The Great Commission—foundational to our Christian walk.
But what does it have to do with homeschooling? And now for a strange question–What does that all have to do with Frodo Baggins?
Let me explain. We live in scary times with much uncertainty and evil seems to be increasing at a rapid rate. We live in dark days! That’s more true than ever during this Coronavirus crisis and looming economic downturn.
In the movie and book “Fellowship of the Ring,” there is a scene where Gandalf and Frodo are talking about the scary circumstances they are experiencing as they sit in the dark in the mines of Moria.
“I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo.
”So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”
We also have to decide what to do with the time that has been given us. We are here for a purpose and we are homeschooling for a purpose.
Like Esther, we homeschool for such a time as this.
So what is your destiny? The destiny of your children? We are meant to do something bigger than ourselves. Even bigger than the day to day important job of homeschooling our children.
That purpose is the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:18–20:
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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.”
In the Great Commission, there are three nuggets of truth that we can glean from this passage. There is God’s role, our role, and God’s promise.
1) God’s Role
Jesus has been given all authority in heaven and earth. He is the Word. The Word Become Flesh. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and HE has a glorious Kingdom!
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. John 1: 1-4
Jesus came to be a suffering servant. He came to serve, heal the sick, and He humbled himself to the point of death.
“Who, being in very nature[a] God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature[b] of a servant, being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:6-11
2) Our Role
We are to take action, to go. To get out of our comfort zones. Our role is to be followers and to make followers, to train Christ disciples. We are to spread the Good News of the Kingdom.
As Jesus told Peter, “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
This is a process of multiplication. One that we have the privilege and honor of doing so in our own homes first and foremost. This requires relationship. It takes training, mentorship, study, and teaching.
And our primary role as homeschoolers is to disciple our children.
But we need a community. We can’t be lone rangers. That is when the enemy attacks! That’s why a group like HOME is so important!
We are also to exhibit commitment.
In the time of Christ, baptism was a radical decision. In the Middle East today, proclaiming yourself as a Christian can be a literal death sentence. That’s the kind of commitment I’m talking about!
We need the triune God. We need our Father to guide us, the Son who sacrificed all for us, and the Holy Spirit who guides us as a wise counselor.
So what primary lesson are we to teach to the disciples we are making?
To observe al things that Jesus commanded His original disciples.
What is that? Well, it can be summed up perfectly in the Greatest Commandment.
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40
But how can we do that?
We need to fall in love with God over and over again. We need to practice this love.
But what does this mean and what does it look like?
It means spending time in the Word getting to know Him and doing that as a family. It means worshipping Him together and to study in community.
It means living the Great Commandment out deadly with the people around you. And it requires making a commitment, never looking back.
It means not being like Lot’s wife, who looked back and became a pillar of salt. God detests lukewarmness.
“So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” Revelation 3:16
This is a journey of faith. We have to depend on God. In the process, our characters will be refined like refining fire. We will be a diamond as we live out our purpose in life and make an impact on the world around us.
What is your main reason for becoming a homeschooler? For us, the primary reason we homeschool is to disciple our son, Sam. This is serving a need, it is loving others (our son) as we love ourselves. Because the biggest need that Sam has is to know the Savior and Lord of the universe in a personal and deep way.
Because the greatest need of humanity is to know Jesus as Lord and Savior, to know the King. Our highest calling is to share that with our families and others that God sends us to.
And through this process, our children have the opportunity to become leaders. They will stand out in this dark world. We can have an impact on the world through our homeschooling.
So are you ready? Here’s your chance to do this together in community! We can learn and grow together, disciple our children, and encourage one another.
And we can equip our children to be passionate about the Great Commission as well. To give them a sense of purpose so they will pass it on to their children.
That is what we’re meant to do in such a time as this.
3) Jesus ended the Great Commission with a promise
Jesus promised that He would be with us always, even to the end of the age.
So that brings up the question–are we in the end times?
Maybe, but in my mind, that doesn’t matter.
Think back to Frodo. It’s not for us to choose the time we live in but instead to decide what to do with the time we have been given.
We can decide to be a part of God’s plan to redeem the world, almost like a covert agent. How exciting!
At the end of the Great Commission, Jesus gives us comfort. He promised to be with us. And that’s why we need to remember it’s not about us, it’s about Him!
My hope is that this encourages you and excites you, to spur you on to love and good deeds… Hebrews 10:24
What will the end result be?
“Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.” Daniel 12:3
