Matthew 28:18 – Verse of the Day 1/4/14

This statement is the preface for the better-known portion of the Great Commission that follows in the next two verses. It took authority to initiate the disciples’ mission to spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth, authority that only Jesus possessed. The Church cannot fail because it is built on the authority of Jesus, and he has promised to be with us until “the very end of the age” (verse 20).

When the world continues to be so full of sin and evil it is often difficult to believe that Jesus truly has authority over this world. It must have been equally difficult for the disciples to believe that Jesus possessed authority over all things when he hung upon the cross like a common criminal. Spend some time in prayer thanking the Lord for the demonstration of His authority through the resurrection of Jesus, and pray that as you remember Jesus’ victory over the grave God would give you hope, comfort, and the faith to believe that Jesus’ does possess authority over all things.