The Great Commission
When Christ’s redemptive work was complete he gathered his disciples and, with “all authority in heaven and on earth”, commissioned them (and every subsequent generation) to get serious about their job of propagating the gospel (Matthew 28:18-20). The central verb of this passage is straightforward and notably uncomplicated: “make disciples!” Between the two advents of Christ, his followers are to be busy “making” more Christ-followers.
The three participles that surround the central verb are helpful in showing us how this gets done. Firstly, we are to be “baptizing.” Of course the “baptism” (i.e., “placing into”) that saves is when people repent of their sins, trust Christ and, by God’s grace, are “placed into” a genuine relationship with God. That transaction is then symbolized by being ceremonially “placed into” water as a rite of initiation into God’s family. Secondly, we are to be “teaching them to observe all that Christ commanded.” All the followers of Christ with whom we associate are to be continually encouraged and exhorted to “follow Christ” in their words, thoughts, and behavior. Lastly, the first century disciples had been thoroughly equipped by Christ to “get out there” and make more disciples. (“Go” translates a third Greek participle.)
The preparation to their “going” included training in the message and meaning of the gospel, and a lot of time learning all that Christ commanded. In short, to “make disciples” we must be engaged in “reaching” people for Christ, “teaching” people to be like Christ, and “training” people to serve Christ. Jesus gave us a clear assignment and promises “to be with” us until it’s done. So let’s get to work today.
The Great Commission
When Christ’s redemptive work was complete he gathered his disciples and, with “all authority in heaven and on earth”, commissioned them (and every subsequent generation) to get serious about their job of propagating the gospel (Matthew 28:18-20). The central verb of this passage is straightforward and notably uncomplicated: “make disciples!” Between the two advents of Christ
Mindful of God
The Christian life is a life that is lived mindful of God. The crux and catalyst for sin is frequently described in the Bible as thoughtlessness or forgetfulness of God (Judges 8:34; 1 Samuel 12:9; Jeremiah 2:32; et al.). Godly living, on the other hand, is prompted and motivated by a chronic remembrance of the presence of God (Deuteronomy 8:18; Proverbs 5:21; Hebrews 4:13; 1 Peter 2:19; et al.). For us as Christians
God’s Calling
When we read of people in the Bible provoking God to anger we ought to take note – especially when the people making God mad are his own children. The last thing we should want is to follow in the erring footsteps of our elder brothers and sisters. One such cautionary incident took place on the day God called Moses to lead Israel’s exodus from Egypt.
God’s Goodness
When joy gives way to sadness and light of good days fades into a dark season of personal pain it is common to hear God’s people questioning the goodness of God. That may be a natural response to our discomfort, but it is not the right…
Conflicting Voices
One of the unpleasant things about being a Christian is the experience of being perpetually bombarded by conflicting “Christian” voices trying to convince us of what God would have us think and do. All these instructors will claim to be
Apologetic Discussions
In a culture where our cognitive attention span is sadly being reduced to a series of sound bites, and important arguments are perceived to be settled with witty one-liners, it is increasingly difficult to
Grace and Sanctification
Unfortunately, there are many these days who have come to believe that as it relates to our sanctification, God’s grace and personal effort are mutually exclusive. They unwittingly, and in some cases intentionally, conflate their understanding of justification with their practice in sanctification
Words
When reading through Proverbs one can’t help but perceive a handful of predominant and recurring themes. One of the most persistent sets of exhortations relates to our chronic tendency to say too much. Over one hundred seventy inspired proverbs seek to impress on our hearts that fools are “babblers” and the wicked are “rash” with their words, but the wise “restrain their tongues”. We are warned in dozens of ways that “When words are many, transgression is not lacking” (Proverbs 10:19).
Moses
When God called Moses to be his representative during a dark hour in Israel’s history, Moses’ response was less than compliant. We might sympathize with his reluctance to stand before Pharaoh and deliver what was sure to be an unpopular message, but God was not so sympathetic.
Defending Truth
First Peter 3:15 commands all Christians to stand up for the truth and defend the hope of the gospel. It also commands that this be done with “gentleness and respect.” Unfortunately, there is something about defending the truth that can