And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:18-20 ESV
From the beginning, Christianity has had a global vision. The Church exists to reach others with the gospel. Notice the content of the commission. Jesus said to make disciples of all nations. The commission is worldwide. The instruction is not just to preach, but to make disciples, disciplined followers. The process Jesus outlined is clear: baptize them, then teach them how to live. This vision was beyond anything the apostles could have imagined. There are now millions of Christians in nations they didn’t even know existed. The Church is bigger than you and me. It’s a universal community.
As we gather today in our local expressions of the Body of Christ, let’s think about the bigger picture. We are part of a worldwide family with a universal mission. In fact, the Church worldwide is growing faster than the population. It’s growing fastest in Africa and Asia, with Latin America and the Middle East coming on strong. We all have a role to play, a responsibility to be part of the program. We’re part of something big. Let today be the day you catch the vision and find your part in it. Let’s do this.
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