Continue the Work by Michael Podhaczky

Have you ever had a moment when you have told someone to do something and realised, they were not listening? Or Else you have been told to do something by someone, and you were not listening and did not know what they just said? You know those times when things seem to get lost in the atmosphere somewhere. The lips were moving, but the mind was not engaged to be able to take it in and do it.

Matthew’s gospel account, recorded some of Jesus’ last words to His followers before He went back to heaven. He points out that,

¹⁸ “Jesus came and said to His disciples, ‘I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations (all people groups), baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. ²⁰ Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt 28:18-20 NLT).

Mark’s gospel also recorded some of Jesus’ last words to His followers. He picked up on some things that Matthew did not, notably to preach the gospel.

¹⁵ “And then He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone… ²⁰ And the disciples went everywhere and preached, and the Lord worked through them, confirming what they said by many miraculous signs” (Mk 16:15, 20 NLT).

While Luke, in his version, stressed mainly that Jesus would send the Holy Spirit.

⁴⁷ “It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of His name to all the nations (people groups), beginning in Jerusalem: “There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.” ⁴⁸ You are witnesses of all these things. ⁴⁹ ‘And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as My Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven”’” (Lk 24:47-49 NLT).

So, a combination of these three accounts gives us a fuller picture of what Jesus said to His followers. We have been deployed by Jesus empowered by His Spirit and given the message to share with those around us. Jesus commanded His followers to go and continue the work, and for the most part, we have gone. So, if that is the case, why do we disobey Him sometimes, and do not go? We say that we love Him, but do we not show it by our obedience? As the old saying goes “Actions speak louder than words.” How have we tended to respond to Jesus’ command recently?

Pause in His presence for a moment and think this over…