The Great Commission

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” _{Matthew 28:19,20}

The Great Commission certainly lives up to its name. I am sure that amid the excitement of taking the gospel to a new and varied audience, there was also the feeling of being overwhelmed by such a daunting task. We know, of course, that they were not going out on their own steam because Jesus had opened their minds to understand the Scriptures (Luke 24:45), and soon they would be clothed with power from on high (v49). Having witnessed the fulfilment of the prophecies and the death and resurrection of the Lord, now was the time that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem (v47).

This same commission remains today, and the task is no less daunting. We can still feel overwhelmed about going out into the unknown, but like the disciple, we do not go unequipped. The power of the Holy Spirit resides within every believer and the Lord continues to open up the Scriptures to us. His word gives us the strength and the courage to speak to all who will listen. We don’t even have to go that far to start our mission. The Apostles were to begin in Jerusalem, right in the very place they already were. Reaching people who need Jesus can start on our own doorstep, our own street, our own community.

Matthew tells us that when the Jesus looked out at the people ‘he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. And he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.”

We are his laborers and we have all been commissioned to go and lead the people back to the true and good Shepherd.