What Is My Life About?

And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20 NASB)

So, we're studying "Multiply" by Francis Chan in our church small groups, including mine.  We're using materials for the first time, and I'm not wild about that.  It's good stuff though.  The basic premise is that we as individuals and as churches are supposed to be about discipling others.  The basic passage to base such a base upon is the Great Commission.

So, I studied Matthew 28:18-20 in some detail (part of which I posted over the weekend).  So, here's what I found:

Jesus' authority substantiates the command to disciple others in the midst of living a life of submission to Him, discipling made up of obtaining the disciple's commitment through baptism and teaching them to guard everything Jesus taught through Scripture, all carried out in the presence of Jesus.

That's what I got from the passage.  What I'm getting from the book is that this is fairly easy to understand, and fairly difficult to carry out.  The element that disciple-making is every believer's job is repeated throughout because it's never really accepted by believers.  It's weird why that is, but it's so true in our Western, especially American, culture.  As I write this lying on my couch in front of the TV...no, just kidding.

The inescapable element supporting all the rest is Jesus' declaration that all authority (in heaven and on earth) has been given to Him.  Why all the arguments inspiring believers to do this don't also focus on this central element is odd to me.  Not to intentionally beat a dead horse, but it's all about obedience and submission.  I don't think that horse is anywhere near dead unfortunately.

It is still about me dying to myself, my desires, my wishes, and my dreams; and rising again to take on Him as my Master, His desires, His wishes, and His dreams as my own.  I want my stuff, what's wrong with my stuff?  Besides the fact that it's empty, without substance, uninformed, and lame; nothing's wrong with my stuff.  Compared to the riches of the Master of the universe, though, the question should be why wouldn't I want His stuff?  I don't ask that question enough, except the form of, 'what was I thinking?'  I ask that one a lot, often accompanied by a slap to the head (also known as a V-8).

If I'm reading this correctly, the purpose of my life as defined by my Master is to obediently make disciples as He guides the course of my life lived in His presence, getting the commitment of baptism from them, and teaching them to guard Scripture.

That's my purpose.  So when I have to decide what to do, I should be holding up the 'stick' of obediently making disciples' to see which choice fits within that boundary.  Once I have that set of options, then I can follow whatever process to determine which one of those my Master has for me.  The first unit of measurement, though, should be disciple-making.

Now, about my job...hmm.

The Commission Flanked with Power and Presence

The “Great Commission” has been used to the point it has faded into familiarity for many believers.  In some ways it has for me simply because so many have miss used it, calling themselves “Great Commission Churches” but seeming to leave out the foundation of the “sending”; that all power was given to Jesus.  It’s as if they are saying, “we have the commission, so let’s go, we got this!”  The commission is not “power” but direction, and not even complete direction.

One element of the commission discussed ad nausem is the grammatical structure. It’s a difficult structure to disentangle.  But the meaning is fairly straight forward, regardless of how the grammatical structure is understood.  It seems like a procedural command, laying out the process used to reach the world.  In Luke Jesus gave the geographical picture, here He gives the procedural.  Regardless of how the grammar is understood, one element not open for debate is the foundation that all power in heaven and on earth has been given to Jesus.  That much is crystal clear.

So, when I read the procedures, I see procedures that stem from the power of my Master.  It’s not my ability or talent for making disciples (or even going), but His power.  It’s not my knack for teaching or communicating that transmits what I have been taught, but the power of my Master.  And it is not my presence in the lives of others that tips the scales of their heart toward Jesus, but the powerful presence  of Jesus; right up to the completion of this age.

The power wielded by Jesus sends me out, enables all peoples to become disciples, emboldens all peoples to be baptized, opens hearts and minds to learn, and awakens souls to the presence of my Master.  I have little to do with it.  I am a spectator of the power at work around and through me.  It is and always has been Jesus saving the world; including my community.  The question is not “can He” or “will He”, but will I join Him obediently, will I submit to His sending me out into the community.  It is when I go obediently that I witness the power of my Master at work in the lives around me, and in my own.

The going, the discipling, the baptizing, the teaching all enables me to behold that Jesus is with me all the way; that it is Him at work all throughout.  Without His power and presence there would be very little of the discipling, baptizing, teaching and no witnessing of the power of my Master.  It can’t be about me, my church, my pastor, or my small group.  It must be about my Master and stem from my connection to Him; that my name is written in the book of life.

So, when the Great Commission is again pulled out and examined, let me start with the power of my Master, and end with His presence.  The stuff in the middle is encompassed in those two things.  Very little else is important.  Jesus is Master and King, let me be the servant introducing others to an audience with Him, bowing out and shutting the door, allowing them to speak together in peace.

Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, October 27