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By Pastor Chad

The greatest problem in our world today is lostness. The Great Commission is the command given by Jesus to go into the world and spread the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Think of it like this: Would our world be a better place if everyone worshiped Jesus? Would people be happier if they fulfilled their primary purpose in life? I think the answers to these questions are yes and yes. What is keeping folks from worship? Lostness. Those who know Jesus Christ live a life of worship. Oh, to be sure, no Christian is perfect at this pursuit, but a Christian is not simply a worshipper–he or she is a worshipper in training. 

John Piper writes, “Therefore, worship is the goal and the fuel of missions: Missions exists because worship doesn’t.” The Great Commission is a herald to go call new worshippers of Jesus Christ. This commission is not a suggestion; it is a command. As Jesus says in John 20:21, “As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” We have a dictate from our Lord. Matthew’s gospel puts it this way, “Go, make disciples of all nations: baptize them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and teach them to observe all I have commanded you” (my translation of Matthew 28:19). Luke gives us another commission Christ gave, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). 

I really don’t think there is any debate here. Christians are called to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ, so that all may worship our Lord. Keep in mind, worship must be the priority here. If evangelism supersedes worship, the message will become distorted and twisted. Our ultimate longing is to worship Jesus, and to see others do the same. To accomplish this task, we tell others the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

The Great Commission will not be accomplished through programmatic scheduling by a church staff. Mission trips and serve days are excellent (and very helpful), but to fully complete our mission, we must seek opportunities to share the gospel in our day-to-day lives. Evangelism must be something that pours out of us, not something we see as a to-do list. 

I am reminded of Moses’ encounter with God on Mt Sinai. You may recall that God gave Moses leave to ask for whatever he wanted. And Moses asked to see the face of God (Exodus 33). Though God did not grant Moses that blessing, he was able to fellowship with God on Sinai–and received the Law for the Hebrews to follow. But do you remember what was distinct about Moses after meeting with God? In Exodus 34, we read that as Moses descended the mountain, the Hebrew people saw his face shining. As an extension of Moses' worship on Mt Sinai, his life was a light to all who saw him. 

I pray we rightly worship in our lives so that our words and deeds will also be a light to all who see us.