Matthew 28:16-20
Go, therefore, make disciples of all the nations;
baptise them in the name of the Father
and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
and teach them to observe all the
commands I gave you.
And know that I am with you always;
yes, to the end of time.’
Beginnings and endings matter a great deal in so many areas of our lives. In literature and theatre we are keenly aware of the power of the beginning and ending of a work. Some stories end with all the ends neatly tied up, but others can leave us with more questions than answers.
When we come to the final verses of Matthew’s Gospel we know that this is the definitive end of Jesus’ ministry on earth. The mountain top scene completes Matthew’s paradigm of Jesus as the new Moses. (The story of Moses ends with his ascent to the top of Mt. Pisgah, his being shown the Promised Land by God, and his death there in the land of Moab.)
But this is not the end of the story. The focus now is turned outwards. What began for the disciples as a personal relationship with Jesus, now encompasses the whole world. These verses are known as the Great Commission. Today we stand with the disciples and hear these words addressed to us. Wherever we find ourselves, whatever our circumstances may be, the command is the same: Go, therefore, make disciples of all the nations. Whatever form this takes for each of us, we are assured with Jesus is with us.
How can you respond to this Great Commission today?