FROM THINKING TO DOING

I’m in the final months of my Masters Program right now. I have absolutely loved my time in school so far and have always wanted to be a “forever learner.” But over the past year or so I’ve found myself getting frustrated in classes. We talk about a lot of great things that really make me think, but I get annoyed about how much we talk about doing in Christianity when we compare it to how much we actually do.

We always talk about how we must love one another. We talk about how we need to care for the widows and orphans. We talk about how we need to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations. But how often does our talking turn into action? Not enough.

While reading through the book of Matthew, I come to the very last verses and see what Christ commands us to do in the great commission. Jesus says, 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20 ESV).

This verse represents the final words that Jesus told his disciples before leaving the Earth in physical form for the final time. We always remember the final words that someone says and if it was a request, we usually will honor their request. These are Jesus’ last words. They’re huge!

But just like many other parts of the Bible, we think about it, talk about it, memorize it, pray about it, we may even meet about it... But do we go about it? We even give to it financially and say, “I’ve done my part.” But that’s not what the great commission is calling us to do.

Jesus didn’t say, “think about going…” or “talk about going…” or “meet about going…” or anything like that, he said “GO.”

I think that there a few reasons that we don’t follow Jesus’ command to “Go” (and by Go I mean actually take the gospel to your family, neighbors, cities, states, country, and the world).

1.     We’re lazy.

We view our faith walk as a safe zone. We may even have the thought that “we have arrived” when we accept Jesus. But that’s just the beginning. That’s when the real work begins.

2.     We’re waiting to be perfect.

If we waited until we were perfect Christians to do something about the hurt and hopelessness of the world, we'd never do anything. But if we recognized that we serve a perfect God who is always with us… yes ‘to the end of the age’ and acted with that boldness we’d see a major shift in this world. We need to stop waiting to be "perfect" to do the impossible.

3.     We’re afraid.

The final thing that might hold us back from actually “going” is fear. We’re afraid of finances being an issue, or of time constraints, or safety. But if take a look at verse 18 of Matthew 28, I think Jesus is reminding us not to fear. He says, “All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me.” If this is true and if he is with us even to the end of the age, then we have no reason to fear. When we have the same power in us that conquered sin and death, nothing can stop us.

So my encouragement for you (and myself) is to determine which of the above is holding you back, and ask God to help you overcome those things. And recognize that God has placed a passion in your heart that is unique to whom you are. It will involve faith, prayer, and it will involve GOING. What is it that God is calling you to do? And what’s holding you back?