This past Sunday, we visited our mission statement. Mission is how we get to our vision. Our vision is “The richness of the gospel manifested in the hearts and minds of God’s people.”

To get to our vision, we are called to fulfill our mission: “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, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19-20a)

This is Jesus’ Great Commission for His people. The main verb in this commission is for us to make disciples of all nations. This includes two parts: baptizing and teaching.

Baptizing implies that we are called to share the gospel with everyone around us. Even if they don’t want to hear it, we are still called to plant the seeds of the truth of Christ.

Teaching implies that we are called to exhort one another in the word. But it’s more than just the goal of knowledge. We are called to teach and care to the point of maturity when they observe the commands themselves.

This is not just a daunting task for us. It’s an impossible one. However, through the whole passage, we see that although it’s impossible with man, it is possible with God.

How? First, we go in the power of His authority (Matthew 28:18), not our own. He has all authority in heaven and on earth. He is King over the universe. Now, we are called to go in His authority to claim it on His behalf.

Second, we go in the peace of His presence. He says that He is with us always, to the end of the age. He does not say that He will be with us. He says that He is with us now. He does not wait to be with us. He is with us through both the good and the bad times. He is with us when we feel like a success or when we feel like a failure. He is and always will be with us.

This is only possible because of the cross. He lost it all on the cross and now, in His resurrection, He has all authority in heaven and on earth. We can have the absolute presence of God both now and forever, because He received the absolute absence of God on the cross.

The death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the only news that will save. And by that saving news, we are called to go and make disciples. New Life, may we go in the power of His authority and in the peace of His presence.

See you all for our Lord’s Day worship this Sunday as we will be starting a new sermon series, “Worship and Prayer.” Pray for yourselves, and pray for one another.

In Christ,
Pastor Tim

Image source: http://www.trinitycwm.org