Jesus offered many words that would challenge those who heard them. We know this full
well. They challenge us today. When Jesus was preparing His disciples for His departure, He
presented to them His mission which He expected them to fulfill. He made sure that they
understood the gravity of this task. There is great urgency in the voice of Jesus as He explains
how they are to be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the end of the earth (Acts
1:8). I am convinced that this band of brothers knew for certain that this call from Jesus was not
optional. “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. 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, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you
always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20). These are the words of Jesus as He called
His disciples to continue the work that He started. They understood the importance of finishing
the work. As a matter of fact, they were willing to (and did) give their lives for this mission.
We have this same mission before us today. And even though many would say they
understand that Jesus has given us this commission, few are willing to allow the directive of
Jesus to alter their lives in any significant way. I suppose it is one thing to speak the words of
acknowledgement regarding this mission, and altogether different to actually live out this
mission. So why is it that so many Christians today see the call of Christ to His disciples and
simply carry on with their routine of life? Why is it that so many fail to see the urgency in Jesus’
call for us to be His witnesses? Is it that we are so far removed from the events of the first
century that we believe this no longer applies? Surely not. Could it be that we see this task as
applying to the preacher and not to every disciple of Christ? Maybe to some degree. Is it possible
that we as a society, as a people, have become so self-absorbed, so self-centered, that we just
don’t have time for anything other than self-service?
As the people of God, we must open our eyes to the work that Christ has set before us. We
cannot allow ourselves to be deceived. We must recognize the urgency in the words of Christ.
We are called, as the disciples in the first century were called, to be His witnesses. We are called
to promote the gospel in whatever setting, whatever circumstance we may be. This call was not
simply given to a group of Christ-followers nearly 2,000 years ago. This call extends throughout
the centuries. This call is our call. The mission before us is not confined to the past. The mission
before us is simple and plain. Go make disciples!

~Keith Harris
Wind Song church of Christ, Little Rock, AR