A Call to Missions
“The gospel is the power of God unto salvation. How could any of us sit here and say that we have been saved from our sins and we have the hope of eternal life, and then sit back and make excuses for not sharing that with the rest of the world?”
– Pastor Tony Walliser
“And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent?”
– Romans 10:14-15
A Call to Missions
“Jesus came and told his disciples, ‘I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’”
– Matthew 28:18-20 NLT
This passage had special meaning for my family a number of years ago when we were preparing for a mission trip to the Alsace Region of France. That was our first opportunity as a family “to go therefore and make disciples of all nations….” to go to a part of the world that has many beautiful, even glorious churches that mostly remain empty today; empty and have become more of a museum of days gone by than they are a church.
That one family trip pricked the hearts of my children and has led them to take mission trips on their own, in and outside our country, to reach the nations with the gospel.
However, Jesus’ lesson in this passage is greater than even that. The bigger lesson and challenge is for us (you and me) “to go therefore” wherever we may be.
Going therefore may mean…
Going therefore next door
Going therefore down the street or around the block
Going therefore to the next cubicle over
Going therefore to the practice court or field
Going therefore to the next dorm room or fraternity/sorority house
Going therefore to the next locker or hallway
Going therefore to the lunchroom or cafeteria
Going therefore to the local restaurant for lunch
Going therefore to the next town
Going therefore to somewhere in town
Going therefore to somewhere out of town, out of state or out of country
Going therefore to where ever He may send us… whenever He may send us
The same call that Jesus gave His disciples over two thousand years ago, He charges us with now.
The question is this:
As followers of Jesus, are we willing to answer the call “to go therefore?”
Where’s He calling you?
“Go therefore…”