Matthew 28:16-20
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.”
Growing up I liked to play with blocks. Dad made me a huge set of wooden blocks. I would play in the basement and the blocks would be everywhere. Mom would tell me to pick them up and put them away. The problem was that the blocks were scattered all over the basement and it would take many trips to put them back into the toy box. So I would take my Tonka truck and load the blocks into the truck. The Tonka truck could be called the "means" by which I got the blocks picked up. . The truck is a special tool that helps me accomplish a special task.
Lutheran Christians talk about the Means of Grace. These are special tools God designed to bring us His love and help us believe in Him. Without God's action, no one would believe in Him. The sin in us wants to be in charge and wants nothing to do with God. God gave us these tools because He knew we needed His help to believe in Him. Listen to the means of grace that Jesus described in the passage above.
In these verses, Jesus tells us about two tools God uses to bring people to faith. One is Baptism; the other is God's Word. When we are baptized, God adopts us as His children. He creates faith in us and gives us the Holy Spirit. We didn't do anything to deserve such gifts. God gives them because He loves us and wants us to be close to Him.
God's Word is another means of grace. Whenever you read or hear something from the Bible, the Holy Spirit works in your heart. Your faith grows, and you become more like Jesus. Trying hard to live a perfect life doesn't work. Only God can create new life in us. This change is a gift from God. God's Word is the wagon He uses to carry this gift to us.
The tools God used to bring us close to Him are the same tools He uses to draw others to Himself. When people are baptized, they begin a new life of faith. When we speak God's Word to others, God uses that means of grace to create and strengthen faith in them as well. God's good tools help us do the important work of bringing others to know Him.
At one time, we didn't know God or believe in Him. Through the Means of Grace, God's wagon, He carried love and faith into our hearts. When we use the Means of Grace, He helps our faith grow, and He changes us to live in ways that please Him.