Written by Pastor Jack Wellman– Matthew 28:20
In Word
Jesus told the disciples, “You are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you” (John 15:3), and “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” (John 15:7) so the water helps cleanses us by finding forgiveness in the Word of God and if the Word abides in us then we can ask for whatever we desire and it will be done for us (if it is God’s will for our life). The psalmist wrote, “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11), so apparently storing up or memorizing Scripture can help keep us from sinning. Let me put it this way: Sinning keeps you out of the Bible, but the Bible keeps you out of sin.
In Deed
Before He left to go back into heaven, Jesus told the disciples to go into all the world, “teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:20a), and so “… whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Col. 3:17). We were commanded to make disciples of others and to teach those who become disciples of Christ to observe or obey everything that Jesus taught us through His Word.
In Witnessing
God uses believers to proclaim the good news to others. This is clear, as just before Jesus ascended to heaven, He said, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). The power we need is the Spirit of God, and the place to proclaim His Word is to all whom we would see. We are called to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and He is with us in this evangelism.
In Troubles
God never leaves, forsakes, or abandons us (Heb. 13:5b). In fact, “the LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18). He also “heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” (Psalm 147:3). So in our troubles, God is there; in our rejoicings, God is there; and in all circumstances, God is right there. As the psalmist declares, “The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth” (Psalm 145:18).
Conclusion
Christ has given us His promise that He will be with us, even to the end of the age, in His Word, the Bible; in deeds by being disciples of His and making disciples for Him; in witnessing for the Great Commission; and in our times of trouble, when He is actually nearer. It is clear that when Jesus said “surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age,” He meant until His return. Then He will be with us, face to face, and we will all get to behold His glory.
