Airbus' BIG Project

Did you see this week on the news that Airbus debuted the world's largest passenger plane in the United States on Monday when two of its A380 superjumbos landed in New York and Los Angeles? These planes are down right HUGE! Their wing span is almost the size of a football field and in its standard double-decker configuration, it can seat 555 passengers. Because of its big size, U.S. airports are spending millions of dollars to accommodate the plane (New York's JFK and Los Angeles' LAX have spent $300 million between them to widen runaways and to provide special docking equipment for the jumbojet).

The price tag for the A380 is also BIG - $319 million to be exact! And Airbus has spent well over $10 billion in the development of the plane. At the present time, 14 airlines have orders for the plane, none of which are U.S. carriers. The plane is already two years behind schedule, and the delays has led to billions of dollars in losses for the company - not to mention a huge amount of corporate turmoil. So did Airbus "bite off more than it could chew?" Only time will reveal if the project undertaken by Airbus was simply too big!

The Church of Jesus has a BIG project going, too. It's call the Great Commission. Jesus, Lord of the Church has given us the task to disciple the nations. In fact, it is a far bigger task than the development and manufacture of the Airbus 380. But unlike Airbus, we have supernatural resources available to us as we seek to fulfill our mission. When Jesus gave us his followers this task of discipling the nations, this is how he put it, "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" (Matthew 28:18-20). The One who has been given all authority is the same one who has promised to accompany us as we seek to fulfill this HUGE project of discipling the nations. How can we possibly fail with the God of all at our side?

Thanks for listening,

pj