April 27, 2010
for the nations, for the kingdom
Matthew 28:16-20
Warren Cheely
Central Truth
God has called believers to be part of advancing the Kingdom of God all over the world.
Key Verse | Matthew 28:19–20
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you . . . ." (Matthew 28:19-20)
Matthew 28:16-20
The Great Commission
16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in 1 28:19 Or into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Dive Deeper | Matthew 28:16-20
It is somewhat surreal to write this devotional so near the spot where Jesus actually spoke these words. Roughly 2,000 years ago, Jesus commanded His disciples to go into the entire world and make disciples of all of the nations, not just the Jewish nation. Jesus called His disciples to live as the light of the entire world (Matthew 5:14-16).
Light has always interested me. When you go into a dark room and flip a light switch, the darkness in the room is overcome. I believe this is what Jesus had in mind when He told His disciples to go into the entire world to make disciples. They were to share and shine the truth of God into the darkness of the world so that people may come to know Jesus and find life in Him.
Embracing the calling to shine the light of the Kingdom everywhere I go has not been easy to live out fully. There are times when it is difficult to stir conversations toward the gospel. There are times when I experience fear. Yet, I know that those are the times when the Lord is asking me to step up and shine for Him. The light of Jesus is the only thing that can overcome the darkness of this world. Without the gospel, humanity is hopelessly lost. Yet, because of the cross of Christ, there is eternal life in Jesus.
I remind myself of this when I experience the fear of rejection. The message of the gospel is the only hope for the person standing in front of me. And if I truly love him or her, then I must share about the God who has saved me. The light of the Kingdom of God is the one thing that overcomes all the darkness of the world. Let us all shine that brightly!
Discussion Questions
1. Who are you investing in with the hope of sharing Christ with them?
2. Who are you telling about Jesus?
3. Who are you helping to grow toward maturity in Christ?
4. How are you dealing with the fear of rejection that can come when trying to share Christ?
FAMILY DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. What did Jesus tell his disciples to do?
2. A disciple is someone who follows Jesus and obeys His commands. Are you a disciple?
3. How can you teach others to follow Jesus and obey His commands?