14 Mar, 2017 The Last 5 Things Jesus Told Us to Do

What was the ultimate demonstration of LOVE? Christ dying on the cross for every person on the planet! Here’s what He told us to do! Let’s get busy!

Recently while getting my morning run in, I was listening to the book “Radical: Taking Back Your Faith From the American Dream” by David Platt. His book challenged me to think about how I live my Christian life out daily. What should our main focus be? We say common phrases like “sharing our faith” or “inviting people to church” or “telling others about Jesus” but do we really do it? Should that really be our main focus? Platt said our schedules will show whether we are putting Jesus first or not. I’ve always cherished verses like Matthew 28:19-20. These words take on a whole new meaning after listening to this book. It states, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

This was a great time of reflection for me. If we love Jesus and are grateful for what He’s done, then our every waking moment would show that His concern is our concern. Daily we should be telling others about Christ and making disciples. This is what it means to be a Counter Culture Warrior. So let’s break this down together. How did Jesus tell us to demonstrate His love for others?

Here are the last 5 things Jesus told us to do.

1. GO – If God is calling you to do international missions, then get trained and jump on that plane! We spent almost 10 years with New Tribes Mission. Check them out as an option, if international missions interests you! If he’s calling you to run a business and use the funds to support other missionaries, then use your talents to finance others in your local area or globally. And if he’s calling you to just get out of your house with your little munchkins and share about Jesus at the grocery store 10 miles from home….well, have at it! Your kids will see you living for Christ no matter what stage of life you’re in and they too will want to be little missionaries themselves!
2. MAKE DISCIPLES – No matter where God has you at the moment, be available and obedient in sharing with whomever He puts in your path. I just heard Jill Briscoe share her wisdom at the IF conference last month. A great takeaway was that she told us to focus on exactly where our two feet are planted.
3. ALL NATIONS – Jesus deeply loves all people. This is evident, because he told us to share Jesus with everyone from every tongue, tribe and nation. We are a very blessed nation. We have vehicles, homes, bank accounts, clean water, sewer systems, food in our pantries and hospitals galore. However, God told us to do what we can with what he’s given us to help others around the globe. What has God given you to help fulfill his mandate? God will make it clear to you and open the doors he wants you to walk through.
4. BAPTIZING THEM – Jesus told his believers before he left this earth 2,000 years ago that we should baptize others. Baptism is simply the act in which a Christian is fully immersed under water to symbolize the end of an old way of living (without Christ) to a new way of living (the Holy Spirit now living in you). We are to baptize people around the globe!
5. FATHER, SON & HOLY SPIRIT – We were lovingly told to share with others about the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit and baptize others in all three. The trinity is so critical. All three are equal, yet all are unique with different personalities.

In summary… Our passions, missions, time, money, children, free time, etc. should all be in regards to doing the very thing Christ has called us to do. Satan wants to distract us by filling our schedule with things of little importance or busy work. We will see the transformation in others when we share who Jesus is by spending time and money on people around us who don’t know Him. What an exciting life to live!

As Richard Savage from Active Christianity states, “And what is the reward? It is the great and precious promise that we may also be partakers of divine nature just as Jesus Christ. ‘To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.’ Revelation 3:21. So there are two thrones in heaven, and Jesus wants to share the one on the right hand of the Father with those He is proud to call “His brothers” (Hebrews 2:10-11) and His bride (Ephesians 5:30-32).”

Let’s get busy together!

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THIS WEEK’S CHALLENGE: Ask God to give you clarity on who He would like to you come along side and share your faith with. Who in your circle of influence doesn’t know Jesus? Ask God to give you the right timing and words to say to help your friend find and establish a relationship with Jesus.

Question: What steps did you take to share your faith with a loved one? What was their response? Share your thoughts by clicking here!

Photo by painter Akiane Kramarik