As you read, remember that millions of other followers of Jesus share His command to join Him in the "mission". What might happen in our world if Christians everywhere got seriously committed to letting Jesus empower them to do His work?

Matthew 28:16-20 (New Living Translation) Then the eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him--but some of them still doubted!

Jesus came and told his disciples, "I have been given complete authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 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."

John 14:16-17 (New Living Translation)
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world at large cannot receive him, because it isn't looking for him and doesn't recognize him. But you do, because he lives with you now and later will be in you.

Acts 1:8, 18:7-11 (New Living Translation)
But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power and will tell people about me everywhere--in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

After that he stayed with Titius Justus, a Gentile who worshiped God and lived next door to the synagogue. Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, and all his household believed in the Lord. Many others in Corinth also became believers and were baptized.

One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision and told him, "Don't be afraid! Speak out! Don't be silent! For I am with you, and no one will harm you because many people here in this city belong to me." So Paul stayed there for the next year and a half, teaching the word of God.

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1. Ironically, Jesus spoke the words in Matthew 28 just before disappearing from their sight. According to the John passage, how could Jesus have said "I am with you always" as he was apparently leaving them?

2. Look again at the story in Acts 18. How did Paul experience Jesus "with him always"? How was this possible and what was the result?

3. One of the names for the Spirit of Christ is Holy Spirit. This means that when God's Spirit enters our lives, we are filled with an urge towards being holy, pure, clean, good, godly. How does this "empowerment" through the Holy Spirit affect our being "on the mission" for Christ?

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Let the Holy Spirit point out any sin in your life that needs to be confessed and forgiven by God. Ask His Spirit to teach you, guide you, encourage you, make you bold, make you tender and humble, and transform you into being more like Jesus as you offer yourself to serve and reach others through His power.