Matthew 28:18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
19 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, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Acts 1:8 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.”
Ephesians 1:22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything.
observation
We have all been in charge of something and have had things not work out so well. I remember the first time that I taught a Sunday school class, I was in the singles group at church and the teachers were going to be gone for a Sunday and they encouraged their students to consider teaching the class for one Sunday.
That was the shortest Sunday school lesson that has ever been taught, I raced through all the material that I had so quickly that nobody even noticed that there was a lesson or what the point was. We do not always do a good job when we have been given a little bit of power or authority.
Jesus told his disciples that he has been given all of God’s authority, “God has placed everything under his feet and has appointed him head over everything.” Since Jesus has this authority we would do good to listen to what we have been told to do, ignoring what he says should not be an option for us.
Jesus didn’t say that we are to go and make teachers or go and make church members; he didn’t say to go and make workers or to make people who give their tithe.
Jesus told those of us that are his disciples to go and reproduce your selves and make more disciples.
application
Jesus told us to do three things: to make disciples, baptize them and teach them to obey. I want to be obedient and be busy doing the good works that he created me to do. Certainly making disciples is part of those good works he created me for.
Ephesians 2:10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
prayer
Thank you Lord for giving me a higher purpose in life, help me to live up to that purpose, thank you for giving me the power and ability to do the work that you called me to do. I pray that you will use the men’s conference this weekend to make more disciples and to re-energize the disciples that you already have.
