I Am With You - The Book of The Gospels

In this Bible Story, Jesus commissions his disciples to go in power and authority. He comforts them, and tells them that the Holy Spirit would come to help them. So now the disciples wait on the Holy Spirit to move. This story is inspired by Matthew 28:16-20; Luke 24:47-53; John 20:30-3; Acts 1 & 1 Corinthians 15:6. Go to https://www.BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.

Today's Bible verse is Matthew 28:20 from the King James Version.

Episode 216: As Jesus was once again with His disciples on the Mount of Olives, He continued to teach them about the kingdom of God. He told them of the power that will come on them when He sends the Holy Spirit and He commissioned them to carry on His mission of the Kingdom of God by making disciples, teaching others, and baptizing them in His name. After this, Jesus was assumed into the heavens before more than five hundred witnesses.

Hear the Bible come to life as Pastor Jack Graham leads you through the official BibleinaYear.com podcast. This Biblical Audio Experience will help you master wisdom from the world’s greatest book. In each episode, you will learn to apply Biblical principles to everyday life. Now understanding the Bible is easier than ever before; enjoy a cinematic audio experience full of inspirational storytelling, orchestral music, and profound commentary from world-renowned Pastor Jack Graham.

Also, you can download the Pray.com app for more Christian content, including, Daily Prayers, Inspirational Testimonies, and Bedtime Bible Stories.

Visit JackGraham.org for more resources on how to tap into God's power for successful Christian living.

Pray.com is the digital destination of faith. With over 5,000 daily prayers, meditations, bedtime stories, and cinematic stories inspired by the Bible, the Pray.com app has everything you need to keep your focus on the Lord. Make Prayer a priority and download the #1 App for Prayer and Sleep today in the Apple app store or Google Play store.

Executive Producers: Steve Gatena & Max Bard

Producer: Ben Gammon

Hosted by: Pastor Jack Graham

Music by: Andrew Morgan Smith

Bible Story narration by: Todd Haberkorn4

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Let us pray teach them to observe all things whatsoever
I have commanded you, And lo I am with you always,
even unto the end of the world. Amen. Matthew twenty
eight twenty. Dear Jesus, when you left the Disciples, you

(00:23):
promised one of the greatest comforters that will ever be,
and that is your Holy Spirit. In the same way
the Disciples waited in expectation for your Holy Spirit, I
too will wait in expectation each and every morning for
your Spirit to rest on my mind and heart. With

(00:46):
the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, I know that whatever
I put my hands to will go from natural to supernatural.
No matter what I do, I will not move until
I feel your supernatural hand upon me. I will not
speak unless my words are empowered by your Holy Spirit.

(01:12):
Thank you, Jesus, that you haven't left me by myself.
Thank you that even when you ascended to Heaven, you
cared enough about our lives to give us the one
who puts power behind your word, the Holy Spirit. As
I grow in my faith, Holy Spirit, teach me and

(01:35):
lead me into all truth in Jesus name. Amen. Listening
to these daily prayers strengthens your relationship with God. Continue
hearing from the Lord by listening to today's Bible in
a Year, brought to you by Bible in a Year
dot com.

Speaker 2 (02:03):
I am with you. In our last story, we have
learned about Jesus restoring the faith of Thomas and the
failures of Peter. In this story, the ministry of Jesus
on Earth draws to a close and room is made
for the work and ministry of the Holy Spirit through
the Apostles. Jesus ascends into the heights of Heaven, leaving

(02:24):
the disciples eagerly awaiting a move of God's Spirit inspired
by the Gospels.

Speaker 3 (02:32):
Hello, this is Jack Graham with today's episode of the
Bible in a Year. Thank you so much for joining us.
In our previous episode, we heard how Jesus appeared to
both Thomas and Peter and gave them exactly what they
needed to experience a renewal of their faith. Neither thomas
doubts or Peter's failures were too great for the risen

(02:52):
Christ to overcome, and as a result, both of these
men went on to do great things for the Kingdom
of God and to advance the Gospel of Jesus. Christ.
Today will hear as Jesus prepares the disciples for his
return to heaven and the great mission he was giving
them to go into all the world and proclaim the

(03:13):
good News. He would not leave them alone, however, because
he promised to send them the Holy Spirit, the helper
who would be with them always. So let's listen now
to today's reading.

