Marching Orders -
Welcome to the Elmhurst CRC Devotional Experience.
It’s Sunday, the eighth day of Easter week
Our scripture reading today comes from Matthew 28:16-20.
Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
The Great commission. Some of Jesus’s most famous words to his disciples. Yet, he is not speaking just to his disciples - he is speaking to all believers. He is speaking to me. He is speaking to you. He has commissioned us all to be witnesses wherever we are. We have the awesome responsibility of sharing his love and his light with everyone we meet. How do we do that? We do that by choosing to be love. By choosing to love God above all else and to be so filled with his love that we can’t help but love others as we love ourselves.
This is not always easy. There will be times when we struggle and feel overwhelmed. Times when we ourselves feel surrounded by darkness and not sure which way to go. Jesus said that in this world we will have trouble. But, he did not stop there. He goes on to say be encouraged, I have won the battle over this world. He is alive! He is risen! And, he promises to help us, to be our strength when we are not sure we can go on. He has sent the Holy Spirit to comfort, guide, and support us. He will not leave us alone.
So go out there. Share his love, his light, and his story. Live as an example to those around you.
He is with us always. To the very end of the age.
Find a dark or dim place nearby. Bring along eight sources of light for the eighth day of our experience. Watch as the light grows brighter and brighter with each soure of light.
As the light begins to push out the darkness, speak these words: “Out of the darkness of the tomb, the light is shining. Jesus is the light of the world. I will let that light shine through me and share that light with others.