Rhapsody of Realities 2 January 2025: The Full Picture of the Gospel Mandate
Scripture: And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen (Mark 16:20).
When you study the Synoptic Gospels—Matthew, Mark and Luke—you’d observe different perspectives to the Lord’s instruction with respect to the preaching of the Gospel. However, one theme stands out:
The Gospel is to be preached to every man, woman, boy and girl; it’s for all nations. Mark gives us a clear structure for our mission as read in our opening scripture. The disciples went forth and preached everywhere; they did their part, and the Lord did His part by confirming the Word they preached with signs. This makes our responsibility clear: We preach the Word, and it’s the Lord’s responsibility to confirm it with signs following.
In Luke 24:46-47, we see another significant aspect of the Master’s instructions. Luke, who had a deep understanding of the events surrounding Jesus’ ministry, adds a crucial point about the content of the Gospel that we’re to preach: repentance and remission of sins, “…Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”
While Matthew emphasized teaching all that Jesus commanded (Matthew 28:19-20), and Mark focused on preaching the Gospel which the Lord confirms with signs (Mark 16:19-20), Luke gave us the full picture. The Lord’s message was not just to teach or preach but to declare repentance and remission of sins among all nations.
Read Yesterday’s Rhapsody of Realities Here
The early disciples initially kept the message within the Jewish community. They may have thought the Gospel was only for the Jews scattered among the nations, or perhaps they misunderstood the global scope of the Lord’s command. But the Gospel was always meant for all nations, for every creature (Mark 16:15). This revelation became clear through discussions like those recorded in Acts 15, where they finally embraced the full scope of the Lord’s mission.
Today, we carry that same mission, teaching all that Jesus commanded, preaching the Gospel to every creature and to all nations, declaring repentance and the remission of sins in His Name. And the Lord continues to work with us, confirming His Word with signs following. Praise God!
PRAYER: Dear Father, thank you for confirming your Word with signs, blessings and miracles as we, your children, all go forth and preach your Word today. Many receive salvation and are converted as your Word comes to them in the power of the Spirit, in Jesus’ Name. Amen
FURTHER STUDY
Acts 1:8
But you shall receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the ends (the very bounds) of the earth.
Matthew 28:18-20
Jesus approached and, breaking the silence, said to them, All authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.
19 Go then and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 Teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you, and behold, I am with you all the days (perpetually, uniformly, and on every occasion), to the [very] close and consummation of the age. Amen (so let it be).
Acts 15:7-9
And after there had been a long debate, Peter got up and said to them, Brethren, you know that quite a while ago God made a choice or selection from among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the message of the Gospel [concerning the attainment through Christ of salvation in the kingdom of God] and believe (credit and place their confidence in it).
8 And God, Who is acquainted with and understands the heart, bore witness to them, giving them the Holy Spirit as He also did to us;
9 And He made no difference between us and them, but cleansed their hearts by faith (by a strong and welcome conviction that Jesus is the Messiah, through Whom we obtain eternal salvation in the kingdom of God).
Mark 16:19-20
So then the Lord Jesus, after He had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and He sat down at the right hand of God.
20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord kept working with them and confirming the message by the attesting signs and miracles that closely accompanied [it]. Amen (so be it).
1 – YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Matthew 2 & Genesis 3-5
2-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Matthew 1:15-25 & Genesis 2
Don’t forget to Follow Elanhub on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
Rhapsody of Realities 2 January 2025
Follow ELANHUB on Social Media for More Rhapsody of Realities
Comments 1