In the past several weeks of lessons, we have looked at the ministry of Jesus, the identity of Jesus, the crucifixion/death/burial/resurrection of Jesus.  It is a great thing to KNOW about all that.  In fact, as believers, it is very necessary to learn all we can ABOUT Jesus as we grow in our relationship with Him. The Bible is His love letter to us. 

What a shame it would be if we put a piece of tape (clear tape, masking tape, duct tape, band aide?!?) over our mouths and failed to SHARE what we have learned?  I have heard it expressed this way:  what if you had a cure for a deadly disease and kept the vital information to yourself, never sharing this wonderful news with sufferers of that deadly disease?  Jesus is the greatest news of all!  How can we NOT share about Him? 

God never intended for this story to be confined to the first century of history.  What Jesus did for us was always good news to be shared.

In John 1:29, John the Baptizer called Jesus “…the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world.” The freely given life of Jesus on Calvary made it possible for our sin problem to be dealt with forever. Our faith in Jesus places us into an eternal relationship with The Father. Our sins are atoned for (paid in full).  We stand as children of God, joint heirs with Jesus, having been washed in the blood of The Lamb.  

The blood of Jesus was perfect, sinless blood.  It became effective for the redemption of all of humanity when it was SHED on the cross.  This wonderful news about the life and ministry of Jesus becomes most effective when it is SHARED with those who need to hear it!

All four gospels contain what I like to call “The Great Go-Mission.”  Jesus is the speaker of all four of them.  These letters in scripture are all in RED like His shed blood.   

Matthew 28:19-20 is probably the most familiar passage.  Jesus said, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Jesus is in Galilee with His eleven disciples.  He had promised to meet them there after His resurrection.  As I understand it, I believe Jesus said to His followers, folks, I have been authorized by Heaven and Earth through my Father.  Now, I am giving you the authority to share this message.  So, as you are going, share this good news with everyone in every nation.  Let this news be a part of your personal testimony.  Make disciples.  Baptize disciples.  Teach disciples.  Take what I have taught you and pass it on! Disciple-ize and Baptize.  Train disciples to be disciples who will make other disciples. Best news of all, you will never be alone.  I am with you always. 

Mark 16:15 gives us this word from Jesus, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”  In this verse, Jesus is speaking to the same “eleven” as they are reclining at a table eating a meal together (see Mark 16:14).  The exact location is not known, but I believe it must have been in Jerusalem.  They had not believed the news of the resurrection and Jesus was personally scolding them for this behavior.  The message does not change.  As you go, preach, reach everyone! 

John 20:21 records Jesus saying, “Peace be with you.  As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”  This was recorded the evening of the first day of the week, which would have been the evening after the resurrection that morning.  Jesus appeared to them and showed them His scars from the crucifixion.  This would have probably been in the same Upper Room where they had eaten with Him on Thursday, the evening of His arrest in Gethsemane.  God had sent Jesus.  Jesus would remain on earth for 40 days after His resurrection.  On the 40th day, Jesus would ascend to His Father.  He would send the Holy Spirit to them at the Jewish festival of Pentecost, ten days after His ascension. The Holy Spirit would be the Promised One Jesus had spoken of in John 16.   Now the disciples and followers would be the sent ones. 

Our Luke passage for the Great Go-Mission is found in Luke 24:44-53.  Jesus has appeared to the eleven.  The two men from Emmaus have arrived to proclaim Jesus to be truly alive.  They were out of breath from a seven-mile return journey to Jerusalem after inviting Jesus to eat with them and spend the night in their home.  After a bite of fish, Jesus gave them their marching orders. 

Doctor Luke records these red ink words of Jesus, “These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled.  Thus, it is written that the Christ should suffer and rise again from the dead the third day and that repentance for forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.”  

Doctor Luke continues his account of the gospel story in the Book of Acts.  In Acts chapter one, Jesus ascends to His Father. Jesus ascends with a final word of encouragement and word of “A-SENDING.”  I like to think of this as the PS of Jesus to the four Great GO-Missions.  “It is not for you to know the time or epochs which their Father has fixed by His own authority; but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and even to the remotest part of the earth.” 

Jesus came with a GO.  The ASCENDER came to be a SENDER!  Go SHARE!