“and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. And I will be with you always, to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:20)
This is the last commandment of Jesus. He has commissioned His disciples. And if we are followers of Jesus, we too are His disciples and are commissioned just as they were. And His promise is for us also. He is with us to the end of the age.
What exactly does “end of the age” mean? It’s this time period. The time of grace or dispensation of grace. There will come a time when it ends, and the next dispensation will start. It will be the Age of the Millennial Kingdom of Christ. But this lesson is not about the dispensations or even the Millennial reign of Christ. Let’s focus on the promise Jesus made to us.
Although Jesus is in heaven, He is with us through the Holy Spirit who lives in us. The Godhead, Father, Son and Holy Spirit are One. And because the Godhead is One, Jesus is with us through the Holy Spirit. Just as Jesus said and did only what the Father said and did, so the Holy Spirit hears and tells us the things that Jesus wants us to know. Jesus said: “He will give Me glory, because He will take what I say and tell it to you. All that My Father has is Mine; that is why I said that the Spirit will take what I give Him and tell it to you. (John 16:14-15) We are assured that Jesus is with us by the Holy Spirit. “We are sure that we live in union with God and that He lives in union with us, because He has given us His Spirit.” (1John 4:13)
Because of the struggles in this world, doubts will come to us, sent by the enemy of God to distract and put stumbling blocks and hinderances in our hearts about the Presence of Jesus with us. But Jesus is even closer interceding on our behalf. He is our cheering section and in communication with the Holy Spirit to remind of what He has told us. In our darkest times, we need to go to the Lord. And there we will hear all that He is saying to us until we are convinced and strengthened in spirit and soul (mind, will and emotions) that yes, He is with us and that He has taken all of our sorrows so that we could have His peace and victory in every circumstance. The Amplified Bible puts it this way: “Now may the Lord of peace Himself grant you His peace at all times and in every way [that peace and spiritual well-being that comes to those who walk with Him, regardless of life’s circumstances]. The Lord be with you all.” (2 Thessalonians 3:16)
The Lord is willing and able to help us. In those dark times, we may doubt that He will help us. But God is not a respecter of people. What He did for one, He will do for all. “Peter began to speak: "I now realize that it is true that God treats everyone on the same basis.” (Acts 10:34) Peter spoke these words when he realized that God was now drawing all people of all nations, race and languages to Himself. No longer was God revealing Himself only to His chosen people, but to all. And more so, He helps us in our struggles, miraculously at times, or giving us just what we need to continue in victory. “And so, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials and how to keep the wicked under punishment for the Day of Judgment,” (2Peter 2:9) We need to remember how He shut the lions’ mouths for Daniel, kept Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from burning in the furnace, rescued Noah from the flood, took Lot out of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and many other examples. He is not only able to help us, but is willing to glorify Himself in our lives, even if our difficulties may not be as life threatening as those of the heroes mentioned in the Bible. We cannot say that these were greater people than us. We are God’s children. He loves us and cares for His children. “Even the hairs of your head have all been counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth much more than many sparrows!” (Luke 12:7)
In our times of trouble, we may be tempted to turn to others for wisdom, but the wisdom of God is greater. “For what this world considers to be wisdom is nonsense in God's sight. As the Scripture says, "God traps the wise in their cleverness"; and another scripture says, "The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are worthless." (1Corinthians 3:19-20) The wisdom of God is greater than man’s wisdom. “Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” (1Corinthians 1:25)
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