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A look at the appointed gospel from the Revised Common Lectionary for June 7, 2020.
“Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 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, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.””
My Two Cents….
On Holy Trinity Sunday this year we have the Great Commission. These are Jesus’s final instructions in Matthew’s gospel. In a clear and focused way, Jesus sends the church out into the world - make disciples of all nations.
The way that this is usually interpreted is to make the world Christian. Through baptism and teaching, the church’s purpose is to make disciples. That is certainly what the words say; convert the world.
Less we get caught up, like many have before, in a blinding evangelicalism, we would benefit from taking a holy pause. Breathe.
Before rushing out with our portable fonts, “Christian-izing” the masses, it would b’e prudent for us to stop and reflect. What is it that Jesus taught? What’s included in the “everything I have commanded you?”
As I think about Jesus’s teaching, the first thing that pops into my mind is love. Jesus taught love - caring, compassionate, non-invasive, non-demanding, and kind love. “Thou must believe or else” was never a part of his curriculum. Neither was “my way or the highway!” Jesus’s love was inviting and allowed others to embrace (or not) on their terms. The community that Jesus formed was not an enforcing institution but rather a gathering of imperfect and largely unremarkable disciples who were scared, flawed, and in need of forgiveness. Love creates a community that is more like a dinner party and less like a board of directors.
In our multi-perspective, multi-religious (or non-religious) world, we would do well to interpret the Great Commission through the heart of Jesus’s teaching about love. How do we point others through Christ through loving words and deeds? How might we transform the church into a place of welcome that has no restrictions, no judging glances?
What might you be able to do this week to love others? Can you respond to the needs that you see in a way that bears the understanding and compassion of Christ?
In Christ's Light,
Walt
Permission granted to share today's content with family and friends. Copyrighted 2020. Walt Lichtenberger
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