B-Group Lesson Part 7 of 8
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Matthew 28:18-20
“18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 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, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Have you ever played the game Marco Polo? It’s a game where one person closes their eyes and attempts to tag everyone else by using their sense of hearing. How do they do this? Simple. The rule is that if the person who is it yells Marco everyone else playing has to yell Polo. The shout of the person that is it requires a response by everyone who is playing. So it is with Christianity. Jesus was the first person to live out the fullness of God’s mission on earth, and he invites us to join in on this mission, however, there is one major rule to this mission. When Jesus speaks we have to respond. We’re destined to receive the call and give a response. To echo heaven on Earth.
Transition Statement: Maybe you have heard Jesus loves you your whole life. Maybe you’ve heard he has a plan for you a thousand times. Perhaps you’re hearing both of these for the first time. Regardless of Jesus' calling isn’t for you to remain silent, He wants to give you something to say. That’s what today’s lesson is about.
(Matthew 28:19a / John 1:4-5 / Matthew 5:14-16)
The world is full of darkness, but it is up to us to go into the darkness.
Jesus is the light that came into the world and has now given us the light to shine in the darkness.
As the moon reflects the sun, we are to reflect the light of Christ in the darkness through living a life that looks like Christ in the midst of people who are lost.
“4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome[a] it.” John 1:4-5
“14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16
(Matthew 28:19b / Matthew 4:19)
Jesus made disciples by finding people where they were. Every disciple was a person Jesus found in the middle of what they were doing.
Jesus tells His disciples that He is going to make them fishers of men, in other words He’s going to make them Disciples who go out and find others to make disciples.
We are called to seek what Jesus sought, which are people who were made with a purpose on the inside of them.
“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” Mathew 4:19
(Matthew 28:19c-20 / Matthew 20:25-28)
The way we serve people is being with them every step of the way. From the moment they’re saved by Jesus, to baptism, to being discipled by the teachings.
Serving people was a lifelong commitment of Jesus. It was what He taught and is what He asks us to live and teach.
“25 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:25-28
At the end of the day the Great Commission is what Jesus calls us to do because that is what He came to do first. He left heaven to come to earth to seek and save those who were lost. Our response is to do the same. We are sent to seek and serve those around us. Whether that’s your family, neighbor, or even a stranger, we believe that the church is the echo of heaven, and that the Great Commission is the call we are invited to respond to.
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