5.2 Therefore Go!
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
Matthew 28:18-20, NIV
One Sunday after I got home from church, I thought about the many commissions that Jesus gives His disciples in the Gospels. I especially thought about Matthew 28:18-20: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples . . . baptizing them. . . teaching them.”
As I thought about those commissions that Jesus gave to His disciples (and to us through them), I was struck by the thought “What if it all depended on me?” I do not mean depending on me apart from God. I mean what if I were the only Christian someone knows. How many people have I personally told of the love of Jesus Christ? With how many people have I shared the message of repentance and forgiveness? How many people know of God’s love and goodness, because of my words and/or actions? How many people have come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior because I told them about Him?
The disciples took the commission serious! They took the commission of Jesus to heart and understood that the responsibility of its fulfillment rested on their shoulders! They did not say “If I don’t someone else will.” They knew that if they did not do it, it wouldn’t get done. There was no Plan B. We must carry the same sense of urgency and personal responsibility.
Our urgency must move us to slow down and relate to our neighbor through a conversation or a meal. We should be intentional about befriending the parents of our child’s classmates. It is our responsibility to love and to be kind to our prodigals. Every day we interact with people – in person, on the phone, and in the checkout line at the grocery store—who so desperately need the opportunity to hear of the love of their heavenly Father. Kind words, acts of service, prayer for their spoken needs are all seeds well sown.
Prayer: Father, help me to slow down and see the fertile soil. Open my eyes to your lost sons and daughters who so desperately need to know your loving kindness. Soften my heart to move toward my neighbor. Compel me to sacrifice my comforts so that I will see my family, friends, and neighbors saved and discipled.
Commitment: I will be more aware of those around me who depend on me to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ, and I will respond by looking, listening, loving, and leading.
Matthew 28:18-20, NIV
One Sunday after I got home from church, I thought about the many commissions that Jesus gives His disciples in the Gospels. I especially thought about Matthew 28:18-20: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples . . . baptizing them. . . teaching them.”
As I thought about those commissions that Jesus gave to His disciples (and to us through them), I was struck by the thought “What if it all depended on me?” I do not mean depending on me apart from God. I mean what if I were the only Christian someone knows. How many people have I personally told of the love of Jesus Christ? With how many people have I shared the message of repentance and forgiveness? How many people know of God’s love and goodness, because of my words and/or actions? How many people have come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior because I told them about Him?
The disciples took the commission serious! They took the commission of Jesus to heart and understood that the responsibility of its fulfillment rested on their shoulders! They did not say “If I don’t someone else will.” They knew that if they did not do it, it wouldn’t get done. There was no Plan B. We must carry the same sense of urgency and personal responsibility.
Our urgency must move us to slow down and relate to our neighbor through a conversation or a meal. We should be intentional about befriending the parents of our child’s classmates. It is our responsibility to love and to be kind to our prodigals. Every day we interact with people – in person, on the phone, and in the checkout line at the grocery store—who so desperately need the opportunity to hear of the love of their heavenly Father. Kind words, acts of service, prayer for their spoken needs are all seeds well sown.
Prayer: Father, help me to slow down and see the fertile soil. Open my eyes to your lost sons and daughters who so desperately need to know your loving kindness. Soften my heart to move toward my neighbor. Compel me to sacrifice my comforts so that I will see my family, friends, and neighbors saved and discipled.
Commitment: I will be more aware of those around me who depend on me to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ, and I will respond by looking, listening, loving, and leading.
Posted in V1K Devotional
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2022
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1.1 Keep the Unity of the Spirit1.2 God Declares Spiritual Seasons and Assignments1.3 Walk With One Another in Love and Humility1.4 We are God’s Masterpiece1.5 Confidence to Talk with God2.1 Jesus Proclaimed Good News and Healed Every Disease2.2 We are Called to Serve in Oneness of Spirit2.3 Live a Life Worthy of Your Calling2.4 Obedience Influences Success in Seasons and Assignments
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