The Great Commission
Scripture Reading — Matthew 28:16-20
“Go and make disciples of all nations …”
Matthew 28:19
These words that conclude the gospel of Matthew show us how big the kingdom of God really is. The Lord sends his people everywhere in the world, and he promises to be with them always, until the end of time. The immensity of that time and space is beyond our ability to comprehend. But we certainly can try to understand the way our own lives fit into the bigness of God's kingdom. No matter who we are, when we have lived, or what we can accomplish, each of us has a role to play in expanding the Lord's kingdom here on earth. Sometimes we think that being faithful to the Lord's Great Commission in these verses means leaving where we are and going somewhere else. This may be true for some people. But while some are called to go to faraway places, most of us are called to penetrate our current locations with the good news of the kingdom. The entire world is a mission field, and we don't need to go very far to find it. It can be as close as the house next door, the seats occupied by people you travel with on the bus or subway each morning, or the locker down the hall. The point is, the Great Commission confirms that we all have a place to go. For some of us, that place may very well be the place we already are.
Lord, I know you can use me no matter where I am. Thank you for giving me so many opportunities to share your love with others. Help me to make the most of them. Amen.
About the author — Peter Hoytema
Peter Hoytema has been a pastor for nearly 30 years and has served congregations in Ontario and New Jersey. He is currently the pastor of a congregation in Strathroy, Ontario. He is a graduate of Calvin Theological Seminary and San Francisco Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Grace, are the parents of four adult children.
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