The Great Commission

A promise made. On the night before the cross, Jesus told His disciples, “But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee” (Matthew 26:32). That same night “all the disciples forsook Him and fled” (26:56). A promise kept. “Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them” (28:16). Jesus had died and risen again, and He was there, just as He said. They went. The disciples went to the place Jesus chose. Following Jesus begins with going where He says to go. They worshiped. “When they saw Him, they worshiped Him” (28:17). To worship is to bow before God and give Him honor. Only God should be worshiped. Jesus accepted their worship because He is God the Son. Some doubted. The same verse says, “but some doubted.” Some of them were still not sure. Jesus came to them. “And Jesus came and spoke to them” (28:18). He came near to all of them, the ones who worshiped and the ones who were not sure. What this means for you. Jesus keeps every promise He makes. You can bring Him your worship and your questions. He comes near to people who want to follow Him.

Before the cross. “But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee” (Matthew 26:32). Jesus spoke of His rising as a sure thing on the very night He was arrested. Scattered, then gathered. That night “all the disciples forsook Him and fled” (26:56). Now the same men came together at the place He had named. The appointed mountain. “Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them” (28:16). Jesus chose the meeting place, and they came. Obedience came before the great command. Worship. “When they saw Him, they worshiped Him” (28:17). They bowed before Him in honor. Jesus received the worship that belongs to God alone. But some doubted. The same verse adds, “but some doubted.” Worship and doubt stood side by side on that mountain. Proserchomai. “And Jesus came and spoke to them” (28:18). Came is proserchomai (say: pros-ER-khoh-my), to come toward, to draw near. The risen Lord closed the distance and spoke to all of them. Grace for the weak. The men who received this command were the men who had run away. Their faith was real, and some were still unsure. Jesus sent them anyway, because the mission rests on Him, not on them. For you. Jesus keeps His word exactly. Come to Him with worship, and bring your doubts to Him too. He draws near to those who come.

The night before the cross, Jesus made a promise. Jesus said, “I will go ahead of you into Galilee.” That same night, His friends ran away. Then Jesus died on the cross for our sins. But God raised Him from death! Now the 11 followers went to Galilee. They went to the mountain where Jesus told them to go. Jesus kept His promise. They saw Him and worshiped Him. But some of them were not sure it was really Jesus. Then Jesus came close and talked with them all. You can trust every promise Jesus makes.

Jesus said He would meet His friends in Galilee. He kept His promise! His friends saw Him and worshiped Him.

All authority. Jesus said, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth” (28:18). Authority is the right to rule, to command and to decide. In heaven. Jesus rules in heaven, over the angels and every power there. Nothing in heaven is above Him. And on earth. He rules over every land, every king and every person on earth. There is no place where He is not King. Has been given. God the Father gave this authority to His Son. Jesus had obeyed the Father all the way to the cross. He had died for our sins and risen from the dead. Now the risen Jesus stood before His friends as the King of all. A promise long ago. Many Christians see these words as the answer to Daniel's vision: “Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him” (Daniel 7:14). Therefore. The next words are “Go therefore” (28:19). Jesus' command rests on His authority. His friends could go anywhere because their King rules everywhere. What this means for you. The One who loves you is in charge of everything. You do not need to be afraid. Trust Him, and do what He says.

All authority. “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth” (28:18). Authority is the right and the power to rule. Jesus claimed all of it, with no part left out. Heaven and earth. The Bible opens, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). Now the risen Son says that all of it is under His rule. Given by the Father. The Son “humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:8). God raised Him from the dead, and the authority was His. Daniel's vision. Many Christians see these words as the fulfillment of Daniel 7:14: “Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him.” Therefore. “Go therefore” (28:19). The command depends on the claim. Because all authority is His, His people can go to any nation with confidence. Over every fear. No ruler, no crowd and no spiritual enemy has the last word. Whatever His people face, their King is still on the throne. For you. If Jesus has all authority, He has the right to lead your life too. Bow to Him gladly. The One who rules everything died for you and rose again.

Then Jesus came near and spoke to His friends. Jesus said that all power in heaven and on earth was His. Power means the right to rule and to lead. Jesus rules over heaven, where God’s throne is. He rules over the earth and every person on it. God the Father gave Jesus this power. Jesus had died on the cross for our sins. Then He rose from death to live forever. No one is greater than Jesus. Because Jesus rules, His friends did not need to be afraid. You do not need to be afraid either. The One who loves you is in charge of everything.

Jesus has all power. He rules over heaven and over the whole earth. Nothing is too hard for Jesus!

