The Mission Of “all Authority”

The Mission of “All Authority”

Read: Matthew 28:16-20

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”

Matthew 28:18

“Christian mission is the only reason for our being on earth.”

—Andrew Murray

IN WORD Our God is the God of the incomprehensibly huge. We can scarcely imagine the size of our solar system, and yet it is a tiny fraction of our galaxy. We can’t begin to understand the size of our galaxy, and yet it is a tiny fraction of our known universe. If we sent our most powerful telescope to our most distant known planet and took a peek from there, we would still barely begin to see all that was created by His word.

Our God is also the God of the infinitesimally small. The intricacies of each cell are beyond our ability to replicate. The fullness of information in our DNA still exceeds the ability of our best computers to completely analyze. Yet every movement of every subatomic particle is sustained by His word. There is nothing so small that it escapes His attention.

In the vastness of creation, we begin to glimpse the height, depth, and breadth of the power of God, which, incredibly, is the same power that is working within us to conform us to His image. It is also the same power that sends us out to accomplish His agenda. And what is that agenda? He makes it plain: Make disciples of all peoples, baptizing them and teaching them (vv. 19-20). The highest goal of the God of the infinite and the infinitesimal is to be worshiped—everywhere. And though all creation testifies to His glory, there are places in this world where He is not even known.

IN DEED What a sacred charge! If ever we wondered what God wanted us to be busy with, this is it. After Jesus’ declaration that all authority in heaven and on earth is His—and that covers everything—He tells us where His authority is directed. It has one remaining goal: restoring the rebellious race back into the pure image of God.

Do we want meaning in our lives? Here it is. Do we want to know we are in God’s plan? This is it. Do we want to know power? This is the mission that has “all authority” behind it.