Good Morning All!!
Matthew 28: 18-20; “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth
has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make
disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the
Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have
commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
I will always remember a few years ago when I stopped at the hospital to
visit a member. I was in town for other
reasons so I just had a pullover and a pair of jeans on. As I was just about to leave, I got a call
that she was in the hospital. As I sat
there talking to her, a therapist came in and took her to therapy as I sat
there. She didn’t look at me twice. A couple of days later, I was making my real
visitations. I had my cleric collar on;
I had my pectoral cross and my Bible. As
we visited, the same young therapist came in but this time she looked at me and
said she would come back in a half hour.
This time I looked like someone who had authority.
I am fortunate to serve in a part of the country where wearing a cleric
collar still receives respect. The
nurses and even the doctors treat you very well. I can go petty much anywhere in the hospitals
or nursing homes when I have my collar on.
It still receives respect; it still carries authority. It makes my work easier.
Most of us recognize this passage from Scriptures; it is the Great
Commission. We all recognize the “go
therefore and make disciples.” But do
you recognize the power you go with; do you see the authority? All authority has been given to Jesus and
that power is entrusted to his Church. With that authority, we are to go and make
disciples. Think of the strength we
truly have, think of the power in our work.
Jesus entrusts to us the message of forgiveness and the hope of
salvation. He entrusts to us the task of
calling the lost to redemption but he does not send us out with nothing. We go with all authority. We go with the very power of God to proclaim
his love and mercy.
This fact, the authority of Jesus going forth to lead us, guide us and
protect us should embolden us. We need
not shirk, we need not back away. We do
not need to question or doubt; we do not have to wonder about being able to go
out and succeed. Success is all in the
hands of Jesus, we only need to go and to proclaim. Proclaim with our mouths; proclaim with our
hands; proclaim with our lives as living sacrifices to our God and Savior. We are empowered by the Spirit and we are
called to go; go and make disciples. So
trust in the power of Jesus to lead you as you journey onward. As you go, live a life that is witness to the
saving grace that you have. All
authority has been given to Jesus and he gives it to us to bring about healing
and hope; redemption and salvation in this broken world. So go, the power of God is with you.
Father, strengthen me that I may proclaim
your love and make disciples for you.
Give me courage to live as your redeemed child. Keep me safe in your arms that my actions may
proclaim your mercy. In the precious
name of Jesus I pray, amen.
God’s Peace,
Pastor Bret
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