Today’s video is going to be a tough one for me to get through so please bear with me. Last week the video was called “The Alpha” or the beginnings. Today’s video is titled “The Omega” or the end.
Welcome to Soldier for Christ.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. -Matthew 28:18-20
Matthew 28:18-20, otherwise known as the Great Commission is one of the last things that Jesus gave the disciples before he left. Jesus knew the end of his time on earth was coming to a close and so in an effort to prepare the disciples
he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” -Luke 24:45-49
He let them know about the pain he was about to go through. Not that they would be able to stop any of it, it had to happen, but he needed them to be ready to move forward when he left. So he gave them understanding. He tried to prepare them for what was about to take place and he promised them that even after he left, they would still have help. The Holy Spirit would be given.
And then he gave them their final marching orders.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” -Matthew 28:18-20
And this is what we have been doing. This is what being a Soldier for Christ is based on. We have the hope that Jesus gave us. We have the Holy Spirit that he promised to us. We have the love and support of God who is for us. With all of this who could ever stand against us? It is with this confidant faith that we press on. It is with that support that we fight the good fight.
When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God. -Luke 24:50-53
Can you just stop right there for a second and imagine that? Imagine you had been traveling around with this guy for a few years and at the end, not only does he come back from the dead after being hanged on a cross but then you watch him rise up into the sky and disappear. I think I would have done exactly what they did, they whet to church and stayed there praising God nonstop.
After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it. -Mark 16:19-20
That was the ending of Jesus time here on earth. But notice that the work did not stop. They kept going. They followed the Great Commission that he had given them and it's something we continue to do today.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” -Matthew 28:19-20
And this is what we have been doing here. This mission of being a Soldier for Christ has been our way of trying to spread the good news of Jesus. And just like His time here, the time has come for this to end as well. The effort of being a Soldier for Christ will not end, but the weekly videos are coming to a close.
I am very proud of the one hundred and forty-three videos that have been created, viewed and shared. Out of those videos have come three books. I called them the missions series. Soldier for Christ: Missions Volume 1, 2 and 3.
Also from this came the Soldier For Christ: Boot Camp group study DVD with workbook. And yes, we even have T-Shirts.
This has been a great joy of mine and I will continue to work on the mission and have some ideas for the next project and am working to develop it. Right now I am calling it "Charlie Mike." It will be a follow up to the Boot Camp group study. Charlie Mike is a common phrase in the military that means Continue Mission.
Please go to www.soldierforchrist.net and there you can subscribe to the newsletter. I promise it's not a lot of spam but it will be the best way to be sure you are the first to hear about all the updates. On that site you can find all one hundred and forty-three videos, links to buy the books, dvd's and T-Shirts should you be so inclined. I imagine I may also post the occasional blog post there also, as I have done in the past. You will only be notified of those if you are signed up for that newsletter.
Also jump over to Facebook and like and follow Soldier for Christ there. You never know when something just might pop up. There is also an Instagram and twitter that I post to when I don't forget about them.
To close this out I want to leave you with one other thought. One I have echoed many times over the series of videos, that it all comes back to love. It is a command given to us by Jesus himself…
My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. -John 15:12
It all comes back to love. If we just did this our world would be a much happier and safer place to be.
And now as Soldier for Christ closes the books on this chapter and moves into the next I have one final request...
Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, -Ephesians 6:19
And with that I will say for the last time...
Press on.
Fight the good fight.
As a Soldier for Christ