Bible League: Living His Word Jesus came and told his disciples, "I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age."Our verses today form what has come to be known as the Great Commission, the virtual marching orders for the church. There are three orders: make disciples, baptize them, and teach them. The reason the disciples are to do these three things is that Jesus has been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Why is this relevant? Because Jesus has been given all authority, it follows that there is nothing that can prevent the church from fulfilling His orders. Jesus is in control "far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else" (Ephesians 1:21). Although the church may yet face opposition to its task, it will not be stopped from fulfilling the commission. Given Christ's authority, the disciples are to go forth and make new disciples from all nations. They do this by leading people to faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. In effect, they go forth and make new members of the church, new citizens of the Kingdom of God. The disciples are also to baptize these new disciples. Baptism is significant because it is a symbol that represents the disciples dying and rising with Christ and having their sins washed away. Baptism signifies the disciple's having passed from citizenship in the kingdom of darkness to citizenship in the Kingdom of God. The disciples are also to teach the new disciples to obey all the commands Jesus gave them. In its broadest sense, teaching the commands of Jesus means teaching the whole Bible, because Jesus' commands presuppose previous biblical revelation and form the foundation of the biblical revelation that was yet to come. It means to teach the new disciples everything they need to know to be effective citizens in the Kingdom of God. As a member of the church, as a citizen of the Kingdom, you are participating in some way, shape, or form in fulfilling the Great Commission---and Jesus is with you. Bible in a Year Old Testament Reading1 Samuel 1, 2, 3 1 Samuel 1 -- Samuel Is Born to Hannah and Elkanah NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB 1 Samuel 2 -- Hannah's Prayer; Eli's Sons; Samuel's Childhood NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB 1 Samuel 3 -- Samuel's Vision of the Fall of Eli's House NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Luke 12:1-34 Luke 12 -- God Knows All; Parable of the Rich Fool; Anxiety; Watchfulness NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion Pride leads to conflict;those who take advice are wise. Insight “I was wrong” or “I need advice” are difficult phrases to utter because they require humility. Pride is an ingredient in every quarrel. It stirs up conflict and divides people. Humility, by contrast, heals. Challenge Guard against pride. If you find yourself constantly arguing, examine your life for pride. Be open to the advice of others, ask for help when you need it, and be willing to admit your mistakes. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Psalm 18:35 thy gentleness hath made me great.The words are capable of being translated, "thy goodness hath made me great." David gratefully ascribed all his greatness not to his own goodness, but the goodness of God. "Thy providence," is another reading; and providence is nothing more than goodness in action. Goodness is the bud of which providence is the flower, or goodness is the seed of which providence is the harvest. Some render it, "thy help," which is but another word for providence; providence being the firm ally of the saints, aiding them in the service of their Lord. Or again, "thy humility hath made me great." "Thy condescension" may, perhaps, serve as a comprehensive reading, combining the ideas mentioned, including that of humility. It is God's making himself little which is the cause of our being made great. We are so little, that if God should manifest his greatness without condescension, we should be trampled under his feet; but God, who must stoop to view the skies, and bow to see what angels do, turns his eye yet lower, and looks to the lowly and contrite, and makes them great. There are yet other readings, as for instance, the Septuagint, which reads, "thy discipline"--thy fatherly correction--"hath made me great;" while the Chaldee paraphrase reads, "thy word hath increased me." Still the idea is the same. David ascribes all his own greatness to the condescending goodness of his Father in heaven. May this sentiment be echoed in our hearts this evening while we cast our crowns at Jesus' feet, and cry, "thy gentleness hath made me great." How marvellous has been our experience of God's gentleness! How gentle have been his corrections! How gentle his forbearance! How gentle his teachings! How gentle his drawings! Meditate upon this theme, O believer. Let gratitude be awakened; let humility be deepened; let love be quickened ere thou fallest asleep tonight. Daily Light on the Daily Path Isaiah 43:7 Everyone who is called by My name, And whom I have created for My glory, Whom I have formed, even whom I have made."Psalm 40:2 He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm. Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. Romans 8:32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 2 Corinthians 1:22 who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge. Ephesians 1:14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory. Ephesians 2:4-6 But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, • even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), • and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
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