Category: Daily Prayer

Our scripture this week is Matthew 9:35-10:8.

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
Matthew 9:35-38

Jesus describes us as “sheep without a shepherd” (9:36) and it is a sad but true statement. Without a relationship to God through Him, we wander aimlessly. For this reason He sends His disciples into the world, that all may know God’s love and care for us.

Just like the people of that time, we need a connection to our Creator, and we need to share that wonderful blessing with all the world. Jesus calls us to be the disciples of today, going into His harvest field to bring others to the Lord. He has shown us the way, now it is up to us to show our brothers and sisters.

We have received the gifts we need in order to accomplish this mission and we must help others recognize their gifts as well. Those who are new to God’s kingdom need our guidance. Making disciples means sharing and teaching, pointing them to God’s harvest fields that all the world may know Him.

Gracious God, we realize the awesome responsibility You have given us. Help us to be energetic in our discipleship, to bring everyone at last into the folds prepared for us. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 9:35-10:8.

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give. Matthew 9:35-10:8

In our lesson this week we hear of Jesus sending the twelve out into the world. He tells them of the need for them to minister to the people with the statement “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few” (9:37). Jesus wants them (and us) to understand how important it is for us to share God’s love in our world.

We are all called to do as they did, to go and proclaim “The kingdom of heaven has come near” (10:7). Jesus has a double purpose in this assignment for them – He wants His message of peace spread among the people that they may know God’s love, but He also wants the disciples to see how effective they can be at sharing the Good News.

Today, ask God to give you the strength and courage to share your faith by telling someone about His love. Help make the world a better and softer place. It is up to each person to accept the offer of relationship with Him, but it is up to us to carry the message.

Loving Lord, help us to go into the world to let people know how much You love and value them. Make us the disciples of today to share the message of hope with everyone. Amen.

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:16-20

I have a shortened version of the Great Commandment and the Great Commission that I use often – Love God, love neighbor, make disciples. It reminds me daily of what is really important in life. Jesus was much more eloquent in His phrasing, but just repeating this to myself helps me focus on priorities.

One of my former bishops used to tell us “The main thing is keeping the main thing the main thing”. He was encouraging us not to get distracted in our call to follow Christ and share the Good News. All Satan needs to win is our lack of action. If we waver, we may stumble and fall.

Keeping Jesus first in our lives is sometimes hard but He is there for us always. I remember a prayer response from my days in youth choir that sums it up pretty well: “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.”

Loving Lord, help us to maintain our focus and make following You our top priority. Give us the strength to resist evil and go to the world in Your name. Amen.

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:16-20

Read verse 17 of this passage carefully – “When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted”. Even after the time they had spent with Him and now being present with the risen Christ, some were still unsure in their faith. Yet Jesus gives them all the same instruction and duty. He doesn’t single out just those who “believe”.

Jesus knows our human weakness. He understands how hard it can be to have faith in an unbelieving world. He doesn’t let our doubt keep us from continuing the journey with Him. As with Thomas, He can use our doubt to deepen our faith and our questions to strengthen our connection.

Jesus wants us all to believe in Him, not for His sake but for ours. He calls us to give up the weight of our doubt. He comforts us saying “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). Give your doubts to Him that you may be made whole and ready for the task for which He calls you.

Loving Lord, we are sorry that our faith is not always what it should be. Help us to lay down our unbelief and be strong in Your love. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 28:16-20.

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:16-20

Jesus displays great trust in His disciples by leaving them to carry on His ministry. He has taken the time to teach them what they need to know about their relationship to God and the responsibility that places on them. Now it is their turn to tell the world about our wonderful Creator and the blessings He provides.

His disciples didn’t see it, but from the very beginning He had been training them to take over for Him. Everything He taught was meant to prepare them to live in God’s world and tell of His love. After He returns to the Father, they will be the voice of the kingdom, sharing the Gospel and training the next generation to continue their work.

As the disciples of today, we are now responsible for this work. It is up to us to continue to share the Good News with everyone. We must also help to train the disciples of tomorrow, who will take our place when needed. Who are you teaching to be the next disciples?

Gracious God, it is amazing how much You love and trust us, giving us the duty to share the joy of our relationship to You with all the world. Help us to be diligent in our teaching and honest in our love. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 28:16-20.

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:16-20

Jesus promised to be with us “to the very end of the age” (v. 20). This is the basis of our comfort and strength through our faith in Him. God sends the Holy Spirit, not as a replacement for Christ being with us, but as a new way of knowing both the Father and the Son.

Jesus came to be with us and teach us, now it is up to us to show we are able to live as He asked. He knew we would have issues, living in a world that often rejects His message, but His presence through the Holy Spirit enables us to stand firm. When life seems to make no sense, we can call on Him for aid.

“O Jesus I have promised to serve thee to the end” the old hymn says, and that is our charge through the Great Commission to go and make disciples. Our very purpose in being is to serve the risen Savior. This is why Jesus promised to be with us, to help and guide us, that at the end we may be together eternally.

Loving Lord, we are grateful for Your call on our lives, to share the Good News of Your kingdom everywhere. Make us strong to do the work that is laid out for us. In Your name we pray, Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 28:16-20.

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:16-20

While this is a fairly short passage, it gives us our task for the rest of time: go and make disciples of all nations. We know this as the Great Commission, Christ’s charge to us as His disciples. They were called to follow Him and continue His ministry, and we are responsible for that mission today as well.

The Great Commission tells us to go to the world and baptize all “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (v. 19). It calls us to teach them what Jesus has shared with us. It is wonderfully specific and yet general at the same time.

Jesus has sent us into the world to share His love, using the gifts God has given us for this purpose. We are all blessed with different ways to share our experience of His love with others. May our witness bring the world to Christ that we may all live with Him eternally.

Gracious God, You have given us a duty and the means to accomplish it. Help us to stay focused on that mission, bringing Your light and love to everyone. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Matthew 28:16-20.

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:16-20

It is hard to assign ranking to any scripture passage as compared to another, all of God’s Word is necessary for us. However this passage has three very important things to tell us – the risen Christ is Lord of all things, we are to go make disciples everywhere, and we have His promise to be with us always.

Jesus wants His disciples to understand who He is, that His authority is from God and it is unlimited. He came to earth to live as a human, to face all the trials and temptations we encounter and for our sake He has endured them all. Now we can live new lives in Him because He has broken sin’s power.

During difficult times and trying circumstances, we need to remember our history and our faith. We are God’s people and we can and must do better than we have. It starts by seeing ourselves and each other as God’s precious creation, loved by Him and saved by Jesus sacrifice.

Loving Lord, we are hurting! There is so much going on that we feel overwhelmed. Help us to see that Your love and light is still the only way to heal our world. Amen.