As you are going

And Jesus came and said to them, “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, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” -Matthew 28:18-20 ESV

A few things jump out at me in these verses. First is Jesus' authority. What he is about to say is not a request or a suggestion. His disciples, if they are obedient, will heed the commandment to go and make disciples. Second, the sequence: baptize, then teach. Often, I have been hesitant to engage in spiritual conversations because I assumed I needed to know and share and explain large chunks of scripture before the other person could know enough to become a believer. I wasn't confident I could do that effectively. But the truth is hardly anyone becomes a Bible scholar before they become a Christian. Did you? Me neither. People need the basics to come to understanding of their spiritual condition and belief in a Savior who can address that condition. After that, they will need more in-depth examination of the Word, to confirm that initial belief and gain instruction in how to practically live it out. That makes sense.

Thirdly is the fact that Jesus does not send us out alone. He did not elaborate here (though He does elsewhere, John 14:15-27, for example). but His Spirit constantly goes with us to guide, encourage, and equip us to carry out our mission. Ultimately, the work belongs to God. The idea that He needs me to accomplish His purposes is pretty ludicrous. This commandment to go and make disciples is not given because Jesus is desperate for my help; He wants me to experience the joy of participating in Kingdom work.

There is one other idea in these verses that intrigues me. I don't read Greek (the language these words were originally recorded in), but I have been told by people smarter than I am that the verb tense for the word "go" here actually means "As you are going...", implying a continuous action. This has more the feel of carrying the presence of Jesus with us in a way that it ends up getting noticed.

But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? -2 Corinthians 2:14-16 ESV

An observation: As I read the New Testament, I don't see tons of Pauls. There weren't dozens and dozens of Christians getting on boats and planting churches all over the Roman Empire. Thank God there were several - Paul, Barnabas, Silas, plus many of the original apostles, who, according to early church lore, left Jerusalem, going in multiple directions, hastening the exposure of every region of the known civilized world to the gospel. But I don’t discount the notion that the Kingdom thrived in those locations and continued to grow, even in the face of severe persecution, because of "boots on the ground" brothers and sisters who lived and worked and conducted business in a geographically limited area, with a commitment to shine their light and speak the name of Jesus "as they were going". I find that encouraging. Maybe I will one day have opportunity to "go and make disciples" as Paul did, but in the meantime, I can, I must, and I am privileged to make disciples "as I am going". Blessings, y'all.

Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen. -1 Timothy 1:17 NIV