The men crowded around, mouths gaping wide, as they stared into the sky.
This is the scene in Acts 1 as Jesus ascends to the Father. The disciples wonder if this is the end. Has the kingdom been restored? (Acts 1:6) Rather than giving them a date and time of the kingdom’s full arrival on earth, Jesus has given them a new, paradigm-shifting assignment. As the disciples receive power from the Holy Spirit, Jesus commissions them to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8)
That’s Jesus’ crucial answer to their question: “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” It’s not for them to know the times and seasons the Father has fixed. They simply need to know their responsibility to take the gospel far and wide.
And they will do this by planting churches.
A MISSION THAT CANNOT FAIL
Before giving his disciples the Great Commission, Jesus made a promise to build his church. He guaranteed that not even the gates of hell can stop its advance (Matt. 16:18).
As a church planter, I continually come back to this great guarantee. Church planting is difficult and costly. It often feels like we’re
To continue...read the full-length post originally published on this site.
