Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of North America

Saturday within the Octave of the Feast of the Resurrection of our Lord

Posted on April 10, 2021 by Pastor Dulas under Devotions
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Scripture: St. Matthew 28:16-20 (NKJV)
 
28:16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.
 
18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
 
Devotion
 
What a perfect text to conclude the first week after celebrating the Resurrection of our Lord! The risen Christ Jesus commissions His Apostles to take His disciple-making Word to all nations out in the world. What a daunting task it would be if they thought that it was left up to them. That, however, is not how God works His plan of salvation!
 
Take note of the words given to the Apostles prior to the Great Commission: “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and earth.’” Those are purposefully spoken first to bring immense comfort to the Apostles. Why so comforting? Because it relieves them from wondering about any kind of strength in and of themselves when it comes to the spreading of Christ’s Church on earth.
 
The risen One, who has been given authority over heaven and earth, began a commission for His Church, and that same authority has sustained it, as well. What a joy that twenty centuries later, at His authoritative doing, you have been blessed to be adopted into it. May the rejoicing abound all the more throughout this Eastertide. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed, Hallelujah!
 
Prayer: Almighty God, who through Thine Only-Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, hast overcome death and opened unto us the gate of everlasting life, we humbly beseech Thee that, as Thou dost put into our minds good desires, so by Thy continual help we may bring the same to good effect; through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.
 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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