Ok . . . so who am I to challenge that the “Great Commission” is Jesus’ charge to His disciples to “Go therefore and make disciples?” (Matt. 28:19). They are the last words of Jesus recorded in by Matthew . . . they have become the rallying cry of the church for centuries if not for millennia . . . but, as I wrap up my reading in John’s gospel, can I nominate another “great commission” for the runner up slot?

As I read John 21 this morning, and in particular reflect again on Jesus’ one-on-one conversation with Peter, it occurs to me that after 3 years together . . . 3 years that must have felt like a lifetime to Peter . . . that after 3 years, a death, and a resurrection together, Jesus final words to Peter sound a lot like His first words to the disciple He nicknamed Cephas, “the rock” . . .

“And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ (Matt. 4:18-19) . . . This He [Jesus] spoke, signifying by what death he [Peter] would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, ‘Follow Me.’ . . . Peter, seeing him [John], said to Jesus, ‘But Lord, what about this man?’ Jesus said to him, ‘If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.’ ” (John 21:19-22)

After witnessing healings . . . after seeing demons cast out . . . after hearing teachings which burned within his heart . . . after grasping the increasing revelation that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God . . . after fighting for Him . . . after denying Him three times . . . after seeing Him die . . . after eating breakfast with Him that morning as Jesus sat before him in His resurrected body . . . after having the chance to affirm his love for Him three times . . . it came down to two words . . . “Follow me.”

John says that the reason he wrote His gospel was so that I might believe . . . and that believing I would have life in His name (John 20:31). He writes that there were many other things he could have recorded . . . so much stuff to tell that “even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written” (John 21:25). So I think it’s worth noting that the Spirit led John to conclude His account of the good news with this interaction between the risen Savior and the single disciple . . . to conclude it with this last great commission . . . “Follow me.”

It’s kind of a “command to obey” for all seasons, isn’t it? Times are going well? . . . Follow Me. You’re going through the ringer? . . . Follow Me. You got tons of dough? . . . Follow Me. You don’t know where your daily bread’s gonna come from? . . . Follow Me. You’re going to a foreign land in full-time service? . . . Follow Me. You’re going to work? . . . Follow Me. You’re preaching to hundreds? . . . Follow Me. I’ve given you a family to lead to salvation’s door? . . . Follow Me. You feel like following Me? . . . Follow Me. You don’t feel like following Me? . . . Follow Me, still!

The Greek tense is imperative, present, and active . . . Just do it! . . . Get ‘er done! . . . Follow me!

“Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,” says the LORD of hosts (Zech. 4:6) . . . that’s how I can follow Him at all times. My feeble faith and willingness . . . His all surpassing grace and power.

So, if it isn’t “THE GREAT COMMISSION” . . . I certainly think it is A GREAT COMMISSION.

For His glory . . . amen!