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 28:18-20

The original word used for ‘all’ in Matthew 28:18 means…all. ALL authority was given to Jesus in heaven and on earth. In light of that and in the very next verse, Jesus gives us a direction: go.
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This is what we call the Great Commission. Because He has ALL authority, we can have great boldness and confidence as we do what He has commanded. So when you are confronted by anyone or anything of a lesser authority, remember this: He has called you out from the world. He has chosen you to bear much fruit. He has appointed you to be with Him. He empowers you with the Holy Spirit. He has commissioned you with a Great Commission.
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Certainly, this commission is great…and if we’re honest, seems to be beyond our ability. Thankfully, Jesus ended this Great Commission with a great promise: “…lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
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Go, therefore.

What would you do if you had all power and all authority? Would you choose to lay down your life? Would you choose to pick it up again? Would you want to share that power and authority with others who abandoned you at your darkest moments? Would you be willing to be a suffering servant so that others might live?
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And yet, this is what Jesus did. With all power and all authority, He chose to lay down His life to save wretched people like us. Then He picks up His life again and entrusts us with His message so that others might pass from death to life.
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As our study of the Gospel of Matthew draws to a close, we consider the power and authority Jesus had and what He chose to do with them, so that we might partner with Him in His mission.

In his message on the day of Pentecost, the Apostle Peter said, “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know— Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death…”
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Could there be any greater indictment for those held responsible for the death of Jesus? But the blame for Jesus’ death doesn’t just fall at the feet of those there on that day. Others were just as culpable. If you’re looking for one, look in a mirror. You. Me. We are all responsible for what Jesus endured on the cross. Your sin. My Sin. Our sin shouted for His crucifixion just as loud as the crowd.
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Even when we are at our worst, God—in His sovereignty—still has a purpose: “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.” (Romans 5:8-11)

In Matthew 27, we observe God's sovereignty and humanity's responsibility as we approach the cross at Calvary. We see God’s sovereignty woven into what transpired perfectly and purposefully for all of mankind. We also see the responsibility humanity had for the death of Jesus–those who were at Golgotha, and even us today–for we must acknowledge that our sin and Jesus’ love kept Him on the cross until the work of salvation was finished.
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Watch our study of Matthew 27:1-54 as we humbly consider God’s predetermined purpose and plan to offer up His one and only Son, who was arrested, beaten, mocked, crucified, and ultimately killed at the hands of sinful men.

​In Acts 1:8, Jesus told the Apostles, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me…” The word “witnesses” is the Greek word “martus”. It’s where we get the word “martyr”—but “martus” doesn’t just mean dying for the Lord. “Martus” literally means “living for the Lord.” Living daily with an intensity that even the threat of death is not a deterrent. And just like the disciples, we need the Holy Spirit to live for Him.
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No matter what promises or grand declarations of faith we make, we can’t truly live for Him without the power of the Holy Spirit. We can be born in the flesh, rely upon our own ability, and even promise, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” (see Matthew 26:35).
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Others don’t need to hear us make pompous promises of fleeting faith. They need to see us as witnesses for the Lord—willing not only to die, but also to live for Him every day. The only way this life is possible is by the power of the Holy Spirit. So how do we develop this daily reliance on the Holy Spirit? You don’t need to solve some spiritual puzzle or attain a certain level of holiness. Just start walking and talking with Him. Like any relationship, it will take time as you walk and talk with the Holy Spirit every day.
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So if you haven’t said, “hello” to the Holy Spirit, why not say “hello” right now? And if you have, continue to speak to Him throughout the day, every day—and you’ll find that as your relationship with Him grows, your reliance upon Him will deepen.

There are two truths in the Scriptures that we should hold on to — like two sides of a coin. One truth is found in John 15:15, where Jesus said, “Apart from Me, you can do nothing.” The other truth is found in Philippians 4:13, where Paul writes, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”
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Peter lived in John 15:5. He was a mix of hubris, pride, and irrational self-confidence in a futile endeavor to somehow earn Jesus’ favor. But one day the coin flipped, and Peter learned to live in the truth of Philippians 4:13. He understood that apart from Christ, he was nothing and could do nothing. But there came a point when he realized he could do all things through Christ, who gave him strength.
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Unfortunately, it was through the failure of denying Jesus that Peter learned this valuable lesson. But we don’t have to repeat Peter’s mistake. We can learn what it means to be wholly dependent on Jesus and His ability. Watch our study of Matthew 26:36-75 as we consider the pitfalls of leaning on our own strength.

After the many troubling words we read in Matthew 26, we can understand why the disciples' hearts were troubled—and why Jesus tells His followers how not to have troubled hearts: 

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14:1-3)

Jesus promised us that if He goes from us, He will come back to us and take us to the place He has prepared. Paul writes that when Jesus does this, He will rescue us from the wrath to come, transforming us in the twinkling of an eye to be with Him forever (see 1 Corinthians 15:51-53; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18). This moment could happen at any moment, unattached to any other moment. This is the first part of His Second Coming, which we call The Rapture of the Church.

This hope is a purifying and comforting hope. So do not let your hearts be troubled—comfort each other with these words. 

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 15:58)

​There are quite a few troubling words in Matthew 26. Words like crucified, buried, betrayed, broken body, blood shed, strike the shepherd, sheep scattered, stumble, and denial. These are all troubling words that speak of troubling times. But there is hope.

Is your heart troubled today? Perhaps over your own sin and failings? Over others' sin and failings? Maybe your heart is troubled over something in the past, or something that might be in the future. There is hope. And thankfully, Jesus will tell us about the comfort only He can provide for our troubled hearts. 

Watch our study of Matthew 26:1-35 as we consider some troubling words before we read of the comforting words of Christ.

If we know Jesus, His return should not make us fearful but hopeful. His promise gives us purpose as we live and serve Him with joyful anticipation. Knowing Christ transforms our desires and motivations by the Holy Spirit. This transformation can only come about by knowing Him personally (not just facts about Him). We are changed from the inside out as our desires shift from loving and serving ourselves to loving and serving others—not to earn our salvation, but because we’re surrendered to Him.
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God has given you time, talents, and resources to steward for His glory. How you choose to invest these will have an eternal impact. So be wise. Be faithful. Be ready—for every opportunity to honor Him and for His return so that when you see Him, He may find you joyfully trusting and faithfully serving Him.