faithfully follow

Here are the last words of Jesus before he left the world he gave everything for.

“Now go in my authority and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  And teach them to faithfully follow all that I have commanded you. And never forget that I am with you every day, even to the completion of this age.”  Matthew 28:19-20

His time of ministry is complete.  Jesus Messiah left his followers with powerful teaching, life-changing miracles, and a perfect example of humble service.  Then on the most terrible, beautiful day in history he gave his own life in a stunning expression of his love.  Now He speaks to his closest friends as the Risen Savior with one last message of instruction and encouragement.  Please don’t miss the weight of these words.

Imagine for a moment how alone the disciples would have felt knowing Jesus wouldn’t be beside them.  The question for all of them: “Now what?”

 

The one who knows their hearts takes great care to make it uncomplicated.  “Go make disciples.”  With eternity at stake, Jesus does not want his followers to forget that this life is not about them.  There is work to be done, good news to share.  They are called to live with radical hope, to live in such a way that they have to constantly give an explanation for the hope that they have. (1 Peter 3:15).  Disciple making was to be the mission and purpose of their lives.

The message is the same for us.

Ever wonder why Jesus didn’t just take you right to heaven the moment you believed?  He died to be with you, after all.  Friend, let me tell you:  I just can’t wait to get there.  I long for the day I see Jesus’ face.  When I sing and worship, I imagine what it will be like to sing and worship there.  But there is one thing that you and I can never do in heaven.  We can’t reach the lost.  We can’t have an impact on people that do not know Jesus.  We can’t live and speak and serve in such a way that those who see us wonder about the hope that we have.  The time to make disciples is now.

But this is where we often get stuck. Not in the ‘why’, but in the ‘how’.  Eugene Peterson beautifully describes discipleship as “a long obedience in the same direction’.  The apostle Paul puts it in language that stops me in my tracks, every time.  “Follow me, as I follow Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1).  I struggle to imagine such deep confidence in the working out of faith.  Surrender and obedience go hand in hand.  Here, Paul shows us the way to true discipleship.  It is the modelling of Jesus, a daily obedience to live more like Him.

“It’s impossible to be a disciple or a follower of someone and not end up like that person. Jesus said, “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher” (Luke 6:40). That’s the whole point of being a disciple of Jesus: we imitate Him, carry on His ministry, and become like Him in the process.”  (Francis Chan, Multiply: Disciples Making Disciples)

In the same passage, Jesus gives the sweetest encouragement: “Never forget that I am with you every day.” He reminds his friends that they are never alone.  Can I remind you of the same thing?  Life sure gets messy sometimes.  We can find ourselves longing to live victoriously but instead go to Jesus broken and overwhelmed, not sure what to even ask for.  We wonder like the first disciples, “Now what?”

You are loved.  You have a purpose.  You have a unique testimony.  The hardest times in life can speak the loudest of our Savior.  God has placed you where you are for a reason.  Your home and work are a sacred mission field, and you are called to be faithful in living boldly for Jesus right where you are.  Please don’t underestimate what God can do through your story and how He can use you to make disciples.

 My sister-in-law, Stephanie, is ridiculously talented. I am more than a bit obsessed by the prints she makes. Check out her story and her work at fullyalivedesigns.com