The Great Commission is Jesus’ instructions to His disciples following His resurrection on Easter Sunday. Jesus entrusts these 11 men, down one after Judas’ suicide, to spread the good news about Jesus long after His ascension, John 3:16-17. The most common quoted verses appear at the end of the Gospel of Matthew and Mark. However, I chose the passage from Luke who records Jesus’ last words before His ascension into heaven.
So when they were assembled, they asked Him, Lord, is this the time when You will reestablish the kingdom and restore it to Israel? 7 He said to them, It is not for you to become acquainted with and know [b]what time brings [the things and events of time and their definite periods] or fixed [c]years and seasons (their critical niche in time), which the Father has appointed (fixed and reserved) by His own choice and authority and personal power. 8 But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth, Acts 1:6-8.
The Great Commission serves as a blueprint for modern churches for where to share their faith. If you would place the Great Commission on a map, plan A is your local city or town. Once everyone in this location has been reached, plan B begins with all the surrounding areas outside city limits. This includes local counties, suburbs and states. The final plan calls for going to the ends of the earth, beginning with your state and country.
Now the word of the Lord came to [a]Jonah son of Amittai, saying, 2 Arise, go to [b]Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me. 3 But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from being in the presence of the Lord [as His prophet] and went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish [the most remote of the Phoenician trading places then known]. So he paid the appointed fare and went down into the ship to go with them to Tarshish from being in the presence of the Lord [as His servant and minister]. 4 But the Lord sent out a great wind upon the sea, and there was a violent tempest on the sea so that the ship was about to be broken. 5 Then the mariners were afraid, and each man cried to his god; and they cast the goods that were in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone down into the inner part of the ship and had lain down and was fast asleep, Jonah 1:1-5.
The misnomer that I see all the time is churches sending missionaries to the ends of the earth before reaching surrounding towns and villages. Subsequently, many metropolitan cities have been bypassed for more exotic locations overseas. While all nations need to hear the good news about Jesus Christ, inner cities are in desperate need of hope. May today’s blog inspire individuals to develop a heart for nearby cities before reaching others outside your home country.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 