TUESDAY, MAY 10
READ MATTHEW 28:16-20
MATTHEW 28:16 So the eleven talmidim went to the hill in the Galil where Yeshua had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they prostrated themselves before him; but some hesitated. 18 Yeshua came and talked with them. He said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore, go and make people from all nations into talmidim, immersing them into the reality of the Father, the Son and the Ruach HaKodesh, 20 and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember! I will be with you always, yes, even until the end of the age.”
As president of the Council of Bishops, I welcome the readers of The Upper Room 60 Days of Prayer for the 2016 General Conference. Your prayers and spiritual support are essential to all of us who gather in Portland, Oregon. Together may we remember what the Christian men and women, young and old, around the globe have done to bring the gospel of Jesus Christ to us. Because they have gone in obedience to Jesus’ command to go—making disciples, baptizing, and teaching them to obey everything that Jesus taught by word and deed, we are here today.
Because faithful followers of Jesus have gone into “all the world,” we gather here from all over the world. We gather as a global community of believers because of their faithfulness.
Our God is a missionary God who seeks and saves those who are lost. United Methodism began with the mission of John and Charles Wesley to North America. We are a missionary people. We go in faithful response to our Lord’s commission to “go and make disciples.”
We are fed at our Lord’s table. In our Wesleyan tradition, this is an open table. All are welcome: young and old, from the east and west, from the north and south, from the lowliest to the most esteemed. In Christ we are one people, one body, one church. We share one hope, one faith, one baptism, one God, one mission.
We deeply engage in our Lord’s mission. We cannot fail and we cannot stop. Why? Because our Lord assures us, “I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Lord Jesus Christ, lead us, feed us, send us—to all people in all places. Amen.[Warner Brown]
Warner Brown serves as bishop of the California-Nevada annual conference. Born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, he was nominated and elected for the episcopacy in 2000 at the Western Jurisdiction Conference sessions. Previously, Bishop Warren served as bishop for the Denver Area and pastored several local churches in California.
Special note: The art used with today’s meditation was created by Rev. Todd Pick and is a part of the beautiful worship graphics designed for General Conference starting today in Portland. Todd Pick is the Director of Evangelism for the Central Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church. Both a poet and a preacher, he is also an award-winning graphic designer who views artistic expression as a vehicle for proclamation and prayer.
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