Today’s Podcast
Today’s Bible reading plan:
Read it in a year – Philippians 3-4
see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)
Today’s Devotional
Matthew 28:18-20
Jesus: I am here speaking with all the authority of God, who has commanded Me to give you this commission: Go out and make disciples in all the nations. Ceremonially wash them through baptism in the name of the triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then disciple them. Form them in the practices and postures that I have taught you, and show them how to follow the commands I have laid down for you. And I will be with you, day after day, to the end of the age.
What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?
Gathered on the hilltop surrounding Jesus on this last day He would appear to them, His disciples watched and listened to Him for some departing words of comfort and direction. For forty days after His death, Jesus popped in and out of their lives at unexpected times and places to give them instructions and reassurance that He really was alive and would always be alive. Death could not hold Him even though it tried its best.
But now it was time for Him to leave. Unusually clouds were building in the sky. Maybe they were like those the Israelites saw surrounding Mt Sinai when God gave the tables to Moses. Maybe they were like the clouds from which the voice spoke at Jesus’ baptism. Whatever they were like, those gathered there knew something was about to happen.
They looked to their Master and listened to Him give one more command, a commission for those on the hillside and for all who would call themselves His follower: “Go out and make disciples… .” It’s a simple command. Easy to decipher. It’s not difficult to understand. There’s no hidden message in there. It’s very straight forward so there will be no misunderstanding between Jesus and all those who will come after those gathered that day. Go out and make disciples. So let’s look at those simple words and see what we should do.
Go. That means don’t stay put. You can’t do what Jesus told us to do by standing still. You have to get up off your good intentions and move. Go has both transitive and intransitive verb meanings. The two most apropos for this command are: to move on a course; and, to proceed without delay. He gave those assembled a course to follow and He intended they carry out His directions beginning immediately. He commands us to do the same.
Out. I’m glad He added that word. I think Jesus knew if He didn’t stick that word in there, we might get stuck inside the four walls of our nice edifices for worship and forget the majority of the people that need the message are outside those walls. We must get out into the world and share the message of the good news if we fulfill His command. So first we move on a course and that course takes us outside the walls of the buildings where we worship.
And. So know we’re out in the world. We didn’t stay stuck inside our churches and temples and synagogues, but we’re not through. Too often, we who call ourselves Christian stop right there. We go out, but that’s as much of Jesus’ commission as we’re willing to do. We don’t want to offend anyone. We don’t want anyone to think we’re intolerant of others religion. We don’t want anyone to think we’re prudish or holier than thou. So we go out but we forget the “and” and everything that comes after it.
Make. Again, two of the many definitions in the Merriam-Webster unabridged dictionary fit best: to cause to exist, occur, or appear; and, to develop into. Both require change. The first implies creating something new and for Christians we understand this well in the experience of being born again by the power of God’s Spirit in us. The second implies growth as we become more like Him through transforming our thoughts and actions to mirror His.
Disciples. A disciple is one who accepts and assists in spreading the doctrines of another. In Jesus’ day, all the good rabbis had disciples. John had disciples. Gamaliel had disciples. Good rabbis had disciples. And disciples worked hard to become just like their teacher. They studied everything they did. How they ate, dressed, studied, worked, interpreted scriptures and other literature. Disciples worked hard to be like their teacher. To be like their rabbi was the greatest mark of excellence and form of flattery for these renowned educators of the faith. So to be a disciple of Jesus means to be like Him in thought, word, and deed.
There it is. Our simple, clear directive from the King of kings on the day His feet last touched the earth. We don’t know when He will come back, but when He does, He will undoubtedly ask us an important question as His followers. “How did you do? You say you are My followers, My disciples. So how did you do? I told you to go out and make disciples, so show Me what you’ve done.”
Are you ready for Him to see your results?
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