Kingdom Disciples

‘Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”’ Matthew 28:16-20

Often, when I think about the Great Commission, I tend to think of it as the following: ‘I have been given authority and I should go out and save people’. However, when I look at the passage more closely, I realise that it is not about me at all. Jesus said that He has been given “all authority in heaven and earth”. It does not say that we have been given the authority at all. That does not undermine that we have a role to play, but when we realise where the authority lies, it changes the focus.

So how do we see people saved if we have not got authority? Jesus answered this question with the astonishing truth that He is ‘with [us] always to the very end of the age’. This is the answer to the problem. The answer to all the problems. Jesus has been given authority and He promises to be with us, and so His authority is with us. The only way we can have authority, to ‘go and make disciples of all nations’, is with Him. His presence proceeds authority.

It is so easy to allow other things to take the place of our desire for His presence. It might be the worries of the world, the distractions of wealth or even chasing after the gifts of God. But all of our needs and desires are fulfilled in the person of Jesus; He is the answer to it all. So how do we pursue the person of Jesus? How do we desire His presence?

We ask for it. When I was getting to know Bethany, my wife, I would ask to spend time with her as a way of building relationship. If I didn’t ask, we would have spent a lot less time together. We can do the same thing with Jesus by asking Him to be with us in our meetings, at school or as we socialise with friends. However, it goes beyond this. My time with Bethany would not be very fruitful if all we did was be in the same geographic space. We needed to talk to each other, hear each others hopes and dreams but also hear about the mundane. It is important that we do the same thing with Jesus, it doesn’t stop when we ask him to be with us, we must pray continually. (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

Another way that we can prioritise His presence is through obedience. In the passage, Jesus told His disciples to meet Him on a mountain. We hear that some of the disciples had doubts. We don’t know exactly what they doubted but imagine if they had allowed those doubts to stop them from going to the mountain. They would have missed both this time with Jesus but also His promises and commissioning. When we are obedient to Christ, even in our doubts, we are drawn closer to Him and have the honour of His presence.

The Great Commission is therefore all about the authority of Jesus. We can go because he goes with us. A kingdom disciple is one who pursues the person of Jesus and whose whole life reflects His presence.

- Tom Milne

Inward Prayer: Father, thank you that you are with me always and that through you I have all that I need. Please help me to pursue you as my first love and desire.

Outward Prayer: Father, please give me a heart for those who are lost and need you. Help me to go out with your authority everyday so that many may become kingdom disciples.