March 3, 2012

Today you should read: Matthew 28:16-20

Go! Share your faith! Make disciples!

If you have grown up in the church you have heard these challenges given to you often. Hear at Center Point it is the driving force behind our mission statement. “We take everyone we meet one step closer to being a true disciple of Jesus Christ.” As a Christian it is our number one duty. We are called to be a light in the world and it is through Christians sharing their faith that God plans to reach and to save the world. It is a privilege to have such a noble call on our lives. So why is it that many of us fail to take up our calling? It may be because of confidence and belief.

Many of us know what we are called to in Matthew 28:19-20 but do we understand Matthew 28:18?

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” (Matthew 28:18 ESV)

All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Jesus. So this means that Christ has authority over all the demonic spiritual forces of evil that we battle against on a regular basis. “The prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:1-10), no longer has power in this world that Christ does not control. That same spirit that is at work in the sons of disobedience on this earth no longer has power because of Christ’s authority. So what is our proof of Christ’s authority? How can we be confident? His resurrection.

If Christ had only died on the cross for our sins but did not come back in his resurrection, like he said he would, then we would not know him as the son of God. If he is not resurrected, he would just be known as a martyr and someone who claimed to be the son of God but did not have the power to defeat death.

Matthew 28:1-15, is our confidence and proof that Jesus is exactly who he says he is. He is the Son of God, one part of the trinity, and king over all things.

So the implication for us as believers is confidence.

We are fighting for the King! I hope you understand this. As David’s mighty men fought for him (2 Samuel 23:8-39), we now fight with a confidence that cannot be matched. We have nothing to fear for Christ has authority over all. So I challenge you to Go and make disciples by sharing your faith with confidence in your King!

Meditation passage: Hebrews 2

Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. It has been testified somewhere,
“What is man that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him? You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor, putting everything in subjection under his feet.”

Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying,

“I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.”

And again,

“I will put my trust in him.”

And again,

“Behold, I and the children God has given me.”

Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. (Hebrews 2 ESV)

Posted by: Chad Wiles

Author: Center Point Church

A multi-campus church in central Kentucky. Our mission is to take everyone we meet one step closer to becoming a true disciple of Jesus Christ. View all posts by Center Point Church