Blessed Sunday to all of you. Worship was inspiring today. I am a sermon note taker and in my notes I got some new material for my paper. By the way, please continue to pray for me as the paper is due by May 5. That is only a week and a half away.

Like 24 47 says, “Repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in His name to all nations.”

Pastor Joel’s sermon was wonderful as usual. Many times His sermons are more like a Bible Study. I always glean new insights when he preaches. Today, I was the lector and I read this passage from Luke. Later in the passage Jesus tells His disciples that He has fulfilled the scriptures from the law of Moses, the prophets and the psalms. And now He commissions the disciples. Just prior to the commissioning, Jesus “opens their minds” so that they may understand the Word. Jesus says because they were witnesses to all that occurred in the life, death and now the resurrection that they must go and tell the story to others. Up to now when Jesus revealed Himself to others or performed a miracle in someone’s life He told them not to tell anyone. Now Jesus is telling the disciples that because they are witnesses they must go and tell.

Jesus had accomplished what he came to do. He fulfilled the scriptures of the Old Testament. Jesus was obedient to His Father even unto His own death. He taught the disciples all they needed to know to grow the church. Jesus taught the disciples to become the “body of Christ” and now they must grow this body to include many members. Jesus told them to stay in the city of Jerusalem until the power of heaven was upon them and then they could begin the ministry of building the body of Christ; the church. And then just as mysteriously as His conception, He vanished. The disciples were now on their own.

I have a wonderful student teacher working with me this semester. She will be with me only for a few more days. I began her instruction by modeling lesson, teaching practices and classroom management strategies. I then called on her to assist the children with their lessons. Next she began taking over the different content areas with me in the classroom as her observer and assistant as she needed. Now she is teaching full days alone in the classroom with me just across the hall within earshot to come to her aid if she is in need. But next year when she has her own classroom, I will not be there and she will be on her own. It is my hope that I will have prepared her for her own classroom and that she will be successful.

I feel pretty sure that is what Jesus did for His disciples. He modeled for them. He let them practice with Him watching. He brought them back to Himself nightly for further instruction. He sent them out for practice and now they are on their own. Jesus has placed before them all they need to know to continue His ministry. What will they do? Will they stay in the city as instructed? Will they go into hiding? Will they leave the city before they are empowered by the Holy Spirit? If the disciples remain in the city in obedience to the instruction of Christ and receive the power of the Holy Spirit they will have completed their training and will go out with the authority to proclaim repentance and forgiveness of sins in Jesus’ name.

Where do we fit into this story? Are we obedient to the call and commissioning of Christ as witnesses? We were told to go and tell the story with the authority of Jesus empowered by the Holy Spirit. Will we hide the light of Christ under a bushel? Or will we slink out of town and think that God will not find us? I’m just throwing it out there.

Take joy in the journey. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.