In every generation there are those who say, “We have never been this way before.”   But at no time in recent history have we faced the enormity of change we are facing today.  When the ground starts moving under our feet, and when we feel we do not have a firm foundation upon which to stand, our anxiety levels rise.  Anxiety is contagious and when we are driven by our anxiety, we tend to see the world differently.  We begin to make our decisions based upon the fear of scarcity and we tend to focus on needs, problems, and shortages rather than the goodness of God.

The goodness of God is seen and experienced in Matthew’s gospel.  The Good News in Matthew is: God sent Jesus to teach us how to live before God.  To know we have a firm foundation, a solid place to stand, when the ground is moving under our feet, is good news.  Let’s look at the text, Matthew 28:16-20:

“Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus told them to go.  When they saw him, they worshipped him, but some doubted.  Jesus came near and spoke to them,  “I’ve received all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything that I’ve commanded you. Look, I myself will be with you every day until the end of this present age.”

The eleven disciples went to Galilee as Jesus had told them to do.  I think it is interesting that they worshipped, even though some doubted.  It is helpful to know that we don’t have to have everything together in our minds to worship God.  We don’t have to have all the answers.  What we do need is a willingness to explore a new way of looking at the world and a willingness to risk stepping out into a different way of living.

As Christ followers, Jesus Christ is the authority of our lives.  Even though saying it might seem trite, Jesus is our reason for living.  It is Christ who informs our thinking, our decisions, our living, and our relationships.

Continue Reading Part 2