Lenten Season Week One: The Element of Connectivity by Min. Teresa Robinson

The Master’s Instructions

In Matthew 28, we see women followers of Jesus come to realize he has risen! 

After Jesus shows himself to these women who love him dearly, he instructs them to “go and tell the brethren to meet him in Galilee.”  Even though some were filled with joy and some doubted, the disciples meet Jesus and they break out in worship. Jesus gives his disciples instruction on how they are to proceed together on the earth after he ascends back to the Father, God.

Being connected won’t always mean we can physically gather, during this pandemic, we have seen this to be true, but our connection with God has not been broken. 

When we unite and stay connected one to another, there is strength.  Where 2 or 3 gather, remember Jesus said he “would be in the midst of us”. Virtually we have been able to “see” each other, worship together and break open God’s word.  I am convinced that Jesus had met us each time!

 This Lenten season, let us look at how the disciples were instructed so that the gospel of Jesus Christ would keep moving toward us, even today.  In verses 16-20 Jesus first tells them that “ALL authority has been given to him in heaven and earth.” These instructions have been approved by God himself!  “Go and make more disciples of every nation, disciples that will teach and preach and carry this gospel to others.  Baptize these disciples in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.” Jesus tells them to “teach everyone you come in contact with to observe all that I have commanded you”. 

Observe; to watch and sometimes to listen to someone or something carefully.

The disciples were commissioned to go and teach others to pay attention to what they had been trained to do and what they had seen firsthand while walking with Jesus.  They had to care about and have a heart of compassion for the souls they would encounter, and we are to do the same. The disciples had to be obedient to the words Jesus taught them and they had to teach others to be obedient as well which is the basic standard of being a Christian, standing true to all that his word commands. 

We see in Acts 4:17-20 the continuation of this instruction when a man is healed of his lameness and the disciples Peter and John are threatened and arrested by the Sanhedrin.   ¹⁷ But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name.”¹⁸ So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. ¹⁹ But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. ²⁰ For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”

 After Jesus ascends back to glory, and after the disciples are filled with the Holy Spirit, they become empowered to ministry and cannot help but speak and do the things they have seen Jesus do.  Their connection of power and healing had not been broken.  They continued to follow Jesus’ instructions and they saw the church grow and thrive. 

Let us ask ourselves during this Lenten season are we the disciple Jesus is looking for?   Are we observing and following all that his word says, or have we watered down the gospel because of fear?  Have we as followers of Christ allowed our minds to be conformed to the things of this world?  Do we look like, sound like and walk after the pattern of the systems of this world?  How much have we allowed social media and television to teach and overshadow the word of God and the standard we are to live by as disciples of Jesus Christ? The disciples didn’t look like the opposition that tried to prevent them from calling on the name of Jesus. They went forth and shared his teachings not fearing consequences. It is oft times a lonely road, and we surely will stand out amongst all that is being forced upon us to accept as disciples of Christ in the days we live in today. Let us pray for boldness as the disciples did and let us pray for courage to observe and speak the truth when necessary.  Let us remember that whatever state God places us in, we are not alone. 

Disciples are not instantly created when we are born again; there is a process that will always involve other believers because this is how the power of Christianity spreads.  During this Lenten season, let us remember that we have been given the Holy Spirit’s strength, power, protection, and fortitude to go forward because Jesus told his disciples and reminds us as well “lo, he is with us always, even to the end of the age.” So, at times in the face of threats, much confusion, and fierce opposition let us GO and let us do as the master has instructed, remembering that we have a heavenly connection that the very gates of hell will never be able to break!  Amen!