We are on the Offense

And having come near, Jesus spake to them, saying, ‘Given to me was all authority in heaven and on earth; having gone, then, disciple all the nations, (baptizing them — to the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all, whatever I did command you,) and lo, I am with you all the days — till the full end of the age.’
(Matthew 28:18-20 Young’s Literal Translation)

Jesus instructed His disciples to literally (according to Young’s Literal Translation) disciple all the nations. The reason, He told them, was that He had been given all authority in heaven and on earth during His tabernacle visit to the earth. I learned more about music than sports as a kid, but what I did learn of sports convinced me that there are not may games in which you can win points when you are playing defense. Offensive players make points.

If we are just “holding the fort,” begging Jesus to return and get us out of these dark days, hoping that the last invitation for lost people happens today, and Jesus wraps it all up before we get hurt, I’m convinced that our mission is not what many people call the “Great Co-Mission:” (Matthew 28:18-20).

The number of hymns we sing each sunday about the sweet by and by is many times the number we sing in worship of the Worthy One or praying that the Lord would send laborers into His mission. If we expect to score and take ground, we must change our strategy so that it aligns with His.