Speaker 2 (03:26):
Jesus sat with his disciples once again at the Mount
of Olives. The sun was descending gently over the city
of Jerusalem. The men gazed at the temple below, with
the breeze dancing around them. The eleven remaining disciples sat
beside Jesus, listening to him speak on the Kingdom of God.
For forty days, they had been next to him, soaking

(03:46):
in every word he spoke. Jesus had also revealed himself
to over five hundred others, and they all followed as well.
There they all sat, listening to their Lord and watching
the sunset. Lord, is it time for you to restore
the kingdom of Israel?

Speaker 3 (04:02):
They asked.

Speaker 2 (04:04):
Jesus gave his familiar smile, still peering into the distance
towards the temple. The grass danced around him. It is
not for you to know the time or season. Jesus answered,
that is for God alone to know, and for me
to obey. The eleven were disappointed at his answer. Jesus,
knowing the fear that was in their hearts, reassured them

(04:26):
trust in me. You will receive power when the Holy
Spirit has come upon you. Jesus rose to his feet
and turned towards the sun. The wind picked up, causing
his robes to flow like dove's wings. All authority that
has been given to me I give to you. Go
therefore and make disciples of all nations. Go and baptize

(04:48):
them in the name of the Father, the Son, and
the Holy Spirit. Teach them what I have taught you,
and obey what I have commanded. The disciples stood to
their feet. They watched as Jesus began and to walk
away from them. Jesus sensed their fear. He turned to
them and said, behold, I am always with you, even

(05:09):
to the end of the age. I am with you.
And as Jesus said these things, he was enveloped by
a bright cloud. It rolled gracefully around him, covering him
from head to toe, and like a vapor, Jesus ascended
into the heavens. The eleven disciples and five hundred witnesses

(05:29):
looked up to the skies in wonder. The sun had
turned the skies a deep orange, and the clouds that
Jesus ascended upon dissolved into the horizon. They were on
their knees in complete awe of what had happened. The
followers of Jesus had their gaze so fixed on the
skies that they did not see the two men standing
in white robes beside them. Friends, why do you look

(05:53):
to heaven? He will come again? But you are to go.
With that command, the followers of Jesuses descended down the
mountain towards Jerusalem. They had a mission to fulfill, They
had a spirit to meet. The eleven returned to Jerusalem Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James,

(06:17):
the son of Alpheus, Judas the son of James, and Simon.
They sat in the upper room praying about their next steps.
They devoted themselves to prayer, seeking the knowledge and guidance
of Christ. Mary, the mother of Jesus, was there as well,
along with Jesus's brother. Peter stood up from among the group.
He was nervous. Jesus in many ways had been groomed

(06:40):
to lead the disciples as they pursued the Holy Spirit.
There were over one hundred twenty people in the room
with them. All of them were wide eyed and hopeful
for the future, but afraid. He encouraged them with the
word of God. He spoke from the heart and declared
the need for a new disciple. Among the twelve, they
chose a man named Mattias. Together, they sought God. They

(07:05):
had no plan, they had no strategy. They simply waited
in that upper room for a move of God's Holy Spirit.

Speaker 3 (07:16):
I'm so glad you've joined us on the Bible in
a Year podcast today, But before we get to today's episode,
I want you to know that I would absolutely love
to send you my daily devotional that will give you
fresh encouragement every single morning and day from the moment
we wake up to the moment our head finally hits
the pillow. There are thousands of things demanding our attention.

