Sunday: Christ’s Parting Commission and Promise
Christ did not establish His church in order for it to simply care for itself.
Image © Providence Collection from GoodSalt.com
Jesus’ parting words focused upon the church’s mission. Christ’s intention is for His church to look beyond itself. He established it to share the light of His love and the message of His salvation with the world.
Read and summarize the following texts. How does each passage reveal Jesus’ heart desire for His church?
Once Christ ascended to heaven, His church was to be a visible manifestation of His love and grace to the world. The disciples had a mission. They had a message to share. They had a task to complete. They were to carry on the work that He began.
“The church is God’s appointed agency for the salvation of men. It was organized for service, and its mission is to carry the gospel to the world. From the beginning it has been God’s plan that through His church shall be reflected to the world His fullness and His sufficiency. The members of the church, those whom He has called out of darkness into His marvelous light, are to show forth His glory. The church is the repository of the riches of the grace of Christ; and through the church will eventually be made manifest, even to ‘the principalities and powers in heavenly places,’ the final and full display of the love of God.Ephesians 3:10.”-Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles, p. 9.
The burden of Jesus’ heart is the salvation of the human race. The apostle Paul wrote to his young friend Timothy that it is the Savior’s desire that “all . . . be saved and . . . come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:4, NKJV). The apostle Peter adds that the Lord is “longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9, NKJV).
What in your life shows your interest in outreach to others? Or does anything show it? What does your answer tell you about yourself and your priorities?
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I am recently retired; but in my former employment in the local hospital, on a busy surgical ward, I found many opportunities for outreach and this is one of the things I miss now that I am no longer employed. However, if we are willing to be used by the Holy Spirit, then there will be always be a chance to reach out to folks around us, whether by deed or word; to share with others the reason for our joy in life and for our hope in the Saviour's promises; to tell the wonderful story of Redemption in Christ through Calvary, just to be a shining light of hope, compassion and love in our little corner of the community. Never think that there is nothing YOU can do, God has a plan for everyone, and if we are patient and listen out for the 'still, small Voice', the prompting of the Holy Spirit in our lives, then He will show us where He wants us to go, and what He wants us to do, in order to spread the message of His Wonderful Love, and to be of help to others,
Outreach redemption plan by the church for all people, teaching the true gospel of repentance and God's love for human nature through whom the entire creation groans for complete redemption through human alliance to God. It was through human disobedience to God that brought the entire creation to the present state and through human alliance to God hangs the complete redemption of the entire creation.
As christians is our duty to share the word of God to every one in this world,we must tell the whole world that, is the desire of our saviour that every one might be saved as the Paul said to Timothy.Our Lord Jesus don't want Any One to be perish but to come to Repentance.
We are praying for the holy spirit if we are sharing the good news we can receive holy spirit , miracles will happen there are people waiting for us out the some of them holy spirit already talked to them like KORNELIAS THEY WAITING FOR US TO TELL WHAT TO DO ; WE NEED TO LIFT OUR LORD JESUS AND TELL THE WORLD
I like the statement that the disciples had a mission to the world as stated in Matt.28:19-20; they had a message to share of a risen Lord and savior Jesus, and they had a task to complete that of preaching the gospel to every creation and they were to carry on the work that Jesus began. I believe this is one of the greatest privileges I have as a christian haven been forgiven and saved by grace.
We cannot carry the gospel until the gospel is firmly planted in our own souls. As Dr. Luke stated in Luke 24:49..."but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.” Until we as a people and individually are endued with His power we must wait. To go before Him is to fail, we must be immersed in His blood and be flooded with His Spirit that He speaks through us, then we will know the timing in which to "Go". In unity and confidence we may approach His throne boldly as then it is He that goes and lives; for as Paul states and I quote," it is no longer I that live but Christ that lives in me." Amen that He makes us worthy to complete the tasks set out before us.
The question at the end of this lesson helps me to reflect on my service to the church and to consider doing more to glorify
God through my work as a servant-leader. This lessor really give clearity about the mission of the church and the role we play.
It is our duty as a church called by Jesus to go to the world n preach knowing he is with us.Nothing should distract us from the mission we have.Jesus doesnt like dormant Christians.we MUST work.