What We've Been Given

Matthew 28:16-20; 2 Corinthians 5:16-21

August 2, 2015 • Mount Pleasant UMC

Monday, January 26, 2015—I had just returned to the office after having lunch with a pastor friend of mine, and during lunch, he had asked me (as Methodist pastors tend to do during that time of year), “Do you think you’ll move this year?” We talked about how I had been in Portage for ten years, but that I didn’t think I would be moving this year. I told him I thought it probably wouldn’t be until after Rachel graduated from high school. We had a good lunch, and then I went back to the office. I was working on some things when my cell phone rang and I saw who was calling me: it was my District Superintendent, and when I answered he told me about this place I had been appointed to—some place called Mount Pleasant. “You need to come to Terre Haute,” I was told, “on Thursday evening and meet with the Staff-Parish Team.” But he also told me we couldn’t tell anyone about the appointment until it was official; that would be at least a week away. As the week went on, we got more excited about the appointment and about Terre Haute, and you know how it is when you have something exciting happening in your life? You want to share it with your friends and family. It was hard to keep quiet; we had good news and couldn’t wait to share it.

Good news is like that. When something really good happens to us, we can’t wait to share it, whether that means making a phone call to a friend or loved one, or posting it on Facebook, or telling everyone we see. We can’t wait to share good news…unless that good news has to do with our faith or the Gospel. We use the word “Gospel” to refer to four books in the Bible: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, but the word itself means good news. The story of Jesus giving his life to save us from our sins is good news. It’s Gospel. Yet this particular good news we most often keep to ourselves. If surveys are accurate, 73% of Christians believe it’s important to share their faith, but only 52% of us have said anything about Jesus to someone outside the church in the last year. (That is up, by the way, from 41% five years ago.) This good news, this Gospel, is the only good news we’ve been given that we try to keep hidden, and this despite the fact that the Savior we follow told us to “go and make disciples of all nations” (28:19).

For the last couple of weeks, I’ve been encouraging you to rethink church, to consider what it might be like if church was a verb, a life to be lived rather than a place to go. The mission of the United Methodist Church is make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world; that’s a mission statement we all ought to know by heart, because it’s not only a denominational calling. It’s a Biblical calling. Our particular take on that mission is described this way: “connecting families with God and God’s family through Jesus Christ.” Both of those statements are meant to be a call to action. They describe what we do, who we are becoming. And we’ve defined that “becoming” in four movements. Two weeks ago, we talked about loving God—worship and growth. Last Sunday, we talked about loving others—even those who hurt you—embrace. And today, we come to the last thing Jesus told us to do: serve, by which we offer Jesus to a hurting world.

There is a good word that’s gotten a bad reputation over the years, and that’s the word “evangelism.” Undoubtedly, we’ve all experienced negative images of evangelism from time to time, like the street preacher that used to come to Ball State and yell at people, telling them they were going to hell because their skirt was too short or their hair was too long. Or the TV preacher who talks about sacrifice and yet squanders donations on immoral living. Or the hokey Christian film that didn’t really have a storyline because all the filmmakers wanted to do was to present a sermon. Negative images of evangelism can go on and on, but the word “evangelism” simply means sharing good news, telling what you know. It’s not about a program or an outline or three points and a poem. Evangelism is simply sharing the good news we know, and it’s not the calling of just pastors, priests and missionaries. Evangelism is the call of every person who is a disciple of Jesus Christ, which is what we’ve emphasized with Revive Wabash Valley. Sharing our faith is not just for a few; serving and offering Jesus is something we’re all called to do.