Go. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations” (28:19). The good news was not meant to stay on one mountain or in one country. Make disciples. A disciple is a follower who learns from Jesus and obeys Him. Jesus did not ask for people who just agree with Him. He asked for followers who keep learning from Him for life. All the nations. Every people group, every language and every family is included. God loves people in every land. Baptizing them. New disciples are baptized “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (28:19). There is one God, and He is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. What baptism shows. Baptism is an outward picture of an inward change. It shows that the old life is gone and a new life with Jesus has begun. Baptism does not save anyone. It follows believing, as a step of obeying Jesus in front of others. Teaching them. “Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you” (28:20). To observe means to keep and obey. Knowing what Jesus said is not enough. Disciples learn to do it. All things. Not some things, but all things. Disciples keep learning everything Jesus taught, for their whole lives. What this means for you. Jesus wants you to be His disciple, and He wants you to help others follow Him. You can start by praying for a friend and telling what Jesus has done for you.

Go therefore. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations” (28:19). The command flows straight from the claim of authority. Matheteuo. Make disciples is matheteuo (say: math-ay-TYOO-oh), to make someone a learner who follows. Going, baptizing and teaching all serve that one goal. A lifelong follower. A disciple keeps following Jesus, learning from Him and obeying Him for life. All the nations. Every people group on earth is included. A small band of Galilean disciples was sent to the whole world. Baptizo. Baptizing comes from baptizo (say: bap-TEED-zoh), to dip or plunge under. Paul wrote, “we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4). A picture, not the power. Baptism follows faith. It is an act of obedience and a public testimony that a believer now belongs to Christ. It does not save; Christ does. The name. Disciples are baptized “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (28:19). The one true God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Teaching to observe. “Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you” (28:20). To observe is to keep, to guard and to obey. The goal of teaching is a changed life, not only a full head. For you. Every disciple is meant to help make disciples. Ask Jesus to show you one person you can pray for, encourage or tell about Him.

Jesus gave His friends a big job. Jesus said, “Go and make followers of all people in the world.” A follower of Jesus learns from Him and obeys Him. Jesus wanted followers in every land and every family. Jesus also said to baptize the new followers. We baptize in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. There is one God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Baptism shows that a person now belongs to Jesus. It is a picture of a new life with Him. Baptism comes after a person trusts Jesus. Jesus is the One who takes sin away. Then Jesus said to teach them to obey everything He said. You can keep learning to follow Jesus your whole life.

Jesus said, “Go and make followers.” A follower learns from Jesus and obeys Him. Everyone everywhere can follow Jesus!

Lo. “And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (28:20). Lo means look, pay attention. Jesus wanted His disciples to remember this promise. Always. On good days and hard days, at church and everywhere else, the risen Lord stays with His people. He is with them every single day. To the end of the age. The promise lasts as long as the job lasts. Until Jesus comes again, He is with His people as they make disciples. God with us. When Jesus was born, He was called “Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us” (Matthew 1:23). The risen Jesus still says, “I am with you.” With you in the job. The promise comes with the command. Jesus does not send His people out alone. He goes with them. Our memory verse. “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” This promise is for every person who belongs to Jesus. What this means for you. When you feel alone, scared or weak, remember this promise. Jesus is with you. Talk to Him, trust Him and follow Him.

And lo. “And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (28:20). Lo calls for attention: look, take hold of this. Pasas tas hemeras. Always is pasas tas hemeras (say: PAH-sahs tahs hay-MEH-rahs), all the days. Every single day is covered, the ordinary ones and the hard ones alike. I am. Jesus said, “I am with you.” His presence is a present fact for His people, not only a future hope. The end of the age. The promise runs until the close of this present age, when Jesus returns. The mission and the promise last exactly as long as each other. Immanuel. When Jesus was born, His name was “Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us” (Matthew 1:23). The Son of God came to be with His people, and He has not stopped. Strength for the task. Ordinary disciples, who had run away not long before, received an impossible job. What made it possible was not their strength but His presence. For you. If you belong to Jesus, you are never alone, not for one day. Take this promise into the places that scare you, and take Him at His word.

Then Jesus made a wonderful promise. Jesus said, “I will be with you always.” He would stay with them until the end of the world. Soon Jesus would go back to heaven. But He would still be with His friends. He would be with them as they went to every land. When Jesus was born, He was called Immanuel. Immanuel means “God with us.” Jesus is with His people today too. He is with you when you are scared or sad. When you tell others about Jesus, He is with you. His promise lasts until the very end.

Jesus said, “I will be with you always.” He is with you every day and every night. You are never alone!

The Great Commission

🎉 All Matched!