Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Day 40!! What an amazing journey through various Scriptures that capture God’s heart for his creation! Jesus began the ministry of reconciliation that reverses the effects of sin, and he calls his followers to extend this ministry.
Often we have thought of his command to “go” as a call to missions—to stop being here and to go to another place to make disciples. While that is part of the message, the meaning of “go” in the original language can be interpreted as “while you are going.” So, as you are going about your life—going to work, going to school, living in your community—you are to be
extending the ministry of Jesus. This has implications for all followers of Jesus.
As we live out our faith, we implement the priorities that Jesus taught, and we teach others to do the same. To carry out this commission faithfully, we must demonstrate and declare a Gospel that has implications in all areas of our lives.
If we put into practice all that Jesus taught, we will begin to experience communities of SHALOM—holistic wellbeing with security and equity in all areas of life: economic, political, social, and spiritual. This is God’s intention for the world; he longs for all people and all nations to experience healing and wholeness in relationship with him, with others, and with all of creation. As we enter people’s lives, sharing the message of Christ and demonstrating kingdom values, we will see a broken, sinful world restored, renewed, and transformed.
The most exciting part of this journey is that Jesus promises to be with us always. While he commissions us to carry on his work by his Spirit, he is present—sustaining us, strengthening us, empowering us, and guiding us.
SCRIPTURE TO REFLECT ON: MATTHEW 28:16–20
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
1. What does Matthew 28:16-20 say about justice and compassion?
2. In what areas of life can I share the message of Christ “while I am going”?
Joanne Beach serves the C&MA in Canada as the Director of Alliance Justice and Compassion.
40 Days of Faith and Hope in Action 
“As we are going”. Whether we realize it or not, every move we make, every word we say, is scrutinized by a cynical world, that holds Christians to a higher standard than anyone else. Why? – because our God is God! We should always remember that we are constantly ambassadors for Jesus. What kind of ambassadors are we? I often fail in that role (which I’m always in). We must rely on the strength that the Holy Spirit provides for us in order to do the job properly. The world is watching.
Thankyou for this great journey Jo. Its been a great season of reflection and renwal with so many inspiring messages from new and old friends. I really appreciated those ones from you and Lee. As I am going to Mindanao in a few weeks, I will bring this perspective of Justice and compassion with a clearer focous because of these Lenten devotionals! God bless. Rhonda
Sent from Samsung tablet
Than YOU again for the Lenten devotionals. All of them were exceptionally presented and practical in application. We have the booklet – hard copy, and I look forward to rereading them all in more detail.