As Christians, we only have three things that are required of us: love God, love our neighbor as ourselves, and make disciples. To make disciples means to be witnesses of Christ in order to bring others into a relationship with Christ. When Jesus called Simon and Andrew to follow him he was very clear, “Follow me and I will make you fish for people” (Mark 1:17). The call to make disciples was clear from the start of Jesus’ earthly ministry through the very end. In fact, at the end of Matthew before Jesus ascends to the Father, Jesus’ last words to his followers were no, “Go and find a comfortable church and have covered dish dinners.” His last words were not, “Go and sing the songs you like in worship.” He didn’t say, “Be good little boys and girls. Stay out of trouble.” He didn’t say, “Keep in touch through prayer as often as you can” or “Don’t skip church too often.” He does not say, “Try to do some good every once in a while.” No. What does he say? “Go and make disciples!”
This is called the Great Commission, not suggestion, but commission! The church is the only institution in the world that exists for those outside of it. Unfortunately, many churches don’t even see it as a suggestion. Instead, it has be-come the Great Omission. Many churches have lost sight of the mission to make disciples. This is one of the reasons why the mainline church is struggling. The mainline church is not replenishing itself with a new generation of disciples. We are not reaching the younger generation. Fewer and fewer churches are bringing even one new person to Christ in one year.
What has happened? Why can’t today’s church be like the early church? The answer comes through something that A.W. Tozer said long ago: “If the Holy Spirit was withdrawn from the church today, 95% of what we do would go on and no one would know the difference.”
Is the Holy Spirit the driving force of the church today? If we are to reclaim the fire of the Spirit the early church had, we must get back to fundamentals — what we believe and what we practice. We must be willing to open ourselves to the movement of the Holy Spirit. That’s what the early followers of Christ did. They were not sophisticated people. They hadn’t been to seminary. They hadn’t read books on church growth and marketing. They simply made themselves available to the Holy Spirit. Look what happened: “Each one heard them speaking in his own language” (Acts 2:6 NIV).
This was not the gift of tongues, or the gift of glossolalia. What’s happening here is not speaking in unknown tongues. That is another theological issue. What’s happening here is that a bunch of people from all over the place, all speaking different languages, all coming from different cultures, heard the gospel in their own language. The good news of the saving love of Jesus Christ was communicated to them! It was clear! The followers of Christ were not multilingual! The Holy Spirit did it through them because they were simply willing to be used! The Holy Spirit broke through communication barriers and the gospel translated.
Isn’t it interesting that here in our post-modern world with all of our miraculous communication technology we still have communication problems? Isn’t it interesting that in spite of our advances in Bible translations and production of gimmicks that people are still turned off by religion and the church? It seems we are good at information but not communication.
Will Willimon once wrote, “To many outside the church, the church is like a football huddle. You know that some-thing important is being said there, but you can’t understand a word of it, and all you can see is their rear ends.” How is it that the early church was able to communicate so clearly and we have so much trouble? The answer is revealed through a humorous but painfully true cartoon in the Leadership Journal. The church secretary is holding the phone, hollering to the pastor in the adjoining room. She says, “A man from Ripley’s Believe It or Not wants a picture of someone on fire for the Lord. Do we have one?”
Where is our love for God and our passion and love for people? This is what translates! When you forgive while everyone else wants revenge, that translates. When you are loving while everyone else is hateful, that translates. When you don’t give up on people when everyone else wants to, that translates.
There is a great debate in the church on how to be relevant in this post-modern world. Because the mainline church is struggling to grow we are falling all over ourselves trying to reach the next generation. I went to a meeting about this very thing. We talked about gimmicks, models, and strategies. There is a place for all that but sometimes I wonder with Howard Olds whether we are trying so hard to be “with it” that we just “don’t get it.” We need to be in touch with the world, not in sync with the world.
The church ought to be a little weird. We ought to be a little off-kilter. If people come because the values of the world have diminished them and they are looking for some-thing different, why would they be attracted to us if we are like the world? So if we are a little odd or a little weird, that’s good. It is as if we are saying, “What you are looking for you will not find in the world!” People respond to real people who have a real love and passion for God. The gospel does not have to be dressed up, dolled up, or given a makeover. The gospel does just fine by itself.
