Matthew 28:16-20
It is important to understand the many things that happened
between the resurrection of our Lord and the Great Commission. If we look at Dr. Luke’s gospel, he shares
about Jesus appearing to two disciples on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24:15 and
to Peter in Luke 24:34. John tells us Jesus
met with ten of the disciples the very evening of His resurrection in John
20:19, and then eight days later He appeared to all eleven of these men in John
20:26. Many believe the account of Paul
in 1 Corinthians 15:6 where Jesus not only spoke to the eleven but to over 500
brothers at one time, this was when He gave the Great Commission. It seemed Jesus spoke directly to the eleven,
but we were all included. (Much of my thoughts were taken from footnote #59 on
page 1338 of Life Essentials Study Bible.)
As you look at these four verses of Scripture we call the Great
Commission, do not look past the obedience of these eleven men, they went to where
Jesus had directed them. Now this writer
has no problem believing that 500 plus were at this gathering, for I have no
doubt that Mary and the others who had seen Jesus shared the event with
everyone they saw! I would have and
believe you would have done the same. I
also believe that some doubted at this point in time, not the eleven but some
who were in the crowd of 500 plus. Why
should that surprise us, many each Sunday come to church and do not come with
an expectation of Jesus meeting their needs?
For some, it may be like the Lion’s Club, something you have joined and
pay dues to, to others, it’s just traditions, but to the many it’s a place to
sing praises to and worship the living Christ.
My prayer for all of the above is that the Spirit of the Lord
would open your eyes and mind to this very clear command from our Lord; “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, teaching
them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you
always, to the end of the age.” Jesus has authority both in heaven and earth,
that’s a starting point, or just return to Genesis 1:1a, “In the Beginning God” or look to
the Gospel of John 1:1-5, “In
the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He
was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without
him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the
light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not
overcome it.”
So
as we go make disciples in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Spirit, we want to be diligent to train them to observe all that Jesus has
commanded us. Could it be that many of
us never go under the authority of Christ, and could it be that our lives are
not in keeping with our words and actions?
Jesus keeps His promises, and He has many promises; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Maybe we need to once more
grasp the truth of Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who
live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live
by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
From
the Back Porch,
Bob
Rice
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