The Apostles are Sent
Matthew 28:16-20, Acts 1: 6-11, Acts 5:17-42
As we have seen throughout this series, the overarching story of the bible is full of stories of God sending people to do things and go places they never expected. This week, that theme continues as we read about God sending the apostles.
In Matthew, we read the Great Commission, the command that Jesus gave the apostles before ascending to heaven. Then, in Acts 1, Jesus gives them an incredible gift, the Holy Spirit, to be with and sustain them as they go. The blessing of the Holy Spirit on those who believe is incredible because Jesus promises that with the Spirit’s help, they will be witnesses to the ends of the earth for the gospel. We have these early apostles and the gift of the Holy Spirit to thank for the existence of the church today.
Jesus sent out the apostles with the Holy Spirit to make disciples of all nations, and in doing so, they became what we now call the early church. The apostles and their disciples prayed consistently for boldness, had everything in common, and saw many signs and wonders. For example, in Acts chapter 5, the apostles were arrested and then miraculously freed to bring even more glory to God as they preached the gospel boldly to the council and the people in the temple. Jesus did not promise the apostles that His mission would be easy, but He promised that the Holy Spirit would be with them, which led them to rejoice when they suffered in the name of Jesus. Does your ministry look like this? Do you rejoice when you experience suffering for the sake of Jesus?
Jesus sent the apostles to tell the world about the good news that God loved them enough to send His son Jesus to die on the cross for them, taking on the wrath for their sins and then be raised from the dead three days later to show that death has no power over Him. In Jesus, people can have personal access to a relationship with Him. This powerful news took the world by storm, and the apostles saw many people saved and many new churches started, which we will read about tomorrow.
Reading about how the apostles were sent should lead us to evaluate our own life and ministry. Do we trust that the Holy Spirit is with us? Do we pray often for boldness and speak courageously even in opposition? Do we rejoice when we suffer for the sake of the gospel? God promises that one day, there will be people from every nation bowing before Him, and just as He used the apostles in the early church, He wants to use us and our lives now. We aren’t unique just our turn to be sent.
