The ACTUAL Great Commission

God, thank you that your Word brings light and life. Thank you that it is so clear, even though we so quickly forget, and even though we are so slow to understand. Thank you for your patience, grace, and abounding love for us, that in you and through you we may understand the mysteries which are hidden from earthly kings and so-called wise men — yet those same mysteries are so freely given to those who seek your face. Thank you that we are not only beneficiaries of your abundance, but we are agents for you, Most High God. May we walk evermore in this identity.

Despite its importance to the Christian faith, many Christians do not understand the Great Commission. What if it is much deeper and more meaningful than we have considered? Some of this discrepancy originates from confusion over what the Great Commission includes. I’ve often heard it abbreviated: “Go and make disciples.” There was a time I thought that was the Great Commission. I also made the mistake of translating it in my own head to, Go and get people to accept Jesus. But there is so much more.

First, it is helpful to understand the context of the passage. In the Gospel of Matthew, the Great Commission is the end of the book. Consider other great works of literature: how important is the end? How thoughtful? Is it not known by the author from the very beginning? Is it not the conclusion to which everything before it builds?

These are the final words in the book of Matthew, which are spoken by Jesus: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go 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 I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

The Great Commission stands on the foundation of Jesus’s resurrection and his total authority in heaven and on earth. The appropriate response here is awe. Sit with that a little longer if you need to. “Therefore,” Jesus continues, giving the Great Commission from that place of incomprehensible power and victory.

Next, he commands us to make disciples.

Disciples are followers, but in a deeper sense than most of us have ever experienced in our lives. Perhaps the closest comparisons that make cultural sense to us would be a coach that an athlete grows up with, a master electrician and his apprentice, or even a parent and their child (this is a metaphor used by Paul toward Timothy). It is an intimate, sustained, instructive relationship that witnesses and facilitates a person’s transformation from being unskilled and immature to themselves discipling others.

In this sense, who can be born without a parent? Are you not a vessel through whom others might be born? And what child can grow to be a flourishing adult without parents to guide him? Are you not called to have such guides and to be such a guide?

Therefore, we are called to be disciples and then rabbis. And what is a rabbi without disciples?

Baptism is next.

People who have been in the church long enough can forget the significance of baptism. Consider, though, how dramatic it is. It signifies death and resurrection, rebirth, and spiritual cleansing. Furthermore, it evokes the new life that comes afterward. In the same way, marriage is not a one-time event. We get married, but then every day thereafter, we are married. And ideally, we behave as such. We deepen our marriage, fight for it, and grow in it. Likewise, baptism is the ceremony during which a person publicly proclaims their entry into a transformative state. And then they live baptized, deepening their marriage as the Bride of Christ, fighting for it, and growing in it.

We are called to baptize others, which has profound implications. First, we must ourselves be baptized, in all its layered meanings. Secondly, we are commanded to baptize others (get them to the ceremony). Third, we are called to help others to live baptized (life ongoing).

The Great Commission includes much more than most Christians think.

Teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.

Consider for a moment this portion of the Lord’s Prayer: “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” It assumes we forgive others. A reader of even moderate maturity easily understands this. The Great Commission includes similar assumptions: 1) You must understand what you teach. 2) You must be doing what you tell others to do.

We cannot fulfill the Great Commission without teaching our disciples to obey Jesus, and we cannot teach them without first understanding and doing what he teaches us. This is what Paul means when he says, “Imitate me as I imitate Christ.” What a bold command that is! We are challenged to issue to others that same holy command in the name of Jesus.

I am with you to the end.

Jesus concludes with the reminder that we fulfill the Great Commission not only because of him, by his power, armed with his wisdom, continually transforming in him, filled with the Holy Spirit, etc. — but with Jesus. This is not just a sentimental idea or a nice-sounding platitude to wrap it all up; being with God is the point.

When I first took interest in my wife, I started by talking with other people who really knew her. I had admired her from afar, but we did not know each other. Then, I grew closer and closer with her, and now I know her best. I am her biggest fan. I think about her often, I tell many people about her — but best of all — I spend lots of time with her. She is with me to the end. I am learning more and more to approach my relationship with God this way.

