Scripture
The Great Commission
16Then the eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17When they saw him, they worshiped him—but some of them doubted!
18Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations,[1] baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Translation notes (1)
- 28:19 Or all peoples.
13That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty.
The process of decision-making can be daunting. If we are not careful, decision-making can consume us to that point that we become frozen, unsure of what to do. The truth is, we do not have to agonize over the decision or feel alone in our decision-making. We are not left alone to guess what decision God desires us to make with our lives. Scripture teaches that God has a plan and direction for our lives and that we can trust Him.
When considering the idea of the purpose for his life, the writer of Ecclesiastes looked everywhere. He looked to fame, wealth, relationships, education, and everything else under the sun. In pursuit of all of these things, he ultimately found them to be meaningless. He wasn’t pursuing what God’s purpose was for his life. In the end, he came to realize what the purpose is. At the very end of the book of Ecclesiastes, he wrote, “That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey His commands, for this is everyone’s duty” (verse 13). What was his conclusion? Fearing God and obeying Him is what brings true fulfillment. This is the purpose of every follower of Christ.
As we consider the lesson that obeying God and keeping His commandments makes our lives meaningful, the question is, “What are the commandments that we are to obey?” Perhaps the best place to turn is the last recorded interaction with Jesus and His disciples. This interaction is recorded in Matthew 28. Before He returned to Heaven, He looked at His disciples and said, “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” In other words, Jesus wanted to make sure that His disciples made more disciples. Simply put, the most important thing we can do with our lives is to know Christ and to make Christ known. This is His calling and our purpose.
As we think about decision-making, this calling to be disciples of Jesus who make Him known can be helpful for us as we consider the best course of action. When we make decisions based on how we can know Christ and make Him known, we are joining Christ’s mission on earth, and we will find fulfillment and purpose. This is our ultimate calling. May we devote our lives to knowing Christ and making Him known.
Moving toward action
Take some time to explore what Scripture teaches about God’s call for His people. What seems to be important to God? What does Scripture teach about how followers of Christ are to live? As you think about the decisions He is calling you to make, how can you make them considering the direction God calls His followers to take?
Going deeper
Read Matthew 28:16-20(NLT)
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