“¹⁹Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” – Matthew 28:19-20 (ESV)

We start with the word “go” and everything else is from there. We have to take action. Our commission in the name of the LORD is to make disciples of those around us, and the first thing that Jesus says to us related to the commission is to “GO”. We are to be out there doing and not just sitting around waiting.

I know that I have said a number of times that I am not the most outgoing person. I am comfortable on my own and do not “need” to be in the presence of others. But that is not the commission that I signed up for with the LORD. I am to be out there engaging with others and bringing the Gospel to them to guide them in there growth and learning of the LORD and all that He has for them and us.

This “going” is where it gets a bit tricky. Are we to go far from where we are to bring the Gospel to those who would not otherwise receive it, or are we to go where we are and focus on those in our immediate proximity. The answer is “YES”. We are to go to both. We are to start near and in our immediate proximity and gradually go out from there.

Think through the verses above. We are to “go” and make disciples. We are disciples and we are to go and make more. And they will go and make disciples, and they will go, and they will go. The idea is that as we make disciples we are continuing to add more and more and more to the followers of Christ.

We have to remember that the process of making disciples is not a quick one. Take for instance the discipleship group I was in last year and the one I am in this year (see that it is on the year). The guide we use is set to take 25 weeks of study. That is at minimum, a half of a year. This is no short term process. The time investment is substantial and that in itself does not lend to being too far from home. So it does stand to reason to “go” where you are first and make disciples and then they go and in some cases they may have the capacity to devote the time further to all nations, but it does all start where we are. Even when the apostles were sent out by Jesus, they went to the towns in the area bringing the Gospel. It was not until later that they ventured out a lot further.

We have been commissioned by Jesus to “GO” and make disciples and that is the call to action and not just that we are to sit and wait.

What does your discipling look like? Are you sitting and waiting for the LORD to do something great in your life so that you can go far out to make disciples? What if you did just “go” where you are and allowed God to work as you make disciples where you are to begin?