Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “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. (Matthew 28:18-20)
Jesus commands His followers to Go and make disciples—to take action. The church is not meant to be stagnant. It is not a place to camp out and hide from change. The church is not just to come and see Jesus, but also to Go and be Jesus to the surrounding community. A healthy church has to act on both commands.
Come and see Jesus
Jesus called the disciples to come and follow Him. Before any ministry can happen and before any effective outreach, we must meet Jesus. The early disciples were called to meet Jesus after the resurrection. He appeared to them over a period of time. Acts 2 starts with people gathering together and hearing the gospel preached for the first time. After that moment, they split and share the good news in different communities, even nations. If church is not a place where people can meet Jesus, then it is not a church but a social club that talks about Jesus.
The church is not a weekly meeting or a place to sit and stare at the sky. The church is about going, making, and advancing the gospel forcefully.
Go and Be
After Jesus ascended in to heaven, the disciples lingered around waiting as if they were about to see something else. Finally, an angel came down from heaven to rebuke them in to action (Acts 1). As a church we can fall in to the same temptation. Sitting around, hoping we can soak up more of Jesus without telling anyone else. The truth is after Jesus left, our mission began and it does not end until He returns. A church cannot simply be about meeting to connect with familiar faces and discuss familiar topics, but instead about going and making disciples.
