all authority

In the account of Jesus' life given by Matthew, the final thing Jesus says to his disciples is this, recorded in Matthew 28:18-20  "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.'"

I've heard many sermons preached on this passage, but this morning the word "therefore" caught my attention. Therefore always points me to what was said just before; it's a reason or basis for what comes next.

In this case, what comes next is the command to make disciples of all nations. The reason? Jesus has been given all authority on heaven and on earth.

One way to read that is that Jesus, as Lord of everything, has the authority to send me out on a disciple-making expedition. That's definitely true, but it seems a little simplistic.

It seems more logical to me that the fact of Jesus' authority is the foundation for discipleship. The lordship of Jesus calls me to obedience; any other loyalty is in fact disobedience. In fact, the only way to save people from the consequences of a disobedient life is to make them disciples.

This too is a little obvious, but I wonder of the implication is. The world would have me believe that Jesus is another option, that the choice of whether or not to follow him is a personal one, and that there are multiple ways people can work out their questions of guilt and purpose.

Jesus' legitimate claim to all authority is the statement that blows all of that tolerant jumbo-jumbo out of the water. In fact, there are two starkly-different choices. I can become a disciple, or I can go to Hell. Those are the only options open to me. 

That fact turns Jesus' command from an empire-building directive from a powerful king into a plea for rescuers racing a coming disaster. Instead of control or forced compliance, Jesus longs for my good; he hates the thought of my destruction. 

The most loving thing Jesus can do, or I can do, is to make a disciple. It's the only way people get to live.