Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States - Lutheran Seminary God Pause - Moved by the Promise for Thursday, 12 June 2014 - Read Matthew 28:16-20

Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States - Lutheran Seminary God Pause - Moved by the Promise for Thursday, 12 June 2014 - Read Matthew 28:16 But the eleven disciples went into Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had sent them. 17 When they saw him, they bowed down to him, but some doubted. 18 Jesus came to them and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go,[a] and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
Footnotes:
a. Matthew 28:19 TR and NU add “therefore”(World English Bible)
Last week our confirmation students stood before the congregation. I've been walking with them pretty closely for the last few years ... telling them the stories of the scriptures, helping them make sense of their experiences, modeling to them what this faith stuff is all about. But the time had come to say to them, "Go!" The ministry that Jesus passed on to the disciples at the Great Commission, and passed on to me at my consecration, I passed on to these students as they were confirmed. These young people may stumble. Sometimes they will get it right, and sometimes they won't. Sometimes they will worship, and sometimes they will doubt. Sometimes the commission to go into the world to make disciples might seem like nothing more than a distant memory to them. And yet, through their baptism and because of the Spirit of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit will continue to work in and through them to be faithful to complete the good work started in them (Philippians 1:6). With confirmation students as with me and you, God is at work completing God's good work in us.
Help us, Jesus, to stay faithful in the ministry you have given us, and to share that ministry with others. Amen.
Michelle Collins
Director of Faith Formation, Advent Lutheran Church, Melbourne, Fla. 
Master of Arts , 2007
Matthew 28:16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them.
17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.
18 And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
19 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,

20 and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."(New Revised Standard Version)
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