July 29, 2024
Go and Make Disciples -- Part 1
Matthew 28:18-20
07/29/2024
18 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.'' (ESV)
This coming Sunday, August 4, Trinity Lutheran Church has
the honor of hearing the Reverend Mark Moss, a representative of
the Lutheran Heritage Foundation. This organization translates
and prints materials for Lutheran Churches throughout the world.
To help us prepare we are going to look at the Great Commission
where Jesus sent His disciples out into the world to proclaim the
good news of salvation by grace through faith for the sake of
Christ.
And Jesus came and said to them, ``All authority in
heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, teaching them to observe all that I have
commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the
end of the age.''
Jesus, by being born, dying, and rising again from the dead,
by living without sin, and by His miracles, showed that He truly
is the promised Messiah, the Son of God through whom all things
were made. In the days following His resurrection, He clearly
showed Himself to His disciples, and even to 500 other witnesses,
as spoken of by Saint Paul.
As the Son of God, as the One who crushed Satan's head,
Jesus has all authority over creation. He has the right to send
His representatives into the world to proclaim the good news that
sin and death are defeated, although the war between God and
Satan will continue for a while. This week we will examine what
the commission given to the disciples means for the Church and to
each individual Christian.
May our Lord grant that you hear of His love, grace, and
mercy, and know that Jesus Christ is Lord of creation. Amen.