God has designed us with a purpose and a plan — to be his image-bearers, to bring him glory and to let that glory be known to the nations. And one of the ways we do that is by answering the command Jesus gave us before he returned to heaven, which is often known as the Great Commission.
Matthew 28:19-20 is a commonly quoted verse, particularly among mission organizations that are inviting and inspiring others to join in with them. It might seem like a cliché verse (and that’s probably because we sometimes feel it’s overused), but it’s not. In the Gospel of Matthew, these are the last recorded words of Jesus — this command must be something he wants us to listen to closely and obey!
But what does it look like practically to live this out? Do we all have to move to a foreign country in order to obey Jesus’ command?
THE COMMAND TO MAKE DISCIPLES
When people read Matthew 28:19-20, there are two common responses: either become a missionary or stay at home and support the missionary through finances or prayer. Some people view one as more important than the other, but the truth of the matter is that we’re all meant to go and make disciples. However, that doesn’t mean we all have to pack our bags and move overseas. We can make disciples of Jesus right in our own backyard.
People all over the world need to hear of Jesus — those both near and far. And as followers of Jesus, we have a role to play in ensuring that people hear the gospel for themselves. In Matthew 5:14-15, we see Jesus telling his disciples: “You are the light of the world — like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.”
Wherever we are — the grocery store, our kid’s soccer game, our job or our neighborhood — we are called to be a light. That’s a significant part of answering the Great Commission, because we’re being living examples of the message of the gospel. We’re meant to be the hands and feet of Jesus, and shining his light for the world to see is a vital part of that calling.
As we shine the light of Jesus, we need to remember that both our neighbors and those living on the other side of the world all need to hear about God. And yes, while the need may seem greater for the people groups around the world who don’t have one word of the gospel in their own language, those in our everyday lives still need to hear the gospel too. They need living representations of who God is, displayed for them in practical, tangible ways.
So as you live your life for God’s glory, bearing his image and living as an adopted child and heir, what are you doing to share that understanding of significance with the world around you? Are you helping bring light and hope to those who still wander in darkness? Are you helping point people to the only source of significance and meaning that will truly satisfy their unquenchable thirst for something more, for their lives to mean something?
Be a light to the world. Go and make disciples. Go and share the hope that you have in Christ. Be an image-bearer who points others back to God — because they too are desperately searching for him, and you can be a living testimony of his hand at work in your life. Just let him use you for his glory. That’s when you’ll find the significance and purpose your heart so desperately longs for.
POINTS TO PONDER
- How can I be the hands and feet of Jesus to today? Who needs to experience the light of Christ shining brightly in their life?
- In what ways can I live out Jesus’ command to make disciples in my own corner of the world? And how can I become involved in answering that calling for the nations too?
