Matthew 28:16-20
Then the eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had said they would find him. There they met him and worshiped him— but some of them weren’t sure it really was Jesus! He told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and earth. Therefore go and make disciples in all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and then teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you; and be sure of this—that I am with you always, even to the end of the world.”
Food for thought!
As we mark the Holy Trinity Sunday, Jesus tells us his last revelation. He says to us, "All authority in heaven and earth has been given to him." With this revelation, we come to the end of the gospel story, according to Matthew; here we listen to the last words of Jesus to his followers. In this last meeting Jesus not only tells us his authority but also assures that he has authority both in heaven and on earth; he has authority there in heaven as he did have here on earth. Now that he is in heaven, Jesus is still able to do and be for us what he was and what he did here on earth. Surely nothing was and is outside the power of Jesus. We can approach him now with the same confidence as those people we read about in the gospels did. The powerful Jesus stands before our Father in heaven, representing us, introducing us, pleading for us. "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace—that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:16)
Here's Jesus' last revelation to his disciples: All authority in heaven and earth has been given to him.
This revelation is good news for us because it means that Jesus is still the same, as the letter to the Hebrews 13:8 puts it: "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." He is the same here on earth as he is heaven; he is the same both yesterday, today and tomorrow. It means that that Jesus that healed people, that taught people, that stayed with his disciples is the same Jesus that we follow today. This is why in today's gospel he assures us: "be sure of this — that I am with you always, even to the end of the world."
So, whenever you kneel down in prayer, whenever you call upon Jesus, remember this promise. Whenever you fall into sin remember this promise of Jesus. Whenever you find yourself amidst hardships and problems and suffering of any kind, remember this great promise of Jesus.
This promise is great because it is the last one recorded in the gospel of Matthew. After this, Jesus did not say anything more because he immediately left for heaven thereafter. It is as if Jesus said to his disciples: "You heard me say many things. Even if you forgot all of them, don't ever forget this last one: REMEMBER THAT I HAVE ALL AUTHORITY AND THAT I AM ALWAYS WITH YOU!"
Then the eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had said they would find him. There they met him and worshiped him— but some of them weren’t sure it really was Jesus! He told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and earth. Therefore go and make disciples in all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and then teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you; and be sure of this—that I am with you always, even to the end of the world.”
Food for thought!
As we mark the Holy Trinity Sunday, Jesus tells us his last revelation. He says to us, "All authority in heaven and earth has been given to him." With this revelation, we come to the end of the gospel story, according to Matthew; here we listen to the last words of Jesus to his followers. In this last meeting Jesus not only tells us his authority but also assures that he has authority both in heaven and on earth; he has authority there in heaven as he did have here on earth. Now that he is in heaven, Jesus is still able to do and be for us what he was and what he did here on earth. Surely nothing was and is outside the power of Jesus. We can approach him now with the same confidence as those people we read about in the gospels did. The powerful Jesus stands before our Father in heaven, representing us, introducing us, pleading for us. "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace—that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4:16)
Here's Jesus' last revelation to his disciples: All authority in heaven and earth has been given to him.
This revelation is good news for us because it means that Jesus is still the same, as the letter to the Hebrews 13:8 puts it: "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." He is the same here on earth as he is heaven; he is the same both yesterday, today and tomorrow. It means that that Jesus that healed people, that taught people, that stayed with his disciples is the same Jesus that we follow today. This is why in today's gospel he assures us: "be sure of this — that I am with you always, even to the end of the world."
So, whenever you kneel down in prayer, whenever you call upon Jesus, remember this promise. Whenever you fall into sin remember this promise of Jesus. Whenever you find yourself amidst hardships and problems and suffering of any kind, remember this great promise of Jesus.
This promise is great because it is the last one recorded in the gospel of Matthew. After this, Jesus did not say anything more because he immediately left for heaven thereafter. It is as if Jesus said to his disciples: "You heard me say many things. Even if you forgot all of them, don't ever forget this last one: REMEMBER THAT I HAVE ALL AUTHORITY AND THAT I AM ALWAYS WITH YOU!"
No comments:
Post a Comment