- Friday Worship - 05.06.2020

The Great Commission!

adapted by Bro. Johnson

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First Reading: - Genesis 1:1-2:4

Second Reading: - 2 Corinthians 13:11-13

Gospel Reading - Matthew 28:16-20

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Dear Brethren,

Greetings to you in the wonderful name of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

What does God want us to do as followers of Christ?

It’s actually remarkably simple: there’s only three things he has asked of us. The first is to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. The second is to love our neighbour as ourselves. The third is to go and make disciples.

The last parting words are always loved and remembered. As Jesus ascended into heaven, his final parting words were , “Go and make disciples”. It is called ‘The Great Commission’.

The early Church was able to follow ' The Great Commission'. They relied on the power of the Holy Spirit to guide them. The first disciples weren’t particularly sophisticated people. They weren’t learned theologians. They weren’t gifted beyond the ordinary. They were just average people who gave themselves over to God and allowed God to work through them to build his church. They were prepared to take risks, they were prepared to step out in faith because they trusted God to do the work through them.

The early church was a culturally useful church, not culturally relevant. It was a community of love and action. The word 'being culturally useful' is about being a church that is helpful for people in their everyday lives as we seek together to find God. People will be attracted not by what we do but by who we are. People need to find welcome and kindness and non-judgmental-ism here. People need to know that we are far from perfect; we are a community on a journey and that as vulnerable as we are, as far short as we often fall, we are heading in the right direction with God and that is all that matters.

The power of the early Church was that they understood this: they knew they weren’t perfect, they didn’t pretend they had all the answers - but they were single-minded in their task and they relied on God to lead them.

The more we inherit those characteristics of faith ourselves, the more the church will become what God longs for us to be. In the power of the Holy Spirit, we will develop a deep and real passion for God, and that passion and energy and enthusiasm will spill over into the local community and people will increasingly be led to God themselves through the witness of this church.

In Matthew 28:20, Jesus says, “I have been given all authority in heaven and earth”. Jesus Christ, as the Son of God,has unique authority in heaven and earth. This is something that Matthew stresses throughout his Gospel. In Matthew 7:29, he says that Jesus “taught as one who had authority”. In Matthew 9:6, he claimed that the Son of Man “has authority on earth to forgive sins” and so on.

Brethren, its so wonderful to know that Jesus has the authority – we don’t. This is not our church – this is Jesus’ church. This is not our mission – this is Jesus’ mission. The work of the Kingdom is not ours – it belongs to Jesus. And we are merely invited to participate in that as partners with God.

Our task is always to seek the will of God and, to the best of our ability, work with him to build the church that he wants.

Prayer

Lord Jesus! all power and authority is given to you. Help us to follow the 'Great Commission' you have given to us. Help us to love you, love others and make disciples, as you have commanded in your word. Help us to grow in faith and be in your will. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

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