Before ascending into heaven, Jesus said to His disciples (and us too since His promise is to be with us unto the end of this age): “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 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, 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.” (Matthew 28:18-20).

Jesus suffered and died for the sins of the world and is risen again and ascended to the right hand of God the Father. He has all power and authority in heaven and earth. As the risen and exalted Christ, He is over all (cf. Ephesians 1:20-23)!

Having all power and authority, He commands us (with one active verb and three participles in the Greek): “Going,therefore, disciple (or make disciples of ) all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 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.”

What Jesus commands us to do is to make disciples of all the nations and peoples and families of this world. The way that we are to do this is by going out to the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Triune God and teaching them to observe all that Christ has commanded.

This great commission of Jesus is not complete when a child or adult is baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit; those who are baptized into Christ Jesus are also to be taught Jesus’ doctrine that they might observe it and continue in the true and saving faith.

Thus, the work of parents, sponsors and the entire church continues on far past the day of baptism. We carry out Christ’s commission as we continue to teach and explain the truths of God’s holy Word that the Spirit of God, through the Word, might preserve and strengthen faith in Christ Jesus.

And, as Jesus said, we are not left to ourselves with this task. Jesus gives us the added assurance that He is present with us always, “even to the end of the age.”

O Jesus, our Savior, grant that we be Your disciples through baptism and continuing in Your Word, and grant that we too disciple the nations by going out, by baptizing and by teaching Your life-giving Word. Amen.

[Devotion by Randy Moll. Scripture

taken from the New King James

Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.]

Opinion, Pages 6 on 05/25/2011