The Great Commission One should dwell on such a thing!

The Great Commission

One should dwell on such a thing!

Then Jesus came to them and said, 

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,

Baptizing them in the name of the Father

And of the Son

And of the Holy Spirit,

And teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.

And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”.

These words of Jesus I have read over and over.

They have been the backbone of missionary motive.

Yet some how I missed the power of the message.

The message seemed to only be about an introduction to heaven.

I do not belittle such an introduction.

However, as I study slowly over these words,

I come to see them as powerful,

Not only in the eternal sense,

But in the present.

These words are not just about immersion in water!

They are about immersion in His Character!!!

Three word studies changed the commission for me.

The word baptize means immerse.

Disciple means disciplined student.

And the word name means character.

Substituting these words

With their meaning

Brought to life the passage for me!

Then Jesus came to them and said, 

“All authority in heaven

And on earth

Has been given to me.

Therefore, go and make disciplined students

Of all nations,

Immersing them in the character of the Father

And of the Son

And of the Holy Spirit,

And teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.

And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”.

These thoughts then come to mind.

Who has authority?

Jesus!

It is good to be a student of Jesus!

He is the one with the words of life.

It would be good for the people of all nations to be

Disciplined students of Jesus!

What is His character,

And the character of the Father,

And the character of the Holy Spirit?

One in the same!

Omnipotent

Omniscient

Omnipresent

Righteous

Full of truth and light

Full of mercy

And grace

And He loves us.

Creator sustainer

Re-creator!

He is able!

And He loves us.

And what does He teach?

What is His command?

“…But I tell you Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

“A new command I give unto you that your love one another as I have loved you.”

“And this is my command that you love one another.”

One can learn about His character from His command!

How did he love us?

“God commended His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners,

Christ died for us.”

“Come unto me all who labor and are heavy laded and I will give you rest”

I want to be immersed in His character.

I want to be submerged, surrounded, soaked, and overwhelmed by His creative building uplifting loving merciful graceful character!

And I want you to know Him!

There is great hope in Him!!!

Billy R. Masten

12/20/1913