Discipleship Considered (Continued)
A Disciple Must Have a Commission
A Commissioned Disciple can leave the future safely in the hands of Jesus
The aspect of knowing the end from the beginning is a particular quality of deity, for the Lord declared, "I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, 'My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure'" (Isa.46:9,10)
For some privileged disciples, like Peter and Paul, there is given an indication of their future; but for most of us we must serve without knowing what tomorrow will bring, but secure in the knowledge that the ultimate outcome is in the hands of Jesus, and we must be obedient to Him who has a long-term aim that will be successful.
Jesus, in His position as the eternal Son of God and Coming King has titles that reflect this quality of deity. He said, "I am the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End" (Rev.1:8) and "I am the ... First and the Last" (Rev.1:11). The language of Scripture is always precise, and here it states that the One that John saw while in the spirit on the island of Patmos encompassed the past and the future all in the present.
While the immediate future is important, it needs to be a strategy that is longer term. The successful chess player has an end-game strategy in mind from an early staage and there comes a point when most of his moves are made with the end in mind. Those in the service of the Lord can be confident that He is working with the end in mind, that is, He is working toward a goal that will ultimately display the many-faceted wisdom of God.
Next Time: Disciples will be People with Gift
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