Making Disciples of All Nations

Most serious Christians know something about the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:19-20. The imperative to “go and make disciples of all nations” provides the missionary marching order for every Christian and Christ’s Church. It is the driving force that caused Southern Baptists to become the greatest missionary-sending denomination in modern Christian history.

But there is another “bookend” to the Great Commission called “the Great Commandment.” Luke 10:27 reads, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’”

Gary Hollingsworth

In context, Jesus was quoting from Deuteronomy 6:4-9 in response to questions from a Jewish religious legal expert who had asked Jesus, “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” On the surface, that is a great question, but don’t miss the fact that he was looking for what he himself might do. This exchange is followed by the famous and familiar parable of the Good Samaritan in order to answer the legal scholar’s follow-up question of “Who is my neighbor?” (v. 29).

There is a connection between the Great Commission and the Great Commandment that is often overlooked. Think of the Great Commission as “what we do,” and the Great Commandment as “why we do it.” In the Great Commandment, we find the motive for our obedience in fulfilling the Great Commission.

At the risk of oversimplification, that motive can be found in two words: obedience and love. A careful reading of the Old Testament, particularly in the writings of Moses, reveals God’s expectation of total obedience to His commands. Time and again, we read “You shall” or “Be careful to heed” or “You shall do” in connection with God’s expectation for His people to take seriously His commands. Remember, they are called the Ten Commandments, not the Ten Suggestions! That expectation did not change in the New Testament, but Jesus’ emphasis on the importance of love-driven obedience is instructive.

A major theme over the years of my pastoral ministry has been that our “doing” must flow out of our “being.” In other words, discipleship precedes duty. Mark 3:14 says, “Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach.” This simple and beautiful verse connects the Great Commission to the Great Commandment. Our “doing” is driven by our “being” with Jesus.

The story of Mary and Martha serves as an example of the contrast and complementary connection of being and doing. Mary sat at Jesus’ feet (Luke 10:39) while Martha was distracted with much serving (Luke 10:40). While it was important that someone had to cook dinner that night, Jesus clearly stated that Mary’s devotion was “the best part” (v. 42).

The Gospel of Matthew includes additional details of the conversation between Jesus and the Jewish religious leaders that Luke does not share. Matthew includes a different question from a Pharisee who asked, “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” (Matthew 22:36). Jesus answered that loving God was the first and greatest commandment, but added that loving one’s neighbor was a close second. He went so far as to say the entire writings of both the Law and Prophets hung on these two nails! That means there is a double-edged motivation of love in seeking to be obedient in fulfilling the Great Commission, which is loving God and loving people.

This is a great challenge for the church today. While we LOVE to talk about missions, and well we should, we don’t hear as much about loving lost people like Jesus loved them. Our nation, and quite frankly, our Southern Baptist Convention, is so divided over many issues, it seems we have little time left to really talk about what it means to “love our neighbors as ourselves.”

I wonder if we would find greater evangelistic success today if we took more time to love lost people like Jesus loved them. Jesus’ encounter with the woman caught in adultery in John 8 challenges us on how to love people today who are far from God. It is far easier to judge and condemn than to love.

By speaking the truth in love, Jesus did not excuse her sin, but neither did He condemn her in the way her accusers were hoping and expecting. Indeed, He “spoke the truth in love.” He used a similar approach with the Samaritan woman at the well. He called out her sinful lifestyle, but He loved enough to not leave her that way — and she was transformed by the grace of Jesus.

The only way to see the Great Commission advance is to connect it with the Great Commandment of loving God and loving people. We cannot be Great Commission Baptists without also being Great Commandment Baptists!

— Gary Hollingsworth is executive director-treasurer of the South Carolina Baptist Convention.