A Big Command From A Small Place
Steve and I were able to visit Israel before an eruption of violence almost stopped tourism to this fascinating country.
In ten days we traveled the length and breadth of that historic region, visiting most of the places where Jesus had lived and ministered.
We recalled Old Testament stories of David and his time in the Judean Desert as he fled from Saul, and we drove by Jericho near the land the Israelites claimed when they crossed the Jordan after wandering in the desert for forty years.
Jesus spoke the famous command of Matthew 28:19, which is known as the Great Commission, on a mountain in Galilee.
The Sea of Galilee is really a lake and the mountains surrounding it seem like large hills to this Colorado resident. But the surprising size didn’t di¬minish the impact of walking where Jesus walked.
The hillside was grass-covered and lush. Tropical bushes and flowers bloomed and the Sea of Galilee sparkled in the sunshine at the base of the hill.
While there I reflected that when Jesus spoke the words of the Great Commission in this same spot or a similar one nearby, he spoke only to the remaining eleven disciples.
I’ve often wondered if they could even begin to grasp the power he was bestowing on them to carry out this task. Their own world was small.
Israel today is only 256 miles north to south and 81 miles east to west, with a 143-mile coastline.
The disciples would have been primarily in the regions where Jesus ministered, and it wasn’t until after the persecution of the church (Acts 8) that other believers scattered from the communities in Israel where they lived.
As Steve and I traveled around in our tour bus I certainly understood that Jesus and the disciples had covered ground on foot.
But in light of the words of the Great Commission I was, and am, still amazed at the small number of people and the relatively puny geographic size of their country.
The Roman Empire completely dwarfed them, and yet they became the world’s most populous religion.
These men had none of the trappings of power that would be associated with world movements; no numbers, no wealth, no political influence, no prestige, and no troops.
All they had was their firsthand witness to the miracle of God incarnate and the promise of the Holy Spirit to come and reside in each of them.
The disciples of ancient Israel received this verse and obeyed it. And now we are a part of their heritage.
Father, thank you for the obedience of those eleven men who sat with Jesus on a hillside in Galilee. We marvel at what is still unfolding as a result of their faith. Help us to believe that even we can impact the world for Christ.