The Almighty Jesus Commissions Us To Go With Water And Word

6.7.20 Matthew 28:16–20

16 The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had directed them. 17 When they saw him, they worshipped him, but some hesitated because they were uncertain. 18 Jesus approached and spoke to them saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and gather disciples from all nations by baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and by teaching them to keep all the instructions I have given you. And surely I am with you always until the end of the age.”

Jim Carrey played in a comedy movie called “Bruce Almighty,” where he was complaining to God about something, so God decided to let him play God for a day or something like that. It wasn’t pretty. If you were God for a day, if you had all of the power in the world to do anything you wanted, what would you do with it? How would you rule?

Think about what Jesus was saying to the disciples. All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Not SOME authority, ALL authority. Where? EVERYWHERE - in heaven AND on earth! He had died for the sins of the world. He had risen from the dead. This was the same Guy who in HUMILITY had walked on water, raised the dead, stilled storms, and now He was now using ALL of His powers, and He had divine authority to do anything He wanted with them.

He had planned to meet with His disciples on the top of a mountain in Galilee, and so Matthew gives us an inside scoop about what happened at that time! What was He going to do now?!? They must have been eager to find out! Jesus could have told the 11 disciples to do anything He wanted! Make PBJ’s and give them to the poor. Jump off a bridge. Raise the dead. Heal the sick. Walk on water. Anything! And what did Jesus say? Therefore go and gather disciples from all nations by baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and by teaching them to keep all the instructions I have given you.

The Almighty Jesus Commissions Us to Go With Water and Word

That’s it? No talk of overthrowing Rome? Taking over the temple? No armies. No tanks. No governments. No buildings. Just use water and the Word. It seems so strange, doesn’t it? But Jesus created the world with His words. He raised the dead with words. He Himself was baptized with water, and the Holy Spirit came on Him with power. It may seem weak, but it’s not. God’s Word is POWERFUL and effective, the Bible says.

And WHO does He give this commission to? 11 run of the mill guys. Some fishermen, a zealot, and a tax collector. There’s nothing special about them at all, even with their faith in some ways. Today’s text says that even when the resurrected Jesus was standing right in front of them, some hesitated because they were uncertain. Think about it, if there is any chronological order to this at all, this would have been AFTER He had come to them in the upper room and told them to STOP DOUBTING and believe, and they STILL doubted. But Jesus wanted THEM, THESE DOUBTERS, to be the ones who would have the future of Jesus’ kingdom in their mouths and hands. You would think He would have picked better people for such a task.

Don’t we say the same things about ourselves as well? Here He gives us children and grandchildren. He gives us opportunities to speak with our neighbors and co-workers. And what do we do? We doubt. We fear. We say nothing. So why would He want US either? Is He blind? Is He foolish to think He’ll get ANYTHING done through US?!? No. God is neither blind nor foolish.

Well, it’s got to be grace then, right? It’s got to be mercy. God has NEVER based His choice on our worthiness. It’s always based on His undeserved love for humans and sinners, just like us. It’s also got to be that God can still accomplish His purpose through His Word and sacrament, even through weak and sinful DOUBTERS like us. Think of Elijah who fled from God and just wanted to die, but God kept using Him and speaking through Him anyway, and His Word kept on working just like God said it would. God’s grace and mercy are not bound by your doubts. His power is not bound by your sin either. He still works through us, even in spite of us at times.