Go therefore and make disciples of all nations …. teaching …….

This morning we're starting to look at the great commission “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations ....... teaching them to observe all I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20). One author dubbed this the “great omission,” but why? Well for a start, rather than obeying the command to go, we have expected people to come to us. Then for the most part, we have not even discipled the church, let alone the nations. Even when we've preached the gospel and others have responded, we have made converts, not disciples. The word literally means learner, so the command is to make learners, teaching others to teach others to be learners. I have to wonder how many of us are content to rest on our laurels, rather than pressing toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14)?  If we are to follow Jesus, we must follow the model of discipling that He demonstrated for us.

I'm not writing to condemn “for there is now therefore no condemnation to those who are in Christ (Romans 8:1). I’m in no position to condemn anyone, for I myself am far from guiltless in these matters. But we do need know, that when we don’t obey the command to disciple the nations, there is one who has and does and will. He's making war on Jude-Christain values from the top down and the bottom up. He is discipling our children in schools and  Universities,  and waging war on the family. In accordance with his agenda to kill steal and destroy,  he has not only separated the church from the state, has also isolated it from every avenue of Biblical influence both outside and, too often, inside the church. And we have become more and more conformed to the world.

Separation of church from the state, is very different from separation of church and state, as is freedom of religion and freedom from religion. While being granted the freedom to believe, we are called bigot and homophobes etc., etc., and attacked and shouted down should we dare to open our mouths to advocate our views. Increasingly we hear that fee speech, is hate speech, but only if it disagrees with what is currently politically correct. In the meantime secularists have been preaching unhindered,  the gospel of socialism and secular humanism. This gospel is no good news with its fairy tale vision of utopia, a vision that history has shown to be totally destructive. No Western democracy is not perfect, but if there was anything better, why would hordes of refugees want to come here? And what is our response to it all? Well, the church has been asleep for the past hundred years or so. What shall we do? Well, we need to go, and to make disciples teaching them as He has commanded.

Father, thank Your for Your promise that when we do our part, repent and pray, You will heal our land (2 Chronicles 7:14). Thank You that the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God (2 Corinthians 10:4). Thank You Lord that I read the end of the book and that we win. Wake us up Lord, our children and our loved ones are at risk. Grant us repentance, and equip us to be salt and light in the midst of this crooked and perverse generation. Start with me Lord, in Jesus Name Amen