Luke 24:46-49 - Jesus Gives Us the Great Commission

We'recontinuing to look at the last verses of Luke 24. In these verses, Jesus givesHis last words to His disciples before He ascends into heaven. It is what wecall the Great Commission, the commission to go into all the world and sharethe gospel with every creature. We have this recorded in Matthew 28:19-20. ThereJesus said, "Go into all the world and make disciples of all thenations." In Mark 16:15, “And He said to them, "Go into allthe world and preach the gospel to every creature”.  Andhere in Luke's Gospel, verse 46, “Then He said to them, "Thus it iswritten and thus it was necessary for Christ to suffer and to rise from thedead the third day." This is essence of the gospel. Then Jesus says inverse 47, not that this is just a historical event that a few people might besaved, but, my friend, “that repentance and remission of sins should bepreached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem”. For a personto come to Christ, they must turn. That's what repentance means. Turn fromtheir sin, turn from the world, turn from their self, and turn to God. Turnfrom religion, turn from good works, and turn to God, God alone, and the nameof Jesus Christ.  Thenit says they'll receive “remission of sins”. Their sins will be removedfrom them as far as the east is from the west. My friend, how simple can God'ssalvation be? Simply turn to Him and you will receive forgiveness of sins asyou repent, as you turn, as you believe, as you trust, as you receive Him. Youbecome a son of God. John 1:12. And then He goes on to say here, "Andyou are witnesses of these things." In Acts chapter 4, when Peter andJohn were brought before the Sanhedrin and told they could not preach anymorein the name of Jesus, they proclaimed, "For there is salvation in noother name. For there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby wemust be saved." It's only the name of Jesus. His name means Savior.His name means Deliverer. He is the only one who can deliver us, save us fromour sins.  That'swhy Jesus came. Jesus said. “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to savethat which was lost” (Luke 19:10).  InJohn's gospel, the Great Commission is also given in John 20:21, He said,"Peace be to you. As the Father has sent Me, even so send I you."My friend, you and I as followers of Christ, believers in His great salvation,have been sent and commissioned by Jesus Himself. Now we have the opportunityto be witnesses unto Him. In other words, He is the one who does thewitnessing.  Jesustells us, "Behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you. But tarryin Jerusalem till you be endued with power from on high”. This is the authorityof the Holy Spirit, God Himself in us. We are on mission with God. God is alwaysat work in this world to reveal Himself. God is speaking to people's hearts andlives today. There people with empty hearts living aimless lives seeking intheir hearts to know the truth. And God is ready to connects you with thembecause where the Master is, there will His servant be also.  Oh, what a privilege it has been for me these50 years to be on mission with God and experience His Holy Spirit bring dear peopleto Jesus and save their souls. I love these verses in the book of Daniel 12:2-3that give us a great promise. “And many of those who sleep in the dust ofthe earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlastingcontempt. And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of thefirmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever”. Proverbs11:30 says, "The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he thatwins souls is wise." My friend, you can't take anything to heaven withyou. Your money, your fame, everything gets left behind. The only can take toheaven are the souls, those precious lives that you share Jesus and Hiswonderful Gospel message with. Who are you taking to heaven with you? Godbless!