The Great Commission

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and 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

Many Christians know the verse above - The Great Commission. But do we read and live out the whole thing? In order to answer that question, let’s break it up and go through each part.

We, as believers in Yahshua (original Hebrew for Jesus), are called to:

- “Make disciples” - This is a relational action and takes time. If you haven’t already, find a mentor and mentor someone. It’s important that we learn from someone older then us to guide us with everything they have learned in their years and, equally so, we must mentor someone younger then us so they can do the same for them.

- “Of all nations” - We should all be missionaries. Some of us will be called to Africa or the Amazon, but not all of us will. Still, we are ALL called to be mindful of those around us. Our home, work place, neighborhood, etc. can all be great mission fields. Again, this is relational and takes time, and we have to be intentionally living out the whole Word of YHWH (Yahweh) to show that we can “walk the walk and talk the talk.” Nobody will choose to serve any god if they see that you don’t fully commit yourself to the things you share with them. We won’t be perfect, but through the Scriptures and the example that Yahshua set before us, and by believing in Him as our Savior, we are fully capable of living for Him and modeling His love to those around us. When we mess up, and we will, it is the Set-Apart Holy Spirit’s job to intervene in and through us. Seek YHWH and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33) and trust the Set-Apart Spirit to do His job! You are never on this journey alone!

- “Baptize” - I would like to say that this piece of our calling sets us apart and is like our wedding ring with Elohim. It is an action that we put on, like a ring, that shows those around us, I believe and want to live like Yahshua lived. I can’t stress this enough: He didn’t have to be baptized. He was already One with Elohim. John 1:1-14 tells us that Yahshua is Elohim in the flesh. When He chose to be baptized He was anointed with the Set-Apart Spirit and His ministry had begun. It’s like He strapped on His big boy sandals and was ready to get to work because this was the defining moment that set the stage for Him fulfilling every prophecy, working miracles, and teaching His disciples, so that, in the right time, He could fulfill Elohim’s plan and we may obtain righteousness, through His sacrifice on the cross and the Mighty resurrection, which gives us salvation.

That was a mouthful, but please take a moment to pause and meditate upon this for a minute. Yahshua didn’t have to do any of this, but He chose to humble Himself, so that we may have a hope for our future. Every single thing He did during His ministry on earth was to glorify the Father as He fulfilled prophecy and show us how we are supposed to be in this world, but not of this world.

- “Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” - Alright, here is where I may lose some people, but hear me out. I read this with fresh eyes one day. It was truly like I learned the great commission in Bible college and focused on making disciples of all nations and baptizing, but until that moment this point never really took hold of my heart. Read it again, “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” Well….what did Yahshua command them? I stopped and prayed and it took several more weeks of study before I got the answer.

To understand what Yahshua commanded the disciples we have to look at how He lived and His parables. We can clearly see He had issues with the Church leaders in His time. They made a mockery of Elohim and Yahshua rebuked them over and over, again. Why? They sat on the seat of Moses and taught the Torah (Elohim’s laws and commands) but then they added to them and on top of that, they didn’t live them all out themselves. They preached one thing and their hearts were uncircumcised (which we see in the Old Testament is what set people apart to show they are YHWH’s chosen people).

(Scriptures on the Church Leaders of Yahshua’s time: Matthew 3:7; 23:2-36; Luke 11:39; 12:1; 16:14)

(Scriptures on Circumcision: Genesis 17:1-14; Jeremiah 9:25-26)

We can’t really look at what the “teachers of the law” did, in Yahshua’s time, and follow their example. We must look at what Yahshua Himself did. He rebuked those against the Torah and who clung to their own man made traditions. He was blameless and no sin was on Him. He was truly the only perfect human in all of history. He lived out the 10 commandments from Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5. He loved the Father with all of His heart, soul, mind, and strength (Deuteronomy 6). We see multiple times when he had compassion on all types of people. He prayed and went away to be alone with Elohim which shows us He understood the importance of those moments with the Father. He mentored a group of 12 men (the disciples) who were close to Him and had an even more intimate relationship with 3 of them in that circle. (Read about the Transfiguration of Yahshua in Matthew 17 - talk about a guy’s trip to the mountains! Wow!)

