The Great Commission part 3
Go and make disciples of all nations. Baptize people in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Commonly referred to as "the Great Commission." But really, it's just letting what's inside come out. A disciple is a student of love. You can't give what you don't have and you can't teach what you haven't learned. Receiving and releasing the love of God is our purpose in this world. Learning how to love by learning how we are loved. That's what makes us disciples. So in order to make disciples of others... we teach them what we've learned... by loving them. We give what we've got. Which is what people will always do anyway. What's inside--what you believe is inside--WILL come out. No matter what it is. No matter how hard you try to keep it in. We live from the inside out. That's how we were created. Which is why things like mercy, grace, and forgiveness are so important. When we know those things... the other things that try to take root inside of us are washed away. Or, if you like the God as a consuming fire picture better... those things like bitterness and hurt and anger are burned away. Leaving nothing but the fire (which consumes everything BUT itself). Leaving nothing behind... but love. On the cross Jesus enacted the Messianic Rebirth of the world. Getting rid of the old and bringing forth the new. That's why He gave a New Commandment to a New Man--love one another as Jesus loves you. Let Him love you, and love Him back by loving the people you come into contact with. Give what you've got. Let what's really inside come out. God's love inside of us coming out of us is the whole point of the whole thing. Spreading that love. Giving what you've got by knowing and believing that you've got it. Knowing and believing that you've got something worth giving. Something that everybody needs. If you have what someone needs... you're almost obligated to share it. If you have to shirts, and someone doesn't have one... give them one! Look at Romans 13:8 (NLT), "Owe nothing to anyone--except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulifll the requirements of God's law." Now. What this DOESN'T mean is let people walk all over you and treat you horribly. Boundaries are good and proper and healthy. Loving someone doesn't mean letting them abuse you. What it means is, do what you do heartily--to the best of your ability, and because it is in your heart to do it. It is the power of God working in you both to will and to do of HIS good pleasure. If something is in YOUR heart to do... that's because God put it there. Because it is God's heart beating with love in your chest. That's how we fulfill the Great Commission--by loving people. By giving what you've got. By letting the love inside come out. Filling yourself to overflowing with the love that you've already been filled with. Letting God love the hell out of you and loving Him back by loving the people you come into contact with. Taking what you've learned--how to love--and applying it to your life. Making disciples--students of love--by teaching people what it means to be loved. By loving people. It really is that simple. It really does all come down to love. We were created to know and be known. To live by loving. God loves us and we love Him back by loving people. We don't owe anybody anything--except to love them. Love is the bond that keeps us together. And make no mistake, we are all in this together. We need each others love, and we need to love each other. That's how the world works. Love is what makes the world go 'round.