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Christians today look at the world and are anxious about it. The world seems to be becoming more and more hostile to our faith. Our values seem to be under assault.
In addition, things are changing so fast. The past year has accelerated so many trends that were already underway. Power is shifting throughout the world.
What are we to do about it? Most people are afraid to even bring up these topics with their neighbors. We often look out on the world as if we just have to watch it with a sense of foreboding and doom. What are we to do?
Matthew West captured this sentiment well in a song that he wrote a few years ago.
Well, I just couldn’t bear the thought of
People living in poverty
Children sold into slavery
The thought disgusted me
So, I shook my fist at Heaven
Said, “God, why don’t You do something?”He said, “I did, I created you”
That song was called, “Do Something.”
We are not called to sit passively back and let the world slide into destruction. God calls us in this text to get involved in changing the world. Particularly, He wants us to make disciples of all nations.
The Presence
Now, that seems daunting. Who are we to do something about the big problems in the world? You might say, “I’m scared even to talk to my neighbor about Jesus.” You might say, “I have a hard time even talking to people at all.” You might say, “I’m young and can’t do anything.”
I’ll never forget a conversation I had a few years ago with a man in our church. He felt like he should be a deacon, but he was scared. He didn’t think he could do it.
So, I asked him, “Do you know what God always says when He calls people to do something?”
“Get going?” He responded.
“No,” I replied. “He says, ‘I will be with you.'”
That’s what God said to Moses, to Jeremiah, and to Gideon in the Old Testament. Gideon said to the Lord, “‘Pardon me, my lord,’ Gideon replied, ‘but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.’
The Lord answered, “I will be with you . . .” (Judges 6:15–16).
That’s what Jesus says in this passage. He says, “I will be with you always, to the end of the world.”
Now, how can this be? Jesus was going to leave them. How could He leave them and be with them?
Remember that Jesus is the eternal Son of God who remained God and took upon Himself a true human nature. So, in regard to His human nature, He is no longer with us. In regard to His divine nature, He is still with us.
However, that’s not precisely what this text means. Of course, in His divine nature, Jesus is everywhere. He would be “with” everybody in that sense. What He means here is that He would be presence with power, provision, protection, and peace as they went out into the world to make disciples of all nations.
So, let’s consider more in detail the promise that Jesus gives, “And surely I will be with you always, even to the end of the age.”
The Promise
What this meant was that Jesus would be present with them to give them aid in certain ways. He would be “with” them to give them provision, protection, and power.
First, He would be present to give them provision. He told them that He would take care of them as they went out. They didn’t need to have millions of dollars in the bank account. He would provide for them wherever they went as they went out to do the work He called them to do. He would provide the things that they need when they needed them.
Here’s a story from South Dakota where I pastored previously. A friend of mine had seen so many kids who had gotten into drugs, and her heart was burdened to do something about it. She heard the testimony of Joseph Rojas of the Christian rock band Seventh Day Slumber. He had been a drug addict who had been so addicted that he stole from his single mother to buy cocaine. Then, Jesus took hold of him. Jesus was with him to enable him to crawl out of the deep hole he was in.
Well, my friend wanted to bring him to the Black Hills, and she was making it happen. She did it twice. In both cases, she was concerned about the money. How was she going to pay for this group to come? I told her several times, “God has given you the vision, He will be there with provision.” And you know what? He did. In both cases, God gave the provision to bring Joseph Rojas to speak to our community. It was a blessing to many. Some of our closest friends came out of a connection that we made through Joseph coming to the Black Hills.
I’ve seen stuff like this over and over. Jesus is present to provide for us what we need when we do what He has called us to do.
Second, He would be present to give them protection. They would be going out in the midst of great enemies who would even kill them. Read the book of Acts. What this meant was that God would protect them. He would defend them. One time, Peter was put in prison for preaching the Gospel. In the middle of the night, an angel of the Lord came and brought him out. This was so surprising that the church, which was praying for him, hardly believed it when Peter showed up at the doorstep.
People today are put in prison for their faith. In many parts of the world, you can go to prison for telling people about Jesus. Brother Yun was a Christian leader in China who was put in prison several times. One time, he was in prison, and God made clear to him in that place that there were many people there who needed Jesus. So Brother Yun said, “I will be in this prison for exactly the length of time God has determined. I won’t leave one moment early and I won’t stay one moment too long. When God determines my ministry in prison is complete, I will come out.” That’s confidence in the presence of Jesus to protect us. Can I say that? If my car breaks down, can I say, “My car will be broken down exactly as long as Jesus wants it to so I can do what He wants me to do in this place?” That’s what the presence of Jesus means for us.
We’ve experienced a lot of scary things this past year. I’ve studied the race issue, and I’ve studied Covid-19, but, my knowledge is not the foundation of my comfort. I was speaking to a gentleman about all that was going on and how crazy the world seemed to be. Then, I said, “I’m so thankful that in the midst of all this, I have a rock, a refuge to flee to. I know that God is for me and will take care of me. These are important, difficult, and sometimes scary issues, but I’m confident God protect me and keep me in the midst of it.” That’s the thing we really need to know in the midst of an uncertain world. My statement reoriented the whole conversation and pointed it to Christ.
Jesus is present to protect us in the midst of a crazy world.
Third, He would be present to give them power. He would enable them to do things that they did not think that they could do. How would they stand before the rulers of this world and speak to them boldly in the name of Christ? Christ would help them! He would be there for them. He would give them the words to speak.
Another story from South Dakota. A woman there has a son who has cerebral palsy. When another woman in our church heard about this, she told me about Christ’s presence with her. Shortly after high school, her son got in a car accident and lost most of his ability to take care of himself. She cared for him until she couldn’t care for him anymore. Then, she handed him over to other caregivers. She told me that this other woman “did not need to be afraid. As the trials get deeper, the Lord gets nearer. He gives you the strength and comfort as you need them. As the problems get bigger, the Lord is with you all the more. He’s a faithful Savior, and He will never leave you or forsake you.” She knew from experience that Jesus is with us always, even unto the end of the age.
Conclusion
Now, what would it mean for us to really believe this? So often, we look at our challenges, and we simply see ourselves. What we need to see is that Jesus is with us always.
Let’s say that you are going to school or a workplace, as many of you will tomorrow. You will find challenges, challenges arising from your own need to grow in your abilities and challenges arising from people. You don’t have to face them alone. Christ is with you to empower you, to guide you, and protect you. He is with you, but you need to see that He is with you and live like He is with you.
So, when we look at our community and see its challenges, we should not simply look at our own resources, we should look at the resources of Jesus. If he calls us to let go of certain activities that we have relied on, then we should trust that He will provide for us. If he calls us to reach out, we should do so, trusting that He will provide for us. If he calls us to start something, we should start it, knowing He will be with us.
Let me give you a concrete place to start. Consider inviting one person to church. Start praying about it. Start thinking about it. If you do, I think God will begin to show you ways that you can serve the community and advance the Gospel. Start praying and thinking about who God would have you invite. If you invite them, then let me suggest that you meet somewhere before church, drive over to the church together, and go in together.
As you do, you may feel a bit afraid. You may think, I can’t do that. I can’t invite that person. I won’t know what to say. Remember! You are not alone! Jesus has said that it is a certainty: “Surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.