Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  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, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Matthew 28:16 – 20

We must pause to let Jesus’ words sink in.

All authority.  A few days before Jesus was on another hill, called Calvary, where he appeared to be a broken man, alone and defenseless.  Only John and a few women stayed as he suffered.  He died there.  Behold, he is now with his disciples on a hill in Galilee, not only alive and well, risen from the dead, but with a brief but comprehensive statement about what is happening.

First, “all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” As I contrast the bleeding, dying, reviled Jesus on the Roman Cross, jeered by his own people, and compare him with the shining, resurrected and eternally alive Jesus on the mountain in Galilee, I can hardly believe what is happening.  He now has full authority.  Over what?  He simply said, “in heaven and on earth.”  All the eyes of all in heaven watched Jesus as he died and in some marvelous way, in that sacrificial death, received his exalted authority in heaven, bought by his precious blood.  Heaven was satisfied and rejoiced because the Kingdom of God was poised to go forward.

This was easier for heavenly beings to believe and understand than earthlings, like us.  Jesus assured us that his death and resurrection changed heaven, radically, and can do so on the earth in all cultures, “all nations.”  It is not only possible but opens the door for the evangelization of all peoples on the earth, all people, note that!  The Kingdom of God is open to all who believe.  All sociological privilege is gone, forever.  In this kingdom all are brothers and sisters, cleansed by the blood of Jesus and filled with the Holy Spirit of God.

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations.”  We live under that command today!  What Jesus came to do was driven by heaven’s desire that all people might be redeemed by the blood of Jesus.  So, go!  This is the universal missionary call.  It still excites and impels those who love Jesus.  That includes me.