Baptize New Believers Into God's Family
Daily Scripture
Matthew 28:16-20
16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshipped him, but some doubted. 18 Jesus came near and spoke to them, “I’ve received all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 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, 20 teaching them to obey everything that I’ve commanded you. Look, I myself will be with you every day until the end of this present age.
Daily Reflection & Prayer
Jesus made it plain that his resurrection was not the end of his story, but just the beginning of a new chapter in establishing his eternal kingdom. As people who’ve showed that we believe Jesus is alive by being baptized in his name, we don’t just sit idly by and watch God search for others. Jesus’ “marching orders” to his followers were that we be his witnesses, making disciples, baptizing and teaching, actively taking part in God’s work of calling humans back to God. Jesus appointed his disciples, then and now, to share his life-changing forgiveness. “You are witnesses,” he said (Luke 24:48). God would empower them for their mission. It’s still our mission, and we never pursue it alone—Jesus promised to be with us every day.
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Jesus’ commission to his followers was to “make disciples, baptizing them, and teaching them to obey everything that I’ve commanded you.” In what ways does believing that Jesus rose from the dead change your heart and life? How does the resurrection make credible for you Jesus’ claim to have the divine authority to forgive your sins? In what ways are you gifted to help carry out Jesus’ directive? How does Jesus’ command to live out his mission shape your understanding of what it means for Resurrection to be “the church”? Jesus gave the commission because “I’ve received all authority in heaven and on earth.” In the first century, that meant that not even the mighty Roman Empire could block him from being with his followers. And no power on earth today has the authority to make Jesus abandon you. How can trusting Jesus is always with you give you courage, strength and peace?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, amazingly, challengingly, wonderfully, I get to be a part of your strategic plan to reach the world. Grow me into a person who joyfully lives my role in carrying out your marching orders. Amen.
GPS Insights
Ally Drummond
Ally Drummond serves as Pastor of Operations, Care & Community Life for Resurrection's developing Lee's Summit location. Ally earned a degree in Sociology from UMKC and a Master of Divinity degree at Perkins School of Theology of Southern Methodist University. She has a passion for finding ways in which the Church can make the Kingdom of God more known in our communities. Ally enjoys the beauty and grace of all God’s creation through conversations over meals and cups of coffee, throwing and creating pottery, and learning to navigate the winds and waters with her husband, Josh, on their sailboat.
Have you ever heard a word or an idea so striking that if you somehow forgot everything else you heard around it, you’d still be left in awe of that one, single thought? That’s how I’ve come to feel about a single word and its meaning that I learned in my United Methodist Polity class while in seminary. I certainly enjoyed this whole class, but whenever I think about what I learned in those three years of my Master of Divinity degree, this one idea I learned in Polity often comes to mind first: synergism.
In Methodist beliefs, Synergism is the understanding that salvation comes through a cooperative, dynamic relationship of God’s grace and human action. It’s the idea that spiritual growth and transformation happens when we work with God. While the grace of God empowers us to be able to grow in faith and love, we are called to action through our spiritual practices, acts of mercy, community involvement, and social justice. Synergism is the idea that we can more fully experience the Kingdom of God when we choose to work together with God to make it so.
In Matthew 28, Jesus makes it clear that he is the Son of God, declaring, “I’ve received all authority in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28:18). Jesus doesn’t end the thought there, or follow up by saying something like, “Therefore, there’s nothing you can do about it and there’s no sense sharing this news with those that don’t already believe it.” Of course not! Instead, Jesus, upon declaring his divine authority, invites his followers to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them and instructing them in the way of Christ’s teachings. Even better, Jesus promises to be with them as they go and share their faith with the world.
Through our baptism, we’re invited to join Jesus in the work of redeeming the world. We’re invited to take part in sharing his message of love, grace, and peace through our words and actions. We’re encouraged to grow in our own faithfulness through daily prayer and spiritual practices, serving others, building Christian community, and working for peace and justice in all corners of our world.
So, when I learned that theological term ‘synergism,’ it wasn’t that I had never thought of the idea that I’m supposed to live my life through my relationship with Jesus. But by learning this term, and seeing it enlivened in Scripture and through the stories of others, I became encouraged that God not only loves me, but God delights in having me as a partner in sharing the message of love with the world through my own life story. My Creator entrusts me with the holy responsibility of loving my neighbor. The Good Shepherd encourages me to carry out the joyful task of caring for my community. Each one of us is part of the divine strategy to transform the world to look more like the Kingdom of God. Jesus wants us on his team—how grateful I am for that!
