The Great Commission

THE GREAT COMMISSION

After our Lord’s resurrection, He gave the great commission. “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen” (Matthew 28:18-20). It is called the great commission, due to the enormous task involved in taking the gospel to all nations.

It is easy to become discouraged today because it seems that no one is interested in serving the Lord. Many of us can think back a “few” years and remember when it was much easier to baptize people into Christ. But it has always been that when it is so hard to reach people in one area, another area opens up. The following is part of a letter from Tex Williams, from Word Bible School, Austin, Texas:

“In the West African Country of Nigeria, a student in a Catholic high school began taking a World Bible School Correspondence Course. Other students asked for the course until a large number were involved.

What the students were learning began to be discussed in their Bible classes. Some of the teaching nuns asked for the WBS course and passed on copies to the local parish priest, who also became a student. He wrote WBS and asked for enough copies of the lessons to use in their high school Bible teaching program.

A local Nigerian evangelist visited the school. After a lot of teaching, he baptized the priest, the nuns and most of the high school students. A New Testament church was begun. Fifteen months later, they wrote that they had baptized over 500 new converts and started five new congregations in the area.”

Thank God for the power of the gospel of Christ! When it lodges in honest and sincere hearts, it does produce fruit. So let us never become discouraged, but sow the seed at every opportunity. God will give the increase. Think of someone you would like to lead to Christ this year.