READING:
One-year plan: 2 Samuel 15-17, Luke 24:13-53
Two-year plan: Numbers 15, Mark 9:30-50
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Four times in the Gospels, including the passage in Luke we’ve read today, are Jesus’ words about getting the gospel to the nations:
- “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations . . .” (Matt 28:19)
- “Then he said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.’” (Mark 16:15)
- “He also said to them, ‘This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead the third day, and repentance for forgiveness of sins will be proclaimed in his name to all the nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” (Luke 24:46-47)
- “Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, I also send you.’” (John 20:21)
Add Acts 1:8 to this list, and you find five expressions of the Great Commission in the New Testament. That kind of repetition requires us to pause and take note. In this case, it requires us to be obedient. Clearly, God’s witness among the nations matters to Him.
PERSONAL REFLECTION: How are you striving to get the Word to the nations?
PRAYER: “God, help me to pay attention to these repeated expressions.”
MONDAY’S READINGS:
One-year plan: 2 Samuel 18-19, John 1:1-28
Two-year plan: Numbers 16, Mark 10:1-16