June 7, 2020 Matthew 28.16-20 "Go - Be Disciples"

June 7, 2020 Matthew 28.16-20 “Go – Be Disciples” Pastor Jacqueline Hines

On this the tenth week of our quarantine, this is also Peace with Justice Sunday. It comes with a week of mourning and bewilderment for all that is happening in our country right now. Jesus’ call for us to “be disciples” is a call that is so critical to answer in such a time as this. 

I have to ask. Do you think of yourself as a disciple or do you describe yourself in another way, such as “religious” or “faithful” or “a good member.”

You may have been called a “Chreaster” – one who attends church mostly for Easter and Christmas services, or you might be a “pew warmer.” Today, I want you to think of yourselves as “disciples” because that is who we are at our best. We are followers of Jesus, disciplined in our studies and our behavior because our intention is to be more and more like Jesus.

In the gospel of Matthew chapter 28 Jesus tells the disciples to focus on one thing in particular. You may hear it as I read verses 16-20.

 ¹⁶Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. ¹⁷When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. ¹⁸And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 

 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, ²⁰and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

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Jesus asks us to go and make disciples of all nations. That is easy enough to understand. We want to teach by our good example and invite the whole world to love their neighbors as they love themselves.

 It is easier said than done, though, isn’t it? A wise persons once said, “It ain’t the parts of the Bible that I can’t understand that bother me, it is the parts that I do understand.

Jesus asks us to go and make disciples. 

The founder of Methodism was John Wesley. He was, incidentally, born during slavery and the brutal industrial age when children as young as 3 years old could be found working in factories before child labor laws were established.

Wesley took Jesus’ mandate to be a disciple very seriously. 

 He learned well from his mother Susanna who was an extraordinary disciple. Susanna bore 19 children. Eight of them died as infants. She was known for her many methods that led to good discipline. 

She made sure her children managed their time, their minds, and their behavior. She had a method that worked. Her strong teaching is the root of how we became known as Methodists.

The legacy of studying, especially studying God’s word enabled Wesley to read Greek and Latin at the age of ten and graduate from Oxford at 21.  To this day there are 112 schools, colleges, and universities recognized by the National Association of Schools and Colleges of the United Methodist Church: 88 colleges and universities, 13 seminaries, 11 historically black institutions and several private secondary schools. That is not to mention the hundreds of workshops, seminars, webinars, podcasts, and opportunities to study that we have at our disposal every year.

Wesley was famous for nurturing class meetings, small groups that prayed, worshipped, studied and kept a holy conversation going. The conversations were designed to help disciples stay in the path of holiness. Discussions involved asking how is it with your soul, confessing ones faults and being forgiven, getting back on the right track, getting right with God and making things right with each other.

In order to make disciples, we must be disciples. Take God seriously. Take each other seriously. Exercise our faith by studying, thinking, praying, serving, and before we know it, someone may suspect that we are Christians by the way we talk and the way we act.

On this Peace with Justice Sunday,

 we would all agree that the world is a better place when there are more of us loving our neighbors as we love ourselves. That is exactly the work of a disciple.

Ralph went deep sea fishing as a part of his birthday celebration and family reunion down south. Several of Jesus’ disciples were fishermen so I gleaned Ralph’s insights as to how the work of fishing is the same work it takes to be a good disciple.  First, 

Ralph’s team was a team that loved, trusted, enjoyed, and cared for each other as family. They left in the dark of dawn, traveled by boat to the middle of the ocean, two hours away from the safety of land.  He said, “Above all else, you have to have faith that all will be well when you are out there.” 

 You have to have faith.

Second, they looked to the captain who knew exactly where to stop for the best catch. Jesus is our captain.

Thirdly, like the first century disciples, they endured whatever weather came their way. At one point, the rain poured.

 The boat rocked and reeled with very rough waves, some as high as six feet breaking onto the deck. At least one, wished he had brought Dramamine.  

Fourthly, it was helpful that the surrounding seafarers cooperated. All were gracious and polite enough to leave plenty of room for each other.

 The team was not distracted by hostile neighbors. Their total catch was 300 pounds. Each fish weighed from 30 to 220 pounds! They rotated in teams of three as they wrestled with the heavy weight. The youngest people on the boat, ages 26 and 30, caught the biggest fish. 

God does mighty work through young people.

Finally, after waiting patiently for the fish to be cleaned, they spent four hours together cutting and bagging them, preparing to celebrate then and in the future.

Ralph’s birthday celebration was complete with an old fashioned fish fry dinner that evening. It included birthday cake. He never mentioned how many candles were on the cake, but we can certainly see that the work and the rewards of being a good fisherperson are similar to the work and rewards of being a good disciple.

In order to make good disciples, we must be good disciples. Trusting, caring, and working together are critical. Remembering we have a captain is key. Weathering every storm is a must. Faith and patience is important. Making room for the younger folk is urgent. Working and praying for peace and cooperation is primary.

All this we do in order to celebrate the presence of God working the wonders of God’s love in us and around us. We can celebrate because he rules the world with truth and grace, and makes the nations prove, the glories of his righteousness, and wonders of his love, and wonders of his love. Amen.

I am going to end with the prayer our Bishop Peggy Johnson shared this week as our District began Zoom conversations on race relations:

Gracious God, break our hearts with the things that break your heart.

Lord, heal our land.

Lord, help us find a way forward.

Give us voices where we have been silent.

Give us compassion.

Give us eyes to see our common humanity.

We pray this in Jesus' name.  Amen. (Bishop Peggy Johnson June 2020)

We pray as you taught the disciples.  Our father who art in heaven. Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.  

Benediction – Keep your eye on Jesus and follow him if you want to be a good disciple. Amen.

If you would like to make your contribution to the ministry and mission of Bethel, the website is  Bethelumchurch.com 

Or you can send to 952 Bethel Church Road, Spring City, Pa. 19475. Join us next week as we look at Matthew 9 and the topic “How Does a Garden Grow – Disciples?  God bless you!

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