Christ’s Precious Promise to His Disciples

Rev. J. den Hoed, Franklin Lakes, NJ

The time has now come when the Mediator between a Holy God and a deeply fallen sinner will return to the place which is rightfully His, the place of honor in the kingdom of His Father. His mandate is finished; and now because of that finished mandate, a way has been opened for God’s children to the heart of the Father. When His Church may look upon that finished work, they see a love so great that they can only marvel at it. When the God-given eye of faith may look upon Him who said, “It is finished,” then deep in their hearts they say, “Eternal wonder, and that for such a one as I am.” When they may look and see that finished work, then it becomes warm inside, and they may say, “Through Thee, through Thee alone.”

The moment has come that Christ will return to heaven, and for one final time He brings the eleven around Him. He will give them a mandate that they are to go with the precious gospel message unto all nations. They are commanded to bring unto others all the things which the Lord Jesus has taught them. Oh, that will be a wonderful message, a message where the sinner is abased to the lowest and God is exalted to the highest. It is a message of law and gospel. They may go with concern in their souls for those souls who are on their way to eternity. In this message the unconverted may hear, “Behold, now is the accepted time; now is the day of salvation.” There the Lord’s people may hear that there is a way—a way that lies outside of self in the Savior who wrought so mightily to open that way.

What a wonder it is when they then come to the end of human help and may experience, “I am with you. I will never leave nor forsake you. I have graven thee upon the palms of My hands...with you alway, even unto the end of the world”

One would think that here below in this world people would stand in line to hear about that Word, but what a disappointment. There is no need for such a message unless the Lord Himself awakens a need in our hearts. By nature, we are open for words pertaining to the kingdom here below, but there is nothing but enmity in our hearts for words pertaining to that spiritual kingdom. For this reason the disciples will endure much enmity and opposition toward the work which they are called upon to do. They are but simple Galileans, and the Lord knows what kind of mandate He has given them and what will come up against this mandate. The Lord knows that they will be mocked and persecuted because of His Name. That is why, when He gives them this mandate, He also encourages them saying, “And, lo, I am with you alway.” Wherever you go I am with you. Whenever you are called upon to bring My words, there I am with you.

No, they will never walk alone, especially when they bring the gospel unto others. It is true that in His human nature Christ will leave them and ascend into heaven, but with His Spirit He will never depart from them. What a comfort that will be for His disciples in their labor which will be accompanied with much strife—a labor for which human strength is nothing but weakness. “I am with you alway.” I, who paid the price for sin, who may say all power is given unto Me in heaven and upon earth, will be with you. I will never leave you but will be with you to protect you, to keep you, and to enable you so that you may go out and preach salvation for lost and hell-deserving sinners in and through that only Savior.

It is true that hell will come up against it; the devil will fight against it, but who can stand up against the One who gave the disciples their mandate? Those laborers are now for His account. This is also true for all of God’s servants, even unto this day and unto the end of the world. He said, “With you alway, even unto the end of the world.” There is so much which comes up against that work, especially when we see our own inability and our own shortcomings. The next sermon may seem like a mountain which they do not dare to ascend; it may make them tremble as a leaf; but when they may experience, “I am with you unto the end of the world,” then they can again cling to the promise, “If thou wilt take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as My mouth.” Oh, the wonder of it all, “I am with you alway.” That is now also the case with God’s dear children. It was the Lord who came to seek for them, and to the end of their lives they will profess, “We have never sought for Him.” It was the Lord who opened their eyes to see the breach between God and their souls, and this caused them to stand in holy astonishment. There it became the desire of their heart for a publican’s prayer, begging the Lord for mercy. It was the Lord who opened their eyes and understanding for a way outside of self. It was the Lord who planted their feet upon the way. At such a time these people experience that it is a way which goes over hills and through valleys, and upon that way they must learn that the enemies are many and the assaults often.

What a wonder it is when they then come to the end of human help and may experience, “I am with you. I will never leave nor forsake you. I have graven thee upon the palms of My hands... with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” All the days, meaning those days when there is darkness in my soul and when in that darkness the enemy comes and mocks with the promises which I believed were from the Lord. Oh, what an eternal wonder when He then assures, “I am the victor over death, the grave and hell, yes, over all enemies. Amen.” What He promises is not a maybe; His promises are steadfast and sure. This means that in all the strife His people may look upon Him with a dependent eye and hear Him say, “I am with you.”

More is not needed upon the way to the great eternity, but we cannot do with less. “I am with you.” With that promise we can live, and we can die. When we come to the end of life’s journey, there lies before us the heavy question, “How will I do in the swelling of the Jordan?” Dying for the Lord’s people is to have an eye upon Christ and to hear Him say to them, “I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.”

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