Put yourselves in the shoes of the early church. You are gathered to celebrate the harvest with people from all over (Acts 2:1-6). While you all are together there are still divisions because of region, language, or even beliefs. Then something that had been predicted hundreds of years before happens (Joel 2:28-32). You start understanding what people are saying in other languages as they make fun of you and your friends for having too much wine (Acts 2:13). Everything in a moment changed while you were together with everyone, something new happened- you became united!

This major moment in history has left a lasting impression on our lives today. The gathering of people united by beliefs and language and that unity that came from the Holy Spirit helped change the world for God’s plan. The mission Jesus gives becomes a unifying factor that changes how we do things. It allows people from different backgrounds a common goal and common understanding so we can fulfill the commission given to all believers.

We cannot fulfill the Great Commission without being united in our mission. We are called as God’s children, as followers of Jesus, marked and empowered by the Holy Spirit to teach, train, and guide others into being disciples of Jesus. This mission should become the most important commission in our life. We see this happen when Peter shared about Jesus (Acts 2) and Luke recorded the unity that the early church experienced and was known by (Acts 2:42-47). As I read Acts 2 I am convicted, because I ask myself, are we united on a mission today? I read Mathew 28:16-20 and ask am I or are we fulfilling the commission Jesus gave us?

God allows us to be united in our joy and in our suffering, in good times and in bad, so we can follow him and teach others to do so as well. When we are united the world sees something different and has to decide if they want to be a part of it, but if we are divided then people will miss being part of the mission God has given. Here is the question I want you to answer, how are you united on mission with fellow believers? Or how do you apply the Great Commission in the life God has put around you? Please email me if you have any questions or want to share your answers. I believe God is giving us a chance to stand in unity with Jesus to be on a mission for the world he loves. This is why he unites us. Praying for us all.

Pastor Jeremy Johnson

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