GOING, TEACHING, BAPTIZING (2 OF 3)
by Tony Nester
Scripture: MATTHEW 28:16-20
This content is part of a series.
Going, Teaching, Baptizing (2 of 3)
Our Mission Is To Make Disciples
Tony Nester
Matthew 28:16-20
"Go therefore and make disciples." The mission of the
Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ. A
disciple is someone who knows and follows Jesus
Christ. Our primary purpose, then, is to introduce
people to Jesus, and then to encourage and train them
to live the life Jesus wants them to live.
Today's Scripture has often been referred to as The
Great Commission. We could just as well call it The
Top Priority or The Bottom Line, or Main Thing, or The
Key Task, or The Right Focus.
When Methodism first came to Waverly in the year 1851
the main task of the Circuit Rider who brought it was
to make disciples who would, in turn, make a
difference in this community. This Congregation is
here today because of his commitment, and the
commitment of others who joined him, to making
disciples of Jesus Christ.
But churches, just like all other human organizations,
have difficulty keeping the main thing the main thing.
Several weeks ago William Clay Ford Jr., CEO of Ford
Motor Company announced that Ford, because of its
losses, was restructuring the company. He announced
that Ford would cut 35,000 jobs worldwide, close five
plants and discontinue from production the Ford
Escort, Cougar, Villager and Lincoln Continental.
CEO William Ford commented, "We strayed from what got
us to the top of the mountain, and it cost us
greatly." (1).
In the same way churches stray from the commission
Jesus gave the disciples on that mountaintop in
Galilee. That's why we're spending three weeks on
Matthew 28:16-20. This is a good time for us to
revisit the Great Commission and sharpen our focus on
our real mission: making disciples.
What I want to do this morning is to suggest some ways
for us to think about what it means to make disciples
and to be a disciple-making congregation.
I want to begin ...
Our Mission Is To Make Disciples
Tony Nester
Matthew 28:16-20
"Go therefore and make disciples." The mission of the
Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ. A
disciple is someone who knows and follows Jesus
Christ. Our primary purpose, then, is to introduce
people to Jesus, and then to encourage and train them
to live the life Jesus wants them to live.
Today's Scripture has often been referred to as The
Great Commission. We could just as well call it The
Top Priority or The Bottom Line, or Main Thing, or The
Key Task, or The Right Focus.
When Methodism first came to Waverly in the year 1851
the main task of the Circuit Rider who brought it was
to make disciples who would, in turn, make a
difference in this community. This Congregation is
here today because of his commitment, and the
commitment of others who joined him, to making
disciples of Jesus Christ.
But churches, just like all other human organizations,
have difficulty keeping the main thing the main thing.
Several weeks ago William Clay Ford Jr., CEO of Ford
Motor Company announced that Ford, because of its
losses, was restructuring the company. He announced
that Ford would cut 35,000 jobs worldwide, close five
plants and discontinue from production the Ford
Escort, Cougar, Villager and Lincoln Continental.
CEO William Ford commented, "We strayed from what got
us to the top of the mountain, and it cost us
greatly." (1).
In the same way churches stray from the commission
Jesus gave the disciples on that mountaintop in
Galilee. That's why we're spending three weeks on
Matthew 28:16-20. This is a good time for us to
revisit the Great Commission and sharpen our focus on
our real mission: making disciples.
What I want to do this morning is to suggest some ways
for us to think about what it means to make disciples
and to be a disciple-making congregation.
I want to begin ...
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