These are among the final words of our risen Lord—words of supreme weight and lasting authority, demanding our full allegiance.
First, Jesus declares His absolute authority: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (v. 18). This does not diminish His deity; it magnifies His glory. As the exalted Son of Man, Christ is appointed heir of all things, the one Mediator between God and humanity. All salvation rests upon Him. For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross, and now He reigns (Heb. 12:2). He holds the keys of death and hell. He alone forgives sin, grants repentance, and gives life. In Him all fullness dwells. He is the Way, the Door, the Light, the Life, the Shepherd, and the Savior. To have the Son is to have life; to be without Him is to remain without it. No one has ever thought too much of Christ.
Second, Jesus sends His disciples into the world (v. 19). The gospel is not to be hoarded but heralded. Salvation is not for one people only, but for all nations. Christ commands His church to make disciples everywhere, proclaiming that He has died for sinners and reigns as Lord. This commission still stands. Every believer is called—by praying, giving and going—to make Christ known.
Jesus is Lord of all. Are you living—and speaking—in a way that makes Him known to the world?
- The germinating seed for these devotional thoughts and prayer comes from…
J.C. Ryle’s “Daily Readings from All Four Gospels” edited by Robert Sheehan.
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