Can I Ask That – Why Are We Commanded to Make Disciples of All the Nations?
Introduction
Welcome back.
In this message, I want to raise another question that cuts right to the heart of why we’re here:
Why are we commanded to make disciples of all the nations?
God doesn’t need us to accomplish his plans. He is, after all, all-powerful, all-wise, and all-sufficient. And yet, from the very beginning, God has chosen to work with people. He calls us, he equips us, and he sends us out to join him in his mission to bless the world.
When the LORD called Abraham, He didn’t just promise him land or family. He promised that through him all nations would be blessed. That promise is still unfolding today. And when Jesus rose from the dead, He gave His disciples a charge that echoed Abraham’s call: “Go and make disciples of all nations.”
This isn’t just a command to the ancient apostles. It’s an invitation to us. We are invited to see our lives as part of God’s great story. To live as witnesses to His love. To take part in the work of a missionary God who is shaping the world for His kingdom.
So today, we’re going to ask together: What does it mean to be part of that mission? Why does God send us out? And how can our everyday lives—our work, our words, our prayers—be part of God’s plan to bless the nations?
Let’s begin.
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https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2024%3A45-49&version=NIV
Head/Mind – God loves this world and has given us a role in steering it towards its God-given destiny. When God created humankind, he created us in his image, giving us the role of joining God in helping God unfold the world’s potential and to stir it towards its destiny. When humankind fell into sin that plan was side-tracked, and, at times, seemingly scuttled.
But God waited patiently until he could find a partner who would join him in his work. He found this partner in Abraham and Sarah and their family. And so, God invited Abraham and Sarah to join him in the work he gave to the first humans.
In Genesis 12 we read:
The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.
“I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.”
Our God is a missionary God who seeks to find someone he can work with. And when he finds Abraham and Sarah he invites them into God’s mission to bless the world. God calls Abraham’s family, the people of Israel, to be a priestly people, a light unto the nations, so that all of the world is drawn to the One True God.
But sadly, at some point, Abraham’s family, Israel, goes off track. N.T. Wright says, imagine if you driving upon the highway and come upon a mudslide where dozens of cars off in the ditch. You call for a tow truck, and to your astonishment, the tow truck ends up stuck in the ditch as well. What, then, is to be done. That is what happened to Israel. But, it is at that point in the story that God does the most amazing thing.
Heart – The Personal Connection
The reason God becomes a man in Jesus is because God is a missionary God, who goes to the people he loves. And so, when Jesus comes to earth, he starts his work among Abraham’s family, because they were always meant to take the lead in God’s work to the nations. In Matthew 10:5-6 Jesus tells his apostles to go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel and not to the Gentiles or Samaritans. That part of the mission can wait. He must first get the story back on track, precisely where it came off track.
But notice, at the end of Matthew Jesus tells his Jewish followers to take of the task of brining the good news to the whole word. He says, “Go, therefore, into all the world, making disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. And behold, I am with you to the end of the ages.”
In Acts 1 Jesus tells his followers to wait in Jerusalem until they have received the gift of the Holy Spirit. When that happens, they will be equipped to be his witnesses in Judea, Samaria, and unto the ends of the world.
We and billions of people have now been invited into the work of a missionary God who came into the world to save it. He gives the gift of salvation to all who will receive it by faith. But what does that mean?
It means that God is inviting us to be part of the original human vocation. He is offering to restore us, and to recommission us, so that we can participate, alongside of God, in his plans to shape and direct creation, so that the plans of God can come to final fruition.
Hands – Practical Application
Each of us is called to help others come to know Jesus and to help them begin the life as a disciple. But how?
First, we seek live lives that honor God and bring credibility to the name of Jesus. That means living lives integrity and bearing the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. It also means doing our daily work and play with excellence, doing all that we do for his honor and pleasure, so that God will be honored in our lives.
Second, we must be prepared to give an answer when someone asked us why we believe in Jesus. That does not mean that we have to be a Bible scholar or theologian. But it does mean that we should understand our faith. That is why I am doing this sermon series on basic Christianity. I want you to at least understand what we believe, and know why we believe it.
Whenever we send missionaries out to feed the hungry or to build houses for the poor, we like to encourage them to find an opportunity for sharing their faith. And, it might look something like this.
I just wanted you to know why we have been out here working on your house this week. We have been doing so, because you are important to God. In fact, you are some important that he sent his only Son to save you from your sins. You may already know that, but if you didn’t, now you do.
Third, we pray for those around us, asking God to move in their lives, softening their resistance to the faith, and giving them a curiosity about God. In the world of faith sharing, the one thing we cannot do is change hearts. Only God can transform the human heart.
Fourth, when there an appropriate opportunity, we invite them to come and hear the good news of the Gospel and invite them to participate in the Christian community, where they will have an opportunity to give their lives to Jesus.
Closing Invitation
Friends, the message is both challenging and full of hope.
God is a missionary God. From the beginning, His heart has been for the nations. His call to Abraham, His sending of the prophets, His coming in Jesus, all of it was aimed at blessing the world. And now, He has handed that mission to us.
The command to “make disciples of all nations” is not a burden meant to weigh us down. It is an invitation to join God’s work of love. To step into the purpose for which we were created. To live as His witnesses, not only here in Collierville, but to the ends of the earth.
The truth is, every one of us is called. Some are called to go across oceans, but all of us are called to cross the street, to open our mouths, to open our lives, and to let God’s love shine through us.
So today, I invite you to say yes.
Yes to God’s mission.
Yes to living as a disciple.
Yes to helping others discover the hope and healing found in Jesus Christ.
If you have never placed your trust in Jesus, this is the time to begin that journey of discipleship. And if you are already walking with Him, then let today be the day you recommit to being part of His mission—to pray, to share, to invite, and to live as a witness.
The world is waiting. The invitation is before us. Let’s say yes together.
Closing Prayer
Let’s pray.
God of the nations,
You have always been reaching out, calling out to people like Abraham and Sarah, sending prophets, speaking through Your Son, and pouring out Your Spirit. And now, You call us.
Forgive us for the times we have been silent when we should have spoken, when we have chosen comfort, when we should have gone to the mission field. Stir our hearts again with Your mission. Open our eyes to the people You are already drawing to Yourself, and give us courage to join You in that work.
Today we say yes.
Yes to being Your witnesses.
Yes to living as disciples.
Yes to making disciples, not by our strength, but by the power of Your Spirit.
Send us out with joy, Lord, so that the nations may be blessed, and the name of Jesus lifted high.
In His name we pray,
Amen.