and Robbie today as we start this thing talk about this promise this precious promise this was not just an add-on a tack on to the Great Commission this was one of the main features explain it yeah Jesus gave us this Command right at the end or gave us this promise right at the end of the Great Commission behold I will be with you to the end of the age now what's interesting is from the context of the passage the promise is tied to the Mandate which we studied a few weeks ago which is Go Make Di
sciples and so what he's saying is this when you go into the world and make disciples I'll be with you to the end of the age now this is not an afterthought like you said this isn't just a casual thing that Jesus tacks on to the end this is the difference that makes the difference this is the indispensable quality of the Great Commission what's interesting is he starts John at the beginning with his authority he said in verse 18 all authority has been given to me in heaven and on Earth and then
he finishes with the promise of his presence and that's really what he's saying here he's saying I will be with you wherever you go now think of the mind of the disciples when they heard this you have these 12 Ruffians these guys who have been called from all facets of life to follow Christ they live with him they watched him teach they watched him perform Miracles they saw him get heckled by the crowd they saw everything and now Jesus is saying okay guys I'm going to leave you up to this point
I would say the disciples would have said Jesus there's no way we can do this without you I mean we could barely do it with you how are we going to do it without you but there are four progressions in the Bible that Jesus shows us in the form of discipleship let me show them to you the first one is this Jesus did it the disciples watched if you remember in The Sermon on the Mount Jesus called the disciples to follow him they sat in the crowd and watched as he explained the word of God then there
's a second progression a little further on on in the Bible where Jesus did it the disciples assisted you remember the story of the feeding of the 5000 or the feeding of the 4,000 Jesus breaks the bread he gives out the fish he teaches and then he says guys go hand out the food and by the way pick up all the baskets and bring it back to me Jesus did it the disciples assisted but then there's a switch there's a switch because Jesus says you're going to do it and then I'm going to assist you remem
ber when Jesus came down from the Mount of transfiguration he came into this chaotic situation where a father had brought his son and he Saidi brought my son to your disciples to see if they can do anything and they can't do anything Jesus can you do anything Jesus says guys step back can I do anything is that a joke I can do all things do you believe and so Jesus assisted when the disciples needed help he stepped in and here's the final progression the disciples did it Jesus watched now we know
Jesus never watches but he took a step back remember when he sent the 70 or the 72 out he said I've given you all the power and authority to cast out demons to heal and to prophesy in my name and they came back and said Jesus you're never going to believe what happened you were right we preached and we healed and you worked mightily now as a new testament believer there's never a place in our life when the Lord is not working in our life because he's promised us his presence now the disciples w
ere burdened in John 14:15 we have the recorded words of Jesus which really are encouraging to our folks today all believers around the word listen to the words of Jesus if you love me you will keep my Commandments and I will ask the father and he will give you another helper to be with you forever even the spirit of Truth whom the world cannot receive because it neither sees him nor knows him you know him for he dwells with you here it is and will be in you I will not leave you as orphans Jesus
says I will come to you yet a little while and the world will see me no more but you will see me because I live you also will live verse 20 is the key in that day you will know that I am in the father and you in me and I in you now Matthew embedded this Secret at the beginning of the gospel and at the end of his gospel at the beginning of his gospel in Matthew chapter 1 remember the story uh the angel of the Lord comes and said You shall call his name Emanuel just like it was prophesied in the
Old Testament which means god with us so Matthew inserts that at the beginning is it any Wonder at the end of The Gospel Matthew 2820 the last verse the last phrase says I will be with you always it's a bookend on the gospel of Matthew which should be encouraging to us as Believers today to know that no matter what happens where we go the Lord Jesus Christ is not only with us he's in US
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