The Last Great Commission

By "last" I mean the final of the five versions of the Great Commission found in the four gospels and the book of Acts.  Having looked at Matthew, Acts, John, and Mark, we now turn to Luke 24:45-47:

Then He opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.  He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in His name to all nations beginning at Jerusalem."


When we went through missionary orientation, we studied a book entitled All Nations in God's Purpose by Goerner.  He called attention to the amazing Bible study Jesus gave the disciples after His resurrection.  If we truly understand the Bible the way Jesus taught it, we will understand that the Scriptures have two complementary themes: the person of Jesus (sacrificial death and saving resurrection) and the purpose of God (to reach the nations with the message of repentance from and forgiveness of sin).  This insight to the meaning of God's word is not just eye-opening, but mind-opening (literally).  I had heard the Bible preached for many years, always hearing the story of Jesus but never hearing the teaching that God's purpose in all the biblical events and prophecies was that the peoples of the world would be reconciled to Himself.  Not just Israel.  Not just the church.  But all the people groups of the world.

I wonder what our churches would be like if we taught the plan of missions as clearly and frequently as we teach the plan of salvation.  There are only two worthy emphases in life: to know Him and to make Him known.  The Bible tells me so.

Let us pray today about making these two purposes the tracks on which the train of our lives runs.