Our Mandate is to Build God’s Kingdom

Pray – (1/2 minute)

Read – (2 1/2 minutes) – “Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, . . .” (Matthew 28:19a)
      Passage: John 18:33-37

       There is only one commandment in the Great Commission. It is not “go”. It is “make disciples”. A disciple is a follower or a disciplined learner. A disciple is someone who believes in Jesus, confesses that Jesus is Lord, receives Jesus as Savior and then begins to follow Jesus with a desire to become more like Him. Many years ago, Walter Hendricksen, wrote a book on discipleship that summed up the premise in its title, which was Disciples are Made, not Born. Hendricksen’s point was that, while we never merit God’s favor by our own works, we must cooperate with God as believers to grow in our faith and become fully mature followers of Christ.
      God loves the world, which includes every living person. He wants everyone to be a part of His Kingdom and to fulfill the purpose for which they were created. That involves becoming a believer and then growing as a disciple. The Kingdom of God does not consist of buildings. It is made up of people. Many churches have lost their focus on building God’s Kingdom by reaching people with the gospel of Jesus. Jesus gave us a mandate to build His Kingdom. Our love for Him must lead us to obey the mandate and seek to reach as many as we can for Christ.  

Apply - (2 1/2 minutes)
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Pray - (1 1/2 minutes)