Will it ever be accomplished?
Here we are, 2000 years after the Great Commission was given, with all the resources, equipment, technology, strategies, and plans, but still only 1/3 of the world are Christians! Of the remaining two-thirds, half of them – 2.5 billion people may never have the opportunity to hear the Gospel in their lifetime!
Therefore, this week we focus on prayer for fulfilling the Great Commission.
First, we must assess whether Jesus gave an impossible task to do or whether the Church got it wrong.
Intercession can bring a greater revelation on how to accelerate its accomplishment.
A. Where have we failed in the Great Commission?
When Jesus gave the Great Commission to His Eleven Disciples, they were the least qualified and capable of doing it. So, was it a project doomed to fail?
At that time, it was naturally impossible to ‘Go into all the World” and ‘Disciple all Nations’ because most nations, countries, and continents weren’t even discovered or accessible. Their fishing boats had only sailed in Lake Gennesaret; there was no exploration of the Oceans until 14 centuries later when all people and their habitable locations were discovered.
Secondly, The term ‘All Nations’ was beyond comprehension for these Jewish Disciples who shunned contact with the Gentile world. We see this in Peter’s response to going to Gentile Cornelius in Acts 10:14: “Surely not, Lord! For I have never…” reflecting their prejudice and reluctance.
Yet, what was required was obedience – which gave them power and ability to execute it.
B. The Hidden Key to the Great Commission.
Jesus also gave a promise of empowerment by the Holy Spirit that could launch them ‘to the ends of the earth.’ But, a closer look at the Great Commission reveals another hidden key that was simple but profound: ‘Go Make Disciples.’
Have you ever lost a key and tried to use a substitute instead? This missing key has hindered the Church’s accomplishment of the Great Commission despite many alternative methods being used.
The chart below shows that in the past 100 years, although Christians have grown numerically, their share of the percentage of the world’s population was static and decreased from 34.5% to 32.3%
Prayer:
Ask the Lord to give revelation and understanding to every Church and leader of the importance of Making Disciples for the Great Commission.
E. What kind of Disciples did Jesus Make?
Jesus’ mission was a Global Mission. Yet, He did not depend on the masses who followed him and benefited from his ministry. His strategy was the unconventional method of spending 3 years with twelve Disciples, modeling how to “Make Disciples of All Nations.” He was a ‘Great Commission Disciple-Maker.’
See where His Disciples served and died far from their homeland:
Jesus’ Disciples for All Nations.
Where they served and died:
- Peter – Pontus, Galatia, Bithynia, Cappadocia,
- and Asia. Martyred in Rome
- John – Asia Minor, –Ephesus.
- Andrew – Asia Minor, in Modern Turkey & Greece,
- Thomas – Syria, Parthia, and India.
- Andrew – Greece, Patras.
- Philip – Carthage, North Africa.
- Matthew – Persia and Ethiopia.
- Bartholomew – Armenia, Southern Arabia.
- Simon, the Zealot – In Persia.
- Matthias – Syria.
- Only James was martyred by Herod in Jerusalem.
C. ‘Great Commission Discipleship.’
‘Discipleship’ was primarily stated by Jesus in the context of the Great Commission.
Today, however, it is commonly used by the church to assimilate new converts into Church life or to grow them to maturity. The plethora of ‘discipleship material’ and programs have not contributed to the progress of the Great Commission. Jesus’s primary objective of Discipleship was not just striving for maturity in knowledge – but engagement in accomplishing the Great Commission.
a. Which Choice: ‘Go-Preach’ vs. ‘Go-Make.’
The Church struggled to choose which was most beneficial -whether its growth and maintenance or advancing the Great Commission:
Go-Preach:
Most Churches actively follow Mark 16:15-16 Commission: ‘Go into all the world and Preach the Gospel to every person’ with the intention that those who “believe and are baptized will be saved.”
This focus contributes positively to the growth and stability of the Church.
‘Go-Make:’
However, Matthew’s Commission to ‘Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations’ (Matthew 28:19-20) focuses on outside the Church. This emphasis on ‘making’ does not happen automatically or supernaturally at conversion. It is an intentional process that must be followed.
The term “Make Disciples” in Greek is one word: mathēteúō from the root word mathētḗs, which is to make a ‘learner, pupil, or follower.’
So, the question is: “Have we made learners and disciples of Nations? How frequently is the word ‘nations’ mentioned in our Discipleship? Is discipleship’s ultimate goal about ‘one nation’ or sending them to ‘all nations?’
b. ‘Disciples for the Church’ vs. ‘Disciples for Nations.’
Disciples for the Church:
Discipleship is often seen as ‘converting to the Church’ of those who are “converted to Christ.’ Therefore, it is self-focused on growth within the Church. My Discipleship happened after my conversion when I was entrusted with discipling another new convert, which resulted in rapid changes in my attitudes, habits, and lifestyle. Yet, it was an inward focus on what happens within the Church!
Disciples for Nations:
However, this did not necessarily result in me becoming ‘Disciples for Nations’; it took many years before I was introduced to it. The ignorance and ‘church-centric’ lifestyle blinded me from being engaged in Missions – activities that focus on praying, giving, going, and sending missionaries to nations- contributing to the Great Commission.
c. ‘Teaching to Know’ vs. ‘Teaching to Obey.’
