2018 Theme: Empowered For Greatness

Theme Verse: Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."ESV

The apostle Paul tells us that we are "God's workmanship" Ephesians 2:10 created in Christ Jesus to do good works that God prepared in advance. Think about this, the Almighty purposed and gifted us all in Christ Jesus to works that He approves of and thought of all by Himself. Man did not have a say in this matter. Wow!

Now think about this, the God who is not just mighty but Almighty crafted, purposed and empowered you for His will. Allow His mindset to guide you. The Bible refers to this as the mind of Christ, renewed thinking or freedom. (I Corinthians 2:14-16; Romans 12:2; John 8:31-32, 36) God's desire is for all to experience this mindset and life transforming news.

And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20 ESV

Over the years, these few verses have become known as the "great commission." Have you ever stop to ask yourself why is this such a great commission that Jesus is giving? Jesus with all authority desires all of every nation to be intimate with the power of God. He wants His power to be known and experienced by the world, not just a select privilege few.

Now, ask yourself what is this power that he wants the world to know and experience? To fear Him or die! Don't do wrong because you will go to hell! Get the rules right or die in your sins! With all this authority what is it that He wants the world to experience?

Jesus states that God's desires for the world to believe in Jesus so that they could experience His "so love" throughout all eternity. (John 3:16) Jesus even gives His disciples a new commandment revealing Himself as the standard of that command on how to love. He reveals that God has already place within mankind the ability to see the almighty to the power of love. (John 13:34-35)

Jesus would even be challenged by the greatest minds or at least those who thought they had the greatest mind or the corner of the knowledge of God as to what was the greatest commandment. The answer from Jesus as well as the experts even though they may not have been transformed by it was basically loving God with everything and loving your neighbor. (Matthew 22:36-40)

The apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesians telling how this love shaped his prayers concerning the family of God as a unit. (Ephesians 3:14-21) He went to his knees about the family of God in heaven and on earth in which we derived our name. Our identity is wrapped up and down in the love of Christ as you read through this prayer. He reveals that the family of believers expressing love through faith enables the love of Christ to fill the family (Ephesians 3:17; Galatians 5:6) He knows that the magnitude of this love is also mind blowing (Ephesians 3:19) beyond our scope of understanding, but he wants all to experience it.

We as the family of God are empowered with Greatness. So, come and work with us as we grow more and more into His image through the power of the Holy Spirit at work within us. Let's change the world together!