Disciples for All the World- Share God's Word

By Rebecca Sheridan, Nebraska Synod Evangelist
Matthew 28:16-20
Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshipped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore 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 that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”



            For the last five years in my position as Nebraska Synod Evangelist, this passage from the end of Matthew has come up quite a bit, as if God has been trying to tell me something.  You may recognize it as the Great Commission.  In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus also gives us the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:37-39).  As modern-day disciples of Jesus, sometimes we are tempted to pick and choose which of these we prefer, and we set up an unhelpful dichotomy: service or evangelism?  Loving God and my neighbor or baptizing and teaching?  In reality, both of these passages contain a command and a mission for us from Jesus.  As faithful disciples for all the world, we try to live out both the Great Commandment AND the Great Commission.
            The truth is, we love God and we love our neighbors when we share God’s love in word and in deed.  Baptism and teaching are acts of service with our neighbor.  And, as many of you have probably experienced, sometimes when you go out to serve and love your neighbor, they decide they want to follow the God you are seeking to serve, too.  For example, when I was a seminary intern, half of my time was spent in campus ministry.  We did not meet most of our students for the first time at our Sunday evening worship service.  The first time we interacted with most students was at our once-a-month service project. Active students felt they could invite their friends, and while painting walls or pulling weeds or playing a game with neighborhood kids we could talk about God.  Later on, some of those students then felt comfortable to check out our worship and Bible study groups.
            My colleague and coach Rev. Dave Daubert has said we need a follow up to our ELCA motto, “God’s work, our hands,” which should be “God’s Word, our voice.”  Perhaps if we embraced doing God’s work in word AND in deed, we would more faithfully live out the Great Commission and Great Commandment.  Sadly, in my work across our Synod, I have discovered that many Lutherans have bypassed the Great Commission in their discipleship journeys.  They dismiss evangelism as “not my gift,” or quickly quote St. Francis, “Preach the gospel at all times, and if necessary, use words.”  The reality is, it is necessary to use words.  We live in a post-Christian culture even in Nebraska where it is not self-evident if you mow your neighbor’s yard or help plant a neighbor’s field that you are doing it because Christ compels you to do so.  God needs and does use our voices to share the gospel and grow disciples.  None of us learn to follow Jesus by osmosis.  Speaking and serving are both necessary.
            Take heart, Nebraska Synod!  God has equipped you to use your hands and voice to do God’s work and share God’s word!  Jesus reminds us that “all authority on heaven and on earth has been given to me,” and says, THEREFORE, you go.  God’s got our back.  The final sentence of Matthew’s gospel is, “And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”  We are not doing this work of making disciples alone.  We at the Synod office are here to help you. Rich and I get to work with a cadre of fantastic volunteers across our state on the Outreach Table to assist you.  Within your own congregation, you have the guy or gal who doesn’t hesitate to shake hands with or sit in the pew beside a newcomer – I bet they could teach you a few pointers.  God has given you your own story that people are longing to hear, that God is longing for you to tell. So, go make disciples. Love God and love your neighbor as yourself.  And remember, Jesus is with you always, to the end of the age.

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