The Great Commision

For the last five years I have been involved at Mission Abilene, a church for the poor and outcast. I 100% believe in it and it's amazing how it has changed my point of view. We all know the great commission and we know it's something we are to do, but today something got my attention. I was in Subway for lunch and while I was there I over heard two mail carriers talking about the Bible. I heard something that just blew me away, he said.... "When someone say we agree to disagree, that is nothing but a way out" he went on saying that that either you believe or don't believe. Someone can't be a christian and say "There is no hell," what is the point of the great commission then?To some how believe that everyone will make it to heaven goes against the cross. Two thief's one rejects the other doesn't. The one that does not reject the cross and it's power because of the man on it enters the kingdom of heaven.

I work with youth and I believe in youth ministry 100% it has it's ups and downs. My fear about it is that so many youth pastors will not speak to their students about truth. How any students are in my ministry lost? That is a question I must ask. I am not into using hell to scare someone into heaven, I don't even find that to be the way to invite someone in. I do believe in the great commission though.

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, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:19-20

I am for social justice as well but I sometimes ask myself do I push people further into their problem by doing things for them? My point with this is that you turn on the news and all you hear about is healthcare and the Government taking care of it. I tend to be quite on this issue,but I feel I must say....the government is not the answer. What can they really do? It doesn't take much to understand that we are spoiled people and believe things should be handed down to us. I believe in taking care of our kids and elderly please understand that. But to put that on our government, in my opinion is wrong. My point is for all of us to understand that Jesus wanted us to all to understand the importance of pointing people back to the cross and teaching them to do what is right.

After listening to several podcast and sitting in several classes now about this issue the more I see that we do the opposite. I am not for someone trying to do something because they are trying to impress others or God. I believe we obey God and do what is right because we love God. We have started to tell people to not worry about doing what is right, just do what you would like to do. I am not the type of person to believe the world is going going to hell in a hand basket, but I do ask, do we truly understand?  I fear that many times in order to help people we enable them even more. We want to be politically correct that we no longer demand respect in the right way from people. I see many kids looking for someone who will love them and at the same time stand up to them. We spend much of our time trying to get people to like us. My question is what did people think when Jesus said the following.

Matthew 23

Frauds!

^11-12"Do you want to stand out? Then step down. Be a servant. If you puff yourself up, you'll get the wind knocked out of you. But if you're content to simply be yourself, your life will count for plenty.  ¹³"I've had it with you! You're hopeless, you religion scholars, you Pharisees! Frauds! Your lives are roadblocks to God's kingdom. You refuse to enter, and won't let anyone else in either.  ¹⁵"You're hopeless, you religion scholars and Pharisees! Frauds! You go halfway around the world to make a convert, but once you get him you make him into a replica of yourselves, double-damned.^16-22"You're hopeless! What arrogant stupidity! You say, 'If someone makes a promise with his fingers crossed, that's nothing; but if he swears with his hand on the Bible, that's serious.' What ignorance! Does the leather on the Bible carry more weight than the skin on your hands? And what about this piece of trivia: 'If you shake hands on a promise, that's nothing; but if you raise your hand that God is your witness, that's serious'? What ridiculous hairsplitting! What difference does it make whether you shake hands or raise hands? A promise is a promise. What difference does it make if you make your promise inside or outside a house of worship? A promise is a promise. God is present, watching and holding you to account regardless.^23-24"You're hopeless, you religion scholars and Pharisees! Frauds! You keep meticulous account books, tithing on every nickel and dime you get, but on the meat of God's Law, things like fairness and compassion and commitment—the absolute basics!—you carelessly take it or leave it. Careful bookkeeping is commendable, but the basics are required. Do you have any idea how silly you look, writing a life story that's wrong from start to finish, nitpicking over commas and semicolons?^25-26"You're hopeless, you religion scholars and Pharisees! Frauds! You burnish the surface of your cups and bowls so they sparkle in the sun, while the insides are maggoty with your greed and gluttony. Stupid Pharisee! Scour the insides, and then the gleaming surface will mean something. 

 My point is that Jesus has called all of us to bring someone else up. Not to just harp on them, but to point them to the cross. I believe in that passage Jesus was doing just that. Yes he was chewing them out, but I believe it was out of love.

teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

We must teach the whole truth not just part of it. It's amazing how two me can make an impact on someones life at Subway and never know it.