Do we really believe Jesus is the Answer? If so, then the choice before God’s church is clear: Either we take Jesus’ Great Commission seriously (and do it!) OR we should prepare for even greater calamity ahead.
Before Jesus ascended to Heaven, He left his disciples – and, by extension, His church overall – clear instructions to spread His “Good News” (aka the Gospel) far and wide, and to make other disciples.
Yet today, there are many self-professed Christians who do not take this Great Commission seriously – if they consider it at all.
Why?
The Great Need
Our world needs answers.
Just look at the news or spend a few hours on social media, and you’ll see lots of confusion, controversy, and pain.
Look at any region or culture in the world, and you see hurting people hurting other people. You see hate, racism, bigotry, violence, greed, abuse, and just about every other sin you can imagine.
People are hungry — desperate even — for peace, for stability, and for answers.
As the book of Ecclesiastes tells us, there is “nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9). Sin has been a part of the human condition from the beginning (see Genesis 3).
The Great Dilemma
It was because of one man’s sin (Adam) that “death” (both physical and spiritual) passed to all people (see Romans 5:12).
There is no one righteous (Romans 3:10). We all fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23).
And along with sin, there’s pain.
The human race has been accompanied by evil, injustice, suffering, and pain for all its recorded history.
There is pain because there is sin, and yet we keep sinning.
No religion, celebrity, politician, social justice movement, or nation-state can or will eradicate pain and injustice from our lives, because…
We are the problem.
PEOPLE are the problem.
This presents us with a painful dilemma:
We can’t live with sin and pain, and yet we can’t do anything on our own to rid ourselves of those things.
But our dilemma runs deeper than just the sufferings of this present world.
God is pure, righteous, and holy. And therefore – to be God – He must judge sin. He cannot excuse sin with a wink and a nod. Justice must be done.
The absence of justice is injustice. For God to countenance injustice without issuing any penalty or consequence would make Him an unjust God.
God can’t sin. He can’t let injustice go without judgment.
And that includes your injustice – and mine.
Justice — for all sin — must be done.
The Great Answer
Fortunately, God’s love for us isn’t thwarted by our sin. This is why the psalmist can sing that God’s “love” or “mercy” (depending on the translation) “endures forever” (Psalms 118 and 136).
And thus, in His sovereignty and as part of His foreordained plan for the world, God made a way.
Because of our sinful condition, we are bound for God’s judgment. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this,” writes Paul, “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8, NIV)
Thanks to the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, we can place our trust in Him, sincerely confess Him as Lord, and receive forgiveness of our sins (see Romans 10:9-10 and John 3:16).
The Great Commission
When Jesus rose from the dead, He validated all that He said about Himself, including His declaration: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)
If we love Jesus and care about the people around us, we will want to tell them about Jesus. Why? Because we want them to know “the way and the truth and the life.”
Before ascending to Heaven, Jesus therefore gave His followers these instructions:
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 of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.
Matthew 28:18-20, NKJV
We “make disciples” by telling people about Jesus and what He did for them. We then baptize them after they’ve accepted the “Good News” of Jesus. We then welcome them into the church — universal in scope but local in manifestation and organization — and help them grow in the Lord.
This is the mission of the church.
Why don’t we do it?
The Great Obstacles
There are many reasons Christians aren’t more committed to the Great Commission. Among them are:
- Distractions
- Doubt & Disbelief
- Pride
- Guilt
- Fear
- Confusion
And I believe one of the biggest threats to the Great Commission today is a combination of fear, guilt, and confusion – often accompanied by some pride as well as doubt or disbelief.
To what am I referring?
Simple.
I’m talking about pressure we get from our friends and our culture that to spread the Gospel of Jesus is somehow “hateful” or inappropriate.
To be sure, many self-described Christians have undercut or undermined their own testimony. They’ve damaged their own reputations.
Let’s be clear: Religious people have caused a lot of suffering and pain in the world – past and present.
For this reason, religion is NOT the answer.
But Jesus isn’t a religion. He’s a Person. He’s God. And He is the Answer.
We’re told by the socio-cultural forces of political correctness that we should just let people believe as they believe – and not interfere with other cultures, beliefs, practices, or ways of life.
It’s interesting that these very same people are often quite inconsistent (dare I say hypocritical?) when it comes to their own deeply held beliefs, but I digress.
The truth is that we should respect other people’s choices and we should be sensitive to other people’s backgrounds, situations, and perspectives.
I do not believe in forcing or compelling anyone to believe in Jesus. I stand for religious freedom and the freedom of conscience. And…
I accept that some people will disagree with me. And I’m totally okay with that.
But there’s nothing hateful, phobic, bigoted, or inappropriate about explaining to others what I believe and suggesting that they consider that.
It’s called freedom.
And religious freedom must include the freedom to express one’s religious beliefs.
Ultimately, the choices that one makes are between that person and God.
I respect other people’s lives and choices, and…
I also embrace my right (and, in the context of my faith, my obligation) to tell others about Jesus.
Do you?
The Great Opportunity
I hope we can agree that telling people about Jesus and prayerfully encouraging them to consider what He has to say — and what He can do for them — is both a privilege and a responsibility.
I therefore hope YOU — assuming you’re a believer in Christ — will take up Jesus’ Great Commission as a Great Opportunity.
An opportunity to spread the love and the truth of the One who gave all for you and for me.
If you’re not a believer in Christ, I appreciate you reading this blog post with an open mind. If you have any questions about Jesus, feel free to reach out to me.
Know that I respect your decision – whatever it may be. It is ultimately between you and your Creator.
Whether you’re a Christian or not, I also hope we can all agree that the world needs more – not fewer — serious, humble, and constructive conversations about things that matter.
And nothing matters more than why we’re here, Who created us, and what He did for us.
God bless you!
