November 27, 2022—When you hear good news, you become joyous. The joy fills you up and then you will tell the good news to your friends, colleagues, and family members. This is how the disciples felt about learning about their Messiah, Jesus Christ of Nazareth. The disciple John was with Jesus when he called out to Andrew, “Behold the Lamb of God!” (John 1:35). Then Andrew went to his brother Peter (also called Simon) and said, “We have found the Messiah” (John 1:41).
This was the beginning of collecting the original disciples of Jesus Christ. After He gathered all of them and taught them some things, Jesus instructed the disciples to go out in groups of two by two to preach the repentance of sin, to cast out unclean spirits and demons, and to heal the sick (Mark 6:7-12). The joyous feeling expressed by John and Andrew would return to eleven disciples when Jesus would give them a final command before His ascension into heaven (an article is scheduled to come on the ascension).
Biblical Information |
Keep in mind, there were originally 12 disciples, but Judas Iscariot (the betrayer) had gone to the chief priests and the elders with the thirty pieces of silver that they gave him to betray Jesus (Matthew 26: 15, and 27:3). Judas Iscariot said that he had sinned by betraying innocent blood. The chief priests and the elders said “What is that to us? You see to it!” Judas Iscariot then threw the silver down and hung himself (Matthew 27:5). The chief priests and the elders took the silver saying that “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, because they are the price of blood.” (Matthew 27:6). They ultimately decided to buy a potter’s field with the thirty pieces of silver. The field was called “the Field of Blood.” (Matthew 27:8). The purchase of this field fulfilled a prophecy spoken by either Jeremiah or Zechariah. Here is the passage in Jeremiah: “And Jeremiah said, “The word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘Behold, Hanamel the son of Shallum your uncle will come to you, saying, “Buy my field which is in Anathoth, for the right of redemption is yours to buy it.” ’ Then Hanamel my uncle’s son came to me in the court of the prison according to the word of the Lord, and said to me, ‘Please buy my field that is in Anathoth, which is in the country of Benjamin; for the right of inheritance is yours, and the redemption yours; buy it for yourself.’ Then I knew that this was the word of the Lord. So I bought the field from Hanamel, the son of my uncle who was in Anathoth, and weighed out to him the money—seventeen shekels of silver. “ Jeremiah 32:6-9 The field that Jeremiah bought was located in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin which is now modern-day Israel. During the time of Jesus, this was the land of Judea. My Holy Bible mentions Jeremiah, but there is a passage in Zechariah that is worth considering: “So they weighed out thirty pieces of silver. And the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—that princely price they set on me. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord for the potter.” Zechariah 11:12-13 |
The Great Commission
After Jesus Christ was resurrected, He spent forty days on earth (Acts 1:3) to prove to His disciples that He was still alive. According to 1 Corinthians 15:6, Jesus appeared to more than five hundred brethren many of whom were still alive when Paul wrote his letter to believers in Corinth. This was necessary to fulfill the Scriptures of the Prophets (Matthew 26:54). Had Jesus Christ not done this, the gospel would end at His crucifixion, but because He defeated death and took the keys (Revelation 1:18), the word of Jesus Christ would spread. The word spread because of what Jesus Christ told His disciples to do next.
When Jesus Christ finished appearing to His disciples and apostles, He came to the original eleven disciples and commanded them to “make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). The gospel of Mark states that Jesus also told them to “preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). Meanwhile, the gospel of Luke states that Jesus Christ said, “that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” (Luke 24:47). Finally, the gospel of John explains why Jesus sent the disciples, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” (John 20:21).
Why Jesus Commanded This
Before Jesus Christ’s arrest in Gethsemane, a few of his disciples asked Him about the signs of the times and the end of the age. One of the signs Jesus gave them was that the gospel would be preached throughout the world as a witness to all nations and the end of the age will come (Matthew 24:14 and Mark 13:10). Therefore, as Jesus Christ spoke about this, know that the gospel must be preached throughout the world. This will allow others to be saved no matter what ethnicity they have, or what nation they come from, or what tongue they speak.
While “salvation is of the Jews” (John 4:22), it was never intended to remain within the Jews. Biblically speaking, this is for a few reasons. Paul testifies that God is the God of Jews and Gentiles in Romans 3:29. Paul repeats this message in Romans 10:12, “there is no distinction between Jew or Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him.” In an earlier verse, Paul quotes a scripture in Isaiah (verse 11).
