Not The End

"Then Jesus approached and said to them, 'All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.' " - Matthew 28:18-20

For many kids where I live, this week is the last week of school - including my oldest. And while I don't remember it clearly, the end of school when you're in first grade doesn't mean the start of a summer job, but rather the start of having a lot of free time on your hands. Time to play outside, build Lego houses, race toy cars and ride bikes. It's pools, sunscreen, camping and mosquito bites. It's everything you don't get to do during the school year, and nice enough weather to do it in.

For the disciples, this too was like the end of school. Jesus has been preparing them for what lies ahead, and is giving them some final words of encouragement before they go. And while the last verses in Matthew almost read like the end of a book (I always think the last verse should be "The End", given how much of an epic this has been), the disciples work is just beginning. They won't have a chance to head out, leave their responsibilities behind, and take the summer off. But rather, they'll head out into an unbelieving world - one that would (and already has) killed others for spreading their message. But they're armed with the Truth, the knowledge of who Jesus was, what he did, and where he is. And it's their and our commitment, along with support from the Holy Spirit, that's kept the fire of Christianity burning brightly for two millenniums.