Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age

 

 Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened.  When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, saying, "Tell them, 'His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.'  And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will appease him and make you secure."  So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.  

Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them.  When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.  And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "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 of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."  Amen.

 

- Matthew 28:11-20 

 

Yesterday we read that after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb where Christ had been buried.  And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it.  His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.  And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.  But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.  He is not here; for He is risen, as He said.  Come, see the place where the Lord lay.  And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him.  Behold, I have told you."  So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word. And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!"  So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him.  Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid.  Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me."

 

  Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened.  When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, saying, "Tell them, 'His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.'  And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will appease him and make you secure."  So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.   My study Bible comments that this lie about the disciples stealing Christ away is absurd.  The disciples were afraid and had all gone into hiding.  Moreover, most of them went on to suffer terrible persecution and martyrdom.  It's simply unthinkable that they would have willingly endured such sufferings over a known fallacy.

 

Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them.  When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.  And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth."  Here Christ declares that the authority that was His by nature in His divinity is now possessed by His glorified human nature.  My study Bible adds that this human nature has now trampled the final enemy -- which is death (1 Corinthians 15:20-28).  

 

"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, . . . "  This statement by Christ is called the Great Commission.  It is our Lord's final commandment given on earth.  My study Bible says that it is to be lived out in the Church until Christ returns again.  To make disciples cannot be done in the strength of human beings, but only in the power of God.  The power of the Resurrection is not simply for Jesus Himself, but it is given to all believers for Christian life and mission.  

" . . . baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."  Amen.  My study Bible comments that Christ Himself is present in each believer and in the Church always, both personally and in the Holy Spirit, because neither can be separated from the other.  To the end of the age, my study Bible says, does not by any means imply that we will be separated from Christ at the end of the world.  He is with us now, and forever, and unto the ages of ages.  Amen.

It is truly remarkable to consider that, from Christ's words here, so many countless generations and people have been inspired to follow His last command.  But even more important is the understanding that He is with us always.  My study Bible comments that the power of the Resurrection is not simply for Jesus Himself, but it is given to all believers for Christian life and mission.  So the power of God's creation, of life and renewal, is with us also.  In Revelation 21:5 we read that the One who sat on the throne, who is Christ in His risen authority, says, "Behold, I make all things new."  In the verbal tense of the Greek, this is literally translated, "I am always making all things new."  And this is truly the power of Resurrection present with Christ at all times in our lives.  It is the power to remit sins, to repent ("change of mind"), to be transfigured and transformed in the light of Christ and through the power of the Holy Spirit.  And we should not forget, either, that where One Person of the Trinity is, all are present.  Since Christ's death and Resurrection, the world has changed immeasurably due to the life given to us by Christ.  We cannot count the ways in which His life, death, and Resurrection has given us the foundation of life as we know it, and the things that we value and perhaps take for granted.  As we go forth in faith, we should have confidence that Christ is still at work, within us and among us, and that so long as the world exists, it will be so.  While we may witness things and events in the world that terrify or scandalize, we must keep in mind that Christ Himself has also prophesied for us that such things will continue to the end of the age.  What is important is keeping our faith, continuing to worship, and practicing our faith by living faithfully, by doing the things that He has taught.  So long as life continues, so will this mission of the Church -- and of each one who makes up the Body of Christ -- in each facet of life, from the great to the small.  We don't need to live "grand" lives for this to be so, for Christ's power works through the small and the weak (see 2 Corinthians 12:8-10).  Effectively, throughout the centuries of Christian life, it is simplicity that enables us to most clearly see our way through the grace of God we may perceive, and such has been the pursuit of those monastics who have dedicated their lives to Christ, and through constant prayer.  In applying these teachings to our present time, let us consider the proliferation of images to imitate and consume with which we are constantly bombarded, especially through the internet.  We don't always know the influences present to us and to our children, we don't always understand clearly whatever manipulative messages and techniques may be used.  But we can be assured, through our own emphasis on prayer and worship -- and on the power of simplicity and humility and truth -- that we will find our way properly for the gospel to be preached and to be lived.  Our lives are still intertwined with the power to be always making all things new, the life, death, and Resurrection of Christ -- and His glorified human nature, so that we may follow, unburdened of sin and death and to enter into and participate in His glorious life.  Let us not live by appearances, but by an understanding that it is through this power that our lives in this world are transfigured, transformed, and that grace is always present to us in our lives.  Ultimately, all authority is invested in Christ.   Let us rely upon our faith.