Tuesday 3:00 pm- 6:00 pm
Wednesday 9:00 am - Noon

With November comes the beginning of a new church year. Each church year, we focus on a particular gospel. This year, we will focus on the gospel of Matthew. This gospel is commonly referred to as “the church's gospel” as Matthew is the only gospel to use the term “church” and to be particularly interested in church discipline. Each gospel (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) have different themes that they highlight including different pieces of Jesus' life as each gospel was written for a different congregation. For example, as a pastor I would not preach the same sermon to Holy Trinity as I would to the congregation I was raised in back in Wisconsin because each of you have different needs and concerns. In the same matter, Matthew focuses on different stories and teachings of Jesus because his congregation had different needs and concerns. Matthew focuses more than the other gospels on shaping and challenging disciples to active discipleship.

Since discipleship is a primary focus within Matthew's pages, Matthew assumes that his congregation (and us) already know the story of Jesus. Rather than presenting the “gospel message” as Mark does, Matthew assumes it, builds on it, and explains it to move people into deeper faith. Matthew is communicating the significance of Jesus, his words, and his actions in order to encourage and challenge disciples. Matthew's theme of discipleship means that we can read Matthew backwards. I don't mean that on a Sunday morning we start with the last word of the gospel lesson and continue to the first word. This would be humorous and utterly challenging to your pastor however also completely confusing. Rather, we can engage Matthew as readers and listeners through Jesus' last words to his disciples in Matthew 28:16-20.

Matthew 28:16-20: Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

In these final words, Jesus calls his followers to discipleship and disciples making. In these last moments with his disciples, Jesus reminds them what he had been about on this earth. Jesus' mission was to bring about the kingdom of God or God's rule. Now Jesus does bring about God's kingdom through some unique means by dying on a cross and three days later being resurrected. Jesus also brought about the kingdom of God through some fairly ordinary methods such as healing and teaching and eating with people and praying. Here at the end of the gospel of Matthew, Jesus gives his disciples (and us) this mission of bring about the kingdom of God. This mission is done through many ordinary methods such as teaching and equipping and mentoring and baptizing and telling others about Jesus. The church is how Jesus choose to continue his kingdom mission making for Matthew's congregation and our own congregation the primary goal of making disciples. God's eyes are fixed on the world. God is on a mission and that mission is happening through us! This is one of the reasons Matthew is so concerned about telling his congregation all that Jesus had to say about being a disciple and making disciples. He wanted them and us to know – to be prepared – to be set for this mission of the kingdom. Yes, it sounds like a lot of hard work. Remember that we are in no means the leader or even the organizer of this kingdom mission. God is! God's eyes are fixed on the world. God is already out there in the world working in our businesses, schools, streets, communities, and homes.

The gospel of Matthew calls disciples to be disciples: active workers for the kingdom of God, proclaiming its message, not only of forgiveness of sins and eternal life, but also of God's salvation and restoration. With this great task ahead of us, let us pray to remain focused on our primary goal, to open our ears to hear the new things God is callings us to do, and to have the courage to follow God every single day, every place we go, in everything we do. May Jesus teach us and encourage us through the gospel of Matthew to be disciples that we may teach and encourage others in following Jesus Christ.