CHRIST’S GREAT COMMISSION

​“When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it. Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either. Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.” Mark 16:9-14 NIV
 
In the gospel writer Mark’s account of that first Easter Sunday, Jesus rebuked the Eleven for their lack of faith and refusal to accept the testimonies of Mary Magdalene as well as two others—possibly the 2 disciples on Road to Emmaus in Luke 24:13-35—who’d seen Jesus. For the record, the gospel writer Matthew also recorded that when the Eleven were at Jesus’ Ascension—right before Jesus issued the Great Commission—Matthew wrote: “When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted” (Matthew 28:17). Doubt amid worship—that pretty much describes me!
 
Because You Say So
 
What holds us back from truly believing that Jesus is risen, what stops us from trusting in all His promises and affirmations spoken over us, our families, and our ministry? Can we still worship and serve God, in the face of doubt? I love Simon Peter’s response in Luke 5, when Jesus told him to go fishing: “Simon answered, ‘Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets’” (Luke 5:5). The 5 most important words that we can and must utter whenever doubt assails us: But because you say so! Because Jesus says so, I will obey despite my doubts and questions. 
 
Preaching the Gospel
 
Jesus commands the Eleven (as He does us) to go and preach the gospel to all the world, drive out demons, heal the sick, speak in new tongues, and face threats of all kinds (snake bites, ingesting poison, etc.) and yet remain unharmed. In ISI, we’re spoiled rotten because we get to preach the gospel, share the love of Christ, with all the world every single day—and we never tire of it! 
 
Healing the Sick
 
We’ve seen and experienced some rather spectacular healings that the Lord brought about. But even the very minor stuff matters. My wife and I have international cadets from the U.S. Air Force Academy traipsing in-and-out of our home on most weekends. Over spring break a couple of years ago, several international cadets stayed at our home and one of them took ill. He’d been going nonstop at the Academy and probably fell sick once his adrenaline tapered off over spring break. Thankfully, he felt much better after we fed him Tylenol and he had a restful sleep—something so simple, nothing spectacular, but healing the sick. 
 
Picking up Snakes
 
I’m not about to join the snake-handling cult in the Appalachians. But when I think of how my family has, over the years, overcome some pretty crazy stuff, such as my wife’s deathly bout with dengue shock syndrome (which ostensibly has only a 50% survival rate), or when two of our daughter’s 5th grade classmates threatened (by phone text message) to “kill her” over some misunderstanding, the threats posed by the enemy in the form of spiritual snakes and poison—and God’s protection over us from all that—was all too real. 
 
Speaking in Tongues
 
Some folks trip up over the “speaking in new tongues” bit. Some of us practice this, but I think there’s way more to it. Do we know that when we speak Spirit-filled words of life and affirmation into situations and circumstances defined by death, devastation, and rejection, we’re speaking, in a sense, in a tongue potentially novel or alien—and oh so life-giving—to our listeners?
 
Somer time ago, I took an international cadet from the Air Force Academy out for dinner, asked after him and prayed with him. He confided that despite growing up in a Christian family, his dad rarely encouraged him but continually judged and pressured him. He grew up hearing the same language of criticism and condemnation. (I didn’t say this to him at the time, but I thought, “Well maybe you should ask my daughter about me, her Asian Tiger Dad!” Shame on me.)
 
In a world full of aggressive, malicious, belittling, and condemnatory language and behavior, words and deeds that bless, nourish, build up, and liberate are new and refreshing—they revive the soul, they lift the downcast and downtrodden, they bring dead bones back to life. A broken world longs to hear this new tongue! 
 
The Obedient Get It!
 
Finally, Mark 16:20 highlights the fact that “the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.” The Lord works with those who obey. He confirms His word with signs and wonders. When Jesus promises in Matthew 28:20 that He will surely be with us to the very end of the age, it’s not some abstract principle. Mark 16:20 underscores what Jesus’s being with us looks and feels like.
 
When we walk by faith in Christ, the fish and loaves in our hands are multiplied and thousands are fed (Matthew 14:17-19)! Just one of us will put a thousand to flight (Joshua 23:10)! And we shall move mountains (Matthew 17:20-21)! This is His promise to you and me; this is our destiny.