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 28:19-20
The tiny word “go” can often be overlooked. A common, everyday word, go is easily skipped over or read hastily. The word is so small it may even go unnoticed. But go in Scripture has great meaning. God told Noah to go into the ark. He told Abram to go to the land He would show Him. He told Pharaoh to let His people go so they could go worship Him. In the New Testament, believers were told to “go” as well. The Great Commission’s famous, “go ye therefore,” is the hallmark mission statement for Christianity. But what does go really mean?
Rendered in the Greek, “go” literally means to continue on one’s journey, to continue on, to transfer. Go in this sense implies, “on the way or as you are going.” “Go therefore, and make disciples” to every child of God means, as you are going about your daily routine you are to talk to others about the Gospel. As you care for your family, go means you are to reflect Jesus to them. As you interact at the office, go means you should do so in a Christ-like way, pointing others to Jesus by your actions, attitudes, and responses. When nudged by the Holy Spirit, go means to speak of Christ to those who do not know Him. Go doesn’t mean we have to pack up and travel to some special, far away place in order to fulfill the Great Commission. No. Go means live on mission right where you are, on the way to where you’re going, and when you get there.
This year Pastor McKinley has challenged us to Go There. Use the following prayer points to help you apply “Go There” to your life this week.
- Praise God for Jesus, the One who left Heaven’s throne to go to the cross in your place.
- Repent from any disobedience or complacency that hinders God’s work in your life.
- Ask the Holy Spirit to empower you to “go and make disciples” in your daily life.
- Yield to the Spirit’s power to work mightily in your life for God.
Blessings,
Jacqueline Heider
Director of Women’s Ministry, Prayer, & Resource Specialist