Proper 12 (GA)

Matthew 28:16-20

¹⁶ Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. ¹⁷ And 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 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

At the end of the Gospel of Matthew Jesus finally just comes out says it: All authority is mine. He then hands this authority over to the Church. He commissions the body of faith to make more members. Naturally, this means that you need to get more people to sign up, hand out membership cards, and formulate dues.

Jesus says you make a disciple by baptizing and teaching. There is only one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins. There is also only one faith that should be taught. It is salvation through Jesus Christ, by grace through faith you are saved. But here Jesus does say disciples are made by doing these two things. You Baptize them, an actual action or activity that is necessary for salvation.

You also are supposed to teach them to observe, do, everything Jesus has commanded you to do, which would even include this commissioning. A Christian needs to be taught and instructed in the same rules and laws the disciples were given. They need to lead lives of holiness. And so do you.

But since you fall short. Since you have failed miserably to keep or observe everything Christ told you to do, you are Baptized. There is one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins. In Baptism you have been buried with Christ and raised with Christ. Jesus gives you a command to teach the good news as well as the bad news. The Bad news is that you are sinful and unclean. The Good news is that Jesus loved you enough to die for you anyway. You are Forgiven in Christ Jesus.