Jesus was asked what was the most important commandment, and in Mark 12:29-31 he says, “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” To make all nations disciples of God, we must first make them all children of God. Disciples are not made overnight. The twelve disciples spent three years learning hands on with Christ and were still not able to comprehend many things. Just as a child must learn to talk, walk, feel, and know what's wrong and right; so must a child of God. Once we have given our lives to Christ, we are born again.
Just as a baby being born from the womb, we are born into a new spiritual life knowing the same as a baby would. We must learn to do all the same common things a baby would, but in a spiritual sense. We must change the way we talk to people, the way we feel and show emotion to people, and the way to walk a Christ centered life. This is not a overnight conversion. In 1 Timothy 3, Paul gives the qualifications of a disciple or leader, and in verse 6-7 he says, "He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap." Just as a child can easily fall into temptation and get in trouble, so can someone that has just recently been born again.
So first and foremost, before we can make disciples of our own churches or other nations; we must first learn to show love to all and be that beacon of light we are called to be. We must first be harvesters before we can be teachers. We must first show love before we can teach love. And we must first be Christ to a fallen world before we can expect to teach Christ to the world. There is a poem I read that encapsulates what we as the Church are supposed to be.
The Commission
I asked the Lord to help my neighbor, And carry the gospel to distant lands, And to comfort the sick, but he said to me, If you love me, be my hands.
I asked the Lord to go to the dying, And the orphan in the street, And visit the prisoner, but he said to me, If you love me, be my feet.
I asked the Lord to look to the poor, And to watch over each babe that cries, And see each man's need, but he said to me, If you love me, be my eyes.
I said to the Lord, I want to serve you, But I don't know where to start. To love is the answer, he said to me. If you love me, be my heart. G. Shirie Westfall
The Church must be Love. The Church must be His Hands. The Church must be His Feet. The Church must be His Eyes. The Church must be His Heart. I often hear people who are unbelievers say, "If there is a God, why does he allow all this suffering?" That's a pretty profound question. Why is there so much pain and hate in this world? Why won't God help? You see, the issues in this world can all be attributed to mankind. We are responsible for the pain, the hate, the wars, the poverty, the destruction, not God.
But just imagine if the Church was God's feet, hands, eyes, and heart in this world, what kind of picture would people see of God then? We are the representation of God here on Earth. If we are showing His heart and love, then they will see God. If we are not, then all they will see is the world. Our Commission is to love God with all our hearts, and our fellow man the same. If our lives show this, than all the nations of the world will come to Him.
Acts 2:43-47-They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. This was the first century church. A group of children of God. Showing the love of God to all those around. Helping meet the needs of everyone. Now pay close attention to that last verse, And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
They went out showing the love of God to all that came. Helping the poor, the sick, and the lost. And in showing the people the love and heart of God with their hands, and feet, and eyes; what happened? God added to their number daily those who were being saved. God's love thru them brought them to Christ. The answer to the problem is the Church. The Church's commission has to be His Love.
