As we are now in the days after Easter, I try to wrap my head around what it was like for the disciples as Jesus was about to leave them and return to Heaven. I’ve always thought, that if I were there, I would feel so despondent as I watched Jesus ascend into the clouds. Like, “Man! You’re leaving us?! But, you know we’ve got a lot to learn, Jesus! We just got started!! Why are you going now??” I’ve always thought I would feel so gipped if I were them.

But this year, as I reflected on this same piece, a new thought occurred to me—

If Jesus had not left His disciples, what I know of human nature tells me that they never would have taken ownership of the Great Commission as they did. Only because their beloved leader returned to Heaven, they then HAD to be the messengers. It was their baton to pass now. It was up to them to deliver it-

And I know our Good Father, All-Knowing and Perfect in His plans, knew that of their nature, far beyond my thoughts!

But it’s such a funny notion….If Jesus remained on earth, the disciples would have followed Him anywhere. But they also would not have recognized themselves as teachers, they would have remained as followers, instead. It’s funny how human nature works that way. They might have thought to themselves, “Well, Jesus has got it covered, so I’ll just hang out and watch Him do His thing….”

HOWEVER, by leaving His disciples, they had a whole new inspiration for sharing the Gospel- to BE the first church… to LIVE OUT the truths they had spent all that time learning… to share their testimony of a Risen Savior- news of the Rescue Plan COMPLETED.

So I see the time of the first church as very exciting. And I imagine, Peter thinking…”This is the time, people!! Let’s pass it on! He gave us what we needed to share- let’s go!”

In Acts 3, starting in verse 12 he spoke to a crowd after he and John had just healed a lame man who was crippled from birth. People were shocked at their ability to heal him and this is Peter’s response:

¹² Peter saw his opportunity and addressed the crowd. “People of Israel,” he said, “what is so surprising about this? And why stare at us as though we had made this man walk by our own power or godliness? ¹³ For it is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the God of all our ancestors—who has brought glory to his servant Jesus by doing this. This is the same Jesus whom you handed over and rejected before Pilate, despite Pilate’s decision to release him. ¹⁴ You rejected this holy, righteous one and instead demanded the release of a

murderer. ¹⁵ You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. And we are witnesses of this fact!  ¹⁶ “Through faith in the name of Jesus, this man was healed—and you know how crippled he was before. Faith in Jesus’ name has healed him before your very eyes.

How rad was that moment? I mean, seriously! One of the first times that the disciples stepped out in faith after Jesus rose- to BE the church- and a man was completely healed…..POWERFUL.

So in Early Childhood Ministry, one of my joys is leading Preschool Chapels for our Lamb’s Lot kiddos. And yesterday, I got to retell the story of Easter morning.

I wanted to help the children understand that we are just like those first women who witnessed the empty tomb and first saw Jesus that day. I told the children, “We are disciples too! Just like them, we get to go and tell everyone we know- about Jesus, and the Empty Tomb, and His Great Big Love!” And upon hearing that, they grabbed their faces in shock and awe- squealing in surprise. And I heard them say, “We are disciples?!”

And you can imagine my joy in telling them, “Yes, we are!”

May you have joy in being His witnesses, my friends. Through faith, we already have what we need to share Him with our desperate world. God desires to use us for His good works and already has made us able to do them (Ephesians 2). I pray that you will take confidence in the fact that the Holy Spirit is powerful and able to change hearts, if we will only be the messengers. 

We are His disciples, let’s take God at His Word, and go! 

Prayer

Dear Lord,

You are our Great and Mighty Father. You made us able to do so much more than we can imagine. We ask you to help us to take confidence in our role as Your Disciples. You ask us to go and tell of Your Rescue Plan and Your Love and we know the world needs to hear it. Help us to trust You with our lives. Help us step outside of our comfort zones. Help us, as parents, to model what it looks like to trust You, so our children can know the joy and strength of having you as Lord of their lives, too. We ask this in the Powerful Name of Jesus, Amen.

Sarah Bourne
Early Childhood Director