Focus 2020 – The Great Commission: Perspectives from LeadersSample

Transformed by a Conversation 

Bible passage:  

This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name’” (Matthew 6:9). 

Devotional:  

Nothing He seemed to be saying made sense to them. He was challenging everything they had ever known to be true. Jesus sat on the hillside seemingly changing all the rules that had guided their life and society. 

Over and over Jesus spoke this phrase, “You have heard that it was said.” It was a favored introductory expression that was followed by an earthshaking announcement; a pronouncement that indicated a new reality. 

Multiple subjects were covered, and now His attention turned to prayer. In a few simple words, he forever remodels His followers understanding of prayer. No more repetition or empty phrases. Nor was the focus to be on making God aware of our needs—because He already knows what we need before we pray. 

No, prayer is to be about a relationship. It is about expressing, experiencing, and deepening that relationship; “Our Father.” It is to be about growing in our understanding of who He is; “who art in heaven.” 

In 52 short words, Jesus changes prayer from useless babblings to a relational conversation with our Father. A refreshing revolution that makes prayer a meaningful conversation that literally transforms who we are as we experience the presence of the Almighty God as we speak to Him. 

As we transcend time and, in our mind’s eye, sit at Jesus’ feet on the grassy mountainside, His teaching amazes us—even astonishes us. We, who are otherwise individuals of no real account, find ourselves as being viewed by the God and Creator of the universe as one of His children. We get to start a conversation with Him by addressing Him as our Father. Repeating those words causes us to get momentarily sidetracked as we contemplate the fact that “I am a child of the King.” 

But the amazement doesn’t end there. Jesus’ exemplary prayer also reveals that our royal blood flows from no ordinary King. Our Father dwells in heaven. It’s too much! We must pause again in our prayer to soak in who we are speaking with. Jesus is providing for us a truly transformational prayer. 

Our task as missionaries is no less transformative. We enter a country, a region, a village, a home, or even into the life of a single individual with the Good News. With this message we challenge everything they hold true about the spiritual life and declare to them a new spiritual reality in Christ. That is the essence of the Great Commission. It is the task we received from Jesus. 

Quote: Our message should be no less transformational than the Good News that Jesus shared with us. 

Question: Jesus modeled a transformational ministry. Are we following His example? 

Dan Schafer 

President, World Gospel Mission