ready or not ready
When Jesus gave the great commission to the 11 who were present after his resurrection,
Matthew 28:19 “Go to the people of all nations and make them my disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to do everything I have told you. I will be with you always, even until the end of the world.” (CEV)
The only time he told them to wait is found in Acts 1:4 & 8 respectively, verse 4: “Don’t leave Jerusalem yet. Wait here for the Father to give you the Holy Spirit, just as I told you he has promised to do.”, verse 8 “But the Holy Spirit will come upon you and give you power. Then you will tell everyone in Jerusalem, in all Judea, in Samaria, and everywhere in the world.”
Only the Holy Spirit can make us ready to tell the world about Him. Yes, it’s the idealist in me speaking up. All our talents, abilities, giftings pale in comparison when the Holy Spirit fills us with His power to proclaim His goodness and to be His witness. The Holy Spirit is never not ready for missions. His work is to empower us to proclaim that our Saviour is MIGHTY to SAVE!
If we look at ourselves and our own resources, we will never be ready and that’s why Jesus never told his disciples to get themselves ready because they will never feel ready to do God’s work of proclaiming the good news. Only the Holy Spirit can make us ready. Jesus didn’t tell his disciples, “When you are ready, GO”. Instead, He said, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth! Go….” – Matthew 28:18 – 19. Our readiness will never be the means by which we determine to go or not. We go because all the authority has been given to Jesus and He is the one who commissions us.
If we wait for ourselves to be fully prepared and ready, missions will never exist. Looking at what we have almost always dissuade us. Our circumstances, abilities and strengths will always make us feel small.
In Acts, the apostles continued to stay on in Jerusalem until after the death of Stephen. After his martyrdom, everybody was scattered and they went preaching from place to place. Acts 8:4. Did it require a persecution? The blood of the martyr is the seed of the church? God has his ways. It’s a mystery I embrace because I love love His Majesty. Were they ready to move out of Jerusalem, their comfort zone? Probably not and a persecution scattered them all over. Persecution is the exemption not the rule and so we go in good times or bad times. Don’t wait for a persecution.
So I will do what has been deposited in my heart since youth. It has never left me. To go. Give them something to eat, offer a drink, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, visit those in jail – Matthew 25:31 – 45. The least of these I do, I do it for thee.
