“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind…You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” – Matthew 22:37–39
“Go therefore and make disciples…” – Matthew 28:19
Follow God. Reach people. Teach others to do the same. I hope you are starting to realize that this idea is not going away. It can’t go away, not if we are going to stay focused on Christ’s mission for the church. The Great Commandment (Matthew 22:37–39) tells us to love God and love people. We show our love for God by following Him with every ounce of our being. We must love Him so much that it is nearly impossible to tell the difference between our emotions toward Him and our willingness to obey (to follow) Him. A Christian’s love for God should be evident in speech and action. Everything you say about your affections for God should be strengthened and enforced by your day-to-day life. An outsider looking in should notice that, from the spectacular parts of your life to the mundane, your walk matches your talk.
Much like the way we love God, our love for people is proven by our actions. We love people so much that we will do whatever it takes to reach them. This means WHATEVER it takes. The Apostle Paul said he became all things to all people. He was willing to be made uncomfortable, to forfeit inalienable rights, and to suffer so that some might be reached with the gospel of Christ. A Christian must adopt the same attitude toward reaching others. There may be a routine you have to change in your life. There may be a job you have to leave or a job you have to take. There may be lifestyle activities (leisure activities, sporting activities, family activities, alone time, etc.) that you have to alter or discard. Reaching people almost always takes sacrifice, but we do it gladly because we know the sacrifice it took for Jesus to reach us.
The last part of the mission, teaching others to do the same, is the Great Commission. This command teaches how we should reach people. This is the part where we make disciples. We are not reaching them so they can have a better family. We are not reaching them so they can start dressing “properly” or get their finances under control. We are not reaching them so they can become upstanding citizens or even to become members of Eastern Hills. We are reaching them so they might learn to follow God, reach people, and teach others to do the same. The reason why we do this is because we have tasted the goodness of God in Christ. We know how marvelous His grace and mercy really is. We understand that of all the good things we might reach someone to a close relationship with the Lord and the privilege of laboring in His kingdom are far superior! What a glorious life it is to be a co-laborer with Jesus Christ, the Son of God!
At Eastern Hills we Follow. Reach. Teach. We are Christ’s church; webear this amazing privilege. Christian, you are a part of Christ’s church. Bear this privilege with us. Let this not merely be the mission of Eastern Hills. Let this be your personal mission. March boldly into your life and Follow. Reach. Teach.
Pastor Josh