FOR ONLY THE SAKE
OF CHRIST
There is no better a task than the call of Christ.
No better a commander than the LORD.
So, why, then, do we often find ourselves abiding by the lordship of another?
We enter our homes abiding by the narratives under which we have been nurtured. We enter our workplaces abiding by the expectations of our employer. We enter our neighborhoods abiding by the notions of what others say are the best places to go and gather. And we enter the nations abiding by boundary lines drawn by the brutality of conflicts among men.
Where, then, does this lower lordship lead? Where does it lead us? And where does it lead others?
In our homes, we are led into conflict and holding fast to our own way—a stubbornness of heart and self-righteous spirit, emboldened by our upbringing.
In our workplaces, we are led into the fires of people-pleasing, self-condemning, always earning, burnout—we have joy-less positions and lack any kind of peace.
In our neighborhoods, we are led to build connections founded on the unstable ground of convenience and covetousness—our ears are tickled and our minds are numb, our hands are busy holding the greed that our hearts cannot outrun.
In the nations, we are led to side with the victor, overlook the oppressed, make amends for massacres and await the permission of governing powers—a posture that completely hampers our ability to be ambassadors of reconciliation.
As we, believers in Christ, follow lesser lords—in our homes, workplaces, neighborhoods and nations—we lead others toward a life of power-grabbing, self-preservation and building up of their own kingdoms, while still living burdened by the weight of unattainable salvation.
We abandon our post and abandon our call every moment that we enter our homes, workplaces, neighborhoods or nations pledging our allegiance to another lord.
In Matthew 28 verses 18 to 20,
“Jesus came near and said to them, ‘All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. 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 everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’”
Notice the words in verse 20 carefully— ‘teaching them to observe,’ ‘everything,’ ‘I have commanded you.’
The Greek word, tēreō, translated here as ‘observe,’ is translated in other areas of scripture as keep (57x), reserve (8x), observe (4x), watch (2x), preserve (2x), and hold fast (1x).
One who is taught to observe in this way is taught such that they esteemed that which is observed above all else—this is a fixated observation that parallels what is communicated by Hebrews 12:2 [looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith].
Then we find the word ‘everything’, which is to mean all and every little thing. This is because the call of Christ speaks to every facet of our lives and commands all and every little thing to submit to Christ’s Lordship.
Finally, the words ‘I have commanded you,’ are communicated in the present perfect tenses—it is as though Jesus is saying teach them to do as you as I have said you are to do.
This final command is simply a return to His first command—do what I say. It is a return to the established order of Genesis—Creation under the command of Christ.
This is why we live out Christ’s commission, for from the beginning, the command of God established life—therefore, there is no other way to live than according to His command.