November 30th

The Great Commission

                Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them.  When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.  And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Matthew 28:16-20

             This is an insane call.  The men standing in front of Jesus are not academics.  They are not wealthy.  They are not famous.  They are just regular people who decided to follow Jesus whatever He called them into.

            What He calls them into is beyond anything that they could imagine.  They are to go to every nation of the world.  They are to preach and teach and heal the sick.  They are to begin the community of believers that will become the world-wide church.  There is nothing on their resumes that gives any indication that they can do any of these things.

            They are to go to the ends of the earth, but no one in that day travelled too far from home for too long.  They were to be teachers and miracle workers.  All that they knew was that Jesus had told them.  They did not have power to heal on their own.  They depended completely on the power of God.  They didn’t know anything about church administration or theological debating techniques or cross-cultural evangelism.  What possible hope do they have to do any of this?

            The answer is in Jesus’ final sentence: “I am with you always.”  That is their only hope.  Jesus will give them the words.  Jesus will provide the opportunities.  Jesus will provide what they need.  The only way that they can do this is to have the Almighty by their side.  Anything else would be a fool’s errand.

            We find ourselves in the same situation as special needs parents.  We are called to be educators and dieticians and doctors and physical therapists and pharmacists and entertainers and career planners and drivers and tutors and cooks and psychiatrists and counselors and repairmen and anything else that is needed for that day.  Nothing on my resume says that I can handle all of that.  My only hope is, “I am with you always.”  Jesus will provide the wisdom.  Jesus will provide the hope.  Jesus will provide the opportunities.  Jesus will provide the resources that we need to be the parents that our children need.  Anything else would be a fool’s errand.

            You can do this because you walk with the Almighty on your side.  Listen to His voice.  Watch for His hand.  Lean into the rest that He provides.  It is a great commission that we have been given and only Jesus can help us see it through.

A moment to reflect:

Remind yourself through the day that Jesus is with you and try living today in that reality.