Go, But Wait!

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.

- Jesus, Matthew 28:19-20a

On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.

- Jesus, Acts 1:4

Following His resurrection, Jesus appeared to His Disciples. In Matthew 28:19-20, He tells them to GO and make disciples. But then, just a few days later, He is with them again, and in Acts 1:4, He tells them to WAIT for the Holy Spirit.

The question is this… are we to GO or are we to WAIT? Which one is it?

And the answer to the million-dollar question is… BOTH!

In what is known as The Great Commission, we are to go and make disciples, which applies to every one of us. For a better interpretation is: “as we are going,” which means we are all responsible to make disciples as we live our lives for Jesus. This is not a command that only applies to international missions, but means sharing the love of Jesus with whomever we contact in our daily lives, that they might come to know Him, then teaching them to obey Jesus’ commandments.

So, if we are to GO, then why are we to WAIT?

It is this simple… if we go on our own strength, and not in the power of the Holy Spirit, we will not accomplish The Great Commission, but fall flat on our face, failing at what we set out to do.

Jesus knew this, so He told His Disciples… before you GO, WAIT on the gift of the Holy Spirit, whose power and presence in your life will give you the ability to accomplish The Great Commission. Not for your honor and glory, but for the glory and honor of our Heavenly Father.

This same truth applies to us and to all that we do, whether completing a project for school or work, building a strong marriage, raising godly children, serving in our community, talking with or helping out a neighbor, or simply interacting with a clerk at a grocery store or a waiter at a restaurant.

We need to WAIT on the power of the Holy Spirit, who is always available to us as followers of Jesus. Then, we need to GO in that power to accomplish what God has set before us. When we do that, we will experience success to the glory of God.

Pastor Ken

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