Follow in My Tracks

 

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 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 28:16-20 ESV).

 

Elephants are amazing animals. Once again I have found a bit of trivia that reminds me of the amazing thought God proves with His creative genius. For example, elephants actually do actually walk in single file when they on the move. Whether they are moving to another source of water or food, or simply moving to a place of rest, they will move in relative single file with young calves holding on to their mother’s tails with their trunks. The reason for this is two-fold. It helps them stay focused and keep up; and, the other female elephants surround them to protect them from danger.

 

This is an amazing lesson for us as we look at the command to “make disciples” in our reading today. Before Jesus ascended, he explained the mission that awaited his followers after he returned to his heavenly Father. “Go and make disciples,” may seem to involve two separate actions, going and making disciples. However, a better translation of this command is “Make disciples as you go along.” It is assumed that Jesus’ followers will often be “on the go” and actively doing something. And whether they are far away or close to home, their task is to walk alongside others by teaching them about Jesus and by demonstrating, through the work of the church, what it means to serve him.

 

“Making disciples” does not mean just bringing others to a one-time “moment of decision.” It involves continued learning together, growing together, and increasingly understanding what God has done in sending Jesus to die for our sin and calling us to serve him. Because we serve the Lord of all, we should ask ourselves whom God has in mind for us to meet as we go along. We should seek to make disciples of our children, our neighbors, our co-workers, our whole world. And when we doubt or struggle in this task, Jesus promises that the authority of heaven will support us in it. It is not a matter of going after these “disciples.” God will bring them to us as we place ourselves in a position to recognize those He has connected to us. No matter your age, we still have this great privilege of modeling and protecting those He has given into our care.