baptise them and to “teach them to obey everything I have commanded you.”  Again, it is not just the Minister's task to teach Christian disciples.  We are all called to teach, encourage and learn from each other.  We are all disciples together with Jesus as our Master.  I hope that I have been able to teach the people ofd the churches I serve and help them in their journey of Christian discipleship, because I have certainly leaned a lot from them.  I feel I am a better disciple and Minister because of the love and care I have received as Minister of those churches.

We need to look to the future, both as individuals and as a church.  Jesus didn’t tell us to sit in church and wait for people to come to us: he told us to “Go then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples.”  If we don’t do that then one day there might be no church left in some communities: but I hope and pray that this will not be the case.  I hope and pray that our churches will grow and flourish because we have been bold in our discipleship, because we have not simply sat and waited for people to come through our doors but have gone to them and told them the best news they will ever hear: that Jesus loves them and out of that great love died to save them from the spiritual consequences of wrongdoing and selfishness and rose from the dead to show them that through him people can have everlasting life.

In the words of a hymn not in our latest British Methodist hymn book, Singing the Faith:

“Go forth and tell!  O church of God, awake!
God’s saving news to all the nations take.
Proclaim Christ Jesus, Saviour, Lord and King,
that all the world his worthy praise may sing.

Go forth and tell!  God’s love embraces all: 

he will in grace respond to all who call. 

How can they call if they have never heard
the gracious invitation of his word?”
(J.E. Seddon 1915-1983)