Matthew 28:19-20

“Go therefore 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 that I have commanded you.”  vss. 19-20a

Each of the gospels, with the exception of Mark, have a closing statement by Jesus about their call to continue his mission in all the world. Matthew’s final word from Jesus is called the Great Commission, and leaves no doubt about his intentions. It’s not complicated, the disciples were enjoined to go and call people  to become followers of Jesus through a two step process, baptism and teaching.

And that’s what they did!  And while at first it was a struggle, and any number of obstacles had to be overcome, we ha the Great Commission had remarkable results, and after 2000 years, the number of believers in all the nations now numbers over 2 billion. Even now the Church continues to grow, with thousands of adherents being added every year, particularly in the global South.

With that kind of a presence in the world it would be tempting to think that most people everywhere are living according to the teachings of Jesus. Sadly that isn’t the case, and one of the major challenges for the modern church is reformation. Too many of the baptized fail to make a connection between their profession of faith and the way they live. Instead of loving their neighbor they’ve become obsessed with wealth and possessions. It’s a sad, sad story!

Thought for the Day: How can the Church be reformed?