Matthew 28:19–20 contains what has come to be called
The
Great Commission:
“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.”
Jesus gave this command to the apostles shortly before He ascended into heaven, and it essentially outlines what Jesus expected the apostles and those who followed them to do in His absence.
It is interesting that, in the original Greek, the only direct command in Matthew 28:19–20 is “make disciples.”
The Great Commission
instructs us to make disciples
while we are going throughout
the world.
The instructions
to “go,” “baptize,” and
“teach”
are indirect commands—participles in the original.
How are we to make
disciples?
By baptizing them and teaching them all that Jesus commanded.
“Make disciples”
is the primary command of
the Great Commission. “Going,” “baptizing,” and “teaching”
are the means by which we fulfill the command to
“make disciples.”
A disciple is someone who receives instruction from another person; a Christian disciple is a baptized follower of Christ, one who
believes the teaching
of Christ.
A disciple of Christ imitates Jesus’ example,
clings to His sacrifice,
believes in His resurrection, possesses
the Holy Spirit,
and lives to do His work.
The command in the Great Commission to “make disciples”
means to teach or train
people to follow and obey Christ.
Many understand Acts 1:8 as part of the Great Commission as well:
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
The Great Commission
is enabled by
the
Power of the Holy Spirit.
We are to be
Christ’s witnesses,
fulfilling
the
Great Commission
in our cities (Jerusalem), in our states and countries (Judea and Samaria), and anywhere else God sends us (to the ends of the earth).
Throughout the book of Acts,
we see how the apostles began to
fulfill the Great Commission,
as outlined in Acts 1:8.
First, Jerusalem is evangelized (Acts 1 — 7); then the Spirit expands the church through Judea and Samaria (Acts 8 — 12); finally, the gospel reaches into “the ends of the earth” (Acts 13 — 28). Today, we continue to act as ambassadors for Christ, and “we plead on Christ’s behalf: ‘Be reconciled to God’” (2 Corinthians 5:20, CSB).
We have received a precious gift: “the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people” (Jude 1:3).
Jesus’ words in the Great Commission reveal the heart of God, who desires
“all people to be saved and to
come to a
knowledge of the truth”
(1 Timothy 2:4).
The Great Commission
compels us to share the
good news
until everyone has heard. Like the servants in Jesus’ parable, we are to be about the
business of the kingdom, making disciples of all nations:
“He called his ten servants, and
delivered them ten pounds,
and said unto them, Occupy till I come”
(Luke 19:13, KJV).
The
Great Commission:
“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.”
Jesus gave this command to the apostles shortly before He ascended into heaven, and it essentially outlines what Jesus expected the apostles and those who followed them to do in His absence.
It is interesting that, in the original Greek, the only direct command in Matthew 28:19–20 is “make disciples.”
The Great Commission
instructs us to make disciples
while we are going throughout
the world.
The instructions
to “go,” “baptize,” and
“teach”
are indirect commands—participles in the original.
How are we to make
disciples?
By baptizing them and teaching them all that Jesus commanded.
“Make disciples”
is the primary command of
the Great Commission. “Going,” “baptizing,” and “teaching”
are the means by which we fulfill the command to
“make disciples.”
A disciple is someone who receives instruction from another person; a Christian disciple is a baptized follower of Christ, one who
believes the teaching
of Christ.
A disciple of Christ imitates Jesus’ example,
clings to His sacrifice,
believes in His resurrection, possesses
the Holy Spirit,
and lives to do His work.
The command in the Great Commission to “make disciples”
means to teach or train
people to follow and obey Christ.
Many understand Acts 1:8 as part of the Great Commission as well:
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
The Great Commission
is enabled by
the
Power of the Holy Spirit.
We are to be
Christ’s witnesses,
fulfilling
the
Great Commission
in our cities (Jerusalem), in our states and countries (Judea and Samaria), and anywhere else God sends us (to the ends of the earth).
Throughout the book of Acts,
we see how the apostles began to
fulfill the Great Commission,
as outlined in Acts 1:8.
First, Jerusalem is evangelized (Acts 1 — 7); then the Spirit expands the church through Judea and Samaria (Acts 8 — 12); finally, the gospel reaches into “the ends of the earth” (Acts 13 — 28). Today, we continue to act as ambassadors for Christ, and “we plead on Christ’s behalf: ‘Be reconciled to God’” (2 Corinthians 5:20, CSB).
We have received a precious gift: “the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people” (Jude 1:3).
Jesus’ words in the Great Commission reveal the heart of God, who desires
“all people to be saved and to
come to a
knowledge of the truth”
(1 Timothy 2:4).
The Great Commission
compels us to share the
good news
until everyone has heard. Like the servants in Jesus’ parable, we are to be about the
business of the kingdom, making disciples of all nations:
“He called his ten servants, and
delivered them ten pounds,
and said unto them, Occupy till I come”
(Luke 19:13, KJV).
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