When we read about the life of Yahshua, He didn’t contradict anything in Scripture. He lived it out! John 1:1-14 tells us the He was the Word and became flesh. So why do we hear from so many preachers and teachers, today, that we don’t have to worry about the Old Testament and it’s laws and commands because Yahshua took care of all of that? I don’t think that’s true. There is nothing in Scripture that tells us that Jesus taught His disciples ANYTHING contrary to the Torah (teachings/commands) of YHWH. When the religious leaders of His time yelled at Him for “breaking the law” it was never the law of YHWH, but the “oral law” of the religious rulers. Yahshua came to show them that they need to stop putting the oral law/traditions of man before the law and ways of Elohim.

The New Testament is filled with accounts where we are supposed to seek righteousness and live set-apart from the world.

(Scriptures on righteousness and lawlessness: 1 John 3:4; Matthew 7:21-23; Romans 6:19; Matthew 23:28; 24:11-12; Hebrew 1:9; Romans 4:7; Hebrews 10:17; 10:26-31; 1 Timothy 4:1; 1 John 5:2-3; 2 John 1:6)

(Scriptures on being set-apart: Romans 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:9; John 17:15-19; Ephesians 2:10; 2:20; 1 Peter 1:16; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 7:1; Colossians 3:10)

If you say you are a Christian, a believer in Jesus, a follower of truth, or anything else that proclaims Yahshua as Lord and Savior then listen to me please - We are called to fulfill the Great Commission.

Can you imagine watching Yahshua be beaten and crucified in front of you? Over the next few days you mourn His death (because you don’t fully understand what just happened and aren’t aware of the Mighty miracle that is about to take place - spoiler alert, THE RESURRECTION!)

Then, you are told that the tomb is empty and you need to hurry because some of your friend had seen Yahshua.

Please, pause and let this sink in for a moment…

The disbelief, anxiety, and eagerness that would have filled me would have left me emotional and probably shaking in my sandals.

Finally, you come to the place where Yahshua was. You see His scars in his hands and feet and you are in awe at the miracle you are witnessing. Then he speaks the Great Commission to you.

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and 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

After all of the meals, parables, feasts, miracles, and day-to-day life that was lived in closer quarters, your Rabbi (teacher) shows up (after being killed in front of you!) and gives you this call.

The Great Commission isn’t a burden, but a blessing. A choice. A lifestyle. Dare, I say, a passion! It should be a spark of the smallest of embers inside of our souls that, with time and the right conditions, consumes our body, mind, and soul and becomes a wildfire that can only be from the Set-Apart Spirit because it is unlike anything you’ve ever experienced before. The only way to describe it is supernatural.

Some people will hear this message and laugh and go on with their own ways. Other people will hear it and turn around for a moment, but one thing or another happens, and they are back to their own habits. But there will be some people who are going to hear this message and they will be hungry to know more. Events in their lives and thoughts in their heads and on their hearts will have prepared them for that moment in their lives that you share the truth with them.

It will be in that moment that you see what YHWH has called you to. That you don’t have to be afraid. All of the rejection and hurt of living this Set-Apart life alone, up to that point, will all be worth it. And because you were bold and brave enough to live out the Great Commission that Yahshua spoke to His disciples over 2,000 years ago, you are a part of a moment when the heavens rejoice because the one sheep that was missing has come home to the Good Shepherd. (Luke 15:3-7)

You were a part of their journey to truth and YHWH used you, little ol’ you, to show someone the truth that will set them free from their life of slavery and bondage to sin.

So I want to ask you: should we just read the Great Commission, or has YHWH put a call on your heart to do more?

Be blessed. Seek YHWH. Share the truth.

Lots of love,

Ashley

@notmessmama