The passage Paul quotes is this one, “Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; whoever believes will not act hastily.” (Isaiah 28:16). In a prophecy about Jesus Christ, Isaiah states this, “And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, Who shall stand as a banner to the people; For the Gentiles shall seek Him, And His resting place shall be glorious.” (Isaiah 11:10). Jesus Christ also quoted from the book of Isaiah. In one particular passage in the New Testament, Jesus warned those that He healed not to talk about Him so Isaiah 42:1-4 could be fulfilled (Matthew 12:15-21). Isaiah 42 is about Jesus Christ, but the verse speaking to people keeping their silence about Jesus Christ comes in verse 2, “He will not cry out, nor raise His voice, Nor cause His voice to be heard in the street.” In the first verse, the prophet speaks to Jesus bringing “justice to the Gentiles.”
Therefore, salvation must be preached to the end of the world because it was never meant to be contained. In addition, Jesus’s words are everlasting, and since He spoke to the gospel being preached to the ends of the earth so it must be done.
The Great Commission Is Still Active
If you are wondering if the gospel still needs to be preached within the world, then consider this: Shortly after speaking of the end of the age signs, Jesus Christ stated that “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.” (Matthew 24:35). Since Jesus’s words are everlasting, the gospel still needs to be preached throughout the world. I remember one day I was speaking to my neighbor who is also my friend, and she told me that she used to keep the news of Jesus and salvation to herself. Like me, she kept to herself. However, she had also told me that the good news of Jesus Christ is meant to be shared. She was absolutely right.
The news needs to be spread not only as a sign of the end of the age but also for God who would rather see people repent from their sins rather than being condemned (Ezekiel 18:23, and 2 Peter 3:9). In this matter, God keeps a promise that has stood for nearly two thousand years, “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9).
Preaching the Gospel
After Jesus ascended into heaven, the preaching of the gospel started in Jerusalem and traveled throughout Israel by His disciples and then by apostles. The disciple Peter began his ministry in the Mediterranean region. Then, Paul would come and would also preach the gospel within the Mediterranean region. By doing so, Paul stated that God gave him the instruction to do so, “I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.’” (Acts 13:47, and Isaiah 49:6). While Paul followed this instruction, I believe that any apostle of Jesus Christ preaching to non-believers brings light to the non-believers, “The Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.” (Isaiah 60:3).
To start preaching of Jesus Christ, you need to describe what God has done (salvation through Jesus Christ). One time, I was praying to God, and I asked Him how I could possibly speak about Him to other people with diverse backgrounds and religions especially since I was a private person, never wanting to fight. Being a middle child, I am inclined to mediate situations, not exploit them, or expand them. Despite my long question and explanation, God made it simple, “Tell them what I [God] did for you.” When I asked Him if these are the things that He has done for me, or if these are things that He has done through the Holy Bible, God was silent. Either He did not answer, or I did not listen. At that time, I was new to the faith, and I concluded that He meant what He has done for me.
Therefore, I tell you a few things that He did for me:
In one year, I got a career advancement in the public sector, and I got married.
My car’s engine broke down, after a faulty oil change. I had to get another engine. I had a dream of the business owner handing me money though I had never met or spoken to the man. After my family fought that company, the company paid me back. A few years later, their business closed down.
We were living in a 907 square feet apartment, and we needed to buy a house because our rent was being raised $100 each year. I prayed, and God gave me a word in March of that year saying that we would get a house. Our lease was going to end in June. We started looking in May. In June we put in an offer which was accepted, but we pulled out after we realized the faulty electrical work. In July, we bought a house and only needed to live in our apartment for the first week into July.
I started the Coffee with the Cross website despite not having knowledge on websites, social media, and coding.
One year and a half after the Coffee with the Cross website was created, I got a new career in the private sector.
When I got the new career, I found out that I was pregnant (our first and only child)
My pregnancy and my daughter were healthy despite what doctors were trying to tell me.
These are the most impactful things that God has done for me, but there is so much more that He is done. However, similarly to what John said about Jesus, I do not think that the books in the world nor any website could contain all that God has done for me (John 21:25).
Accepting Jesus
Beloved, has God spoken to you through this article? Do you feel that your soul is crying out to Him? Then be aware that now is the time to accept Jesus Christ as your savior. Once received you will receive the Holy Spirit and His peace. If you are ready, say this prayer:
God, I confess that Jesus came in the flesh and blood, paid the price for my sins, died on the cross, rose on the third day, ascended to the heavens, and sent the Holy Spirit to help me understand Your ways. For that, I accept Jesus Christ as my savior and Lord, and I welcome the Holy Spirit in my life. In Jesus’s name I pray, amen!
Komen