https://odb.org/2026/08/12/precious-parting-words
Matthew 28:16–20 (NIV): 16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
My friend José was in hospice care. He’d been alert and talkative during my prior visit but a week later was now frail and speechless. At the end of what would be my final visit, I was the last one in the room with him. I finally stood and slowly headed to the door but stopped and turned around one last time to say, “Love you,” not expecting a response. There I saw José moving his lips. He was mouthing the words “love you” in return.
A person’s parting words, can leave a lasting impression. As Jesus was getting ready to return to His Father in heaven after His sacrificial death and resurrection, He assured His disciples that all authority on heaven and earth belonged to Him (Matthew 28:18). And He left them with this lasting charge or Great Commission, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (vv. 19-20). Christ also assured His followers that He would always be with them (v. 20). (Nancy Gavilanes, Our Daily Bread 12th August 2026)
When my dad was hospitalised for the last time after his abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) ruptured, I was not able to visit him as I was under statutory quarantine at home for Covid-19. Fortunately, my wife insisted that I come over and applied from the attending doctor a special permission for me to break quarantine and visit him. By the time I went over, he was already unconscious and so I didn’t hear his last words but I whispered to him my last words for him, telling him I loved him and thanking him for all he had done for us in the family all those years.
However, 3 years plus back from that time, when he was first diagnosed with AAA, he was also found to have ischaemic bowels and colon cancer and before he went into surgery, we did speak. I remembered what he whispered to me then when he thought he might not make it through that night when he was wheeled into the operating theatre. Those last words (in Malay – pesanan terakhir) remained with me till this very day and they will remain so until my dying day. I know that one day I will meet both him and my mum again after the day of the Lord.
Jesus also had his last words before He was arrested and crucified at the cross at Calvary. He told them that, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” The promise is that He will be with them (and thus us) always until the very end of age. Thus He commanded us to go and make disciples of all the nations as all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him. We are to baptise them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and to teach them to obey all that He had commanded us.
Although everything that Jesus has ever said and taught are important, in fact every teaching of God in His Word from Genesis to Revelation are also pertinent, Jesus’s last words hold a special place. This is because those words summarised His heart’s desire for us. It culminates His vision and mission on earth which is to bring salvation to mankind that we are reconciled to God. He did the most difficult job on Calvary only He as the perfect and unblemished Lamb of God could do, and now it’s our turn to continue His vision and mission for humanity until the end of time. His return to rule the world and judge is a certainty and many have predicted that it could well be in our present lifetime.
Fulfil God’s plans and purposes for our lives. Respond to His specific calling for us. Whatever may be our present age and at whatever stage of life we are, it’s never too late. Remember to make disciples of the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost!
Ronnie's Thoughts 