Jesus is clear about where our priorities should be: “'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment.” Furthermore, Jesus’s most sobering measure for whether we will be with him in eternity is whether God knew us during this life. Not whether we were aware of who God was — whether God knew us. (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 13:25-27; Matthew 25:11-12)

Does God know you? Do you live like being with him is the point of life?

I am coming to understand my primary specialty in counseling as helping clients grow their maturity in Christ. This is my greatest aim: that from the overflow of God in my life, I would be able to pour into others. That it would not be me but God himself working through this broken vessel to make himself known. May it not be my counsel but his. For I am in desperate need of him.

The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;

he frustrates the plans of the peoples.

The counsel of the Lord stands forever,

the plans of his heart to all generations.

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,

the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!

(Psalm 33:10-12)

May we fulfill the Great Commission. May we taste and see for ourselves the goodness of knowing God and being known by him. May we embrace our identities and inheritance in Christ, and may we share generously with others, for we are made far richer in the Kingdom of God by enriching others.

"Come to Me"

Like a child seeking the comfort that can only be found in a parent’s arms,

Come to me, you who are weary and heavy-laden.

I will give you rest.

Rest.

Lie down beside still waters.

Let me restore your soul.

I am making a place for you.

I have prepared for you

A table in the presence of your enemies.

Eat.

Turn your eyes from the darkness,

From the adversaries around you,

To the feast I have provided,

Even in the midst of this chaos.

Breathe in my presence, my peace.

Feel my Holy Spirit within you.

Exhale that which you are not meant to carry.

Worry. 

Fear. 

Pain.

Anger.

Sadness.

I will take it if you let me.

I love you.

Be of strong courage.

Be like Job. 

Be like David, who chased my heart so well.

Bring me your unpolished self.

The broken parts of you.

The parts of you the Enemy wants you to hide.

Bring me those tears, that rage, those dark thoughts.

I can take it all.

I did not die on the cross to take some of it.

Bring me only those parts you want me to heal, to renew, to transform.

Bring me only those parts that crave my love.

Bring me only your whole self.

By Lee Freeman

How to Help Someone Who is Struggling

When I was a young man, my wife and I were blessed to find a wonderful group of other young adults in our church. We were one another’s primary social community, and it was beautiful. We studied God together, prayed together, ate together, and played together. Then tragedy struck. One of the couples had a miscarriage. Of course I had heard about miscarriages, but I had no idea what to do. I could tell they were hurting, but I didn’t know how I could help. I felt uncomfortable, and I wrongly assumed they would want to deal with it privately. I even maintained this belief after we attended the memorial service they held for their baby. I think I muttered some empty words after the service and gave my friend a hug. And then I never mentioned it again.

Many years later, I went through a heart-rending experience of my own — a life-altering, never-be-the-same kind of pain. I was the emotional equivalent of a burn survivor: permanent scars on my skin, wondering if everyone notices when they see me, always-hurts-when-I-move-certain-ways type of pain. One of the things I learned in that season, thanks to some dear friends who knew better, was what someone in the pit needs.

This blog post is a bit different from all the others I've written. Rather than targeting your own mental health, it is meant to help you help others, to not make the mistakes I made with my friends' miscarriage. I’ve realized in my counseling work that this is one of the greatest mental health gaps in society: we often want to help those who are hurting, but we don’t know what to do. I’ve heard far too many clients feeling crushed under the weight of life and feeling like they are doing it all alone because no one knows how to help. If that's you, I encourage you to share this post with the people close to you. Everyone else, I invite you to join me in seeking growth and Christlikeness in caring for those in pain.

The Bible commands us to “Share one another’s burdens,” but how? Sadly, as the world drifts increasingly toward tribalism and superficial relationships, we are losing the art of caring for one another, and there is precious little training telling us what to do when someone near us is in emotional pain but we can’t remove the source of that heartbreak.

