Many things today are designed to be so easy. So easy, we might even call them convenient.
Picking up a fast food meal in the drive through is convenient. But what happens when you have 5 fast food meals every week for 15 years?
Grabbing a bottle of energy boost because you don’t have time to eat a nice meal is convenient. But how safe is that?
Putting off doing dishes after an evening meal is convenient. Any volunteers to clean up the mess and make breakfast in the morning?
Sliced bread in a plastic bag is convenient. Fresh baked bread out of the oven is inconvenient. But we don’t call fresh bread inconvenient, we call it awesome!
We live in the age of convenience and that love for convenience might be why we as Christians and collectively as churches are struggling. Jesus said, “Go and make disciples.” Making disciples is not easy. It is hard to do. So hard, we might even call it inconvenient. You cannot be a disciple by gracing a good church with your presence when it is convenient. You cannot make a disciple when you wait and never find a convenient opportunity to invite your neighbor to church. You cannot make a disciple by never sharing a gospel tract with somebody you encounter at the convenience store. You cannot make a disciple by conveniently avoiding Bible study and that chance to engage your friend with the word of God. You cannot make a disciple by conveniently avoiding widows and orphans and other people who are struggling in this world.
Faithfully coming to church every Sunday is inconvenient. Making a special trip to invite your neighbor to church is inconvenient. Sharing gospel tracts is inconvenient. Going to Bible study and bringing along a friend is inconvenient. Reaching out to widows, orphans, and those in need is inconvenient. But that is ok. God did not call us to live a life of convenience. Jesus called us to make disciples.
Making disciples is inconvenient. It is probably more inconvenient than that loaf of bread, baked fresh and hot out of the oven. Once again, that which is inconvenient is really rather awesome!
“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen!” Matthew 28:18-20