Wisdom for FriendshipsSample

Serving Others Beyond the Church

Yesterday we talked about the impact that friendships can have on the people we interact with most regularly—friends and family, coworkers or fellow students, and people who attend our local church.

But the influence of a group of friends can go much, much further.

After Jesus’ death and resurrection, and just before He returned to heaven, He gave His disciples the following instructions:

“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.” Matthew 28:19-20 NIV

This was Jesus’ Great Commission—His parting words to His disciples. They’re of special significance, not just to His disciples, but to every follower of Jesus. Jesus instructed us to make disciples of all nations.

But what is that supposed to look like? Is every Jesus follower supposed to drop what they’re doing and fly halfway around the world so they can teach people they’ve never met about who Jesus is?

Chances are that’s not where God is asking you to start—because one of the best places you can begin making disciples of all nations is in your very own community. And one of the best ways to approach this commission is by finding ways to meet the needs of people near you.

Think about it. Jesus was born in Israel and spent the majority of His life there. He did teach the people around Him, but people were primarily drawn to Him because of the way He served them—relating to them, healing them, providing for them, and loving them.

Jesus identified the top two commandments as loving God and loving others. When we step outside of our normal day-to-day life and serve the people in our community by loving them the way Jesus would—maybe by volunteering at a food bank, tutoring English language learners, or fostering kids—we’re participating in the Great Commission.

And the best part is, we don’t have to serve our community on our own! This is just one more reason why friendships are so important. When we serve our community with friends, our impact is multiplied, and we have the support we need to sustain us through the ups and downs of ministering to other people.

Pray: God, is there a way my friends and I can serve our community and make disciples? Would you put a passion in my heart for a specific way of reaching people, and help me follow through on doing something about it? Thank You. In Jesus’ name, amen.