Jesus said to his followers, “Go everywhere in the world, and tell the Good News to everyone.

Rick Warren personalises the command that Jesus gave in stating that the Great Commission is MY commission, and as I reflect on the command that Jesus gave from the NCV version, is begins with the words: Jesus said to his followers.

So, what identifies me as a follower of Jesus? Simply that I receive this instruction as spoken to me. If I claim to be a follower of Jesus, but don’t do what he tells us to do, am I really followers of Jesus?

I like the use of this translation simply for rephrasing the command from “Go into all the world” to “Go everywhere in the world”. It’s sometimes easy to think that to go into all the world is to go somewhere else, somewhere overseas to tell people about Jesus, which I have had the opportunity to do in the past.

But what about the present? To “go everywhere” is such an inclusive word. It literally means wherever I am, tell people the good news of Jesus. That includes where I work, the street where I live, and yes, all places near and far.

So, where I am right now, how am I being a follower of Jesus? Who can I tell about the Good News?

Lord Jesus, thank you for saving me, thank you loving me so much that you died for me, thank you for setting me free. Help me to see the people around me as you do. Holy Spirit lead me in telling everyone this Good News.

Written by Andrew Martin

1) In the same way that you gave me a mission in the world, I give them a mission in the world. 2) I don’t care about my own life. The most important thing is that I complete my mission, the work that the Lord Jesus gave me—to tell people the Good News about God’s grace.

The Blues Brothers told everyone they were on a mission from God. They meant people to take their plan seriously.

Jesus has sent me to continue his mission on earth – now that’s powerful! God gave him a mission and in this verse he dedicates his followers to that mission. This verse reminds me that it is an outward focused commission. My faith is not self focused and a searching for enlightenment. Rather my mission is to introduce people to God.

My secret weapon is the gospel of good news of the life and death of Jesus Christ for you and for me. And the end of the story is life! But God has spoken to me afresh about the impact of this message of life because it is a message of light, love, hope and healing. Jesus’ ministry was characterised by these things. He brought light into the darkness – how do I do that? He brought God’s love to a desperate people – do I do that? He brought hope to the broken, and to those waiting for the Messiah. Jesus brought healing, of the physical, emotional, and spiritual – am I available to God to bring healing?

What a life changing message, from the heart of God. And I have to be listening and tuned into the heart of God to be an effective messenger, to discern what the message means for the person God brings into my life.

I believe I am sometimes held back by a fear of ridicule, as well as a fear of being challenged about what I believe.  What if I can’t answer every question? What if I am rejected because of my views? When people believe something passionately they will be ready to defend it! I want people to take what I believe seriously. That demands I am ready to explain and defend it.

Dear Jesus. Help me to tune into the loving heart of the Father through the Holy Spirit. Help me to make those introductions to Jesus.

Amen

Written by Claire Moore

1) But my servant Caleb thinks differently and follows me completely. 2) Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself.

I enjoy period dramas and historical fiction, and in these types of novels and films, servants are quite common characters. The ideal servant is fiercely loyal to their master/mistress, dependable, trustworthy, full of integrity and highly skilled in their role. It is this combination of qualities that makes them hard to replace. These servants have learned the ways of their master/mistress and are able to predict what they will want or need. Oftentimes, these servants take a healthy pride in serving with excellence, and the satisfaction of their master/mistress is highly gratifying. 

God wants me to know Him as Father, Friend, Saviour and the Good Shepherd… but He is at the same time Lord of the Universe and the One I was created to serve. 

Am I seeking to serve God with the kind of loyalty, dependability, trustworthiness, integrity and skill that means God can rely on me? Am I growing in my understanding of God’s ways and am I better able to partner with Him in His work? Am I deriving joy from serving God with excellence? 

Holy Spirit, where I get focused on task or caught in details, please help me to see the bigger picture and to remember who it is that I am serving. Help me to grow in my capacity to serve God with integrity and skill. Amen. 

Written by Ps. Bethany Waugh 

So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ’s body, let’s just go ahead and be what we were made to be.

What a great work the Lord has done in our lives.  We are fashioned by Him for His glory and some of that glory comes through our service.  Each with a unique set of gifts, talents, temperament and personality so that we can bring Christ’s light to those in our communities.  To be honest there are times I feel I need to have a few rough edges rubbed off, and He is at work.  I find it a little hard to think of myself as “excellently formed and marvellously functioning” but then again that thinking relies more on my view of myself than God’s and His creation of me and His empowerment.  For when I am reliant on Him, empowered by Him, then I am an able minister of His Spirit!  And so I can walk in victory and “go ahead and be what I was made to be”.  God is not holding me back, if I am held back it is myself doing that deed or the enemy of my soul the devil.

Do you use such superlatives and adjectives as you describe yourself as you find here in God’s Word describing you?  In your attempt at humility have you only reduced yourself to less than God’s creation in you?  May you meditate on this verse today to bring new light and love from God to you!

Father, work Your Word deeply into our lives that we would live, “Fashioned”; “Excellently Formed”; “Marvellously Functioning” and “be what we are made to be”.

Written by Ps. Richard Botta

1) For the Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life. 2) They are the people I made for myself, and they will sing my praises!”

When I became a Christian in August 1984, such a love and relief consumed me.  I was then baptised in the Holy Spirit in May 1985 and my heart and passion changed.  I didn’t care what anyone thought about me, I wanted to serve Jesus till the day I die.  In 1986 I joined Youth With A Mission (YWAM) and spent the next 3 years (for me Bible College) – learning about God, learning how to hear from the Holy Spirit, and learning how to sacrifice my personal desire for “His Kingdom”.

I came to the following conclusions:

Begin – serve in something and God will reveal your gifts, purpose and passion along the way.

Everything is an opportunity.  If you are asked – say yes.  Along the way God reveals what you are good at and what you need to work on.

As we give (financially and in service) – God gives back to us.  He reveals Himself to us.  He reveals our Heart within us.

AS WE DO AND BECOME – GOD REVEALS.

It is a discovery of ourselves and a discovery of God Himself

God gave me a scripture in 1988 when I left YWAM Hong Kong.  John 21 v 15-19 – “Susan feed my sheep, Susan feed my lambs, Susan take care of my sheep”.

In 2004 – I felt the Lord lead me back to this scripture and He said to me:  “I called YOU to be a Pastor, not because you married Richard.”

16 YEARS!!  A similar time to Joseph imprisonment.

I discovered WHAT I AM HERE FOR.  I discovered that I AM Loved.

Lord for everyone who reads this may you give them a scripture – a life scripture.  Help everyone to discover the meaning of their lives along their journey.  Reveal it to them we pray.

Written by Ps. Sue Botta