The Great Commission
16 The 11 disciples traveled to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had directed them. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped, but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came near and said to them, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 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, 20 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age." [Matthew 28 - Holman CSB]
When the phrase "make disciples" is used, it means literally "instruct" or "and disciple" all nations. I've never read where it means to make someone into a disciple. Yet, some over-enterprising Christians are flying over to Indonesia & surrounding areas with the indication of helping the tsunami relief efforts. But are clandestine, instead, by taking advantage of this tragedy by using this event as an "opportunity" to also proselytize the locals into converting to Christianity. FoxNews reported over the weekend that now the governments in the Indonesian nations are now ready to send the Christians back home because they don't want their "help".
Can you blame them?
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is an imposition in and of itself... Why make it even more imposing by inconsideratly dumping the Gospel upon a people who - right now need to have clean clothes, food, a house...? Right now, they don't need to hear about Jesus...they need to see Jesus.
I'm all for telling folks about the greatest event of my life: The day I chose to receive the greatest Gift from God...the Gift of Eternal Life... offered by believing in His Son, Jesus. How I want to shout it from every mountaintop. But, as my late father would always say, "Your freedom stops at the end of your nose." How sad that some Believers feel they need to stick their noses into another person's faith without first earning the right to do this by first meeting a basic need.
When will we learn to stop trying to usurp the job of the Holy Spirit & just do what is right in front of our eyes? We are the paintbrush. We are the charcoal pencil. We are the surgical tool. We are not the Artist, or Master Surgeon. I think many times, God is merely wanting a skin graft & we make an incision...because we "know" what the Surgeon really wants. Do we?
7 Although we could have been a burden as Christ’s apostles,
instead we were gentle (infants) among you, as a nursing mother nurtures her own children. 8 We cared so much for you that we were pleased to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us. [1 Thes. 2 - Holman CSB]
How much more effective & enriched we would be if we would just consider first sharing our lives with those who do not know Him? Maybe then, we may be more effective in getting the Good News across to those who really want to know more of Him.
No comments:
Post a Comment