URC Daily Devotion Monday 10th April 2023
Monday 10 April 2023
St 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.’
Reflection
v19-20 is the Great Commission, a hallmark of our own discipleship. The hallmark of our own discipleship. It seems simple. If Jesus is really with us, how can we fail? The Message (1) puts it “go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life … instruct them in the practice of all that [Jesus] commanded”. Hence we must be successful.
Why then are crowds not flocking to us? Perhaps it’s how we go about things – our approach to sharing the Good News might not appear to be overwhelmingly attractive. Or have we just lost confidence in ourselves, our capabilities, our belief.
Growing up in Glasgow, one might be approached by someone asking “Ur ye saved?” While it might be comforting to know that someone was concerned with one’s spiritual well being, such a direct approach could be somewhat unnerving!
In my sending church, there is a board commemorating several doubtlessly wonderful people who went overseas with the London Missionary Society to convert indigenous populations, but often in ways we now understand to be culturally inappropriate.
“In mission work, do not try to call people back to where they were, and do not try to call them to where you are, beautiful as that place might seem to you. You must have the courage to go with them to a place that neither you nor they have ever been before.” (2)
That’s what Jesus commissioned his disciples to do.
That’s what Jesus commissions us to do.
(1) Eugene H Peterson, The Message (Navpress, 2002, 1-57683-673-1, page 1375)
(2) Vincent J Donovan, Christianity Rediscovered (SCM Press, 1982, 0-334-01935-4, page vii)
Brother, Sister, let me serve you,
let me be as Christ to you;
pray that I may have the grace to
let you be my servant too.
We are pilgrims on a journey,
and companions on the road;
we are here to help each other
walk the mile and bear the load
Richard Gillard, Rejoice and Sing 474