The Great Commission

The Great Commission is a foundational text for many missionaries. Here is what Jesus says:

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

There are many things that could be reflected on, but I want to focus on where Jesus tells his disciples to teach the nations “to obey everything that I have commanded you.” I have heard this text preached on countless times, and I have read many authors’ thoughts on the meaning of the commission, and the vast majority tend to totally ignore the things Jesus actually commanded. I don’t want to focus on these negative examples, so let me get to the point.

Imagine you are a follower of Jesus in the late first century. Somehow, you get your hands on a copy of this Gospel about Jesus, written by Matthew. You do not have any other Gospels and may not even know who the apostle Paul is. This Gospel is all you have. When you come to the end of this text, you encounter Jesus saying these words: “Teach them to obey everything I have commanded you.”

What commands would you teach? Where would you go to know what you are to teach others, and to obey yourself? Naturally, the teachings of Jesus that are to be obeyed are those teachings written in the text you just read. Of course, there are many teachings in the Gospel of Matthew, but there is one section (three whole chapters) of direct teaching from Jesus, and it ends in this way:

“Everyone, then, who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall because it had been founded on rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its fall!”

Jesus concluded the Sermon on the Mount by saying those who hear and obey/live out the things he just said are wise people whose house won’t fall when the storms of life come.

Okay, so what is my point? The words of Jesus, and more specifically, the teachings in the Sermon on the Mount, are to be foundational to any application of or obedience to the Great Commission. Here is a list of some of the things Jesus commanded in the Sermon on the Mount:

Let your light shine.

Be reconciled to your brother or sister.

Agree quickly with your opponent.

Do not lust.

Tear out your eye if it causes you to sin.

Cut off your hand if it causes you to sin.

Do not divorce, except for sexual immorality.

Do not swear.

Let your yes be yes and your no be no.

Do not resist an evil person.

Turn the other cheek.

Give to the one who asks.

Do not refuse the borrower.

Love your enemies.

Pray for those who persecute you.

Give in secret.

Do not give to be seen.

Pray in secret.

Forgive.

Fast in secret.

Do not store up treasures on earth.

Store up treasures in heaven.

Do not serve money.

Do not worry.

Seek first the kingdom.

Do not judge.

Take the log out of your own eye.

Do not give what is holy to dogs.

Do not throw pearls before pigs.

Ask.

Seek.

Knock.

Do to others as you would have them do to you.

Enter by the narrow gate.

Beware of false prophets.

Do the will of the Father.

Hear and do these words.

Discipling the nations is not simply about getting people to believe in Jesus, but also about teaching them to live like Jesus, which can only happen when we listen to and obey what Jesus actually taught.

What do you think? Please share your thoughts.