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Every Tuesday morning we have prayer time at church. Every week 8-10 of us come to pray. This Tuesday, November 28, a man, who lives in the Governor Square Apartments, came walking into our prayer time. He has two cats and one of them is missing — a female Calico cat. He is going to put up posters of his lost cat. Hunter Long, our Associate Pastor, is contacting the leaders of two groups who were using our facilities Monday night — Boy Scouts and FCA.

He said that his cats are very friendly and he feared maybe a Boy Scout or someone in FCA innocently took his cat to give it a home, thinking it was a stray cat. This got me thinking. If you  drive around our city, you will see posters up listing missing pets and even missing children and people. Oh, if God’s people, the church, were just as passionate about finding lost people and sharing Jesus to them.

If you have been in church for any length of time you are familiar with what is called “The Great Commission.” This was given to the church by Jesus in Matthew 28:19-20, “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. (20) Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (NLT).

In seminary we have to learn the original languages the Bible was written. The Old Testament was written in Hebrew and the New Testament was written in Greek. So, let me give you a little Greek New Testament lesson here. In verse 19, there is only one verb — “make disciples.” It is the Greek New Testament word [μαθητεύσατε, matheteusate] and Jesus gives it in what is called a participle verb. 

A participle is a command. All Christians are commanded by Jesus to make disciples. Which means for anyone who calls themself a Christian, making disciples is not an option. Any Christian who is not making disciples is intentionally choosing to sin and disobey the Lord they claim they love. Yes — you read that correctly — any Christian who is not making disciples is sinning. 

It has always amazed me people who in the church get more worked up over the temperature, the lighting, the style of music, the length of the service, the budget and etc. but are not as passionate about lost people dying and going to hell. There will be a Judgment Day (Matthew 25), where everyone will given an account of their life. 

Do you we really believe on that day, we will hear Jesus say to us: “Well done, My good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this -- making sure the temperature was right in your church, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’ (Matt. 25:23). Thank you.” Or, “Well, you never made one disciple but at least you were passionate about the music genre and the length of the service. “Well done, My good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’  Thank you.”(Matt. 25:23)” NO WAY JOSE!

What do you think it would look like if we had a Prayer Wall in churches with the names and/or pictures of lost people we are praying to come to Christ. Each one would have two dates: the date we started praying and then the date they came to Christ. Making disciples in not an option for any Christian. The command given to the church by Jesus in Matthew 28:19-20 is not limited to the church ministerial or pastoral staff. If is for every single Christian. 

How can we claim we love the Lord and are grateful for His sacrifice on the cross and His Resurrection from the tomb and that gratitude not motivate us to make disciples? We cannot claim that. Jesus says this in John 8:31, 47, “Jesus said to the people who believed in Him, “You are truly My disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings . . . (47) Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God” (NLT). This includes The Great Commission. Jesus says claiming to be a Christian is not proof. Obeying His commands is. 

In John 14:15, Jesus said this, “If you love Me, obey My commandments” (NLT). This includes The Great Commission. The proof we really love Jesus is we obey His commandments, which includes, personally making disciples. The proof is not coming to church, raising your hands singing praises to Him in worship — it is making disciples. What would it look like if in our Sunday School Classes and small groups we literally had names and/or pictures up to remind us to pray for the salvation of people we love, took time to actually pray for their salvation, and then disciple them when they come to Christ? The mission statement of our church is: We exist to make and mature disciples for Jesus Christ. Southside, let's all of us individually do that out of gratitude and love for Jesus Christ.

Let's be a people, Christians, who make disciples out of love for and gratitude to our Savior, and Lord, Jesus Christ. Let' hear Him to us on our entrance to heaven, “Well done, My good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this -- making disciples. Look at all these people who are here in heaven and not in hell because of your love for Me. Good job. Thank you."

Verse to Meditate On: Acts 1:8,“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (NLT).

Prayer To Pray: “Dear Jesus, I love You. I want to obey You, especially in this area of making disciples. I say I don’t want people dying and going to hell, by my life, does not show that. The proof I love You, is I will obey You. This week Jesus, put my path in the path of someone who needs Jesus and use me to share You with them. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”

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