Today’s Reading: Matt 28:16-20
Optional readings: Mark Ch 16:15-20, Luke 24:50-53, John 20:30-21:25
Appearances, Ascension, Ministry Continuation
It’s been said before, but it bears repeating…
This is good news. And this changes everything.
This happened historically. That’s another writing for another time, but let Paul’s report give some credibility to the event:
“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance:
that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
that he was buried,
that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve.
After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.”
1 Cor 15:3-8
There is significant historical evidence of the resurrection. There is even more evidence of the Holy Spirit at work in believers’ lives today.
He not only gave us salvation; He gave us a new life with a new identity and a new purpose. And He equips us with the Holy Spirit to live it out.
“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.” (vs 19-20)
If my loved ones were being bitten by lethal snakes, and I had an unending supply of antivenom, wouldn’t I give it to them?
The mortality rate for humans is 100%.
100% of humanity will go on to face Judgment, and 100% of us are deserving of death.
It is only through this gospel of Jesus Christ– Him coming to earth, dying, raising again, and now ruling at the right hand of the Father– that can save us and transform us.
Why would we not tell everyone we could?!
Note, though, that He doesn’t ask us to make converts. He asks us to make disciples.
So we tell people the good news, but then we help them understand all the implications.
There is nothing in this life more important than this.
It’s been said that you can’t take anything to heaven with you.
It’s true that no thing will cross into eternity with us, but…
By God’s grace, we can take people to heaven with us.
I cannot wait to be with the Lord in heaven, but His will is for me to be here right now. So until He says it’s time to go home, I will work for the kingdom.
I will share the gospel, disciple other believers, and pray for the Spirit to bring souls to salvation.
“The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.
Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore,
to send out workers into his harvest field.”
Matthew 9:37-38
Will you labor alongside me?
See you out there in the fields.