How the Great Commission is The Most Wonderful Invitation of All

You didn’t choose me, but I’ve chosen you and commissioned you to go into the world and bear fruit. And your fruit will last, because whatever you ask of my Father, for my sake, he will give it to you. So this is my parting command: Love one another deeply!
John 15:16-17 TPT

The voices wafting through Starbucks take me back to my college years. I frequently visited a nearby 24/7 Starbucks to write and grade ENG 101 papers, and nearly every time I’d get pulled into the most intriguing conversations with other late-nighters.

We’d talk of school and hobbies, raise deep questions, and inadvertently come full circle to talk about God. Bringing God into these conversations never felt forced, nor was it divisive or augmentative. It was simply part of the flow of conversation as we engaged our minds and curiosity.

It makes me think of the Great Commission. I wonder if Jesus had casual, real-life conversations in mind when He said to “go into the world.” Jesus was certainly big on relationship-building. He met people right where they were, gave them His kind, tender attention. He made people feel seen, valued, loved.

If hopping on an international flight to hand out tracts in a remote village, quoting memorized Scripture verses to perfect strangers, or knowing the right answer for every potential contention sounds intimidating, I get it. When that’s the picture that comes to mind for living out the Great Commission, it’s easy to feel underqualified, disqualified, or discouraged. The nagging voice of guilt tells us that we should do more. Should be bolder. Should have more faith, more time, more initiative. Should. Should. Should.

But what if Jesus had a different picture in mind? What if He never intended for us to beat ourselves up over bearing fruit?

Maybe missional living is not a should, but a would:

Would you let Me love you, so My love can overflow through you? (John 10:10)

Would you remain in life-union with me so your life will bear fruit? (John 15:4)

Would you love me in return, because love empowers you to obey My commands? (John 14:15)

A picture of missional living

I have to wonder if Jesus called us to a mission that has zero to do with throwing words at people we don’t know yet and probably will never see again.

Maybe the Great Commission is about going places near home as well as loving people on the other of the globe. Maybe it looks like opening up our home and heart to our neighbors. Joining conversations in local places. Bringing God up as we converse with our friends because we can’t separate our stories from His.

Maybe it’s about getting to know the people we see often. Dropping our guard, dropping our walls, and being real about how God is still working on things inside us. Maybe it’s sharing with a neighbor the things we’re praying for, how God’s growing our faith, how He’s teaching us to surrender, to let others help us, to own our pride and fear and mistakes.

Maybe the Great Commission is spelled with just four letters: l-o-v-e. Being loved by God and letting that love overflow everywhere we go.

Maybe it’s meant to be effortless.

God chooses you

You didn’t choose me, but I’ve chosen you and commissioned you to go into the world and bear fruit.
v. 16

What comes to mind when you think of God choosing you?

Sometimes I wonder if He knew what He was doing when He chose me. Did He really know all of the ways I’d mess up, all the times I’d hesitate, all the resolutions I’d break?

Did He know the ways I was unworthy of His gracious and extravagant love?

Did He know how I’d stumble over my words, speak in haste or not at all?

Did He know how I’d let busyness, pride, and fear deprioritize His mission?

Maybe you’ve asked these questions too. Doubted yourself. Doubted God really knew what He was getting into when He chose you.

According to the footnote on the word chosen (v. 16), the Aramaic could be translated “I have invited you” (The Passion Translation). This invitation, the footnote specifies, could be equated to a dinner party invitation.

Friend, God didn’t choose you because He had to. He chose you because He wanted to. He wants to spend time with you. He longs for you to know Him intimately.

You’re an honored guest at His table, and He gives you permission to invite others to join you at the table. It’s like a Facebook invitation that you can re-share with all your friends. There’s unlimited room. Unlimited nourishment. Unlimited love.

I don’t know about you, but this changes the way I see the Great Commission. It feels less heavy and more like a party you want everyone you know to be at.

Weighty words

The last word often carries the most weight, and Jesus’s concluding instruction in this passage is certainly compelling: “Love one another deeply!” (v. 17).

Love takes us to places—near and far—where others have yet to experience the way Jesus loves them. It compels us to love others outrageously. Love refines us so we can purely mirror the deep, deep love of God for each and everyone around us.

The Great Commission is a commissioning to love deeply. It’s as beautiful and un-complicated as that.

Our mission

As we close today, I invite you to read the words of The Uncommon Normal manifesto aloud. This is our mission, friends. This is the direction we’re leaning into. (If you’d like a printable of the manifesto, you can grab it here in the resource library.)

The Uncommon Normal Manifesto

We posture our hearts like an open door, welcoming our neighbors into our hearts, homes, and lives.

We let the things God is doing in our own lives ripple out beyond us.

We cultivate lives worth imitating through a rhythm of spending time daily with God.

We live from the overflow of grateful hearts.

We don’t push our words ahead of our actions.

We are humble, honest, and interruptible.

We take notice of those around us.

We create margin in our schedules for doing life with our neighbors.

We know the direction is more important than the pace, so we keep taking baby steps even when we feel imperfectly ready.

We are nurturing, one rhythm at a time, an uncommon normal.

Just a friend over here in your corner,

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Change your actual life in less than 5 minutes per day!

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