'GO'...

That was one of Jesus' last words on earth. In Matthew 28:19-20 He says: "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."

For a while now we have felt fairly comfortable in the fact that we went!

We sold our house and cars and lots of the stuff you put into them...and we went!

So what!!??

For a long time we believed that was the hard part...the leaving...the breaking away from comfort and all things familiar. But truly, the real work starts after you've been there a while. The unfamiliar starts to become familiar. The new becomes mundane. The exciting eclipses into the routine.

Jesus never promised the work of building His Kingdom would be familiar or new or exciting. He never said you would be a hero in doing His work. He never said everyone would love you and cheer you on as you did the work.  He certainly never said it would be easy...

No, the instructions were pretty clear: 'Go, and make disciples...'

It's that 'making disciples' piece that gets tricky. I can make bread. I can make a bed. I can not make a disciple...not on my own.

Making a disciple is messy...it is painful...it makes me look stupid...it makes me doubt my own ability...sometimes, it even makes me question my faith...

Sometimes making a disciple seems...almost...counterintuitive...it goes against what makes sense, sometimes.

Making a disciple has eternal echoes...it really matters...unlike bread...or bed.

Making a disciple requires the supernatural touch of Jesus Christ...without that...we are spinning our wheels, wasting time, chasing after...

Fill in your own blank, there. Chasing after what? Money...recognition...power...popularity...comfort...what??

Making a disciple always has to come first in the pursuit of the Kingdom of God. Without disciples you have...nothing.