Enlarge My Territory

Wow! I was bombarded with things about discipleship and the Great Commission and our own personal role. There must be an important message there. Uh, should I say, there is an important message there. Oh, my blogs are all over the place these days, but intertwined nonetheless.

Listen to what Jesus has to say. He had risen from the dead and was telling His disciples what the next step was they were to do:

Matthew 28:16-20 - Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

First of all, this is a command of Jesus' to go into all the world and preach the Gospel. If we have received Christ and are filled with His Spirit, this should be easy, right? As I picked up emails here, a book there, the words of Jesus shouted at me. We know we are not supposed to pick and choose what parts of the Bible are for us and which are not. But sometimes we do. That's easy to do.

And sometimes we doubt. That's easy too. We can't conceive of ourselves being "commissioned" to do certain things. That's the hard part. But let me add that as Jesus said, He is with us always; He will be our guide in any and all circumstances, if we are in Christ.

I was reading a chapter in Radical by David Platt. It deals with God's global purpose from the beginning until today. Platt takes the point we oftentimes make that Jesus died just for me and tells us that He didn't just die for me. It's not just about me, me, me. He died for all mankind. It's okay to personalize His death for ourselves, but it doesn't end there. The next step is sharing the meaning of His death with others because it doesn't just stop with us. We can't just be Christians satisfied with our own salvation and receive it...period. We must also share it with others. We are not the end of the Gospel; God is, Platt so truthfully writes. We have received salvation so that His name will be proclaimed in all nations.

This is what the Great Commission is all about. It's about adding our names to the list along with the disciples. Long before I started this particular blog I had the urging to go on another missions trip with our church. I've inquired about future trips. I don't know why, other than I believe God has something to show me...again. Do I feel qualified to go? Not necessarily. I'm older now and a little creakier, probably less able to lift concrete blocks or sift sand out of rocks for concrete, but that won't disqualify me from doing something for the Lord.

I also don't think I'm in line with those who would make it their life's mission to be a missionary...but one never, ever knows for sure. Some really drastic changes would have to take place in my life. Short term for now is good. Platt tells us there are some who believe they are not called to do this...it's for someone else. And he decidedly says we consider this an optional program in the church for a faithful few... Jesus himself has not merely called us to go to all nations; he has created us and commanded us to go to all nations.

Some might suggest that their interests lie here in the United States, not overseas. And might I add some believe that their family is their mission field...doing for them that they might see Christ in them and come to a saving knowledge of Him through their good works and love. That's just one area and something we should do. But sometimes our boundaries might be stretched.

James Robison wrote in a blog recently on the Great Omission (Believers have failed to fulfill the Great Commission because of a Great Omission): Any lack of desire on the part of professing church members to be fruitful is a legitimate reason to examine yourself whether you be of faith (2Corinthians 13:5). Believers are misguided when they try to be like other Church members rather than holding on to Jesus. I throw this in for a reason.

Although we are not to compare ourselves to others, we are all called to be disciples. In a recent devotion sent by David Wilkerson on holiness, he said: You can never again look at another Christian and say, "Oh, I wish I were as holy as He is." He continued to basically say we have our own struggles, make our own mistakes or even lack discipline in some areas where others are stronger. But if we have received Christ we are all equals in God's eyes. We fail. We do. But God loves us just the same. (Yes, He will deal with us when necessary.)

Here's why I bring this up. If we profess to be in Christ but do not carry out His command to go to all nations, if we feel His nudge, we are not abiding in Him. If we do not compare ourselves, and we are all the same in God's eyes, that means disciples and "Great Commissioners." I'm not saying everyone WILL be called overseas or across countries, but we shouldn't rule it out completely. If we aren't to compare ourselves to others we should not say, they are more the type to do that; I'm not. The Holy Spirit will guide us and that can be the most glorious thing.

I don't think we can ever know what great things we will encounter if we minister in some way to those, who most likely will be less fortunate, than we. We will learn humility, for sure, when we are taken out of our comfortable surroundings and put into the world of the less fortunate. For some, however, it might be just the thing for them to complain...You call this a motel? You call this food? You call this a place of gathering? Where did Jesus minister?

As Robison continued he said we have made the commission of making disciples of all believers into making churches and focusing on our own priorities. How sad is that? We should be focusing on what God has placed within us through His Holy Spirit. We will be as Jesus has asked us to be; we will be less focused on ourselves, less comparing ourselves to others and just letting God be God through us...and being His disciples. That way we only glorify God...as it should be. I wonder if choosing to do something that is stretching us doesn't glorify God all the more? Robison also said, Even in people who are gifted and highly effective, it is the Giver of the gift and Jesus being exalted that attracts me.

The Giver of the gift...The Great Commission...to do God's will in sharing Christ with all nations, through His Spirit, not just those close to us, or not at all. Let the Spirit of God be the guide  in our lives. Go where He directs. Choose to let Him show what needs to be seen to develop a better understanding of what He sees every day. To have His heart for the world...a world that is dying quickly.

Platt also said this: Because from cover to cover the Bible teaches that all the church--not just select individuals, but all the church--is created to reflect all the glory of God to all the world. Is that what the Church, as Robison says, is doing? Or is it only making members? And are we as members determining in our own hearts we are more like this person and not that, comparing ourselves...and deciding that's not my job...or my gift?

I thought about the prayer of Jabez. Although it was the cry of this man that he would always realize God as the center of his life, I see it in another way. If God is the center, we should be able to do anything through the power of His Spirit. You never know how God will bless us when we stretch beyond who we think we are...we are all He wants us to be and we should be willing to do beyond our own comfort level. And yes, this word is for me! As He has told us above, He will be with us always. Let's not make the mistake of assuming others are better qualified than we. If we abide in Christ, we know no bounds. Lord, enlarge my territory!

1Chronicles 4:10. - Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain. And God granted his request.