How well do you know the story of Jesus? What do you know beyond the crucifixion, burial, and resurrection? Do you know the purpose for it? Do you know what you are to do with that knowledge? Are you actively applying in your daily life? Are you doing what He wants you to do?
Every Christian should be able to quickly state that Jesus was crucified, buried, and rose on the third day. They also should be able to tell the story of the virgin birth. Many can tell of miracles Jesus performed while He walked this earth. But far too many do not know what to do with that knowledge.
Those who do know what they are supposed to do with that knowledge don’t always do it. They fail to do what Jesus expects them to do out of fear. Fear of being ostracized. Fear of failing to have all the answers. Fear of being made fun of. Fear of becoming an outsider. But we must remember that Jesus was countercultural. And just as He was, we are to be countercultural as well.
We may remember the great commission from Matthew 28:16-20, in which Jesus tells the disciples, and us, to go make disciples. He states the same thing in today’s passage, even if a little differently. We are to proclaim repentance and forgiveness to all nations. That may sound like a daunting task, but not all of us are called to go to a different country. That doesn’t mean we should not proclaim it to our neighbor, co-worker, friends, or even our family. He wants us proclaiming His good news to every person we encounter.
I pray we all know who Jesus is and what He did. I pray we understand the ramifications of what He did. I pray each one of us will proclaim repentance and forgiveness to the people we know and meet. Know who Jesus is. Know what Jesus did. Proclaim repentance. Proclaim forgiveness. Proclaim the good news.
Luke 24:45-57: Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.”
Marty Pressey 