Teaching the "Full" Great Commission
The Great Commission found in Matthew 28:16-20, is a passage of scripture that most church leaders find common knowledge. We put much emphasis on the part, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" and then we stop. But that part of scripture is not finished as there is a comma placed after Holy Spirit, "and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you" follows the comma.
Why do we focus much attention on verse 19 of this familiar passage of Scripture and forget verse 20 and the indications of it? Could it be we have neglected the issue of "obedience," which is mentioned in verse 20? We want to win people to Christ. We want to make disciples. We want to baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. But we forget the next part that declares, TEACHING THEM TO OBEY EVERYTHING I HAVE COMMANDED YOU. Maybe we struggle with "teaching them to obey" because we ourselves struggle with obedience. We want people to come to Christ, yet we don't tell them the part that is difficult, the human part, that we all have to face. Obedience.
In today's world, some might argue that obedience is old-fashioned and perhaps, not needed. Yet, for Christian spiritual formation to take place, we need obedience to God's Word. I don't mean in a legalistic kind of way, but in a way that shows why we obey. The reason we obey is because we love God. It is our expression to God of our love for Him. I believe these scriptures declare a (1) Mission; (2) Mandate; (3) Message; and (4) Mantle. What do I mean by this?
Mission. The mission is to GO. We cannot sit back and do nothing, but we must GO. Our mission is to GO to all the world with the greatest news possible: "God loves you and He died for you, so that you might live." Mandate. We are called to MAKE DISCIPLES. We cannot just GO, but when we GO we are mandated to MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS. All people need to hear about Christ. All people need a chance to become disciples. Every tongue and tribe needs the Good News. Message. Not only do we GO and MAKE DISCIIPLES, but we are TEACHING THEM TO OBEY. What will we teach them to obey? Christ said, "Everything I have commanded you." The teachings of Christ. Mantle. We also have been passed a mantle, from Christ to us. He assured us, "And surely I will be with you always, to the very end of the age" (verse 20). Just as Christ modeled to us, GO, MAKE DISCIPLES, TEACH THEM TO OBEY, He has passed the mantle on to us. Christ went to the crowds, and to individuals. He made disciples. He was teaching them to obey and to hear His teachings. He even passed the mantle onto them when He left this earth for His heavenly home. And down through the ages, it has become our mantle too.
Let's teach the "FULL" Great Commission. Do not forget about TEACHING THEM TO OBEY ALL THAT HE HAS COMMANDED. To pass the mantle to the next generation, we must be people who walk in obedience, teach obedience, and live in obedience to Christ's teachings. John 14:15, "If you love me, you will obey what I command." Do you offer the gift of obedience today, to the One who loves you?
