Tag: Kingdom

  • The Royal Mandate, Matthew Part 6 of 7

    The Royal Mandate, Matthew Part 6 of 7

    The Royal Mandate

    Welcome back to The King and His Kingdom. We have journeyed from Jesus’ royal identity to His fulfilment of Scripture, His global rescue, His formation of a new family, and His unfailing presence with His people. Each part has carried us forward — not toward an ending, but toward a beginning.

    Now we arrive at the sixth movement: the risen King sends His people. Matthew closes his Gospel with a royal command that defines the church’s identity and purpose. The King does not only call people into His Kingdom — He sends them into the world under His authority.

    This is the heart of Part 6: the church is sent — making disciples is our mission and purpose.

    What Matthew Teaches

    Matthew shows that the risen Jesus gathers His disciples on a mountain — a familiar place where God reveals His purposes. The One who once walked to the cross now stands alive. His authority spans heaven and earth. Nothing lies outside His rule.

    On that foundation, He gives His disciples their task. They are to go, baptise, and teach — not merely spreading ideas but forming disciples who live under His commands. This is not a suggestion. It is a royal commission.

    To baptise in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is to bring people into a new identity. Their lives now belong to God Himself. They are drawn into the life of the Trinity — welcomed into fellowship with the Father through the work of the Son and sealed by the Holy Spirit.

    To teach them to obey everything Jesus commanded is to nurture a new way of life. Discipleship is not momentary; it is lifelong. It forms whole lives under the gracious rule of the King.

    This mission is global. The disciples are sent to “all nations.” Jesus does not limit the scope to one people or place. The grace of the King extends across every boundary. Matthew began his Gospel by naming Jesus as the One who would save His people from their sins. He ends it by sending His followers with that same message into the world.

    Matthew notes that some of the disciples worshipped while others hesitated. Their uncertainty did not disqualify them. Jesus did not send them away or replace them. Instead, He grounded them in His authority and entrusted His mission to them. The weight of the mission does not rest on their inner strength; it rests on Him.

    At the heart of this mission lies a great promise: Jesus will be with His people until the end of the age. The command and the promise belong together. The church goes because the King leads. The church speaks because the King empowers. His authority sends, and His presence sustains.

    The Spirit Who Enables

    Matthew shows that the mission Jesus entrusts to His people is not carried out in human power alone. Earlier, when He first sent His disciples out, He told them they need not worry about what to say when they were brought before authorities. In that moment, what they needed would be given to them. They would speak yet not speak alone. The Spirit of their Father would speak through them (Matthew 10:19–20).

    This reveals something vital. The King who commands His people to go also gives them divine help. The Holy Spirit upholds their mission. The disciples are not left to invent strategies to make their words effective. The Holy Spirit Himself enables their witness. False confidence is emptied; God supplies what is needed.

    When Jesus later commands baptism in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, He makes this truth unmistakable. The mission is rooted in the life of God. The Spirit’s work is not an optional influence but God’s gracious provision. He strengthens, guides, and gives courage to fearful hearts so that they may bear witness with truth and love.

    The King sends, and the Spirit enables.

    Why This Matters

    Matthew teaches that discipleship is not private. The risen King does not call His people into a quiet corner to reflect privately on what He has done. He sends them into the world to make disciples — beginning in their homes and cities and stretching to every land.

    This outward movement is not driven by guilt or pressure, but by the authority of Jesus and the enabling power of the Spirit. The One who commands is the One who remains. His rule is not distant; His presence is active.

    This matters because it aligns us with God’s purpose. From the opening chapters, Matthew has shown that Jesus came to save. Now, at the end, Jesus sends His followers to share that salvation. The church’s mission arises not from human creativity but from the King Himself.

    Discipleship touches every part of life. To be baptised is to belong to God. To be taught to obey is to live under the King. Jesus’ commands are not burdensome; they reveal the way of life we were made for. Discipleship is not simply learning about Jesus but learning to walk with Him.

    This mission also matters because it is global. The Gospel carries dignity across cultures. It does not erase them but welcomes them into the Kingdom. Every person is invited; no nation is too distant.

    The promise of Jesus’ presence gives unshakable hope. He does not send His people alone. He walks with them, opening hearts as they speak. Their confidence does not rest on what they can accomplish but on who He is. Even when opposition arises, the Spirit of the Father speaks through His people. He enables what He commands.

    This truth frees us from self-reliance. The mission is not carried by human charisma, planning, or strength. It is carried by the King and empowered by His Spirit. Our role is obedience; His presence gives power.

    Hope and Challenge

    The Great Commission lifts our eyes beyond ourselves. For believers, it brings dignity and clarity. Whether speaking to a neighbour, encouraging another believer, or quietly serving, every act offered to Christ participates in this mission. Nothing is wasted.

    The challenge is real. Some feel hesitant or fearful. Yet Matthew records that even among those who bowed in worship, some doubted. Jesus sent them anyway — and promised to be with them. Our frailty does not cancel His calling.

    For seekers, this is an invitation. The King who sends His people is the same King who invites all to follow Him. To become a disciple is to receive forgiveness, to learn His ways, and to walk with Him. The Spirit does not simply help those already strong; He strengthens those who come weak.

    The mission is vast, but no one is sent alone. The King goes with His people. The Spirit speaks through them. The Father holds them fast.

    Conclusion

    Matthew does not end with a farewell. He ends with a command and a promise. The risen Jesus, with all authority, sends His followers to make disciples among all nations, baptising in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to live under His gracious instruction.

    The church is therefore not merely gathered — it is sent. Its mission is not rooted in human cleverness but in the authority of the King. Its power does not rise from within but from the Spirit of the Father who speaks through His people. Its hope does not rest on circumstance but on the promise of Jesus’ unshakeable presence.

