The Commission to Go

The Great Commission is the Church’s primary mandate from Christ—as urgent today as when He first gave it.

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18–20

The Church began with fire, sending men and women to carry the gospel across the world. But over the centuries, that fire cooled. Many believers grew passive. They thought living on mission was unnecessary. If God meant to save the lost, He would do it His way, without the aid of a missionary.

Justinian von Welz (1621–1688) battled that false theology. He believed that Protestant churches had neglected Jesus’ command to evangelize the world. In A Sincere Call for the Establishment of Missionary Societies, he argued that Jesus’ commission applied to all Christians throughout history.

More than a century later, William Carey pressed the case again. Standing before a gathering of ministers, he declared, “The command given to the apostles to teach all nations was binding on all succeeding ministers to the end of the world.” Their response was swift and sharp: “Young man, sit down! When God pleases to convert the heathen, he’ll do it without consulting you or me.”

But God was not converting the lost alone. Instead, He was calling men and women to go and preach the good news. Carey heard the call, obeyed, and launched the modern missions movement.

The Great Commission is still binding, and God is still calling. We find it in all four Gospels and again in Acts. But Matthew’s text stands out, and one reason is his comprehensive use of “all.”

All authority: Jesus, the risen Lord, head of all principalities and possessor of all things, commands us to go. He has the authority to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience. Because of who He is, we leave all other allegiances and follow Him. We can’t call Him Lord and ignore His word.

All nations: Jesus set the extent of the Great Commission when he said, “all nations.” God’s love knows no ethnic or national boundary. All peoples, tongues, and tribes are welcome in His kingdom. He does not send us to gather converts but to make disciples. Baptizing and teaching are part of the work, but the heart is discipleship.

All I have commanded you: The Great Commission does not allow us to be selective about what commands we obey. We cannot pick only the ones we like. Discipleship aims to develop people who keep all His commands (because they love Him).

Always: His promise stands as firm as His command: “I am with you always.” Not sometimes. Not only when the road is smooth. Always. In trouble, danger, or doubt. His presence is our confidence and strength as we go and fulfill our part of the Great Commission.

Reflection

Many throughout history became passive and resisted the call to missions. How can you keep the urgency of the Great Commission alive in your heart?

Application

Consider the four “alls” in Matthew 28:18–20. Are you fully submitted to His authority? Do you have a heart for all nations? Are you obeying all His commands? Do you trust His promise to be with you always? Which one of these four do you need to grow in?

Pray

You are the risen King, possessing all authority in heaven and earth. You have called us to go—to make disciples, to baptize, and to teach. Your command is clear; it is our primary mandate, as urgent today as when you first spoke it. Forgive us if we grow idle when we assume that you will work without us.

Set a fire in our hearts like the one that sent the first disciples to the ends of the earth. Let their passion stir ours. We reject the notion that the mission belongs to someone else. Give us eyes to see the lost, hearts to love them, and voices to proclaim your truth.

We acknowledge that you go before us and your presence sustains us. We will not delay or hesitate. Keep us urgent, keep us moving, keep us trusting. Amen.