Today’s Readings
Context
A man's last words are often imbued with significance, power, and great impact. Jesus' are among the greatest of all. He spoke to his disciples and gave what is known as the Great Commission and then just before he ascended into heaven he gave his final words, promising the coming of the Spirit's power.
The Great Commission sets the marching orders for the church, putting before us our duty to go into all the world and teach people to follow Christ. It also promises us the one thing that God consistently promised to those he sent on overwhelming tasks. "I am with you." We must go into this sinful world with only the promise that he will go with us.
In Acts 1, we see that Jesus' disciples were still not getting it. They were still expecting him to "restore the kingdom" - to set up an earthly kingdom, throw off Rome and establish himself as king (with them, of course, as his chief men). Nothing he taught them seemed to sink in, so he told them to do the one thing that would make a difference - to wait in Jerusalem until the Spirit came upon them. As soon as the Spirit fell, they understood and became powerful servants of Christ.
The Great Commission sets the marching orders for the church, putting before us our duty to go into all the world and teach people to follow Christ. It also promises us the one thing that God consistently promised to those he sent on overwhelming tasks. "I am with you." We must go into this sinful world with only the promise that he will go with us.
In Acts 1, we see that Jesus' disciples were still not getting it. They were still expecting him to "restore the kingdom" - to set up an earthly kingdom, throw off Rome and establish himself as king (with them, of course, as his chief men). Nothing he taught them seemed to sink in, so he told them to do the one thing that would make a difference - to wait in Jerusalem until the Spirit came upon them. As soon as the Spirit fell, they understood and became powerful servants of Christ.
Devotional - Gospel Warrants
"But, I don't believe in Jesus."
"That may be your truth, but it is not my truth."
We live in a subjective world. Truth is judged from my own perspective. What I think is right is right and what I think is wrong is wrong. The greatest wrong, in our world, is to try to impose our own reality or convictions on another. Who am I to tell you what is right for you, after all?
But Jesus blew the concept of relative truth and subjective reality out of the water when he told his disciples, in Matthew 28:18, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me." Jesus died for our sins and purchased us with his blood. He then rose up from the dead as Lord over all the earth. Philippians 2 tells us that "God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name." At that name that was give to Jesus, "every knee will bow and every tongue confess..."
Jesus is Lord, the rightful boss, ruler, sovereign, the king over this world. He has the absolute right to rule over my life and yours. I don't get to choose a way; you don't get to choose a way. Jesus is the way. I don't get to define truth for myself and you don't get to decide for yourself what truth is. Jesus is truth. You do not have the right to make your life what you want it to be and I don't have the right to run my own life as I see fit. Jesus is life and he won the right to rule our lives when he died and rose from the dead to give us new and eternal lives. Jesus is Lord.
When a police officer has a warrant, he has the full weight and authority of the government behind him. He has the right to do what he does because the government has told him to do so. Search your house? If the warrant tells him to. Break down your door? If the warrant allows it. Take you into custody? If that is what the warrant says. The representative can do what the warrant authorizes him to do.
You and I have a warrant, a gospel warrant. If I encounter someone who does not believe in God, or does not accept our faith, or believes that all religions are equally true, does that stymie me? Does that prevent me from telling God's truth? It should not. I have a duly authorized warrant for the spiritual arrest of sinners. "All authority has been given to me," Jesus said. Then he told us to go and to proclaim the truth about him and to make disciples, to call people who are living in sin to follow him. We do not coerce sinners, or cajole them, or manipulate them. No. But we can and we do preach truth to them - regardless of their response or their attitude toward Christ.
We do not need permission to proclaim Christ. We have government warrants - from the ruler of the entire universe. He has authorized us to tell sinners that Jesus is Lord, that he paid for their sins, and that there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.
Stop apologizing. Stop hemming and hawing. And for the love of Jesus Christ, start going and start proclaiming!
"That may be your truth, but it is not my truth."
We live in a subjective world. Truth is judged from my own perspective. What I think is right is right and what I think is wrong is wrong. The greatest wrong, in our world, is to try to impose our own reality or convictions on another. Who am I to tell you what is right for you, after all?
But Jesus blew the concept of relative truth and subjective reality out of the water when he told his disciples, in Matthew 28:18, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me." Jesus died for our sins and purchased us with his blood. He then rose up from the dead as Lord over all the earth. Philippians 2 tells us that "God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name." At that name that was give to Jesus, "every knee will bow and every tongue confess..."
Jesus is Lord, the rightful boss, ruler, sovereign, the king over this world. He has the absolute right to rule over my life and yours. I don't get to choose a way; you don't get to choose a way. Jesus is the way. I don't get to define truth for myself and you don't get to decide for yourself what truth is. Jesus is truth. You do not have the right to make your life what you want it to be and I don't have the right to run my own life as I see fit. Jesus is life and he won the right to rule our lives when he died and rose from the dead to give us new and eternal lives. Jesus is Lord.
When a police officer has a warrant, he has the full weight and authority of the government behind him. He has the right to do what he does because the government has told him to do so. Search your house? If the warrant tells him to. Break down your door? If the warrant allows it. Take you into custody? If that is what the warrant says. The representative can do what the warrant authorizes him to do.
You and I have a warrant, a gospel warrant. If I encounter someone who does not believe in God, or does not accept our faith, or believes that all religions are equally true, does that stymie me? Does that prevent me from telling God's truth? It should not. I have a duly authorized warrant for the spiritual arrest of sinners. "All authority has been given to me," Jesus said. Then he told us to go and to proclaim the truth about him and to make disciples, to call people who are living in sin to follow him. We do not coerce sinners, or cajole them, or manipulate them. No. But we can and we do preach truth to them - regardless of their response or their attitude toward Christ.
We do not need permission to proclaim Christ. We have government warrants - from the ruler of the entire universe. He has authorized us to tell sinners that Jesus is Lord, that he paid for their sins, and that there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.
Stop apologizing. Stop hemming and hawing. And for the love of Jesus Christ, start going and start proclaiming!
Father, may I, may we, use the great authority you have given us and exalt Christ, proclaiming the truth of Christ's death and resurrection to a lost and needy world.
Think and Pray
Do you walk in fear in this world, or in the confidence of Christ, remembering that you have gospel warrants to preach Christ?
Consider the commands of Christ in these passages. Are you living out these claims?
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