Graeme Schache
Matthew 28:19-20 New International Version
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
These are the last words Jesus shared with his disciples before He physically left the earth 2000 years ago. The impact of what he shared with them is still being felt today. Celebrating the Gospel is the first tenet of our College mission statement and it encapsulates what is called the ‘Great Commission’ that Jesus gave his first followers – Go and make disciples of all nations. Tell the whole world about me!
St Andrews is committed to continuing this ‘Commission’ or task of making disciples. A disciple is someone who follows something or someone and we believe that the best thing or person to be following is Jesus. Being a follower of Jesus is what Christianity is all about. It involves connecting with Him through reading the Bible, sharing our joys and challenges with Him in prayer and worshiping Him with others in all sorts of settings. This may seem onerous and demanding but the gifts we receive from Jesus are the very things that make life worth living. As we follow Jesus, we receive forgiveness, we receive love, we receive freedom, we receive encouragement, we receive correction and direction, and we receive strength of spirit. ‘Making Disciples’ actually involves sharing these gifts with everyone around us. It is why St Andrews is such a healthy, positive place to be because all the gifts God blesses us with are given to us by Him to share with others! Unfortunately, none of us follow Jesus perfectly and so there are still constant hiccups in our lives but as we follow Him, He continues to work things for good. Our lives are an adventure of connecting with Him, receiving from Him again and again, and sharing the spiritual and material gifts He provides with others. This is the life worth living – a life of giving and receiving!