After the resurrection of Jesus, the disciples gathered on a mountain in Galilee—important events in the Gospel of Matthew always happen on a mountain. And this is an important event. Jesus gives them what we call “The Great Commission.” He gives them marching orders. After all he has taught them, after all he has shown them, after he has proven to be who he said he was, what are they to do now? Matthew tells us that in the midst of their worship and their doubt, Jesus gives them a clear commission: “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” (28:19-20). Now, there two key words here I want to focus on. One is the verb in the commission; do you know what it is? In the English, it reads as if there are four verbs (go, make, baptize and teach), but in the original Greek, there is only one verb and the other three words are part of the action of that verb. The verb is “make disciples.” Going, baptizing and teaching are all part of the making of disciples (Carson, “Matthew,” Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Vol. 8, pg. 595). That’s our primary commission—and it’s an imperative, which means it’s a command. Jesus isn’t saying, “You can make disciples if you get around to it, if you have time, if you can squeeze it in, if you don’t have anything better to do.” No, this is a military commander giving orders. If you are my disciple, you will be involved in making more disciples.

A disciple is simply someone who follows someone or something else, so a disciple of Jesus is one who chooses to hear, understand and obey Jesus’ teaching, to allow Jesus’ life to become the model for his or her own. In ancient times, disciples were those who gave up pretty much everything in order to study and be with their master. Their goal was to shape their life so that they were like their master or rabbi. Those who want to be Jesus’ disciples get so close to him that he rubs off on us. Others recognize his life in our life. We begin to live the way Jesus taught us to live. And as we do that, we begin to rub off on others because we’re called to make disciples for Jesus.

So how do we do that? Well, first, he says we have to go. The word in Matthew’s gospel literally means “to pursue the journey on which one has entered, to continue on one’s journey.” It means to go in the direction Jesus has pointed you, and without exception, Jesus’ journey took him to the places where there were hurting people, where there were people who needed a savior. One time, his journey took him to a well in Samaria, a place where Jews were not welcome. And Jesus not only sat by the well, but he talked to a woman, another no-no in that day. John tells us, though, that Jesus had to go through Samaria; he went there to find this broken, lost soul (cf. John 4). Another time, Jesus was passing through Jericho, and he noticed a man who was involved in a despicable career: he was a tax collector. He was hated by everybody. And yet, when Jesus saw him sitting in a tree, trying to see over the crowd because he was so short, Jesus called to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today” (Luke 19:5). Must? He didn’t have to stay at the home of this tax collector, but he went to find a lost and hurting soul. Jesus went toward those who are hurting. He went toward those who are lost. He went toward those who needed to know someone loves them. That’s his callingn to us: go. Go find people who can become disciples.

So we “go,” and we baptize. Now, through the centuries and up to the present day, Christians have found all sorts of ways to argue about baptism—what age, what formula, how much water. An act that should bring us together often divides us. But Jesus talks about none of that here. There were two different words in the Greek language that referred to placing an object in water. The first word is bapto, which refers to dipping something in water and pulling it right back out. You might dip a vegetable in water to clean it. The other word, baptidzo, means to put something in a solution so as to produce a permanent change. It’s like putting a cucumber in a vinegar solution for a longer period of time in order to change it into a pickle. The first word is a temporary change; the second is a permanent one, and it is the second word Matthew uses—baptidzo. Baptism is not about just getting wet and walking away. Baptism implies a permanent change in the life of the one being baptized. Now, in our tradition, we say baptism is an outward sign or symbol of something that’s happening inside of you. Baptism does not save you. When children or babies are baptized, we ask the parents to promise to raise them in the church, to let them soak in God’s love and grace so that their life will be changed permanently. We ask the same of adults who come for baptism, to be part of the church, to be surrounded by God’s grace, so that your life is never the same. Baptism should never just be a ritual or a quick dip. It’s the beginning of a soaking process. Jesus says go and offer a baptism that will not just be a passing act but will produce genuine, lifelong change. Go…baptize…

And teach. Jesus does not envision a day when we get to take a vote on which parts of his teaching are still relevant or true (cf. Carson 599). Jesus tells his disciples to teach “everything” he had taught them. He doesn’t say, “Teach whichever parts you like,” or “Whichever parts won’t make people upset,” or “Whichever parts are considered politically correct.” No, Jesus says to teach everything he taught them. And it’s more than just teaching them the stories or the things Jesus said. One translator puts it this way: “Show them how to follow the commands I have laid down for you” (Winner, The Voice of Matthew, pg. 165). Don’t just tell them what I said. Show them. Live it out because disciples make disciples by living the life, living out what Jesus taught. Changed lives are still the best evidence and the best witness for others who don’t yet know Jesus. We teach with our words. We teach with our service. We tell the story. We live our story. Go… baptize…teach. That’s what it takes to make disciples.

