Written by Paul Lane
The Word
44 Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance for[Some manuscripts and] the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” Luke 24:44-49 (ESV)
16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[Or into] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:16-20 (ESV)
Reflection
As a child in Sunday School, I was taught about the Great Commission. We were to go into all the nations and make disciples. Then we were given a coloring page, implying that our coloring was the filling in of the picture that Jesus left for us to complete. Looking over my life, I cannot say that I have been the greatest at fulfilling this commission. My artwork has quite a few spots that need filling in. But we should spend a moment thinking about what it is Jesus directed us to do. We should remember that to complete this task, there are more things to it than just preaching and passing out tracts.
Let’s start where Jesus started. In Luke 24:44, Jesus starts by qualifying Himself. He said that He has fulfilled the Law and the Prophets. If we are to fulfill this Commission, we must understand who Jesus is. Let no one teach a lesson without knowledge lest they mislead those who follow. So, we should only teach things we know are right and worthwhile.
Paul Harvey was a great radio personality. People could not wait to hear his voice and take in his news reports and stories. He would tell stories about someone who appeared to be an obscure figure in history, and it would turn out to be someone quite famous. Then he would end with, “and now you know the rest of the story,” followed by an advertisement that he would do personally. His ads were so effective because he would only advertise for items he used personally. In this way, Jesus intends us to advertise for the kingdom of God via our own personal testimony.
In verse 45, Luke says that Jesus opened their minds and revealed the scriptures to them. Though Jesus had just spent three years pouring into His disciples, this was a critical finishing step to their preparation to fulfill this Great Commission. It would not be good for them to proceed in their own strength, in their own wisdom, and creating their own message. Jesus was focused on ensuring that his disciples understood the message they were intended to deliver. I find it interesting that the Apostle Paul did not have those three years with Jesus, yet his deep grounding in the Old Testament and his revelation from God allowed him to get it so right. Jesus said that He was the fulfillment of the Old Testament, and Paul and the disciples went about proclaiming and explaining it.
Finally, Jesus wanted to empower His disciples. He authorized them to speak in His name, but that was not enough. They needed to be empowered, for this was a lifelong activity. People needed to know that they were being connected with the living God.
Application
So, we are to go into all the world and make disciples, teaching them all about Jesus. But we are not to do it as disinterested salespeople. We are to be self-invested, we need to be knowledgeable about who Jesus is and what He fulfills, and we need to remain connected with Christ, in His love and in His power.
The message is simple. You can be forgiven of your sins because of the tender mercy of our God. This is a provision that comes through Christ alone and it is acquired through repentance from your sins and through faith in Christ. Though we read the Bible, we study the scriptures, go to conferences and classes, and have fellowship with other believers, it is all in preparation and support of us fulfilling this Great Commission. This is the work of building the Kingdom of God. It is what we do and is what we are called to do. And it is only ever done by God’s grace.
Prayer
Dear Lord,
Thank You for coming into my life, leading me to repentance, and forgiving me of my sins. I confess that I am a sinner and that I have not done as You have asked me to do. I have not loved as You wish, I have not taught as You wish, and I have not been faithful as You wish. I have and do repent of my pride, my hardheartedness, and my love of pleasure over love for Your kingdom. I receive Your grace and forgiveness, and I pray for a clean heart. Lead me in Your way that I might teach sinners to repent and thus save many. In the name of Jesus I pray, amen.
City Life Starter 
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