On March 5 in North Carolina a 100-year-old woman in a nursing home was granted one last wish.  As she was celebrating her birthday, police came into her room, handcuffed her, and led her away in a police car to the local county jail.  After spending a few minutes in jail, and wearing an orange jumpsuit, she hugged the jailer, and was taken back to her room to continue celebrating her birthday.  Going to jail was her one last wish, and she was able to have it fulfilled.

This may seem like an unusual wish, but it certainly is not as foolish as what many people wish when they say they wish people would stopping trying to share the story of the gospel of Jesus with them.  They say that they do not want anything to do with God, and they do all they can to avoid hearing about God.

“Words from Above” in the Bible definitely tell us that such a wish is not only foolish, but extremely dangerous.  The apostle Paul raises a very important question in Hebrews 2:3, where he says, “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by those who heard Him.”

Jesus had a final wish when He was about to leave this earth, and it is recorded in Matthew 28:18-20.  He says, “All power is given to me in heaven and in earth.  Go therefore , and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things whatever I have commanded you, and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”  Jesus was not anywhere close to being 100 years old, but about the age of 33, Jesus shared this last wish with His disciples.  What He was asking His disciples to do was to continue doing what He had been doing for the last three years of His life.

On His last day on earth, Jesus promised His disciples that in the very near future there were going to receive a very special power when the Holy spirit came into their lives.  He said in Acts 1:8, “You shall receive power, after the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”  There are many things we want Jesus to do for us, but here is one thing we need to do for Him.

Larry R. Steffee is pastor of the Center Hill Brethren In Christ Church on Miller Road in Smithville.  Everyone is welcome to attend.  For informa-tion, you may email lrsteffeetn@yahoo.com. 

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