So who is invited? Who is eligible to become a disciple of Jesus? That’s the second key word I want you to focus on. Jesus tells us “all” are welcome. The word “all” dominates this passage (Carson 594). Jesus has “all authority” (28:18). We’re to teach “all things” (28:20—translated “everything” in the NIV) and he will be with us “all days” (28:20—translated “always”). And we’re to make disciples of “all nations.” The language doesn’t imply that everyone will follow Jesus; we know from history that’s not true. But what Jesus does say is that the invitation is open to everyone. Rich and poor, young and old, far off and near, red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in his sight. All are welcome. There is not a single person for whom Christ did not come and there is not a single person for whom Christ did not die. That person who bugs you at work? That person who betrayed you? That person who is unlovable? Christ came and died for them, too. All nations—everyone is invited, even (maybe especially) the person we would think is least likely to become a disciple. The invitation, the offer of Jesus, is for all.

In fact, in his second letter to the Corinthians, Paul describes us as “ambassadors.” He says, in effect, we stand in for Jesus. “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us” (5:20). And what appeal is that? What message do we, as ambassadors, have to give? Paul puts it this way: “We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God” (5:20). As ambassadors, it’s not our job to put our own agenda out there, to decide who is and who isn’t good enough, to determine who can be welcomed and who can’t be. We are ambassadors; we represent someone else. We are under orders from our commander in chief to simply deliver the message he has given us, to share what we’ve been given, to let people know that God wants everyone to be in a right relationship with him. It’s about radical hospitality. My former District Superintendent, Doug Anderson, put it like this: radical hospitality is not primarily about how to get people to ‘come’ or what we do after they ‘come’ (although that’s important). It’s about going out of the church to serve, listen, relate, and love persons into the Kingdom of God. It’s about sharing what we’ve been given, being Christ’s ambassadors to a broken and hurting world that needs to know they can be reconciled to their creator. If you knew the cure to cancer, wouldn’t you share it? We know the cure to the brokenness of our world, so why are we reluctant to share what we’ve been given?

So we offer Jesus in two primary ways, the first of which is simply telling our story. Peter tells us to “always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15). When someone wants to know why you believe, or what you have faith in, or why you go to church on Sundays, what do you tell them? It’s not the sort of thing that we have to have a long, prepared, memorized speech—in fact, it’s better if we don’t. You just tell your story; that’s what we shared on Tuesday night at the training held here. You simply share what difference knowing Jesus has made in your life. I’ve shared my story with you in some detail, but I might tell it like this to someone who was wanting to know how Jesus changes lives. I grew up in a Christian home, but I came to realize that I couldn’t just believe in my parents’ belief. I needed to know Jesus personally, and so I asked him to be part of my life, to walk with me through whatever comes. And it’s not always been easy, but in the middle of it all, I find a peace from my relationship with him that I can’t find anywhere else. Now, sharing that will probably lead to other questions, more conversation, but I just share my story to start. Those who give a witness can only tell what they know. You tell your story.

Another way we offer Jesus is by reaching out through practical acts of kindness. Again, it’s giving away what we’ve been given, by meeting needs people have. Sometimes that need might be companionship or friendship. Sometimes it might be needs like food or shelter or home repair or babysitting. And we don’t do these things just because they are nice things to do. We do them because the love of Christ compels us to. We do them to let others experience the love of Jesus Christ through you and me. In the spirit of St. Francis, we offer Christ always and use words when necessary. God will use those acts of kindness to reach others for Jesus.

