03-22-2009, 04:32 PM
:heartbeat: Hello friends! Today we have a familiar Bible verse to ponder ---
Matthew 28:19:
Go then and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,[AMP]
(I chose the Amplified Bible version because it correctly has "into" instead of the common transliteration "in". And that's another subject in itself!)
This is called "The Great Commission". Never before was God's favor towards the nations - He had made Israel His favorite people among all the nations in times past. But now, through His Only Begotten Son, He offers the same mercy and forgiveness - the same promise of life - to anyone among all the nations of the world who will draw near to Him and follow Him as their God. And this great work was accomplished by his devout followers to such an extent that the apostle Paul made the bold statement: "... the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister." (Col.1:23b) Praise God that those early disciples of Christ took their preaching commission seriously, for if they hadn't - maybe we wouldn't know of this Jesus of Nazareth called the Christ and Savior of the whole world - and we couldn't then share the Good News about him and the spirit of life that comes from him with others - a terrible thought!:crybaby:
Matthew 12:18
" BEHOLD, MY SERVANT WHOM I HAVE CHOSEN; MY BELOVED IN WHOM MY SOUL is WELL-PLEASED; I WILL PUT MY SPIRIT UPON HIM, AND HE SHALL PROCLAIM JUSTICE TO THE GENTILES.
Matthew 12:21
" AND IN HIS NAME THE GENTILES WILL HOPE."
Luke 2:32
A LIGHT OF REVELATION TO THE GENTILES,And the glory of Your people Israel."
Acts 13:47
"For so the Lord has commanded us,' I HAVE PLACED YOU AS A LIGHT FOR THE GENTILES,THAT YOU MAY BRING SALVATION TO THE END OF THE EARTH.'"
Acts 10
43 "Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins."
44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message.
45 All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.
Acts 11
12 "The Spirit told me to go with them without misgivings These six brethren also went with me and we entered the man's house.
13 "And he reported to us how he had seen the angel standing in his house, and saying, 'Send to Joppa and have Simon, who is also called Peter, brought here;
14 and he will speak words to you by which you will be saved, you and all your household.'
15 "And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as He did upon us at the beginning.
16 "And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'
17 "Therefore if God gave to them the same gift as He gave to us also after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God's way?"
18 When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, "Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life."
Acts 13:48
When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.
Acts 15
14 "Simeon has related how God first concerned Himself about taking from among the Gentiles a people for His name.
15 "With this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written,
16 'AFTER THESE THINGS I will return,
AND I WILL REBUILD THE TABERNACLE OF DAVID WHICH HAS FALLEN,
AND I WILL REBUILD ITS RUINS,
AND I WILL RESTORE IT,
17 SO THAT THE REST OF MANKIND MAY SEEK THE LORD,
AND ALL THE GENTILES WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME,'
18 SAYS THE LORD, WHO MAKES THESE THINGS KNOWN FROM LONG AGO.
Ephesians 2
11 Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called "Uncircumcision" by the so-called "Circumcision," which is performed in the flesh by human hands--
12 remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
14 For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall,
15 by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace,
16 and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.
17 AND HE CAME AND PREACHED PEACE TO YOU WHO WERE FAR AWAY, AND PEACE TO THOSE WHO WERE NEAR;
18 for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.
19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household,
20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone,
May we all have a share of our Lord's peace.:heartbeat:
:heartbeat:Much love from
Your friend and sister in Christ,
Willa
Matthew 28:19:
Go then and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,[AMP]
(I chose the Amplified Bible version because it correctly has "into" instead of the common transliteration "in". And that's another subject in itself!)
This is called "The Great Commission". Never before was God's favor towards the nations - He had made Israel His favorite people among all the nations in times past. But now, through His Only Begotten Son, He offers the same mercy and forgiveness - the same promise of life - to anyone among all the nations of the world who will draw near to Him and follow Him as their God. And this great work was accomplished by his devout followers to such an extent that the apostle Paul made the bold statement: "... the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister." (Col.1:23b) Praise God that those early disciples of Christ took their preaching commission seriously, for if they hadn't - maybe we wouldn't know of this Jesus of Nazareth called the Christ and Savior of the whole world - and we couldn't then share the Good News about him and the spirit of life that comes from him with others - a terrible thought!:crybaby:
Matthew 12:18
" BEHOLD, MY SERVANT WHOM I HAVE CHOSEN; MY BELOVED IN WHOM MY SOUL is WELL-PLEASED; I WILL PUT MY SPIRIT UPON HIM, AND HE SHALL PROCLAIM JUSTICE TO THE GENTILES.
Matthew 12:21
" AND IN HIS NAME THE GENTILES WILL HOPE."
Luke 2:32
A LIGHT OF REVELATION TO THE GENTILES,And the glory of Your people Israel."
Acts 13:47
"For so the Lord has commanded us,' I HAVE PLACED YOU AS A LIGHT FOR THE GENTILES,THAT YOU MAY BRING SALVATION TO THE END OF THE EARTH.'"
Acts 10
43 "Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins."
44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message.
45 All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.
Acts 11
12 "The Spirit told me to go with them without misgivings These six brethren also went with me and we entered the man's house.
13 "And he reported to us how he had seen the angel standing in his house, and saying, 'Send to Joppa and have Simon, who is also called Peter, brought here;
14 and he will speak words to you by which you will be saved, you and all your household.'
15 "And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as He did upon us at the beginning.
16 "And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'
17 "Therefore if God gave to them the same gift as He gave to us also after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God's way?"
18 When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, "Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life."
Acts 13:48
When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.
Acts 15
14 "Simeon has related how God first concerned Himself about taking from among the Gentiles a people for His name.
15 "With this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written,
16 'AFTER THESE THINGS I will return,
AND I WILL REBUILD THE TABERNACLE OF DAVID WHICH HAS FALLEN,
AND I WILL REBUILD ITS RUINS,
AND I WILL RESTORE IT,
17 SO THAT THE REST OF MANKIND MAY SEEK THE LORD,
AND ALL THE GENTILES WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME,'
18 SAYS THE LORD, WHO MAKES THESE THINGS KNOWN FROM LONG AGO.
Ephesians 2
11 Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called "Uncircumcision" by the so-called "Circumcision," which is performed in the flesh by human hands--
12 remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
14 For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall,
15 by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace,
16 and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity.
17 AND HE CAME AND PREACHED PEACE TO YOU WHO WERE FAR AWAY, AND PEACE TO THOSE WHO WERE NEAR;
18 for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.
19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household,
20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone,
May we all have a share of our Lord's peace.:heartbeat:
:heartbeat:Much love from
Your friend and sister in Christ,
Willa