The Great Go-MISSION

I used to love watching Mission: Impossible.  The old one, before Tom Cruise.  It was always so exciting to see the agent get the mission recorded on a tape or some sort of recording device.  The voice on the tape always started, "Your mission, should you choose to accept it..."  And after making the mission very clear, the device would self-destruct.

The agent was presented a very clear mission and he had to choose to accept it.

In Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus gives what is commonly called the Great Commission.  I have always interpreted this passage essentially to be about making converts.  "Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to go convert people."

As I was reflecting on Luke 5:1-11 (where Jesus teaches from Peter's boat then tells them to cast their nets out again even though they had already fished all night to no avail and they end up with an amazing catch and follow Jesus), I realized that Jesus was not telling us to make converts, He is calling us to invite people into the "Way of Jesus."

So I started asking myself, "What is the way of Jesus"?

It's the way of GRACE.
It's the way of FORGIVENESS.
It's the way of HEALING.
It's the way of HUMILITY.

It's the way of LOVE.

So our job as followers of Jesus is teach people how to live the way of Jesus...the way of grace and forgiveness and healing and humility.  Our job is not to make them into Bible scholars or theologians, but instead to help them become experts in living a life of love.

Part of my calling as a pastor is to challenge the people of my church to look for opportunities to demonstrate the way of Jesus to the world and invite others to join them in living that life.  The challenge is not to make new church members or new converts, but to make known the way of Jesus to everyone we meet.  We can do this in a variety of ways, but ultimately, we do this when we live out the way of Jesus for others to see.  We live as a person of grace, forgiveness, healing, humility, and love.  In living this way we invite others to join us and see what kind of difference Jesus can make.

Jesus finishes this challenge with some amazing words of comfort: "I am with you always."  Regardless of the results of your efforts, in the midst of pain, and in the thrill of success Jesus will be present with you.  His continued presence is not contingent on your success or even your need, it is a certainty because He said He would be with you.  The message doesn't self-destruct after it is delivered!

So GO.  Live the way of Jesus and teach other people how to live it as well.  Be an agent of grace, forgiveness, healing, humility.  Be an agent of LOVE.  That is your mission, should you chose to accept it.