The Everyday Mission Impossible – Are you willing to accept it?

In all of the versions of the 1966 television classic “Mission Impossible,” there was an important “call” made to those carefully chosen for the “special” mission that often time was important for the filmed hero. It went like this:
“Your mission should you choose to accept it . . .”
Tom Cruise said it.
Peter Graves said it.
And Steven Hill said it.

And invariably, each of these well-known actors committed to the mission, and when they succeeded, it became “Mission Accomplished,” of course with all sorts of thrills and chills along the way.

A bit of a little-known story about the original series is that the original actor chosen to play the lead and accept these incredible missions was not named Steve Hill at all.

He was born Solomon Krakovsky and he was a pious Orthodox Jew. In fact, he was pious that he stopped working on Friday sundown and wouldn’t resume work until after Saturday sundown when the Jewish Sabbath was over. He eventually was replaced because of his pious devotion, and Peter Graves got the job in the 1988 remake.

There was another pious Jew who after his “Dead Reckoning” (from which He rose, by the way) was given a mission “impossible.” He was sent to save the world. He was sent to become our sin so that we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). He didn’t just bear our sin. He became our sin. And He succeeded in His “mission humanly impossible but with God all things are possible.” We have somehow become “the righteousness of God.”

Shortly after his Resurrection Reckoning, He gave His disciples an impossible (but possible with God) mission. It’s found in Matthew 28, and while some say it’s the Great Commission (and it certainly is), it was also meant to be an everyday commission.

Matthew 28:18-20
New International Version

18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 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, 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.”

His disciples were given the commission to not just “exhibit their faith” in the Marketplace or wherever. They were given the commission to spread it! To be disciples who could make other disciples who in turn, would mature enough spiritually to make other disciples.

They were not to just do visible good deeds in the name of Jesus. In fact, they weren’t commissioned to just be “bearers” of the faith. They were commissioned to be spreaders of it.

They were to “make learners” of all, and then baptize them, and then teach them to obey everything He commanded.

And surely one of the things He would have included in that list of commands was this: “Therefore go . . . AND MAKE (ACTUAL) DISCIPLES” who in effect, could be matured into being disciple-makers themselves!

And since He promised to be with them, it would be a mission that might seem impossible (and with many believers, is because they don’t believe that they can do it and hence won’t try)—but a Mission Possible! Because He promised to be with them.

And I might add, with us too.

What about those of us in the Marketplace who are part of this “At Work on Purpose” movement? What if we accepted this mission, from the most orthodox of Jewish boys,
in the Marketplace this year?

What if we all attempted to bring at least one new believer to Christ before the end of 2024? Or better yet, what if we committed to bringing two, or dare I name it, even three people to Jesus this year?

Think about what could happen. If we truly brought them to Christ and then discipled them so they could bring three others to Christ, what would happen in 2025? 2026? Or beyond.

There are ways Jesus made disciples who made disciples who made disciples. And they’re recorded in the Gospel. In 2024, the Smiling Icon blog is going to focus on sharing them on this website.

“Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to make disciples who can make disciples who can make disciples.”
With Him, it is a mission possible. And it’s one I’d like to help us consider.