“Go then and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you, and behold, I am with you all the days (perpetually, uniformly, and on every occasion), to the [very] close and consummation of the age. Amen (so let it be).”
Matthew 28:19-20, Amplified Bible Classic
We have now come full circle, having explored and discussed many of the principles and benefits of walking humbly before the Lord. Jesus came to give His people life, and that life is an abundant life. The results of walking in obedience have many dimensions, benefits, and blessings, but the path of obedience culminates in one final, overarching command: The Great Commission.
This instruction is still relevant today; it is both our great privilege and our ultimate responsibility as followers of Christ. If the abundant life flows from obedience, the final step of that flow is sharing that life with others.
The Kingdom's Unstoppable Growth
To grasp the scope of this command, we must look at the nature of God's Kingdom on earth—the Church.
“Another story by way of comparison He set forth before them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field. Of all the seeds it is the smallest, but when it has grown it is the largest of the garden herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and find shelter in its branches.”
Matthew 13:31-32, Amplified Bible Classic
What began as a tiny seed with twelve apostles—eleven of whom were His closest friends and students, plus Paul—has grown into a worldwide movement for the Kingdom of God. They began the work of seeding the world, building on the foundation and cornerstone, which is Jesus Christ. From humble, small beginnings, the Church has grown and thrived for centuries. It is now found in almost every country, spanning countless languages, denominations, and people. This amazing growth is a testament to the awesome hand of God and how wonderful His plan for salvation has been working to bear fruit for His glorious kingdom.
The Eternal Reward
The work of the Great Commission still continues to this day! Jesus called Peter, a fisherman by trade, and said, “Come, follow me and I will make you a fisher of men” (Matthew 4:19). The call is still going out, and if we truly want to be obedient servants to our Master, then we do well to consider what Proverbs tells us about this:
“The fruit of the [uncompromisingly] righteous is a tree of life, and he who is wise captures human lives [for God, as a fisher of men—he gathers and receives them for eternity].”
Proverbs 11:30, Amplified Bible Classic
Notice the last part of this. We work hard in our jobs to earn wages, providing for ourselves and our families. We toil day after day, and what we earn is temporal and fleeting. We have no lasting reward for this industry; our wages cannot be kept or brought with us when we are gone. We come naked into the world, and we leave naked.
“But gather and heap up and store for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust nor worm consume and destroy, and where thieves do not break through and steal;”
Matthew 6:20, Amplified Bible Classic
The work we do in winning souls into the kingdom has an eternal reward, one that cannot fade or diminish. These are the true riches of the Kingdom, and they come with a sure and promised reward. The true wealth of the kingdom is found in sharing our hope with others, winning souls by sharing the good news that Jesus came to save all who will put their faith and trust in Him for salvation.
This was His final instruction to His followers before He was taken up into Heaven to receive His Crown of Glory and become our Intercessor. He is still there reigning over our world to this day. Let us be all the more motivated to continue to walk in this final act of obedience, becoming true disciples who share His gospel and win souls for the Kingdom!
Matthew 28:19-20, Amplified Bible Classic
We have now come full circle, having explored and discussed many of the principles and benefits of walking humbly before the Lord. Jesus came to give His people life, and that life is an abundant life. The results of walking in obedience have many dimensions, benefits, and blessings, but the path of obedience culminates in one final, overarching command: The Great Commission.
This instruction is still relevant today; it is both our great privilege and our ultimate responsibility as followers of Christ. If the abundant life flows from obedience, the final step of that flow is sharing that life with others.
The Kingdom's Unstoppable Growth
To grasp the scope of this command, we must look at the nature of God's Kingdom on earth—the Church.
“Another story by way of comparison He set forth before them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field. Of all the seeds it is the smallest, but when it has grown it is the largest of the garden herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and find shelter in its branches.”
Matthew 13:31-32, Amplified Bible Classic
What began as a tiny seed with twelve apostles—eleven of whom were His closest friends and students, plus Paul—has grown into a worldwide movement for the Kingdom of God. They began the work of seeding the world, building on the foundation and cornerstone, which is Jesus Christ. From humble, small beginnings, the Church has grown and thrived for centuries. It is now found in almost every country, spanning countless languages, denominations, and people. This amazing growth is a testament to the awesome hand of God and how wonderful His plan for salvation has been working to bear fruit for His glorious kingdom.
The Eternal Reward
The work of the Great Commission still continues to this day! Jesus called Peter, a fisherman by trade, and said, “Come, follow me and I will make you a fisher of men” (Matthew 4:19). The call is still going out, and if we truly want to be obedient servants to our Master, then we do well to consider what Proverbs tells us about this:
“The fruit of the [uncompromisingly] righteous is a tree of life, and he who is wise captures human lives [for God, as a fisher of men—he gathers and receives them for eternity].”
Proverbs 11:30, Amplified Bible Classic
Notice the last part of this. We work hard in our jobs to earn wages, providing for ourselves and our families. We toil day after day, and what we earn is temporal and fleeting. We have no lasting reward for this industry; our wages cannot be kept or brought with us when we are gone. We come naked into the world, and we leave naked.
“But gather and heap up and store for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust nor worm consume and destroy, and where thieves do not break through and steal;”
Matthew 6:20, Amplified Bible Classic
The work we do in winning souls into the kingdom has an eternal reward, one that cannot fade or diminish. These are the true riches of the Kingdom, and they come with a sure and promised reward. The true wealth of the kingdom is found in sharing our hope with others, winning souls by sharing the good news that Jesus came to save all who will put their faith and trust in Him for salvation.
This was His final instruction to His followers before He was taken up into Heaven to receive His Crown of Glory and become our Intercessor. He is still there reigning over our world to this day. Let us be all the more motivated to continue to walk in this final act of obedience, becoming true disciples who share His gospel and win souls for the Kingdom!
