Read Matthew 28:16-20 and 1 Corinthians 9:11-18
I. Jesus Commissions His disciples
a. Passage (Matthew 28:16-20)
- After His resurrection, Jesus met His disciples at the mountains of Galilee. Here, He gave them the Great Commission "to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything the He had commanded them".
b. Reflection
- As Jesus' time as a man, came to an end, His Words and ministry lived forever. In this passage, we are given a commission to spread the Word of God and make disciples of all nations. We do not have to be an apostle, a pastor, or an expert. We all have our own skills and abilities that God had showered us. Let us use these blessings for His ministry and do our part to share the Gospel and the salvation that God had given us. Let us start by loving our neighbors, sharing a verse, offer help, and being the light of the World. By showing these to others, we reflect God's love, joy, and compassion. We are not all evangelist, but we can use our gifts to fulfill the Great Commission.
II. The Gospel Preached without Compensation
a. Passage (1 Corinthians 9:11-18)
- Paul continued his explanation of the "rights of the apostles" that he did not partake in. He mentioned that he deserved to be compensated but he chose not to because he is not doing this to gain fame or money, but to spread the Gospel and show the way for salvation.
b. Reflection
- Paul gave his life to God without asking for any compensation. Preaching the gospel was his gift and calling. He was driven by the desire to do what God wanted him to. He had a mission to spread the Gospel and bring glory to God. We, sometimes look for reward first then give praise to God second. In everything we do, we need to put God first. He is not our co-pilot but our pilot. He needs to be the one guiding us and providing us the way. And if we followed His commands, we should not ask for any reward. We should already be thankful that God had given us a life and the hope for eternity. As believers, we need to obey his commands to show that we love Him. We should do good things not because we are seeking for compensation but because we want to and it is what we are called for. Remember that all our good works here on earth are not the basis for our salvation. We need faith and cleansing from our sins to be able to build a relationship with our Father. God will then shower us with his grace and provide us a way for eternity.
III. Proverbs for Today / 11:14
For lack of guindance a nation falls, but many advisers make victory sure
IV. Old Testament Reading
Numbers 24-25 and Psalms 59:1-17
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