Photo by Filip Mroz on Unsplash
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
When I was a kid, I had to do chores. Though I didn’t like chores, I was commanded to do them as part of living in the house. They weren’t fun, but it was necessary work that needed to be done. So, commanded by my parents, I did them.
Life for Jesus’ disciples during Jesus’ ministry may not always have been fun, but I’m guessing it was often interesting. Think about it for a second – they got to watch Jesus up close and personal! They heard Him teach, saw Him perform incredible miracles, watched Him make peace with others through forgiveness of sins. Finally, they witnessed the most amazing thing of all … His torturous death followed by His resurrection.
Then, after 40 days, as Jesus ascended to heaven, He commanded them, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19).” This was a command – not a request. I can imagine these 1st century disciples still spent time fishing and having some fun, but their focus, even in the face of persecution, was heeding Jesus’ command … “Go.” By the power of the Holy Spirit, they endured. And today, whether we’re thrilled about it or not, Jesus commands us, His 21st century disciples, to continue making disciples of all nations.
I read of a missionary who was asked if he enjoyed his work. His shocking response, “Do I like this work? No. My wife and I do not like dirt … We do not like crawling into vile huts through goat refuse. But is a man to avoid what he does not like if Christ tells him to do it? … Liking or disliking has nothing to do with it. We have orders to ‘Go,’ and we go. Love constrains us.” In response to God’s love for us, whether we like it or not, we love our neighbors – and go – showing them God’s love through our faith filled words and deeds.
In Christian Love,
Pastor Jim