The Trinity and The Great Commission - Worship Outside in God's Creation

This past Sunday the Gospel Lesson from the Lectionary was Matthew 28:16-20.

Matthew 28:16-20 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
The Commissioning of the Disciples
16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 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, 20 and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

This is, of course, the "Great Commission" and was the focus of many sermons given this past Sunday.  It was also "Trinity Sunday" and I am certain, that many sermons also focused upon the Trinity.  I choose to focus some portion of the sermon to each aspect.

I won't address the Trinity here today as it is a horribly complex topic and I don't want to bog this blog post down with a heavy doctrinal dialogue.  What I will address here today is the commissioning and more specifically the "doubt" response of the Disciples during Jesus' appearance and preaching to them.

In the Greek, it is difficult to determine if it is saying that all worshiped and some doubted, or if it's all worshiped and all doubted.  And if we understand it even as some doubting (much less all doubting) how can that be... they've just witnessed the risen Christ?  Just what are they 'doubting' here in this passage.  I've suggested that in fact all here are doubting, just as today all of us doubt.  It's not the risen Christ that they doubted (though for us today this can and often is the case), but rather they are doubting their worthiness for the task (commission) given to them by Christ.  I have to believe that all of us at some point (if not at all points) feel that we fall short of the ability to conduct the 'Great Commission'.  What we have to remember first and foremost is that not all (few of us actually) are called to do large and 'splashy' things in the name of Christ.  Rather, we all are called (even those called to large events) to do the uncountable 'small' things that we must do daily to forward the Kingdom of Christ.

My favorite saying is "be a blessing to someone today", this statement speaks to doing these small and impactful events on a daily basis.  It is these small blessings that allow us to witness effectively to all those we come in contact with in our lives.  Never doubt that your efforts for the Kingdom will not have the desired effect... rather, have faith God knows where and when He needs your assistance.  Just remain tuned into the guidance of the Spirit and do a kindness for at least one soul daily.

Be a blessing to someone today!

In Christ,
Roy