    The mission is global.
    The power is divine.
    The King is with His people — always.

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  • The Unseen Presence That Holds Us Together. Matthew 5 of 7

    The Unseen Presence That Holds Us Together. Matthew 5 of 7

    Welcome back to The King and His Kingdom, our journey through the Gospel of Matthew. In Part 4, we saw that Jesus gathers His people into a new spiritual family. Today, we ask a vital question: what keeps this family together?

    History is filled with movements that began with passion and purpose, only to fade. Human communities fracture under pressure. Success often seems to depend on gifted leaders, organisation, and resources. If the church were merely human, it would be no different.

    Matthew gives the answer: the church endures because Jesus Himself remains present with His people. He does not simply found His church — He continues to build, sustain, guide, and protect it.

    This is the heart of Part 5: the King who calls His people also stays with His people.

    The Builder Who Stays

    When Jesus first speaks of His church, He declares that He will build it and nothing — not death, spiritual opposition, or human weakness — will overthrow it. The emphasis is not on what His followers can achieve but on what He will do.

    This means the church is not a memorial to what Jesus did long ago. It is His living work today. Its foundation, growth, and endurance depend on His ongoing activity.

    This truth protects us from a subtle misunderstanding: that belonging to Christ depends on formal enrolment in an institution. Many faithful believers are sometimes treated as “outsiders” simply because they have not signed a membership form — yet Scripture teaches that union with Christ is what joins a person to His church. He builds His people, not bureaucracy. Because Jesus Himself is the builder, the church does not ultimately rest on human strength. Strategies and structures may help, but they are not the foundation. Christ is. This gives relief to weary believers and offers seekers a surprising invitation: the church is sustained, not by human skill, but by a living King.

    Where Two or Three Gather

    How does Jesus stay with His people now that He has ascended?
    Matthew records His promise that wherever even a few gather in His name, He is there.

    He does not require impressive crowds, grand buildings, or formal structures. His presence rests upon people united in His name — even two or three. A small group praying; friends encouraging each other; believers sharing a meal — Christ Himself is there.

    His presence is not symbolic. He actively strengthens, teaches, convicts, comforts, and leads by His Spirit. The same Jesus who walked among His disciples now walks among His gathered people.

    This transforms our understanding of church. We do not gather to honour an absent founder. We gather to meet with a present King. Every act of worship is shaped by His nearness. For seekers, this is an invitation: the church is not merely a historical remembrance. It is a living space where Jesus continues to make Himself known.

    The Presence That Holds Us Together

    Jesus’ presence is not only comfort — it is power. It is how the church endures in a broken world.

    Matthew shows this in Jesus’ instructions for dealing with relational conflict among believers. If someone sins, Jesus gives a process for pursuing restoration: private conversation, then witnesses if needed, and ultimately the church. He affirms that what His church binds or releases on earth is recognised in heaven — and He immediately reminds them of His presence.

    This is crucial. Jesus is present even in difficult moments — not only in worship but in messy situations where sin, hurt, and misunderstanding threaten to tear relationships apart. His presence gives wisdom, conviction, and grace so that reconciliation is possible.

    Human communities often fracture because we cannot fully heal wounds or overcome deep hurt. But Jesus sustains His church with a power we do not possess on our own. Because He is present, forgiveness, healing, and unity become possible.

    For believers wounded by church conflict, this offers hope: Christ has not abandoned His people. He remains at work, even when relationships feel strained.
    For seekers, it is honesty: the church is imperfect, yet it endures because a perfect King keeps it.

    Even here, Matthew shows that Jesus’ presence among His people is not merely comforting; it is empowering. Earlier, when He sent His disciples out, He assured them that they would not speak on their own when they faced pressure or opposition. In those moments, the Spirit of their Father would speak through them (Matthew 10:19–20). His presence therefore comes to His people by the Holy Spirit — giving wisdom, courage, and the words they need. The King does not merely stay near; He actively strengthens His church from within.

    The Presence That Carries the Mission

    Matthew ends with Jesus commissioning His disciples to make disciples among all nations — baptising and teaching them to obey everything He has commanded. It is an enormous task. They were few, ordinary, and about to face significant opposition.

    But Jesus closes Matthew’s Gospel with a promise: He will be with His people until the end of the age.

    This promise is not occasional or conditional. His presence is constant and lasting — for as long as His mission continues.

    This is what makes the mission possible. The church does not go into the world relying on human innovation or relevance. It goes with the authority and presence of the risen King. He opens hearts, builds His church in every culture, and sustains His people across generations.

    This is why the church has endured opposition, persecution, and cultural upheaval for two millennia. The church survives because Jesus is with His people, always.

    For believers, this brings relief: the weight of the mission does not fall on personal ability. We obey, but Jesus builds.
    For seekers, the endurance of the global church is itself evidence — despite countless attempts to destroy it, it stands because Christ holds it.

    What This Means for Us

    Because Jesus is present with His people:

    • The church is not a human organisation trying to preserve a memory.
    • When we gather, we truly meet with Him.
    • When conflict arises, He guides, convicts, and restores.
    • When we go on mission, we go with a King who never leaves.

    This gives profound security. The church will not fail because its King cannot fail.
    It also offers a clear invitation. The God who rules heaven and earth is not distant. He is near, active, and inviting people into His family.

    The King Who Never Leaves

    Jesus is the King who does not save from a distance.
    He saves — and He stays.

    • He builds His church
    • He is present wherever His people gather
    • He sustains His people through every struggle
    • He guarantees the future of His mission

    What holds the church together is not human strength, creativity, or organisation.
    It is the unseen presence of Jesus — the living King who never leaves His people.

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