Title: The Great Commission
Every year within the United Methodist Church, we find ourselves comsummed by the local charge conference. We have our meetings, our disagreements, our nominations, our elections, our budgets and our paperwork. For nearly two solid months, we become consumed with taking care of the business of the church. Somewhere along the way, we seem to forget the true business of the church. What is the true business of the church? What does God truly want us to do for Him? The answers are very easy to find, and straight to the point. Jesus told us what our true task was on a mountaintop near Galilee.
Matthew 28: 16-20
At this meeting, the remaing 11 disciples gathered to hear our risen Lord speak to them for the very first time after His resurrection. The disciples were confused and discouraged. How will we carry on? What is our purpose? Jesus knew that they would need guidance so he told them their true task in easy to understand terms.
1. Go and make disciples of all nations.
2. Baptize the new disciple.
3. Teach them what I have taught you.
This is the true purpose of the church.
This is the true nature of discipleship.
No denominational decree or statement of faith has more power or porpose than these three task. Christians are in the insurance business. We are trying to sell an insurance policy for the soul. The cost of the policy is great. To recieve this policy you must become more concerned with giving than recieving. You must let someone else guide your actions. You must be willing to bare the burdens of others. You must care for others more than yourself. But the benefits are great. Eternity in eyes of God. No more tears, no more sin, and no more death.
We must be willing to bear the cause of Christ by bearing his cross. For when he was nailed to the cross, he saw your face in his eyes. Through his grace, we are made whole. We must take the truth of his grace and love and present that to an undying world.
To be a true disciple, we must look at the yearly balance sheet differently. Instead of looking a capital, indebtedness, and account summaries, we must look at our savings account. How many have we saved from and eternity of damnation? How many have we led to the temple of God? How many have we baptized? How many do we have in the confirmation process? For this is truly the business of God’s hand upon the earth. This is the true business of the church.
