Larry Devich
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Thursday of Lent 3 - The Great Commission and Ascension
Read: Matthew 28:18-20 (If you like, read Acts 1:1-11)
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name
of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe
all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to
the end of the age." Amen. (Mt. 28:19-20)
Prior to His departure via the cross, Jesus gave His disciples His will and
new testament, the gift of Holy Communion; and by that Supper, He remains
present with His Church even today and until He returns in glory. Risen from
the dead in Matthew 28, Jesus is about to ascend into heaven (into a cloud!), and
His disciples will see Him no more. What does He say to them now? His final
words are found in Matthew 28:19-20, often called the Great Commission.
Most often when this text is mentioned, it is to declare the Church's mission,
what we Christians are supposed to be doing. However, there is greater cause
for joy here: look what the Lord promises to do!
Wherever they are going, the disciples are to make disciples—how? They
are to baptize people in the name of the triune God. And they are to teach them
to hold on to everything Jesus has commanded: in other words, they are to tell
people the Word, bid them faithfulness to it. Disciples are made by Baptism
and by the Word of God—no surprise there. But look what Jesus says next:
“Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” There is no reason to
divorce this sentence from the one before it: Jesus is saying that He will be
present with His people always by means of His Word and Holy Baptism.
This is perfectly in keeping with the rest of the Gospels. Wherever Jesus is,
He makes disciples as people believe and follow. And if disciples are made by
Word and Baptism, then Jesus is present in Word and Baptism, making more
disciples.
The mysterious-sounding first chapter of John's Gospel helps us here, too.
“In the beginning was the Word...and the Word became flesh and dwelt among
us.” (Jn. 1:1,14) In a mystery beyond our comprehension, Jesus does not just
speak the Word of God: He is the Word of God made flesh. (Both Scripture
and Christ have much in common: both seem to come from solely human
origins, yet are from God; and both are rejected by man in favor of man's sinful
will.) When the Word of God is preached today, the Word made flesh is present
there also.
Likewise, Romans 6:4 declares that Jesus shares His death and resurrection
with us in Holy Baptism. And if He shares His death and resurrection with you,
then you also have His eternal life.
So, just before Jesus departs from His disciples, first by crucifixion and then
by resurrection, He establishes the new temple until He returns in glory. He will
be present with His people in His Word and Sacraments. There, in His means
of grace, He is with you even to the end of the age. And as a Christian named
Ignatius said centuries ago, “Wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Church.”
Really? Or is this just a Lutheran pastor putting some spin on Scripture?
Tomorrow, we'll see what the first Christians did in the book of Acts. ¶ 3/15/2007 10:17:00 AM 0 Comments
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name
of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe
all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to
the end of the age." Amen. (Mt. 28:19-20)
Prior to His departure via the cross, Jesus gave His disciples His will and
new testament, the gift of Holy Communion; and by that Supper, He remains
present with His Church even today and until He returns in glory. Risen from
the dead in Matthew 28, Jesus is about to ascend into heaven (into a cloud!), and
His disciples will see Him no more. What does He say to them now? His final
words are found in Matthew 28:19-20, often called the Great Commission.
Most often when this text is mentioned, it is to declare the Church's mission,
what we Christians are supposed to be doing. However, there is greater cause
for joy here: look what the Lord promises to do!
Wherever they are going, the disciples are to make disciples—how? They
are to baptize people in the name of the triune God. And they are to teach them
to hold on to everything Jesus has commanded: in other words, they are to tell
people the Word, bid them faithfulness to it. Disciples are made by Baptism
and by the Word of God—no surprise there. But look what Jesus says next:
“Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” There is no reason to
divorce this sentence from the one before it: Jesus is saying that He will be
present with His people always by means of His Word and Holy Baptism.
This is perfectly in keeping with the rest of the Gospels. Wherever Jesus is,
He makes disciples as people believe and follow. And if disciples are made by
Word and Baptism, then Jesus is present in Word and Baptism, making more
disciples.
The mysterious-sounding first chapter of John's Gospel helps us here, too.
“In the beginning was the Word...and the Word became flesh and dwelt among
us.” (Jn. 1:1,14) In a mystery beyond our comprehension, Jesus does not just
speak the Word of God: He is the Word of God made flesh. (Both Scripture
and Christ have much in common: both seem to come from solely human
origins, yet are from God; and both are rejected by man in favor of man's sinful
will.) When the Word of God is preached today, the Word made flesh is present
there also.
Likewise, Romans 6:4 declares that Jesus shares His death and resurrection
with us in Holy Baptism. And if He shares His death and resurrection with you,
then you also have His eternal life.
So, just before Jesus departs from His disciples, first by crucifixion and then
by resurrection, He establishes the new temple until He returns in glory. He will
be present with His people in His Word and Sacraments. There, in His means
of grace, He is with you even to the end of the age. And as a Christian named
Ignatius said centuries ago, “Wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Church.”
Really? Or is this just a Lutheran pastor putting some spin on Scripture?
Tomorrow, we'll see what the first Christians did in the book of Acts. ¶ 3/15/2007 10:17:00 AM 0 Comments