There was a local church who learned that. Fay and Ollie had begun attending the church for a while. Fay was a Christian; Ollie was a Muslim—and yet, because he knew church was important to Fay, Ollie came with her on Sundays. Fay joined the church, got involved in Bible study and other ministries, and she joined the bulletin stuffing crew. So every week, Ollie came with her and stuffed bulletins for this Christian church. In that setting, Ollie was loved and the people on the bulletin stuffing crew began to form real community. Ten years after they had come to the church, Fay passed away suddenly and unexpectedly. The funeral was at the church, and after the service, the pastor said to Ollie, “Ollie, we couldn’t love you more at this church, and we’re still your church family. You’re welcome here.” Ollie was gracious, but the pastor didn’t know if he’d ever see Ollie again after that day. It was two weeks later when he noticed Ollie slip into church on Sunday morning and sit in the same place he had always sat with Fay. And the pastor watched as the people there gathered around him and showered him with love. After the service, the bulletin stuffing crew told Ollie he wasn’t off the hook. They still expected him to come and help stuff bulletins. And believe it or not, he came. He stuffed bulletins and he continued to experience the love of the community. He learned how much he mattered to these people and to Jesus.

A while later, Ollie moved away to be closer to his family, but some time after his move he sent an e-mail back to the pastor because he wanted the pastor to know that it was because they had welcomed him and loved him, a Muslim man, that he had now given his life to Jesus. Out of their love for and service to him, he had come to believe that Jesus is the Son of God (Adam Hamilton, “A Christian Community,” sermon 11/1/2009). Because that bulletin stuffing crew was committed to the values of embrace, worship, grow and serve, Ollie’s life was changed. What may have seemed like insignificant acts were offered up to Jesus as an act of service, and nothing we offer to Jesus is ever wasted. Every act of service done in his name is important, eternal, significant Kingdom of God work. And God will use it to change lives.

So how will you put feet to faith? How will you serve and offer Jesus? Our Guatemala team, and the Kansas City team before them, have been doing just that. But you don’t have to leave the city or county to offer Jesus. There are practical ways to put feet to your faith right here. Yesterday, several folks hit the streets of Terre Haute and shared the good news with Revive Wabash Valley. The training we had here last Tuesday is one way of helping people use a simple tool to tell their story. There are other opportunities in your bulletin this morning—things like Operation Christmas Child yearlong, or the Food Barrel collection for 14th & Chestnut. You can also offer Jesus by serving in ordinary ways: read to a child, care for someone in need, give a warm hug to a person who is hurting. Jesus was always on the lookout for those who were in need; are we? Are we aware of the deep, spiritual need that surrounds us? What if every one of us here this morning took what we’ve been given and shared it with one other person? What if we shared our story in words and actions? What might happen? Several years ago, David Lowes Watson suggested that the way the United Methodist Church could double its membership is for each person to bring one other person in a year. One person, in a year. What might happen? If, this week, each of us invited one person, we could double in size in a single week and, much more importantly, we would reach untold numbers of people in Terre Haute for Jesus. We would begin to fulfill this commission Jesus has given us. What might happen if we took his command seriously?

Now, when you’re thinking this is just too hard to do on your own, remember the last words Jesus speaks in Matthew’s Gospel: “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (28:20). As you go to offer Jesus, as you rethink what it means to be the church, as you challenge the image of church that your neighbors hold, Jesus goes with you. He is with you, and if he is with you, there is no reason to be afraid. The act of Holy Communion, which we are going to be share in just a few moments, is a physical reminder of that. The bread and the cup are not meant only to remind us of Jesus’ sacrifice for us, but of his presence with us. “Do this,” he said, “in remembrance of me.” So are you ready to make a difference? Are you ready to embrace, worship, grow and serve? Go…make disciples…He will be with you! Amen.