He said to them, “Go into all the world, and preach the Good News to the whole creation. Mark 16:15 WEB

This statement attributed to Jesus is similar to the command Jesus gave in the gospel of Matthew, known as the Great Commission. Matthew 28:19 records Christ’s words, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. WEB” The work of making disciples of all nations would be difficult. It is only after Jesus returned to the Father and sent the Holy Spirit to believers that they were able to begin the task.

The word interpreted here as “preach” comes from the Greek word Kerusso. It means to herald, preach, proclaim, or to publish. As King of Kings, Jesus orders the proclamation of the gospel of salvation through faith in him just as an earthly king would send town criers to announce news to the masses. The Good News is that Jesus died for the sins of mankind and is risen from the dead. 

Good News of the Kingdom

Like the disciples of Jesus in the early church, believers today continue to carry out the Great Commission. As we go into all the world and preach the Good News of salvation and eternal life through faith in Christ, we build upon the foundation set by the first disciples of Christ. The letters and testimonies continue to inspire and inform the chain of disciples that followed them. 

Without the faithful preaching of the truth of the gospel message of Christ, the church would not survive. However, we know that the Good News will continue to go into all the world because of the faithfulness of true believers and a prophecy given by Christ himself. As Jesus says in Matthew 24:14, “This Good News of the Kingdom will be preached in the whole world for a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come. WEB”

Yesterday’s Devotional: This Is the Law