"Then the eleven disciples went to
Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped
him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and
said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, 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 (NIV)
One of my favorite
things about Super Saturday is being the last one out of the parking lot for
pickup. We drivers get
together and pray before we depart to pick up our kids and teens. When
we're done praying, we find our clipboards, grab the keys, the teens and kids who
arrive early pick a driver to ride with, and we're off. If possible, I like to
be the last to leave the parking lot. I love seeing the vans go in their
different directions. The red van heads in one direction, off to pick up
kids in nearby neighborhoods. The rest of us hop on the highway in a
caravan. Then, one by one, exits are taken. First blue and green,
then purple. I, the pink route,
have the furthest to travel before my first stop, but I like it that way as
well. I get to see each van make its way into the neighborhoods.
I've ridden along on most of the routes and know where they're going as they
depart from the shared road space. It brings a smile to my face to know
where they're going, and which kids they're picking up. I get excited
about who I'm hopefully going to see that night. One night as I was watching all the vans go their respective ways, it made me think of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20). Specifically, I thought of verses 19 & 20. Jesus is speaking to his disciples: "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, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Every Saturday we may not be going to all nations, but we are going to many neighborhoods, picking up many kids who represent many nations. If we disciples make disciples, who make disciples, and so on, we could very well reach all nations. What a beautiful picture. I am so blessed to be among this group of disciple-makers. There are numerous volunteers who make Super Saturday and other UFM programs happen. It is energizing, and encouraging having a common vision to make disciples of all nations. To teach them what Jesus taught, with the authority that we have in Christ. Few circumstances offer such a clear depiction of the Great Commission, but it's one of the things I look forward to every week. I cling to the promise that Jesus is with us "always, to the very end of the age" as we go. I covet your prayers for safe travels, and for opportunities to speak to this next generation of disciples/disciple makers.
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