God loves to work in partnership with people, and has tasked us with the Great Commission: to tell the whole world about Jesus. His famous last words before returning to the Father went like this:
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
He even told His disciples the end will come only after it is completed:
“This gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14).
I met a man from one of the far off nations who had come to visit Jerusalem and shared some wisdom on the matter. Mariano Sennewald is the founder and director of MiSion Institute, a Ministerial Training Center in Argentina, and pastor of El Encuentro Church in Buenos Aires. He carries a great passion for the global plan of Jesus for the end times, especially concerning the Great Commandment and the Great Commission, and has brought many hundreds to Israel over the years. And surprisingly, even though thousands have been affected by his ministry, he emphasized the need to go deep with a few. His motto was “small tables, big victories”.
Small tables, big victories
The deeper we go in our relationships with one another, the greater the impact we have together in God’s kingdom.
“With relational depth comes kingdom breadth,” Mariano says. He believes even small numbers can make a disproportionate impact when we have the courage to go beyond the superficial in relationship.
“It can be tempting to go big,” he continued, but added, “intimacy and communion brings transformation”. Of course not everyone is instantly transformed, as Jesus knew all too well. Mariano reminded me that Jesus was fully aware of Judas and his destiny even as they sat down to eat together at the Last Supper. Jesus loved everyone around that table, even though He was not unaware of the traitors and doubters. But we are called to love even our enemies.
Many other ministries also emphasize focusing on deep relationships which yield multiplication over addition, as there’s an exponential increase that happens with multiplication which far outstrips addition in a very short time. By taking the time to pass on all we know and make disciples thoroughly, we will see far greater growth and spread of the gospel than if we are simply imparting a simple message and moving on, even if we do it hundreds of times. The Great Commission is about discipleship, and discipleship requires relationship. By investing deeply in a few who will go on to do the same, we can see greater impact.
“What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also,” Paul told Timothy (2 Timothy 2:2)
It’s the kingdom way. In addition to being sent out geographically, God is sending us to go deep relationally. This is how we build the kingdom of God. Relational depth, kingdom breadth. This is the most effective way to fulfill the Great Commission.
Israel is calling
Isaiah 6 is another passage of sending. Isaiah is awestruck as he faces a vision of God in all His glory, high and lifted up, with the train of His robe filling the temple. Isaiah, like any of us, immediately became conscious of his sin before a holy God. God in His great mercy takes Isaiah’s sin, but has a commission to give:
And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?”
Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.” (Isaiah 6:8)
The words Isaiah said, “Here I am!” is one word in Hebrew: Hineni! It’s an expression of complete readiness and attention. He was willing to do whatever job God would have him do. God sent Isaiah to give messages that the people were unable to receive, but we read them and feed off the messages of Isaiah to this day. No word of truth delivered on behalf of God is ever wasted. Today Israel is reeling with pain and in dire need of hope. As Israel reaches to find meaning and comfort, many are open to spiritual things in ways they never have been before.
Is God calling you to go? Is He sending you somewhere? God calls His people, today as always, to be willing to go and be an emissary of His message.
Perhaps He is calling you to come to Israel. It’s true that rockets are still being fired at Israel from all sorts of directions, but it’s ironically also true that Israel is safer now than it has been for a long time, and Israel needs the comfort of the Lord very deeply.
The joy that awaits
Having arrived in Israel on the eleventh day of the eleventh month, Mariano Sennewald pointed out that Isaiah 11:11 paints a glorious picture as an encouragement for us. As we seek to apply ourselves to the Great Commission, a picture of the millennial reign of Jesus that will come after its completion is before us—all will be well when the Messiah comes to rule and reign at last. All creation groans for the moment. The lion will lie down with the lamb, children can play with snakes, and no harm will come to them.
They shall not hurt or destroy
in all my holy mountain;
for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord
as the waters cover the sea.
(Isaiah 11:9)
Photo by Shai Pal on Unsplash
