Today’s Verse

Matthew 28:19-20

“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.” (NIV)

Life is about a lot more than your job description. It’s about loving God and loving people. If you’ve been around Southland for a little while, you’ll notice that we like to use that phrase—it’s because we believe it. If you look around you on a Sunday morning, you’ll notice people from all walks of life. And when you get a chance to get to know people, you’ll see a wide range of careers and callings represented. Yet, we are unified as one body (see 1 Corinthians 12), with one mission given by Jesus Christ in Matthew 28:19-20, “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.”

How amazing is that? That across time and age and culture and social status, we are united under Jesus Christ, asked simply to be disciples who make disciples.

If you want to think in the framework of traditional employment, the Great Commission is our true job description, relevant from the moment we receive the Holy Spirit until Jesus comes back. Our mission, our command, and our commitment as Christians is not limited to the vision of an employer, client, or coworker. No, our God is much bigger than all of that. 

Have you ever had an opportunity to talk with a coworker about Jesus? Maybe they’ve mentioned struggling to find friends in a new city, feeling down, or they’ve outright asked you about your beliefs. Sometimes, it's tempting to brush these opportunities under the rug—there’s a project due, a meeting you need to prepare for, or you’re simply caught off guard by the conversation. But, what if I told you that these are the most important opportunities? Jesus invites us to share the Gospel with a “warped and crooked generation” (see Philippians 2). 

Can life get any better than this? The Creator of the universe sent His one and only Son (full God, fully human), who was and is and always will be the only human without sin, to die on the cross for our sins, receiving the penalty we ought to receive, but instead conquering death, and extending to us the gift of eternal life and asking us into relationship with Him. Jesus invites us to share that Good News with His creation, with those around us. Spreadsheets might seem boring, but the Gospel sure isn’t.

REFLECTION

How often do you think about the Great Commission? How is your life different because of it? How could it be different?