Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

Trinity Sunday
Matthew 28: 16- 20
V 19-20 “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.”
 Jesus while commissioning his disciples for a new mission promises them his presence and the empowering fellowship of the Triune God. Earlier, Jesus had sent out the Twelve and gave them the authority to cast out unclean spirit, heal the sick and proclaim the good news that the Kingdom of Heaven is near. (Matthew 10:7) Here at the final commissioning we notice two remarkable differences.
  1. The area of their mission is extended.
  2. The scope of their ministry is widened.
 
  1. The area of their mission is extended: Earlier their mission was restricted only to the lost sheep of Israel. They were not to venture to the gentiles or enter any towns of the Samaritans.  From now onwards the area is extended.  Now their mission is not confined to any particular geographical area or ethnic community.  They have to reach out to all nations witnessing God’s grace released to the entire creation. 
 
  1.  The scope of their ministry is widened: Regarding the new scope, they have to make others disciples.  The command to make others disciples consists of two things - baptizing and teaching.
The act of baptism is not merely an act of ritual. The baptismal formula here, points back to the baptism of Jesus himself as in Matthew 3: 13- 17 in which the spirit descends on him, as the voice from heaven proclaims him as beloved son. This is an important point especially as we observe the Trinity Sunday. Jesus tells his disciples to re enact his story in the baptism of the new disciples – enfolding them in the life of the Trinitarian God – with the son as the Immanuel, father loving them as His own and the spirit descending like a dove  to lead them out. Through baptism we are immersed in to the whole being of God. Whether we understand it or not, we are not powerless or lonely in the world.
Making others disciples is possible through the medium of teaching.  It is one of the distinguishing marks of Jesus’ ministry which the disciples didn’t do earlier.  But now Jesus wants the disciples to do the same thing “teaching them to obey what I have commanded to you". Disciples are students.  Students learn by watching, practicing under supervision, by asking questions and of course by making mistakes. We cannot make ourselves or anyone else a student of Christ without the help of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit.
PRAYER
O Triune God, help us to experience your presence and power in our life that we may effectively accomplish the tasks entrusted to us by becoming your true disciples. Amen.


THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
“God promises his presence and a power that does not coerce but serves and persuades” - Stephen B. Boyd
Rev. Joseph Johnny, Bishop Secretary, Kottayam - Kochi Diocese
Christian Education Forum, Diocese of NAE of the Mar Thoma Church

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