Verse
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."
— Matthew 28:18-20 NIV
Thought
"All authority"! No one else can contradict, raise questions, or cast doubt: Jesus has "all authority"! He speaks with the authority that only God can — ALL authority! What he gives in today's Scripture are our marching orders as his followers. They also contain his promise to be with us as we follow those marching orders. We call it the Great Commission. As we contemplate the work and role of the Holy Spirit, we also hear a clear reminder in the Great Commission that baptism is important to God. It is important because of what God — as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — does in our baptism. Matthew begins and ends his account of the earthly ministry of Jesus with an emphasis on baptism and the involvement of Father, Son, and Spirit (Matthew 3:13-17). The emphasis on God — as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — being rooted in our spiritual lives is also picked up and emphasized by Paul's prayer in Ephesians 3:14-19, from which today's prayer is adapted.
Prayer
I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen us with power through his Spirit in our inner being, so that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith. And I pray that we, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge — that we may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
Devotional provided by Heartlight®
© 1996-2017. All rights reserved.
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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."
— Matthew 28:18-20 NIV
Thought
"All authority"! No one else can contradict, raise questions, or cast doubt: Jesus has "all authority"! He speaks with the authority that only God can — ALL authority! What he gives in today's Scripture are our marching orders as his followers. They also contain his promise to be with us as we follow those marching orders. We call it the Great Commission. As we contemplate the work and role of the Holy Spirit, we also hear a clear reminder in the Great Commission that baptism is important to God. It is important because of what God — as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — does in our baptism. Matthew begins and ends his account of the earthly ministry of Jesus with an emphasis on baptism and the involvement of Father, Son, and Spirit (Matthew 3:13-17). The emphasis on God — as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — being rooted in our spiritual lives is also picked up and emphasized by Paul's prayer in Ephesians 3:14-19, from which today's prayer is adapted.
Prayer
I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen us with power through his Spirit in our inner being, so that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith. And I pray that we, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge — that we may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
Devotional provided by Heartlight®
© 1996-2017. All rights reserved.
