08/12/2026
“THE GREAT COMMISSION GOD HAS GIVEN”
Matthew 28:18–20
When someone knows they are about to leave, they don’t waste their breath. They speak what is most important.
Jesus had conquered the grave. He had revealed Himself alive to His disciples. He had opened the Scriptures to them. And now, on a mountain in Galilee, the resurrected King gives His church a mission—a mission that defines who we are and why we exist.
This mission is not a suggestion. It’s not an option. It’s not for the super-spiritual or the extra-qualified. It is the command of our King. We know it as the Great Commission, and it is the heartbeat of God for the world.
Let’s read it together—Matthew 28:18–20.
“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.”
Today we’re going to look at four powerful parts of this mission:
1. The Authority of the Commission
2. The Action of the Commission
3. The Process of the Commission
4. The Promise of the Commission
⸻
I. THE AUTHORITY OF THE COMMISSION
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.”
Before Jesus tells us what to do, He tells us why we can do it.
Authority means power, right, permission, and command. Jesus is saying, “I have all of it.” Not some. Not most. All authority in heaven and on earth belongs to Him.
That means:
• We don’t go in our own strength.
• We don’t go in our own name.
• We don’t go with our own wisdom.
• We go under the authority of the risen King!
Think about it—every place of fear, every place of darkness, every stronghold, every nation, every culture—Jesus is Lord over all of it.
The Great Commission doesn’t rest on our ability, it rests on His authority.
And if the One who defeated death sends us, then nothing can stop us.
⸻
II. THE ACTION OF THE COMMISSION
“Go… make disciples of all nations…”
This is the command at the center of Jesus’ message.
Notice that Jesus does not say, “Sit and wait for them to come.”
He says Go!
The church was never meant to be stationary—it was meant to be a sending movement.
To “go” doesn’t just mean traveling across the world.
It means going across the street, across the break room, across the classroom, across the coffee shop.
Wherever there are people, the mission is active.
Make Disciples
Not converts.
Not fans.
Not followers on social media.
Disciples.
A disciple is someone who follows Jesus, learns from Jesus, and obeys Jesus.
Our mission is not to get people to simply believe in Him—it is to lead them into a lifelong relationship with Him.
Of All Nations
The heart of God is global.
• Every people group
• Every language
• Every nation
• Every neighborhood
• Every generation
Nobody is beyond the reach of God’s love, and therefore nobody is beyond the reach of our mission.
If the Church is not reaching the lost, we are not fulfilling the purpose Jesus gave us.
⸻
III. THE PROCESS OF THE COMMISSION
“Baptizing them… teaching them to obey…”
Jesus tells us how disciples are formed.
1. Baptizing Them
Baptism is not just a ritual.
It is a declaration.
When someone is baptized:
• They identify with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.
• They declare publicly, “I belong to Christ.”
• They step into new life.
Part of our mission is to help people take this step of obedience.
2. Teaching Them to Obey
Notice Jesus didn’t say “teaching them to know.”
He said “teach them to OBEY.”
Knowledge fills the mind.
Obedience transforms the life.
A real disciple is one who takes the teachings of Jesus and actually lives them out.
That means the Great Commission doesn’t end when someone gets saved.
It continues as they grow in maturity, learn the Word, and walk in obedience.
⸻
IV. THE PROMISE OF THE COMMISSION
“And surely I am with you always…”
Jesus ends His command with a promise.
If He had said, “Go out and do all this on your own,” we would have no chance.
But He doesn’t send us alone.
“I am with you.”
Not sometimes.
Not when we feel strong.
Not when revival is happening.
Always.
His presence:
• Gives us boldness.
• Gives us wisdom.
• Gives us comfort.
• Gives us courage.
• Gives us power.
When you share the Gospel, Jesus is with you.
When you step out in faith, Jesus is with you.
When you disciple someone, Jesus is with you.
When you pray for your family, Jesus is with you.
When you feel inadequate, Jesus is with you.
His presence is the fuel for the mission.
And His final words—“to the very end of the age”—mean the mission is still going. The Great Commission did not expire. It is the mission of the church until He returns.
⸻
CONCLUSION: THE MISSION IS STILL ON
Church, God has given us a commission—a calling from the King Himself.
• He has given us authority to go.
• He has given us a clear action: make disciples.
• He has given us a process to follow: baptize and teach.
• And He has given us a promise: He goes with us.
The only question is this:
Are we willing to obey?
The Great Commission is not just for pastors or missionaries.
It is for every believer.
If you have been saved by Jesus, you have been sent by Jesus.
The mission of God becomes the purpose of your life.
⸻
CALL TO ACTION
1. Pray: “Lord, send me. Use me.”
2. Share: Tell one person this week about Jesus.
3. Disciple: Walk alongside someone who needs to grow.
4. Trust: Step forward knowing Jesus is with you.
