Ordinary People (message by Carmen Rickel)

How do we keep the excitement of Easter going? Did you know that the Sunday after Easter has traditionally come to be known as "Low Sunday" - not only because the attendance seems low after the crowds of Easter, but because it is hard to match the "spiritual high" of the Easter story.

What could possibly top Easter?

Today we look at the last verses of the gospel of Matthew, following the resurrection story...


MATTHEW 28:16-20. Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore 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 that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”


That is quite a tall order - how do we even approach it? But it was fulfilled because of Jesus' promise - "I am with you always!"

That is the key. That is the only explanation for what has happened over the last 2000+ years. Those 11 "ordinary people," and the "ordinary people" after them, and the "ordinary people" after them, and so on...were obedient and carried out his command!

Remember - it wasn't a matter of choosing "extraordinary people." Rather, Jesus equipped "ordinary people" to do "extraordinary things!"

Look at this passage from Acts (The Message):

ACTS 5:27-32. They stood them [the apostles] before the High Council. The Chief Priest said, "Didn't we give you strict orders not to teach in Jesus' name? And here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are trying your best to blame us for the death of this man." Peter and the apostles answered, "It's necessary to obey God rather than men. The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, the One you killed by hanging him on a cross. God set him on high at his side, Prince and Savior, to give Israel the gift of a changed life and sins forgiven. And we are witnesses to these things. The Holy Spirit, whom God gives to those who obey him, corroborates every detail."


We sometimes chafe at obedience. Even if we do it, we do so reluctantly or sporadically, or when it is convenient. There are more unsaved and unchurched people in the U. S. than ever before. Are we going to them? We are called to "go out" beyond the doors of our church.

Stephen Covey (in The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People) lifted up a leadership principle of "beginning with the end in mind."

That is the principle that helps us be obedient to the mighty task of the Great Commission!



Read more here about beginning with the end in mind.


Here is an inspirational article - "What Was Jesus Thinking?" - by Richard Carlson with some further thoughts on the Great Commission.