Why make disciples?

And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20 NASB)

For three years it was all about Jesus.  The disciples walked with Him, listened to His teachings, saw His miraculous signs, and eventually believed that He was the Messiah.  But now He was about to ascend back to His rightful place - at the right hand of the Father.  And He leaves them with a command - go and make disciples of all nations.  Not just their neighbors, or their fellow Jews, but of all nations.  After seeing what Jesus went through - the persecution, the ridicule, and the crucifixion, now they are being commanded to finish the work that He had started.  I don't know about you, but I would be terrified.  And I'm sure, initially, the disciples were terrified, if not for the two statements that "sandwiched" the command to make disciples.

First, Jesus said "all authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth".  Now that He had accomplished what He was sent to do Jesus was going back to who He actually was, and still is...the King of heaven and earth.  It was this King who was commanding His disciples to accomplish a task that seemed humanly impossible.  And all they were expected to do was obey.

This is the same King who commands us today to make disciples.  All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him.  Do we recognize this authority?  Do we realize who is asking us to go and make disciples?  It is the King Himself, our King, the One who died and rose again for our sins, and now lives and reigns forever!

Will we obey our King's command to make disciples?  Will we go wherever He wants us to go?  Will we disciple whom He sends us?  Will we begin with our family, our friends, officemates, classmates?

Next, Jesus ends by saying "I am with you always, even to the end of the age".  Isn't that assuring?  There is nothing more assuring than God telling us that as we obey His command for us to make disciples He will be with us forever.

God does not leave us on our own.  Yes, making disciples is a command.  But He promises that He will be with us, to strengthen us, to give us the wisdom and guidance we need.

All He waits for is our obedience.

Are we making disciples?  Do we realize who is commanding us to do this?  And do we realize the assurance He is giving us that He will be with us until the end of the age as we obey His command to make disciples?