The Commission

Today’s lesson involves another conflict in the application of scriptures. In yesterday’s message I established that all scripture is God-breathed and full of the Life that works in us to bear good fruit. However, misapplication of scripture will bear bad fruit. Let’s look at our first scripture today, concerning the Great Commission;

“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.” (Mt 28:19-20)

Correct application of this scripture has brought about evangelization of much of the world, resulting in good fruit and a bountiful harvest of the Lord. What could go wrong? There is nothing wrong with evangelization, and essentially, as God’s ambassadors we are all called to evangelize. However, we are not necessarily all called to “go”.

Many Christian leaders have been concerned with the unsaved parts of the world, focusing on outreaches to those countries which have not yet received the gospel. If people cannot travel to those regions, leaders and churches provide outreach opportunities for them in their own town or city. This has been a noble venture and seemingly good application of the Great Commission. However, some “trees” have born the bad fruit of “bean-counting”; the publishing of numbers of souls saved, numbers of houses, schools and orphanages built . . . and boasting of all the good works they do for the Lord. Though they seem very rich spiritually, works alone do not serve the Lord well . . . not if they are only the works that make us look good to other men. Not if they are the works that bring fame and donations.

Jesus counseled the Church at Laodicea to buy from Him “gold refined in the fire.” (Rev 3:18). They had incomplete works, which left them feeling rich but in reality impoverished them spiritually. Our hearts are purified by the fire of the Holy Spirit during our trials. We cannot choose our works for their ease, comfort, or what greatness they will bring to us; they are appointed to us (Eph 2:10). Sometimes the Lord gives us big works to do, and sometimes they are little, hidden works. Only the humble will do what is little in their own eyes, sacrificing that which would bring them fame and fortune.

Let’s take a look at scripture that emphasizes one of the end-time priorities for God’s kingdom. “See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse.” (Mal 4:5-6) The land was their inheritance, and if there was no evidence of reconciliation between the generations, there would be a lack of inheritance. This has spiritual application for us today. God is looking at appointing destinies, however, the hearts need to be turned first.

Jesus told the people that John the Baptist embodied the spirit of Elijah. The angel Gabriel that spoke before John’s birth said of him “Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous – to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” (Lk 1:16-17) John’s ministry was one of calling people to repentance, and baptizing them to wash away their sins (Mt 3:1-6). This is how he prepared people for the coming of their Messiah. Though we see John dealing with people on their personal sin, there is no mention of him preaching reconciliation between the generations.

Jesus told His disciples that the spirit of Elijah ”does come first, and restores all things.” (Mk 9:12-13). And though “Elijah has come,” in the ministry of John the Baptist, the ministry of Elijah was not completed. There remains for our generation a turning of the hearts of the fathers to the children and the children to the fathers. There remains an appointing of spiritual inheritances as we gain victory over the personal sin and strife in our families. This is an unpleasant work for many . . . one which is best avoided by the outward focus of missions, evangelism, and community out-reach. Yet it does far more than the personal purification of our souls, making them like gold. It establishes the kingdom of God, for that is the work appointed to us before the end.

There are those appointed to “go” and those appointed to preach. However, let us not be found making our choices in order to please men, nor to make ourselves look good. Let us keep God’s priorities for our lives at the top of the list of our works and be satisfied to be found of Him rich, clothed, and seeing clearly the inheritance. Amen.