• No Other Plan

  Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Jun 17, 2011 (message contributor)

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  Scripture:  Matthew 28:16-20

  Tags:  Evangelism Urgency

  Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

NO OTHER PLAN

An old legend imagines Jesus arriving in heaven right after the Ascension, welcomed by all the angels. Then the angel Gabriel asks Jesus, "You suffered much, dying for the sins of mankind. Does everyone down on earth know it?"

"Oh, no," replied the Savior, "just a handful of folks in Jerusalem and Galilee know about it."

"Well, Master," continued Gabriel, "what is your plan for everyone to know of your great love?"

The Master replies, "I asked all my apostles to carry the message into all the world. I told them to tell others, who will in turn tell others until the last person in the farthest corner has heard the story."

Gabriel’s face clouds, for he spots a flaw in the plan. "What if after awhile Peter forgets, and goes back to his fishing on Galilee, also James and John and Andrew? Suppose Matthew returns to his tax booth in Capernaum, and all the others lose their zeal and just don’t tell others. What then?"

After a pause comes the calm voice of the Lord Jesus, "Gabriel, I have no other plan."

(From Leslie B. Flynn, The Twelve, pp. 22f.)