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The Risen Lord Sends His Disciples to All Nations (Matthew 28:16–20)

The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had ordered them. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted. 18 Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” The risen Jesus meets the eleven disciples in Galilee, on the mountain to which He had directed them (v. 16). The number “ eleven ” quietly reminds the reader of Judas’s betrayal and death. Jesus gathers them and gives them His mission, even though He knows that some still have doubts. Galilee is also important. Earlier in Matthew, Jesus began His public ministry in Capernaum, in the northern region called “ Galilee of the Gentiles ,” where Jewish communities lived amid significant contact with non...

The Father Himself Loves You (John 16:23b-28)

Amen, amen, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you. 24 Until now you have not asked anything in my name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete. 25 “I have told you this in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures but I will tell you clearly about the Father. 26 On that day you will ask in my name, and I do not tell you that I will ask the Father for you. 27 For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have come to believe that I came from God. 28 I came from the Father and have come into the world. Now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father.” Jesus continues to prepare His disciples for the time after His death, Resurrection, and return to the Father. He tells them, “ whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you ” (v. 23b). To ask in Jesus’ name means to pray as disciples who belong to Him, trust Him, and desire what is in harmony with His will. Earl...

Jesus Promises Joy That No One Can Take Away (John 16:16-23)

A little while and you will no longer see me, and again a little while later and you will see me.” 17 So some of his disciples said to one another, “What does this mean that he is saying to us, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me,’ and ‘Because I am going to the Father’?” 18 So they said, “What is this ‘little while’ [of which he speaks]? We do not know what he means.” 19 Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Are you discussing with one another what I said, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? 20 Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy. 21 When a woman is in labor, she is in anguish because her hour has arrived; but when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the pain because of her joy that a child has been born into the world. 22 So you also are now in anguish. ...

Matthias Is Chosen to Replace Judas (Acts 1:15-26)

During those days Peter stood up in the midst of the brothers (there was a group of about one hundred and twenty persons in the one place). He said, 16 “My brothers, the scripture had to be fulfilled which the holy Spirit spoke beforehand through the mouth of David, concerning Judas, who was the guide for those who arrested Jesus. 17 He was numbered among us and was allotted a share in this ministry. 18 He bought a parcel of land with the wages of his iniquity, and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle, and all his insides spilled out. 19 This became known to everyone who lived in Jerusalem, so that the parcel of land was called in their language ‘Akeldama,’ that is, Field of Blood. 20 For it is written in the Book of Psalms: ‘Let his encampment become desolate, and may no one dwell in it.’ And: ‘May another take his office.’ 21 Therefore, it is necessary that one of the men who accompanied us the whole time the Lord Jesus came and went among us, 22 beginning from the baptism o...

The Spirit of Truth Guides Disciples to Divine Truth (John 16:12-15)

I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. 13 But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. 14 He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. 15 Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Jesus knows that His disciples cannot yet understand everything He has to teach them. They have heard His words. They have seen His works. Still, before His Passion, Death, Resurrection, and return to the Father, they cannot yet grasp the full meaning of what He has revealed. His words, “ you cannot bear it now ” (v. 12), show that the disciples are not yet spiritually ready to receive the full meaning of what He still has to reveal, especially before His Passion, Resurrection, return to the Father, and the coming of the Holy Spirit...

The Spirit Reveals Sin, Righteousness, and Judgment (John 16:4b-11)

I did not tell you this from the beginning, because I was with you. 5 But now I am going to the one who sent me, and not one of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 But because I told you this, grief has filled your hearts. 7 But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go. For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes he will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and condemnation: 9 sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see me; 11 condemnation, because the ruler of this world has been condemned. Jesus continues speaking to His disciples during the Last Supper, shortly before His Passion. He has already warned them that they will face hatred and rejection because they belong to Him. Now He explains why His departure is necessary and how the Holy Spirit will continue His work among them. Jesus says, “ I did not tell you th...

The Spirit of Truth Strengthens Christ’s Witnesses (John 15:26—16:4a)

When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me. 27 And you also testify, because you have been with me from the beginning. 1 “I have told you this so that you may not fall away. 2 They will expel you from the synagogues; in fact, the hour is coming when everyone who kills you will think he is offering worship to God. 3 They will do this because they have not known either the Father or me. 4 I have told you this so that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you. Jesus continues to prepare His disciples for life after His death, resurrection, and return to the Father. He has already spoken of the world’s hatred and rejection of those who belong to Him. Now He tells them that they will not bear witness alone. Jesus says, “ When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me ” (v. 26). The Advocate is the Hol...

Christ Promises the Advocate to Those Who Love Him (John 14:15-21)

If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, 17 the Spirit of truth, which the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows it. But you know it, because it remains with you, and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. 19 In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me, because I live and you will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me and I in you. 21 Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.” Jesus is speaking to His disciples before His Passion. He knows that His visible presence with them is about to change. He will suffer, die, rise, and return to the Father. He prepares them to understand that His departure will not mean He is abandoning them. Jesus begins with love a...

The World Hates Christ and His Disciples (John 15:18-21)

If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you. 20 Remember the word I spoke to you, ‘No slave is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 21 And they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know the one who sent me. Jesus speaks these words after commanding His disciples to love one another. He now prepares them for the hostility they will face because they belong to Him. He does not want them to be surprised or confused by rejection. He tells them plainly, “ If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first ” (v. 18). In this passage, “ the world ” does not mean the earth God created, nor does it mean every person. God created the world good, and God loves the world He desires to save (...

I Chose You to Go and Bear Fruit That Will Last (John 15:12-17)

This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. 13 No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. 16 It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. 17 This I command you: love one another. Jesus continues speaking to His disciples on the night before His death. He has already told them to remain in His love. Now He shows what that love must look like: “ love one another as I love you ” (v. 12). The measure of Christian love is Christ Himself. Christ’s love is faithful, obedient, self-giving love, shown most fully when He gives His life on the Cross. Jesus says, “ No one has greater love than this, to ...

Remain in Christ’s Love (John 15:9-11)

As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. Jesus continues speaking to His disciples after using the image of the vine and branches. The branch lives by remaining joined to the vine. The disciple lives by remaining joined to Christ. In this passage, Jesus explains this union in the language of love. Jesus says, “ As the Father loves me, so I also love you ” (v. 9). This is a profound statement. The love Jesus gives His disciples comes from the eternal love between the Father and the Son. The disciples are being drawn into the love that belongs to the life of God. Christ does not love them from a distance. He brings them into communion with Himself, so that they may share in the love He receives from the Father. Then Jesus says, “ Remain in my love ” (v....

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