The Great Commission …not my job.
Matthew 28:16-20 has become known as the Great Commission. It is Jesus’ last words and task he was handing off to his Apostles. Tasks like make disciples, teach, baptize. Do these wherever you go. This little group forged ahead, empowered by the Spirit to do these commands. They established the church and equipped others in Jerusalem then to the ends of the earth.
If you were to look at the modern-day church, you could assume that the Commission was for the professionals. Most everyday people do not see their spiritual role to make disciples or teach or certainly not baptize. A recent Barna survey stated only 27% strongly agree they should invest in others. (Growing Together, p51).
It could be said of us, “It’s not my job.”
This was not the case for the New Testament church. It was their job to live out Matthew 28.
In Romans chapter 16 Paul greets a 26 people he knew in that city. The list has surprising variety and speaks to our question. Is the everyday person supposed to live out the Great Commission? Here’s a few of those he listed.
First off is Phoebe. She was delivering this letter to Rome. “I comment to you our sister Phoebe.” Rom 16:1. NIV Paul was sending a letter of commendation. It was a stamp of authenticity that it was from the Apostle Paul. She’s called a servant of the church. She was described as a “patron” ESV “benefactor” NIV. That would mean she was a woman of wealth and helping the church with it.
Priscilla and Aquila were a power couple in the young church. Tentmakers like Paul they had teamed up in various stops in the Mediterranean. “They risked their lives” Paul says in verse three. In the book of Acts we hear they un-taught Apollos’ theology and taught him correctly. They discipled him. Acts 18:24-26
Andronicus and Junias were “outstanding among the apostles,” verse seven. Apostle in Greek is someone who is sent with a message. They may not have been one of the eleven Apostles at the Great Commission however, they were little “a” apostles, doing similar work.
Tryphena, Tryphosa and Persis are described as women who, “Worked hard in the Lord,” verse 12. These two were fully engaged, sweating for the cause of Jesus. Urbanus was called our “fellow worker in Christ,” in verse nine
The Roman church described in these verses: served, worked hard, were fellow workers. Does this mean they were making disciples as Matthew 28 asks?
Here’s two other passages that give us a glimpse of what Paul was building into these churches.
Ephesians 4:11-13 says, “It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” NIV
Some were apostles, prophets, evangelist, servants and teachers (APEST). We could look at these roles in the church as the professional clergy roles. That may be the case but note that what the APEST people were doing was to “prepared God’s people for works” The everyday people of the church were to be doing work that built up, matured the church. We would also call that discipleship. That is helping to mature someone’s faith.
When Paul dropped into a city, he was using this as his template. He was preparing the people of that church to do these works of service. Tryphena and Tryphosa were doing these things in their hard work. Phoebe was taking her part to build up the church, certainly by funding it yet Paul would have prompted her to more to spiritually strengthening the faith of believers. Andronicus and Julia as apostles were being sent with the message of Christ.
In 2 Timothy 2:2 we see, “And the thing you heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.” This is a letter from a professional, Paul, to Timothy a rising professional. We might read the verse and consider it for professionals. We must note the end of the sentence. It was reliable people being called to entrust to others.
I believe the twenty-six ordinary believers were charged to pass on to others these truths. Paul was never shy about exhorting these churches to live out the Commission of make, teach and baptize. The words Jesus spoke on the Galilean mountain in Matthew 28 was just the start of God’s people being commanded to live out the Commission.
It was Jesus’ job, it was the Apostles job, it was Paul’s job, it was Timothy’s job and now it is ours as well.
RESOURCES
— The Ways of the Alongsider. This book is a powerful tool to become Matt 28 Christ follower. It is practical and simple enough to remember. I have found it helpful everyday people and church leaders. It is best when someone is walked through it in groups of two or three.