“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.”
Matthew 28:19-20
“ ‘But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’ After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.”
Acts 1:8-9
The disciples watched and their jaws dropped as Jesus lifted into the air defying gravity. By ascending into heaven, Jesus took the risk that He would be forgotten. He left the charge of the kingdom growth and expansion in fumbling hands of mankind. God trusted His reputation, His Son’s story, and the kingdom growth to Jesus’ disciples.
The world would not know anything about Him if it weren’t for the impact that He left on the lives of men and women. He never wrote a book or wrote any of His teachings. He never married, had children, and set up a dynasty. He had no earthly possessions unless you count His robe, which was gambled for at the cross.
My friend Paula has written this amazing song called “Gospel to the World.” I remember when she was writing it and trying to work out the final touches of it. At Bible study one night at her house, she told us that she was not quite sure if it was going to be on her next CD. We encouraged her to sit down at her piano and play it for us.
The first verse starts by saying, “Jesus lived his life to die, and He died to save us.” The end of the first verse says, “We can see His heart in the many things He left us.” Here is the chorus:
The silver went to Judas
His body went to Joseph
His mother to apostles who would take good care of her
His clothes to soldier
His peace to disciples
His supper to his followers
And the Gospel to the world.
The second verse says:
No earthly possessions anyone could hope for
No worthy estate that one would seek to gain
But the precious things He had would change history forever
And changed my life today.
As I was opening the door to leave Paula’s house, I realized something that gave me God-bumps. I told Paula, “Oh, Oh, the chorus is Jesus’ last will and testament! There is so much meaning in everything on the list!” Before I tell you the explanation that I shared with Paula, I’ll tell you her reaction was in a loving way, “Only you would get that, Shirley.” So let’s break the chorus down line by line, and I will tell you what I said to her:
The silver went to Judas – The only money associated with His life went to His betrayer.
His body went to Joseph – There were no burial arrangements with the funeral director. However, it was important that someone attend to Jesus’ body in order to prove that there was an empty tomb. So God placed it on the heart of Joseph to ask for Jesus’ body and bury it in his tomb. Everyone knew that it was placed in Joseph of Arimathea’s tomb because of the Roman guard.
Are you beginning to see yet? Did you notice that the temporal things that didn’t have much worth, He didn’t assign? Clothes and money didn’t matter so Jesus didn’t designate to anyone. So His betrayer took the money, and the Roman soldiers who crucified Him took His clothing. However, His precious body did matter to prove the resurrection, and it enclosed the Shekinah glory of God. Between His Father and Jesus, the things that were precious and eternal were specifically assigned.
His mother was important so as Jesus was dying on the cross, He told John to take care of His mother like she was John’s own mother. At the Last Supper, Jesus told His disciples that He was leaving them His peace. His peace is precious, and if you don’t have it, then you want it more than any riches in the world. Also at the Last Supper, Jesus instituted the New Covenant which we still take today in remembrance of His sacrifice as the ultimate fulfillment of the Passover Lamb. His Last Supper has encouraged believers for 2,000 years. Lastly, He gave the greatest thing that He could give to every person who has ever lived. He gave the gospel to the world.
The gospel story is our inheritance. It’s your inheritance. It’s my inheritance. You and I are heirs of the greatest estate ever been given to anyone. Its worth cannot be measured in human terms. Most likely, I will never receive an earthly inheritance of great worth, but I am an heiress of the most amazing treasure. The thing about this inheritance is the more we give away, the more God pours out into us. It’s a replenishing inheritance. I plan on using every part of it. I’m going to give away as much of my inheritance as I can. The story of Jesus Christ has brought healing to my mind, forgiven me of my many sins, redeemed my past, given me the best relationships of my life, peace through any circumstances, confidence for my future, security in my identity, and I could keep going on. I must share it with everyone God brings across my path.
We’ve all received gifts through the Holy Spirit that can help fulfill the Great Commission. The disciples were just like us. We stumble and stutter. We shrink back from things that stretch us. God trusts us to do this. He is entrusting us with the story of His Son. This is our tenure on planet earth. This is our appointed time. We must obey Him. He’s given the baton to us. It’s in our hands. We are ordinary people just like the disciples who can do extraordinary things when empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Pray with me: Almighty God, O, how we praise You. You are infinite and everlasting. Thank You for giving us the greatest inheritance of all times. Teach us to not live like paupers, but daughters and heirs. We have great value, and we possess things of eternal value. Through Jesus, we have precious things and things that matter. All this we pray in the Name above all names and the Name that one day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess it, in Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Copyright ©2011 Christ Compels Ministry
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