Christ’s Commission to His Disciples and to Us

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” -Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV) The eleven disciples who remained with Jesus after His resurrection (Judas had already committed suicide because of his grief over betraying Christ) had gone to a mountain in Galilee to await his appearance to them. He was ready to ascend into Heaven, back to His Father. We are told in verse 17 that they “worshiped Him, but some doubted.” Even though he had been seen, we are told, some forty times since His resurrection, some “still doubted” that he had arisen triumphantly from death and the grave. And now Jesus had an important announcement to make to the disciples and a very important commission to give to them. First, He stated firmly: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” Because of His authority, He had the power to be with them in what He was about to ask them to do. He had the authority to empower them for the task. He was going triumphantly back to Heaven, His reason for coming to earth fully accomplished. And even though He did not come to set up a political earthly kingdom as so many had anticipated He would do, and hoped He would do, He was ready for them to take part in building that kingdom of believers. They (and we) were (are) to do this by going into all the world and making disciples in every nation. Believers are to be baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Baptism is an act of obedience. It also demonstrates to the world that the believer is “dead to sins” and “resurrected to new life in Jesus Christ.” Next, they (we) have the command to “teach them to observe all that I have commanded you.” In other words, we are to disciple the saved, teach them the Bible, teach them to walk in God’s ways, as Jesus had taught His disciples when He was among them on earth. And this marvelous promise came from the mouth of Jesus before He ascended into heaven in their sight: “Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Go to Acts 1:6-11 to read a fuller account than in Matthew’s gospel of the Great Commission and what happened just before and just after Jesus ascended (was taken upward in a cloud as they watched). Would you not like to have been standing on that mountain in Galilee that day to hear Christ’s commission and to see the remarkable spectacle of His ascension? How very thrilling that event was! Now, back to earth and the job the disciples had to do. We hear no more about “some doubting” after hearing Jesus that day and seeing Him ascend into heaven. They were so awe-struck that two angels were sent from God to tell the disciples Jesus would return even as they had seen Him go into heaven. This is the one promise of Jesus that has not yet been fulfilled. Be ready; this will happen when all peoples everywhere hear the Good News that Jesus is Lord and Savior! My pastor of years ago used to urge us to expect Jesus each day: To arise and say, “Lord, are You returning to earth today?” He told us that if we live in anticipation, we will also live in holiness and obedience. I believed him when I was a child and become a Christian (at age 9), and I believe even today that we should live with this expectancy of Jesus’ return very present in our minds. In the meantime, as disciples, we are to go, tell, baptize, teach. And I add, live in expectancy of His return to earth. The next day after I became a Christian at age nine, I led my cousin to the Lord. Later that revival week, I led another cousin to the Lord. Did I know “how” to witness? Not really; I had no previous lessons in the “steps to salvation”. But I knew how to tell Dennis and Mary Lou that Jesus loves me and He loves each of them. At age six, when Missionary Pearl Todd from China came to our church to speak, I was not then a Christian; but I loved Jesus in my heart and wanted to do His will as I understood it. I felt at age six that God was calling me to China to be a missionary like Miss Todd, to tell people there that Jesus loves them. My job, instead, was to stay home and “hold the ropes,” to be a preacher’s wife, and to seek to faithfully witness to the lost where ever God led my husband and me in our ministerial and teaching work. What a life He has provided me: seeking to do the Great Commission. Lord, help us be faithful. - Ethelene Dyer Jones 05.28.2017

In Worship: A Refrain of Praise

“Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever.

Give thanks to the God of gods, for His steadfast love endures forever.

Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for His steadfast love endures forever!

To Him who alone does great wonders; for His steadfast love endures forever.” -Psalm 136-1-4 (ESV). [Read Psalm 136]

Today is a day of worship (although every day we should worship!). I pray you will attend the church of your choice and worship with fellow believers. Worship is important to our spiritual stability and growth. I have enjoyed gathering for worship in all of the span of my years since earliest remembrances in childhood.

Psalm 136 is a worship hymn that repeats the refrain, “For His steadfast love endures forever.” The priest led with the statement giving the list of God’s provision and goodness; the people sang or repeated the refrain. The leader recalls systematically the goodness of God (1-4), the greatness of God in creation (4-9), deliverance from Egypt (10-16), provision of a land in which to live (17-22) and His continuing care (23-26).

As I studied the Psalm, I thought how important it is for us in our worship (whether public or private) to list our own catalog of praise and thank God for His care and provision. It would be good for us, too, like the ancient Hebrew worshipers, to repeat “and His steadfast love endures forever.” Here is a list to follow:

           Praise for God’s goodness

           Praise for God’s creation

           Praise for God’s deliverance

           Praise for God’s provision

           Praise for God’s continuing care

We would also want to add:

           Praise for salvation

           Praise for a place to worship and for fellow with other believers

           Praise for family, comforts of life, productive work, our Christian calling.

