| Matthew 28:16-20
Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped 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, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Last week in Sunday School, we talked about the Convictions of church planting, and their connection with the above passage, when Jesus gives the disciples the Great Commission.
The Great Commission is a familiar passage of scripture that we have all probably known since we were young children. But what does it really mean? How does it affect our actions today? I would suggest to you that planting churches, which St. Paul’s is endeavoring to do, is fulfilling the Great Commission.
There are three reasons why I think this is true. The first is because it’s what the apostles did in the book of Acts. Jesus ascended to the Father shortly after giving the Great Commission to the apostles. What happened after Jesus ascended is recorded in the book of Acts. And what we see there is that the apostles went out and planted churches. Peter witnessed in Jerusalem, and the church was born. Philip witnessed in Samaria, and we have a congregation in Samaria. Paul witnessed in Ephesus, and we later have a letter to the church at Ephesus. Churches are planted in Corinth, Thessalonica, Ethiopia, Rome and many other cities. Certainly it begins with evangelism to individuals, but in each case it quickly becomes a church.
The second reason why planting churches is fulfilling the Great Commission is because Jesus’ command is to make disciples. Making disciples involves not just conversion, but the whole life of a person guided by the teaching of Jesus. Certainly evangelism and conversion creates disciples, and all who believe are disciples, but it doesn’t stop there. Ephesians 5:1-2b says, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk [live] in love.” In order to live a life in imitation of Christ we need a local congregation to come alongside us and teach us the commands of Christ. This is not just something that one person can do, but the body of Christ, the congregation, can.
The final reason planting churches is fulfilling the Great commission is that the command is given not to individuals, but to a group, a community, the eleven disciples. They represent the beginning of the church. And their group multiplied into many communities, local congregations. Eventually it multiplied into St. Paul’s Free Lutheran of Fargo, ND. And St. Paul’s also hears the command to reproduce, to make disciples by planting churches.
When we wholeheartedly embrace this conviction, we will want to plant churches. And we will plant churches even when it’s hard. Even when it’s expensive. Or time consuming. Even when we are attacked by the devil and the world. We will fall back on the conviction that we are doing this because Jesus has commanded us and provided the way to make disciples through his death and resurrection.
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