(07:40):
But it's in the midst of all this crush and
hustle and bustle that you and I need peace and
truth in God's Word. That's why I want to help
you spend time each day growing in God's life giving,
life changing word by sending you my free daily email
devotional PowerPoint Today. So visit Jagraham dot org to sign

(08:02):
up for your PowerPoint Today devotional. That's Jagraham dot org
Jack Graham dot org. Today's scripture begins on top of
the Mount of Olives, which is in Jerusalem. This was
the place where Jesus had preached and taught, where he
had prayed the night he was arrested, and now it
would become an even more strategic spot as Jesus prepared

(08:26):
to return to the Father. For forty days after his resurrection,
Jesus had gone about showing himself to people, witnesses who
would attest to his resurrection and spread the words so
that all could believe he was there with the disciples,
teaching and maturing them in the faith. They wanted to
know if he was now ready to restore Israel's kingdom

(08:49):
to them. Jesus was still a messiah, a Jewish savior,
and they expected that God would restore the glory to
his chosen people. Jesus replied that God's timing was not
their timing. God had a much greater plan, a greater purpose,
and a wonderful promise. Christ's earthly work was finished, but

(09:11):
these men still had a great mission, one that could
not be accomplished alone. So he assured them that they
would receive the Holy Spirit, the power, and the presence
of Christ in them. The message of hope and salvation
in Jesus wasn't meant to stay in just a small
corner of the world, or to be only for the

(09:31):
Jewish people. The Gospel is for all the world. This
wasn't a new plan or a new strategy. It was
God's plan all along. We know it as the Great
Commission is found in Matthew twenty eighth nineteen to twenty,
and these are among the most important verses in the Bible.

(09:51):
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 to the end of the age. After delivering
to the disciples there and our marching orders, these men

(10:12):
watched dumbfounded as Jesus ascended into the sky high above
the clouds, until they could see him no more. This
is the Ascension of Jesus, one of the most important
events in all of the Bible. The disciples and other
witnesses stood amazed, looking up into the heavens. They couldn't
possibly understand at all, but they knew that Jesus was Lord,

(10:35):
and that he had given them a mission and a promise.
As they stood there, two men appeared beside them. They
asked the disciples why they were looking into the sky.
Jesus would return, they assured them, but it was not
time to wait. It was time to go. These are
important words for us today. As followers of Jesus. We

(10:56):
live in anticipation and assurance that one Jesus is coming again,
this time not as a baby and a manger in
a small, unremarkable town, but as King of kings and
Lord of lords, coming in the clouds to reign forever.
It is such a great hope for every Christian. In fact,

(11:16):
the Bible calls it the Blessed Hope. But just as
the disciples had a mission, we have a mission too,
and that is to carry out the great commission and
to tell the world who Jesus is and what he
can do to change every life who will come to him.
We are to go into all the world and proclaim
the Gospel. The disciples returned to Jerusalem knowing only that

(11:39):
they had a mission and a promise. Soon they would
receive the Holy Spirit, the same spirit of God who
was at creation, the one who surrounded and led Israelites
in the deserts, and the one who spoke to Elijah
in the desert in a still small voice. God's Holy
Spirit would be given to them, just as Jesus promised,
he would be with them always. And it is so

(12:02):
important to remember that God has given his spirit to
all who trust in Him, every believer. So they waited,
just as Jesus had commanded them to wait, and what
would come next would spark a new movement that would
spread like fire, changing the world forever. And we'll hear
about that in our next episode. Dear God, we thank

(12:25):
you for the truth that Jesus is Lord, that he lived, died,
rose again, and ascended on high. We also thank you
for the mission that you've given us, and the commission
to work with your church and your people to take
the Gospel to the world. We're so grateful for the
promise of your soon return, and until then, may we

(12:45):
be busy about the work of your kingdom as we
look forward to seeing you face to face in Jesus' name, Amen,
Thank you for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast.
I'm Jack Graham from Dallas Tech, and before we go,
I want you to know that I would love to
send you my daily devotional to give you fresh encouragement

(13:07):
every single day. So visit Jaggraham dot org to sign
up for your PowerPoint Today devotional. That's Jack Graham dot org.