There’s this old monument back in my hometown wherein a lot of
names are written on it. They say that the monument was to honor some soldiers
and freedom fighters from the Japanese era. I tried looking for people who
probably were related to me and it always excite me when doing that to almost
two hundred names!
For a kid living in a small town, finding someone’s name could
boost up his ego. Let’s accept the fact that when we were kids we wanted to
become famous. We want to become superheroes, people that we think made
significance in their lifetime – even in comic strips.
Another thing that I used to do is find some meaning with my name.
I tried to make something out of my natural name and think of ways how to make
it more known.
There is something about names that excites me. In biblical times,
a name can mean an entire lifetime’s perspective. It speaks about the person’s
history and at the same time his future.
Of course my name wasn’t mentioned in the bible or anywhere else.
It probably is insignificant, unworthy of someone’s time to search through
thousands of names.
Ouch!
But there is one important name in the bible that could probably
change our perspective – our own egoistic perspective of ourselves, that is. We
might not have a name like his, but his name brought changes in our lives, in
our identity, just because of what he did.
He’s name is JESUS.
Philippians 2:9-11 puts it simply but direct to the point by
saying:
“Therefore God exalted
him to the highest place and gave him the name that
is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee
should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the
earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to
the glory of God the Father.”
Jesus
Christ, our Lord and Savior, died for you and me. He died that we might live
and can make significant changes in us through the power of grace. He was
exalted because he did the very thing we cannot do – save ourselves. It was
through obedience that the disciples and those who've gone before them
continued to do Christ's command.
- They have
experienced the name of Jesus which brings authority in heaven and in
earth
- Their
teacher’s last command was to go and disciple, baptize and teach others
from every nation (which actually means people group in this context)
- His ministry
continues to live on until his 2nd coming because of a
promise made real from day 1 of Pentecost
God honored his work.
For three years, Jesus tried changing people’s perspective of the
kingdom of heaven. He tried discipling twelve unlikely heroes from a small
town. He did miracles, healed the sick, rebuked many people, he even predicted
and prophesied of what will come to pass.
But the most significant aspect of his ministry, on my own point
of view, is the time of his ascension. In Matthew’s documentation, this was his
last words for everyone, his final teaching –
Matthew 28:18-20 Then
Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has
been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of
the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have
commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the
age.”
Through this passage, we get to see three important aspect of what
will become of his three years training on unlikely individuals. What could
have made them change their minds and turned the Roman empire and the rest of
the world upside down?
The great commission was given to the early believers for a reason
and the fruit of that first encounter with the resurrected Christ changed their
perspective. It was through the testimony of Jesus that made them wait for the
right time to bombard three thousand men await at the synagogue. It
was through Christ’s teaching and discipling that made them aware on how to go
about God’s purpose.
We are part of the fruits of the apostles, we are their
inheritance. If not for them, we will not experience God’s goodness and mercy
in our lives. Because of many of the believers gave their lives for the gospel,
it reached the shores of our country. They spread the gospel of grace and
disciple others to share it to others until it reached our very ears.
In reality, this is discipleship and we are also called to
accomplish our chief high priest’s plan through this mindset. We bear the same
commandment that was given to a faithful few two thousand years ago. From that
time on until now, there’s this people who have hold nothing back, even to the
point of death, for the sake of God’s call for the gospel.
The apostle Paul was just one of the few forerunners of his time.
Hebrews speaks of so many names that I wished my name was part of it. He was
called an apostle to the gentiles and entirely helped spread the gospel in the
Roman empire through his life testimony. But Hebrews also spoke about the
nameless and faceless believers who accomplished much because of their love for
the Lord. Their heartbeat gushes the very desire to hasten the coming of our
Lord and King.
Simply put, the heartbeat of every forerunner is the completion of
Christ's Kingdom work on earth. They desire to continue what started as a small
revival in Jerusalem. Like them, we are called to be forerunners of revival. A
revival that will change the course of history and bring the manifest purposes
of God here on earth. I strongly believe that revivals are meant to ignite the
next generation for the coming great revival. We live in an exciting time
indeed!
That's what my heart beat says, it desires to ignite other young
people to accomplish the works of him who called me.
How about you, what does your heart beat for? What makes it rush
from time to time? Do you see yourself as someone who not only desires worship
and fellowship but also the completion of the great commission?
Your answer determines your calling. And I'd like to add, you're
calling determines the purpose why you continue to read this blog.
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