Teaching them to Know:
While today’s Discipleship emphasizes knowledge transfer, Matthew’s Commission is ‘teaching them to obey’ – ‘doing’ rather than just ‘knowing.’ Of this, James warned: “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not just hearers who deceive themselves.” Being passive about the Great Commission can be a dangerous form of deception within the Church! For Jesus’ standard of Discipleship was not acquiring maximum knowledge but continual engagement:
‘Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; ‘ (John 8:31)
Teaching them to Obey:
Great Commission Discipleship involves maximum obedience and engagement! It must be noted that the scope of knowledge in the first-century Church was limited to Old Testament Scriptures and the oral transmission of the Apostle’s teaching. Hence, discipleship was instruction, application, and ‘teaching them to obey’ rather than accumulation of knowledge.
There are hundreds of thousands of church congregations with hundreds of millions of followers of Jesus Christ. But to successfully execute the Great Commission, we need a fitting church with Great Commission hearts and minds.
We must raise a community of believers united in purpose and pursuit, seeking to carry out Jesus’s command to the letter. We need church leaders who understand the very heart of the Great Commission.
(Lausanne Report)
Prayer:
Take a moment to evaluate your own Discipleship experience and journey. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you to ‘Make Disciples’ who are obedient to the Great Commission.
F. Early Church ‘Discipleship’ accomplished the Great Commission.
Due to their effective Discipleship, the most extensive growth of the Christian Church happened amidst resistant and hostile contexts in the early centuries.
Wherever the Apostles preached, they were committed to Matthew’s Commission of ‘making disciples.’ Acts 6:1 notes: “Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying..”
Therefore, Saul of Tarsus, who wanted to halt the spread of Christianity, targeted Disciples by
“breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord” (Acts 9:1)
This enemy strategy still continues to impede the progress of the Great Commission.
a. Paul’s Disciple Making strategy.
Eventually, the ‘Disciple killer’ turned ‘Disciple Maker’ focused his missionary efforts using the same strategy wherever he preached the Gospel.
Here are two examples.
City of Derbe:
“They had preached the gospel to that city and “made many disciples” they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch. (Acts 14:21)
He engaged both ‘preaching the Gospel’ (euangelízō – Mark Commission) and ‘disciple-making.’ (mathēteúō – Matthew Commission). Note that he did not stay long in places as the word ‘many’ in the above text in Greek is ‘hikanós’ means ‘sufficient.’ Their Discipleship strategy produced ‘sufficient Disciples’ to impact a city and then left, entrusting the Great Commission to them. The results were extraordinary!
City of Ephesus:
Here again, in Acts 19, despite opposition, Paul focused on Discipleship, and the outcome was phenomenal:
“He departed from them and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily…
“ And this continued for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.”
A two-year investment in Discipleship resulted in the fulfillment of the Great Commission in a whole Region!
Prayer:
Pray that both Mark’s and Matthew’s Commission of ‘Making Disciples of All Nations’ will be adopted by Churches. Read both Scriptures and ask for Revelation from the Holy Spirit about its priority.
G. Making Disciples ‘Of All Nations’ – ‘For All Nations.’
Finally, Jesus’ method of disciple-making had a multiplying impact on reaching ‘all the nations’ of the earth. Jesus made Disciples of His Jewish nation ‘for all nations.’ How many nations did Jesus have in mind? Jesus envisioned discipling over 17,000 nations, or ‘Ethne’ in Greek, representing people of all ethnic groups. (We will discuss this next week for prayer).
Can the same Discipleship method reach 17,000 Nations with a population of over 5 billion people today?
One writer puts it like this:
“Jesus could have led large crusades to win thousands of people to the Kingdom, but He didn’t.
Instead, He chose to invest His life deeply into a few faithful men. He knew the result would be far more impacting for the future if He could train some disciple-makers.
There is power in multiplication. If you lead one person to Christ daily for 33 years, that would be over 12,000 people. Instead, let’s say that you lead one person to Christ and discipled them in a year so that they could go out and win and train others and that this process of evangelizing, establishing, equipping, and extending was built into each one. Even if it just started with you, within 33 years, you would have reached over 4 billion people!
Jesus knew that this was a powerful thing to give His life to.
There are very few men and women out there who are reproducing themselves into others. If you find one, latch on to them!”
(Gene Hackman)
Prayer
- Prayer of Repentance. Forgive us, Lord, for using our methods and plans to fulfill the Great Commission.
- Pray for the revelation that every Church will commit to making ‘GREAT COMMISSION DISCIPLES.’
- Pray Paul’s prayer: ‘It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation. Rather, as it is written: “Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.” (Romans 15:20-21)
Two Key Religious Focuses in Prayer in January.
- Prayer for the Hindu World.
A month-long festival called Kumbh Mela is being held in India where Pilgrims come from around the world to bathe in the Ganges River, believing that if they do so, their sins will be forgiven.
See details below: - Prayer for the Buddhist World.
Next Week, we will be focusing on the Buddhist World.
