SURPRISE!!!
The Cast of the Holy Dance:
Jesus … The Risen One/The Light
And a few others. Actually, many … ALL of US.
Note:
I slept in today, talked to Jesus for a bit before getting out of bed, savored a cup of coffee, and scanned through some of the Glorious photos that families and friends posted on FaceBook from Resurrection Sunday.
So much Celebration! So much JOY!!
And that brings me to our dance for today.
There is one more thing that is essential to remember about the dance from Resurrection Sunday.
Let’s return our focus to the stage.
Commission (Resurrection Sunday)
Matthew 28:11-20
While the Celebration was happening inside the theatre, the guard was outside dancing with the religious authority.
Still concerned about authority, status, and control, they devised a plan to keep him out of trouble with the governing officials.
Money was exchanged and the guard went to the governor and said, “His disciples came during the night and stole Him away while we were asleep” (Mt. 28:13).
Also, while the Celebration was happening, the disciples left early, doing as Jesus had previously directed.
They went to the mountain in Galilee.
Dancing can happen there too! It can now happen ANYWHERE!
Remember, the curtain was torn … no more separation … in the theatre or outside of the theatre.
Jesus met them on the mountain and as they danced together, Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 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, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
The disciples instinctively know that they will return to the stage and build an Altar.
Reflection:
Yesterday went too fast for me.
I didn’t want to stop the Celebration of He is Risen!
Don’t we wish we could just stay there?
Don’t we wish we could just live there every day, always?
One day we will!
Until then, there is work it be done.
“Go!”
The predominant Word in the Great Commission.
“Go!”
“Go, make.”
What are we to make? How are we to make? … It’s coming!
“Go!”
“Go, make.“
“Go, make disciples.”
Learners, dancers, followers of the King.
“Go!”
“Go, make.”
Go, make disciples.”
“Go, make disciples, of all.“
Make disciples of who?
Of all .. of ALL!
“Go!”
“Go, make disciples.”
“Go, make disciples of all nations.”
Learners, dancers, followers of the King, everywhere!
Not just the ones on the stage. Not just the ones in the theatre. EVERYWHERE!
“Go!”
“Go, make disciples.”
“Go, make disciples of all nations.”
“Go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing.”
Living water! Cleansing water! Quenching water! The well never goes dry. Healing waters. (For those of us in Denham Springs, isn’t that what our town was founded on … Healing Waters?)
No more thirst!
“Go!”
“Go, make disciples.”
“Go, make disciples of all nations.”
“Go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing.”
“Go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them.”
Them … you … me … us … ALL!
The ones who have not yet joined the dance.
“Go!”
“Go, make disciples.”
“Go, make disciples of all nations.”
“Go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing.”
“Go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them.”
“Go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name.”
Isn’t the NAME, the I AM, Yahweh, the most beautiful NAME!!
“Go!”
“Go, make disciples.”
“Go, make disciples of all nations.”
“Go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing.”
“Go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them.”
“Go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name.”
“Go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father.”
The Creator, of all that is Glorious and Beautiful.
“Go!”
“Go, make disciples.”
“Go, make disciples of all nations.”
“Go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing.”
“Go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them.”
“Go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name.”
“Go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father.”
“Go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son.”
Not only the Father but also, The One who made The Way.
“Go!”
“Go, make disciples.”
“Go, make disciples of all nations.”
“Go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing.”
“Go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them.”
“Go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name.”
“Go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father.”
“Go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son.”
“Go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
The Father, the Son, AND The Holy Spirit!
Oh, how Glorious! The dance continues! This is the One that Jesus promised to send.
He is coming, He is Glorious, let’s keep dancing. Let’s be ready for the gift to come (Hint: we will be Celebrating His coming is 50 days … it’s called Pentecost!).
“Go!”
“Go, make.”
“Go, make disciples.”
“Go, make disciples of all.”
“Go, make disciples of all nations.”
Go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing.”
“Go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them.”
“Go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name.”
“Go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father.”
“Go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son.”
“Go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
“Go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching.”
Yes, teaching. There is so much we have learned on this Journey to Glory. There is so much we have experienced.
Go — Make — AND Teach!
“From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked” (Lk. 12:48) … Teaching! (That’s part of it.)
“Go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching.”
“… teaching them.”
Really, there is no them … only US! Dance with EVERYONE!
“… teaching“
“… teaching them.”
“… teaching them to obey.”
Obedience … Fear of the Lord = Holy Awe That Leads to Obedience
“…teaching.”
“… teaching them.”
“… teaching them to obey.”
“… teaching them to obey everything.”
Yes, all of it. There is not a single detail that should be skipped over. Jesus did not babble. He spoke Truth!
Everything!
“…teaching.”
“… teaching them.”
“… teaching them to obey.”
“… teaching them to obey everything.”
“… teaching them to obey everything I.”
I … Jesus … I AM … Yeshuah … God in the flesh … The Risen One … The Way, The Truth, and The Life … The Light of the world … I.
“…teaching.”
“… teaching them.”
“… teaching them to obey.”
“… teaching them to obey everything.”
“… teaching them to obey everything I.”
“… teaching them to obey everything I have commanded.”
Not always my favorite word … “commanded”.
I like to do things my way. How quickly I forget that Jesus is the Way.
Not my way, not His way … the Way.
“Not My will but Yours be done. (Lk. 22:42)”
Trust in the New Covenant.
“…teaching.”
“… teaching them.”
“… teaching them to obey.”
“… teaching them to obey everything.”
“… teaching them to obey everything I.”
“… teaching them to obey everything I have commanded.”
“… teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”
Again, that would be US.
Us who have already said “Yes”, teaching us who are searching for the Way.
“13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. 15 All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you (Phil. 3: 13-15).
We cannot forget to bring humility with us.
“… teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And”
There’s more.
“And.”
“And surely.”
Without a doubt. Most definitely.
“And.”
“And surely.”
“And surely I.”
There it is again … “I”
I … Jesus … I AM … Yeshuah … God in the flesh … The Risen One … The Way, The Truth, and The Life … The Light of the world … I.
“And.”
“And surely.”
“And surely I.”
“And surely I am.”
Yep, The Great I AM.
“And.”
“And surely.”
“And surely I.”
“And surely I am.”
“And surely I am with.”
No more curtain … No more veil … it was TORN!
“And.”
“And surely.”
“And surely I.”
“And surely I am.”
“And surely I am with.”
“And surely I am with you.”
You … Us … ALL … but especially us in this context because we can see Him. He has begun washing our eyes with mud. Us who have been dancing. Us who have learned a few steps to teach.
“And.”
“And surely.”
“And surely I.”
“And surely I am.”
“And surely I am with.”
“And surely I am with you.”
“And surely I am with you always.”
There is not a moment when He is not with us. There is not a moment when He is not available. No a single moment … ALWAYS!
“And.”
“And surely.”
“And surely I.”
“And surely I am.”
“And surely I am with.”
“And surely I am with you.”
“And surely I am with you always.”
“And surely I am with you always, to the very end.”
Keep dancing! “It” (separation) is finished but “it” (the dance) is not.
“And.”
“And surely.”
“And surely I.”
“And surely I am.”
“And surely I am with.”
“And surely I am with you.”
“And surely I am with you always.”
“And surely I am with you always, to the very end.”
“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Always another piece added. Always more to come. Always room for SURPRISE.
“43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into (Mt. 24:43).
Tomorrow, the disciples will return to the stage and build an Altar. Will we join them?
Prayer:
Let’s pray it again … the Prayer of St. Francis:
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.
- Comments on these devotionals are open and I would love to interact with you if you have something you would like to share.
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