FROM "COME IN" TO "GO OUT"

What we now call the 'Great Commission', instructs us .....

The Great Commission   
16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 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, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:16-20)       

Unfortunately, since the church became institutionalized, meeting in specialized buildings under a human appointed priesthood, particularly from the time of Emperor Constantine (although it had started before that), our mantra has changed from 'go and make disciples' to 'come in and be believers with us'. For we have effectively confined the kingdom to within the walls of our church buildings. People are required to come inside, out of the evil world, in order to enjoy the benefits of Jesus. 

Throughout history, and particularly so in recent times with the various House Church groupings, there have been movements that have attempted to remedy this inward looking situation. Sadly though, most have effectively become small churches that meet in homes, with the same inward looking mentality that pervades more formal church congregations, but without the financially draining expense of building and maintenance programmes and the need to pay pastors and administrators.   

In the formal church, as there is a need to pay the bills, attention naturally focuses on 'the house', and a theology has grown up to justify this inward looking necessity. "Come in and meet God." Or, "God is in the house." Of course, if there are true believers there, God is there.....   

20 For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” (Matthew 18:20)     

When we look at this statement from a traditional focus, we interpret it as meaning in a church building. "Come in to meet God". This is a commonly promoted church viewpoint. However, it is not what the Scripture says. The Scripture, in context, is talking about resolving problems amongst fellow believers.....

15 “If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. 16 But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ (Matthew 18:15-16)      

Jesus was talking about the importance of not acting alone in a disputed situation. Yes, there is wisdom and safety in working with others. And Jesus will be with you. It was only the result of the discussions that needed to be told to the 'church'. (more correctly interpreted as 'assembly of believers' that met, as required, to deal with specific issues).....

17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector. (Matthew 18:17)

Jesus was applying kingdom principles. We don't know what the problem was, but the 2 or 3 were to go to him on his home ground, and sort out the problem.

Today, we would call him into the church to appear before the elders. Can you see the difference?

The kingdom is about transforming the world. The kingdom is not found in a denomination or building. Jesus emphasizes this when he says, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is’, for it is found in individual believers.....  

20 Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, 21 nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:20-21) 

As instructed in the Great Commission, kingdom people take the Good News of Jesus and His kingdom out into the world. For ultimately, all the world is His kingdom.

15 The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever.” (Revelation 11:15)       

This is not easy, nor comfortable. It is easier to hide behind the walls of a church building, mixing with those who share our views. But that is not building the kingdom. Yes, if we move out we will have troubles and persecutions, but we will also participate in His glorious kingdom.....    

3 We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing. 4 Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. 5 All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. 6 God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you 7 and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. 8 He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power 10 on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. (2 Thessalonians 1:3-10a)    

Are you, am I, prepared to take the reality of the kingdom out into the world today?

Jesus was not a religious man! Not in the style of the Rabbis of the time, nor of the religious today. While Jesus occasionally spoke in the local synagogue, this was not His primary way of spreading the Good News of the kingdom. His baptism was in a river. His temptation was on a mountain. His first miracle was at a wedding in a home. Mostly, he spoke to the ordinary people in the open air. His miracles took place at these meetings, or when he was walking through town, on a boat, or at someone's house, etc. Feeding the multitudes is but one example.....

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand    
13 When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. 15 As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.” 16 Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” 17 “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. 18 “Bring them here to me,” he said. 19 And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. 20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children. (Matthew 14:13-21)     

Jesus was totally involved in interacting with people in the world and He taught His disciples to do the same. 

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve    
Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. 7 Calling the Twelve to him, he sent them out two by two and gave them authority over evil spirits. 8 These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. 9 Wear sandals but not an extra tunic. 10 Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. 11 And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave, as a testimony against them.” 12 They went out and preached that people should repent. 13 They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them. (Mark 6:6b-12)    

And confirmed this principle with the seventy-two.....     

Jesus Sends Out the Seventy-two     
After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2 He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3 Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. (Luke 10:1-3)

Paul continued this principle of going out amongst the people. While, as a trained Pharisee, he often first gravitated to the local synagogue, particularly at the beginning of his ministry, so giving the Jews an opportunity to hear the Good News of their countryman Jesus, he inevitably ended up ministering in other places, for he was sent to minister to the gentiles ......      

16 While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. 17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. (Acts 17:16-17) 

He also spoke in the meeting of the Areopagus.....  

22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you. (Acts 17:22-3)        

Interestingly, he then said.....   

24 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. (Acts 17:24)       

"Lord, please help us understand" 

I am not an evangelist by nature or gifting. But it is my desire to witness through my life and actions to those with whom I interact, that there is something different about me, that there is Jesus in my life. And to be obedient to what the Lord tells me to do. It gives me much satisfaction when others comment on this.   

We do not need to fear the world, but to overcome it, to be witnesses in our day to day living, in order to see the kingdom established upon the earth.....

3 For the [true] love of God is this: that we do His commands [keep His ordinances and are mindful of His precepts and teaching]. And these orders of His are not irksome (burdensome, oppressive, or grievous). 4 For whatever is born of God is victorious over the world; and this is the victory that conquers the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that is victorious over [that conquers] the world but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God [who adheres to, trusts in, and relies on that fact]?  (1 John 5:3-5 Amplified Version) 

Are you, am I, prepared to follow the example of Jesus and the disciples today?