The early church knew this. The power of the early church was rooted in prayer and discernment from the Holy Spirit. When we follow suit and truly seek the Spirit we will start addressing the real spiritual needs of people and when we do that, people will start listening to the church.
I like the story Wayne Cordeiro tells about a bakery located in a city where he used to live. It was in a bad part of town. The bakery was small, rundown, and nondescript. Yet at 5 a.m. every morning the aroma of delicious bread emanated from that bakery. People would line up around the block to get their hands on that bread. That is a parable for us as the church. It is not about appearances or gimmicks; it is simply about offering the bread of life. People are so hungry spiritually that all we have to do is offer the bread of life with passion and authenticity and they will come from all over to taste it. Does the sweet smell of Christ emanate from your life? Are you sharing your witness? Are you let-ting your light shine?
The unavoidable truth is that as Christians we are called to bear witness to the hope that is within us — to tell people about Jesus — to make disciples. This may scare some of you to death. But take heart. By the grace of God, you are able to preach. You don’t do it on your own power. This is why Jesus said, “I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). Jesus is always with us, helping us and empowering us to share the good news. I know he is. As a pastor, I have heard many great sermons from ordinary people. The church is filled with wonderful preachers.
I remember hearing a minister talk about a parishioner who worked with a young man still living at home. The young man was rather quiet and this parishioner did not know him that well. One day he found the young man crying in the restroom. He asked if he could help. The young man confided in him. He said that his girlfriend was pregnant and he had just revealed this to his parents the night before. They screamed at him and said that he had embarrassed them. They said he had shamed the family and told him that he should never set foot in their house again.
What did this parishioner do? He reached out, put his arm around him and said, “I am sorry that happened to you. I am sure this is difficult for your parents, and I am certain this is difficult for you. But I am a Christian, and I believe that God loves you, and his love will help you through the most difficult situations.”
How was he able to say something like that? Jesus said, “Go and make disciples and remember I am with you always.”
Will Willimon had a parishioner who was very close to someone who was terribly depressed. She could understand the reasons for her depression. She had just lost her job, her mother had just died, and a long-term relationship she had been in had recently ended. However, she felt that her friend’s depression had reached a dangerous level. She suggested to her friend that it might be a good idea to see a counselor. Then, in the middle of sharing coffee, she felt led to say to her friend: “I guess we have never talked about something like religion or spirituality, but I want you to know that I believe that Jesus Christ is more than an idea. He is a presence. He loves you very much and because he has helped me through so many crises in my own life, I believe he can help you through this crisis. Would you like to pray together?” So they prayed. After the prayer, her friend said that the prayer helped.
How was she able to be so bold with her friend? Jesus said, “Go and make disciples and I will be with you always.”
One time I preached at a youth camp. The chapel service went really late. I didn’t get up to preach until about 11 p.m. It didn’t help that I had the flu. But it was the last service of the week and I had to finish. I don’t know what I said. I was so sick. I was just trying to get through it. I thought it was the worst sermon I ever delivered.
After the service a teenage girl approached me. She looked very angry. She said, “I have to find out if something is true.” I replied, “What’s that?” She said, “You mentioned tonight that God loves me. Do you believe that? I don’t believe anyone has ever loved me. My dad left me and my mother abused me, and I moved from one institution to an-other. I’ve been sexually abused, neglected, and you are telling me that God loves me?”
I looked into her eyes and said, “That’s right. I know this for certain. God loves you. You want to know how I know? God got up on a cross and said, ‘This is how much I love you.’ ” She paused for a moment and tears began rolling down her cheeks. Then she said, “Well, if God loves me, then nothing else matters. If God loves me, that’s all that matters.”
Deep down you know there are people all around you who need the love, forgiveness, grace, power, strength, and comfort of God in Jesus Christ. Give one good reason why you wouldn’t want to share it. Amen.