by Reg Piper

Luke recorded the great commission in two forms, in Luke 24: 44-49 and Acts 1: 6-11. In both accounts the resurrected Jesus addressed his disciples and was then taken up into heaven. The importance of this commission dawns upon us when we realise that it comes not just from the man Jesus, and that is significant enough, but from the resurrected Lord and, even with greater force, when we realise that they are his very last words to the disciples. They demand our reading, learning and constant meditation.

God’s plan had two stages
God had revealed his plan in the Old Testament. Jesus understood it and expounded it to his disciples. Stage one of that plan was the death and resurrection of the Christ. This had to happen because God predetermined it. The resurrected Lord could look back on the achievement of this first stage.
Stage two of God’s plan was the preaching of repentance and forgiveness in the name of Christ to all the nations. The preaching would begin in Jerusalem; continue in Judea and Samaria and then advance to the end of the earth. Just as surely as the Christ had to suffer and rise so the preaching had to happen because it to was God’s predetermined plan.

God’s second stage had two elements
The first element was the testimony of the apostles. After much prayer and reflection culminating in a whole night of prayer, Jesus chose them to be the witnesses of what he had said and done. In particular they had witnessed the death and resurrection of the Christ and now finally they understood that this was according to God’s Old Testament plan. It is not just any interesting religious message that must be preached. It must be the message of the apostles.
The second element was the attendance of the Holy Spirit. The apostles were not to go out preaching immediately. They were to wait in Jerusalem for the Lord Jesus to send them “the promise of his Father” so that they would be “clothed with power from on high”. This would happen promise when the Holy Spirit came upon them. Some have said that the Acts of the Apostles could just as accurately be entitled the Acts of the Holy Spirit. There is more than an element of truth in this saying.

Prayer would be significant
When the apostles waited for the Spirit in Jerusalem they “with one accord devoted themselves to prayer”. When the Jerusalem church experienced troubles the apostles explained that it was not right that they should problem solve but rather “devote themselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word”.
When the gospel progressed in Judea and Samaria, Luke noted that Cornelius “prayed constantly” and that Peter heard the revelation when he “went up on the house top to pray”. He also noted that it was while the prophets and teachers of Antioch were “worshipping the Lord and fasting” that the Holy Spirit told them to “set apart Barnabas and Saul” and then “after fasting and praying” sent them off on the first missionary journey.
We want the mission to advance by God’s Spirit. God will ensure his gospel will go forth. Our responsibility is to expound the apostle’s message and pray with energy and perseverance for its advancement.