Sometimes you just need to show up when it really counts. Going to pray with a family in the hospital while a loved one is on their deathbed. Visiting the person with the long, lonely surgery recovery. Helping the person from the toxic situation where they have been living. In these times, it’s less about what you say and more about the fact you were there. In the moving, quirky 2007 film Lars and the Real Girl, a small town mobilizes to help a man in emotional crisis. At an especially painful point for him, several older women from town bring casseroles and come to be with him, saying, "That's what people do when tragedy strikes. They come over, and sit."

Other times, deep, healing love is administered over time and through repetition. The day after the greatest heartbreak of my life, my best friend asked me if it would be helpful to go to coffee together and talk about it. I said I think so. That first morning coffee together, we sat in front of the coffee shop at 7am, and I wept for what felt like hours. The second week, I wept a lot less. We have had coffee together most Friday mornings for the past five years. My healing journey took at least a couple years, but most of our coffee conversations even during those two years weren’t about my pain; what mattered was knowing he was there when I did need to talk about it.

This is perhaps the most important way to help someone who is struggling: be there. I’ve had loved ones who offered my heart more healing through a knowing look and a hug than any words they could have said. We need to know we are not alone. 

That being said, being present but pretending like nothing is wrong can be even worse than not being there at all. Our silence can send messages like, “We aren’t that close” or “I love you when you have everything all together, but I don’t want to deal with this mess” or “This shouldn’t be that big of a deal.” Those can be devastating.

So I also recommend talking about it. You don’t have to have the perfect words, but there are some principles that can set you up for success. Here’s a short list:

1. When in doubt, be direct and explicit — not subtle or implied. You won’t save them pain by only hinting at it. Conversely, when you show them you’re willing to discuss it head-on, you communicate the closeness and safety of your relationship. For example, “I’m so sorry for what you’re going through. I love you and I’m here. I don’t really know what to do, but I’m committed to trying.”

2. Offer suggestions for how you can care rather than open-ended questions. People in great pain often don’t know what they need or don’t want to ask for it. Instead, offer specific suggestions. After you do, give them time to process the suggestion and formulate a response, which takes longer for someone in an emotionally difficult place than it would for someone who is feeling fine. Here are some examples of suggestions you can offer: “Would you like to talk about it, or would it be better if we didn’t right now?” “Would it be helpful if I took you to a movie to take your mind off of things for a while?” “Can I mow your lawn?” “Can I set up a meal train for you?” Don’t insist on helping your way unless you have that kind of relationship and you know it would be helpful, but do offer specific ways of expressing your love and presence.

3. When talking about the issue with them, focus on good listening.

   1. Do not try to fix it.

   2. No platitudes: “He’s in a better place,” “At least…,” “God is good,” etc. To a person in deep pain, these come across as minimizing or dismissive, and it can make them feel like God doesn’t care about them.

   3. Reflect and validate what they’re saying: “That sounds so painful,” “You must feel absolutely heartbroken,” “That uncertainty seems terrifying.” 

   4. Asking deepening questions can also convey love and care. “When is the next appointment?” “What is weighing most heavily on your heart right now?” “How is (a close loved one like a spouse or child) dealing with this?” Essentially, you are demonstrating care for the things and people they most care about.

   5. Say the true things their hearts most long to hear from you. “I love you.” “I’m here.” “Can I keep checking in on you about this?” “Can I pray with you?”

Two key principles: be there & talk about it

Remember: this is not about doing it perfectly. Your imperfect attempt is so much better than doing nothing. We embark on this compassionate work with compassion, grace, and humility, knowing we have many times let others down, and many have failed us as well. We thank God for maturation, healing, and the incredible privilege it is to love others in His name — to be his hands and feet bringing hope and light to those in desperate need of it. 

May His will be done, for He is near to the brokenhearted, and He has purposed that the Body of Christ — that is, the Church — would do this redemptive work in His name, and in so doing, that the world would know that we are Christ’s disciples and would give Him all the glory forevermore. Amen.