Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
--Parallel verses:
John 10:14-18
[Jesus speaking]
I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.
Jesus came to lay down his life for all mankind. And he did this of his own free will. It was God’s will for him, his mission for Jesus, so to speak.
And why would someone lay down his life for another? It is a different level of goodness than we are used to. Jesus says he is the Good Shepherd. In our world, good is used as just “above average”. It is not excellent or even great. It is not perfect.
But Jesus was good, as God is good. His goodness was and is perfect in how it models after the goodness of God.
So this man who was good modeled good behavior, sacrificially loved others, and came back for his friends even though they did not stick with him. That is truly a different level of “good”.
And now he gives his followers three commands:
- Actively Disciple Christ-Followers — model for them what “good” means to God. Let them follow you as you followed me (Jesus).
- Obediently Baptize Them — Have them make a public profession of their faith in repentance of their sins and in turning their whole lives over to God and his will.
- Teach Them to Obey All His Commands — This is what they modeled and recorded in the Word of God, the Bible. This, too, is intertwined with making disciples. Obedience shows love and devotion. This builds faith and serves to keep us in the center of God’s will.
Jesus promises them a great promise as they go to do the above three things: “I will be with you always.“
“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:37-39)
Lord, thank you for your truth that shines through to the darkest caverns of my heart. You want it all — all I have, my whole heart. Your Good Shepherd Standard is not “good enough”, but it is completely good. Teach me to be completely good and to serve you faithfully all the days of my life.
