the great commission

So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven." (Acts 1:6-11)

Can you imagine this scene? Jesus had already risen from the dead. He had physically shown Himself to his followers, proving He was the Messiah who came to defeat sin and death. As He had gathered with his disciples in bodily form they began to ask if Christ's next step would be to setup His kingdom on earth. Would Jesus now restore the nation of Israeal under His reign? He had already accomplished the unbelievable...the impossible... how excited his disciples must have been with the hope that Jesus would begin His rule over all the earth.

But God's timing is not man's timing. That was not exactly the plan... not yet. There were still more people to bring into the body. There were still more to be reached... including you and me!!

Matthew Henry said, "Our Lord knew that his ascension and the teaching of the Holy Spirit would soon end these expectations, and therefore only gave them (the disciples) a rebuke; but it is a caution to his church in all ages, to take heed of a desire of forbidden knowledge. He had given his disciples instructions for the discharge of their duty, both before his death and since his resurrection, and this knowledge is enough for a Christian. It is enough that He has engaged to give believers strength equal to their trials and services; that under the influence of the Holy Spirit they may, in one way or other, be witnesses for Christ on earth, while in heaven he manages their concerns with perfect wisdom, truth, and love. When we stand gazing and trifling, the thoughts of our Master's second coming should quicken and awaken us: when we stand gazing and trembling, they should comfort and encourage us. May our expectation of it be stedfast and joyful, giving diligence to be found of him blameless."

The Lord promised us the gift of the Holy Spirit so that all believers could continue on with His commission. What is His commission? To be witnesses. To go into all the world and preach His gospel. To share the truth of His headship as the one true Lord and Savior. To love all men as He loved us. The Great Commission is the instruction of the resurrected Jesus Christ to his disciples, that they spread his teachings to all the nations of the world. As followers of Jesus, this should be our #1 focus. We are to evangelize to the world and share His good news of salvation while fixing our eyes toward spending our eternity in His presence.... under the rule of our loving and good King of Kings.

Once Jesus blessed the disciples with this truth, the Bible says he ascended up before their very eyes. They were looking at Him "intently" as he visibly left earth to be with His Father. What an impressive and motivating way to show them once and for all that He was not only alive, but beyond the restraints of the universe - - yet still God in human flesh.

After He was no longer able to be seen, God sent His angels to remind the disciples that Jesus would come again. Assuredly, He would come in like manner as they had seen Him go; that is, visibly and in his glorified humanity. Oh, what a positive announcement of a literal and visible second coming!!! Are you as excited as I am to see Him return?

Ladies, let us focus our energy and efforts on the task set before us by our loving and magnificent Savior. Let us remember that we are here to evangelize and share His message to all the world. Let us not be bogged down by the distractions of the enemy and the temporary bindings of this world. For our God will return to us! He is coming! He will reign as our King! What joy there is in this security!

Let us be stedfast in our walk and please Him with our lives. Let us always be sharing His good news whenever the Holy Spirit provides the opportunity. Don't hold back or be shy about it... He is with you! Jesus Christ, who was raised from the dead and ascended into Heaven has promised to return again. We must rejoice in the Lord always and live every day sharing His plan of redemption to all persons!

This is the day! Rejoice and be glad! This is our joy - He will return! Jesus IS coming again!

WOO HOO!!!

~Victoria

© The Devoted Woman | Victoria Anderson