I express my prayer of thanks for the above (and more). I, like the psalmist, follow my statement of thanksgiving with “For Your steadfast love endures forever.” Here is a little poem with some of my thanksgivings listed. I repeat after each, as did the Psalmist:

           Hope rises in me like a prayer; (for Your steadfast love endures forever!)

           God, You know my needs for every hour; (for Your steadfast love endures forever!)

           Your hand is strong, Your help is sure! (For Your steadfast love endures forever!)

           I abide in You,God. I feel secure. (For Your steadfast love endures forever!)

Thank You, God, for all of these and so many more blessings! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

- Ethelene Dyer Jones 05.21.2017

Honor Your Mother

“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.” -Exodus 20:12 (ESV)

The fifth commandment is often termed “the first commandment with a promise.” Indeed, it is the only one of the Ten Commandments with a specific promise attached. Those who respect and honor their earthly father and mother are promised long life in the land the Lord gives them. Remember that Moses received the Ten Commandments not long after the Israelites escaped Egyptian bondage. They were looking forward to soon settling in the Promised Land.

God commanded them to honor parents. “Honor” is a word meaning to treat with respect and dignity, love and deference, and to provide for parents’ needs and look after them in their old age. Both parents are to receive this preferential and loving treatment. Today, when we observe a day set aside to honor mothers, we will consider ways in which we can honor mothers.

Studying the history of Mother’s Day, we learn that the ancient Greek and Roman culture had a specified time to honor mothers. In America, a movement was begun in 1905, led by Miss Anna Jarvis of West Virginia, to honor mothers in general by honoring her own mother who had just died and who had cared for wounded soldiers, both Union and Southern, during the Civil War. In 1908, Miss Jarvis set a day of celebration in the St. Andrew’s Methodist Church in Grafton, Virginia, a church now noted as the one starting the International Mother’s Day. Even though a proposal to have an annual Mother’s Day lost in both Senate and House in 1908, by 1911 enough interest had been generated so that observances were held in most all the states. In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation declaring the second Sunday in May as a national day to honor mothers. The day has been observed since that date throughout the United States.

Paul the Apostle repeated the fifth commandment in Ephesians 6:2. Also, the Apostle, writing to his ‘son in the gospel,’ Timothy, had these words about honoring mothers: “But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show godliness to their own household, and to make some return to their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God.”

When a mother is given honor and respect, Proverbs 31:28 states that “Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.”

Love of children for the mother and love of the mother for her children is a vital concept in God’s plan for families. In this modern day, we have seen a wide departure from biblical admonitions to honor mother and for a mother to love and rear children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. The words written by Dr. B. B. McKinney (1886-1952) and put to “The Christian Home’ tune also composed by Dr. McKinney is a prayer. May we pray it sincerely and earnestly for a return to God’s ways for the home and for honoring mothers:

“God give us Christian homes!

Homes where the mother, in caring quest,

Strives to show others Your way is best,

Homes where the Lord is an honored guest;

God give us Christian homes;

God give us Christian homes.”

-Ethelene Dyer Jones 05.14.2017

His Creation Reveals God

“The heavens declare the glory of God And the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language Where their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world.” -Psalm 119:1-4 (NKJV)

Psalm 119, a Psalm of David, begins with a song of praise for God’s magnificent creation. Both the heavens and the earth in His created order reveal the handiwork of Creator God. David sees day and night as revealing, speaking out, about Almighty God who created them. A remarkable benefit of the creation is that in all places in the world the created order testifies to the power and glory of God.

I can recall as a young child looking up to the beautiful mountains that surrounded the valley where I lived. The sky above and the azure line of mountains made me wonder about God’s creation and appreciate the beautiful world in which I lived. I especially liked to see the night sky with the moon and stars. I marveled at the beauty I saw all about me in nature. It turned my thoughts to God the Creator.

Some people worship nature. But nature is a part of the remarkable creation God made, a place He created for man whom He made in His own image. We are not to worship nature and its beauty, but the God who created the beauty for us to enjoy. In John 4:23-24 Jesus taught us: “But the hour is coming and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.” God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (NKJV).

I enjoy singing “This Is My Father’s World” with words by Maltbie D. Babcock (1858-1901) and the music, “Terra Patris” by Franklin L. Sheppard (1852-1930 ):

“This is my Father’s world, And to my list’ning ears,

All nature sings, and round me rings The music of the spheres.

This is my Father’s world, I rest me in the thought,

Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas, His hand the wonders wrought.

“This is my Father’s world, O let me ne’er forget

That though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.

This is my Father’s world, The battle is not done;

Jesus who died shall be satisfied, And earth and heaven be one.”

May the beauty of nature remind us of God who created the heavens and earth and the people who dwell in the place He made for us. “The morning light, the lily white Declare their Maker’s praise.” And so should we! And so do we! Amen! - Ethelene Dyer Jones 05.07.2017