Go! Make disciples of all nations!
Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit!
Teach them to obey everything I have commanded!
Surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age!
Matthew 28:19-20
Before the Passover Feast, Jesus knew (was fully aware) the time had come for Him to leave this world and return to the Father. And, as He had loved those who were His own in the world, He loved them to the last and to the highest degree (John 13:11 AMP).
Love to the highest degree! How blessed we are to know the story of the passion of Christ. But, do we really understand. Personally, I think not. For those who claim to live in Jesus must walk as He did (1 John 2:6). For this is to love in the highest degree: To walk in obedience to His commands. His command is that we walk in love (2 John 6).
Well, even though the Lord’s disciples walked with Him for three years listening to Him teach from village to village (John 10:26) they didn’t walk in love instead in fear. They heard Jesus say, “The miracles I do in My Father’s name speak for Me,” John 10:25. “The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the Good News is preached to the poor,” Luke 7:22.
Yet, they betrayed and ran and denied. Obviously, Peter was the most outspoken, “Even if I have to die with You, I will never disown you!” However, all the other disciples said the same (Matthew 26:35). Can you imagine how they felt when what they professed with their mouth was not upheld by their feet.
Fear has so many weapons in its arsenal to use against us. Fear also does not discriminate for it attacks the young and old alike. We have no way of knowing the grip fear has on another. As made evident by the behavior of the Lord’s disciples, they had no idea how powerful the grip of fear. However, what was made very evident in their lives: The power of Love.
These same men that ran and betrayed and denied the Lord because of fear, personally experienced the transformational power of Love that occurred as Holy Spirit continually clothed them in God’s Word, Christ Jesus.
When the Spirit of God was in them, then that Light and understanding and excellent wisdom were found in them (Daniel 5:14). Yes, God made His Light shine in their heart to give them the Light of the knowledge of the glory of Himself in the face of Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 4:5). Their lives had to be turned upside down before they could turn the world upside down preaching the Gospel of Jesus.
On that evening so long ago, the disciples watched as Jesus poured water in that washbasin to cleanse their feet. He said, “You do not understand now what I am doing, but you will understand later on,” John 13:5-7. Yes, Jesus washed their feet that night, but it was His personal ministering to their heart that washed their fears away. God does the same for us through His Word and Holy Spirit.
God’s Word tells us, “Those who err in spirit will come to understanding, and those who murmur discontentedly will accept instruction. For when they see the work of My hands personally in their midst, they will revere My name. They will revere the Holy One of Jacob and reverently fear the God of Israel,” Isaiah 29:23-24 AMP.
God has given us the ministry of Reconciliation! He reconciled us to Himself through Christ, so that anyone who walks by faith in Jesus will become a new creation. Through His Word and His Spirit, God works in us personally so fear and the effect of emotional traumas and the harmful behaviors we have adopted from this world governed by principles of deception can be reconciled (integrated, balanced, ordered..).
Therefore, just as the disciples did, we too can experience our old way of thinking and believing and living fade away. Holy Spirit will ensure God’s Word will cause us to experience a new way of living as we train and disciple ourselves to walk in faith so the world can see our passion, our love of God.
The absolute highest degree of Love: God reconciled the world to Himself in Christ, not counting man’s sins against them (2 Corinthians 5:17-19). Jesus girded His loins with that towel, so that we could know and see with the eyes of our heart: God’s Word places on us the breastplate of right standing with the Father (Ephesians 6:14b).
Let us therefore allow Holy Spirit to be our Life Coach and clothe us with Christ Jesus, with the Word of Truth. Only God can reveal the knowledge and bring the understanding we need to live by faith and not by sight. To forget what is behind and strain toward what is ahead. That we would whole-heartedly press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called us heavenward in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13-14).
Holy Spirit will help us to stand! He will help us to hold our ground with faith and knowledge of God’s Word, for then we are surely tightening the belt of Truth around our loins (Ephesians 6:14a). So we would not only follow after Jesus; but, remain daily determined not to allow fear or pride to cause us to deny the Way and the Truth and the Life instead of old way of living.
Yes, Holy Spirit will help us to take up our cross daily so we can follow the Lord (Luke 9:23). Now there are a lot of things that can be considered a cross we must bear, but I offer you another thought. When we stand as Jesus did, when He laid Himself on that cross, our very body takes on the shape of that cross.
Jesus said, “I am the Good Shepherd; I know My sheep and My sheep know Me, and they will listen to My voice,” John 10:14-16. When we extend our arms to receive the Lord, we are accepting Truth: Whoever loses their life for the Lord will save it (Luke 9:24).
“I give My sheep eternal life, and they shall never perish!
No one can snatch them out of My hand.
My Father, Who has given them to Me, is greater than all!
No one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand.
I and the Father are one!”
John 10:28-30