The Great Commission

GO by SethtotheBrown

Matthew 28:18-20
“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I AM with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. 

Before His crucifixion, Christ had told His disciples that after His resurrection, He would go to Galilee. At the sepulcher, the angel directed the women to announce the resurrection of Christ to His disciples and summon them to meet Him in Galilee. Jesus Himself afterwards appeared to them and repeated this instruction. The eleven - Judas Iscariot now dead - afterwards accordingly reported to the appointed place and with them probably the five hundred brethren of First Corinthians 15:6. The address that Jesus gave to this congregation is the Great Commission. How important are is the Great Commission to You? Your answers to the following questions will determine your extent of commitment to the Commission.



In the words Christ addressed to them we have:

1. The Commission He received from God (verse 18) “All authority ...”

How do you treat God who is the source of the Commission? What is His position in your life? Does he worth your obeying and taking His commission seriously? Who is God to you?

When you hear of authority, what comes into your mind? Why did God need to prefix the Commission with “All authority in heaven and on earth is given to Me”?

2. The Commission He gave to His disciples (verse 19) “Go therefore ... ”

Are you a disciple? Who is a disciple? Christ gave His Commission to His disciples; are you the type of disciple that answers the Master, “Not so Lord”?

The Commission begins with a specific Command –”Go”- Who? Where? When? Does your obedience require a why?

The second part of the Commission is “Therefore” flowing from what? Of course “all authority...” Does this make any impression on you? Does it conjure in you the possibility of opposition and your need for the authority?

“Make disciples” – How do you make disciples? – By teaching, baptising and indoctrinating. A disciple should be like the master. How knowledgeable are you of these things? Do you know what to teach? Of course every teacher must first be taught. What do you know of the Christian doctrine? Of the word of God? Of Christ? Of God Himself? How much of you is possessed of the Holy Spirit?

What does Baptism mean to you? What is Trinity? Why did Jesus command that the converts must be baptized and in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit? – The unity of the God-head is symbolic of the unity of the Church. Can we safely baptize disciples into most of our Churches today in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit?

The persons to be baptised are to be taught; what do we teach them and who teaches them? The doctrine of men, the Church or God? You who stand to teach, do you really know what you are teaching?

The Universal Gospel – Do we really believe this? Have we streamlined the publication of the Gospel? Some should be told; others have been condemned already. Are we afraid of heaven being overcrowded and over populated? Are we limited by our racial or ethnic considerations? For example – How many of us think of the thousands of sentries from the North who guard our gates as a possible mission field or even the Arab beggars who populate our streets?

3. The promise of His presence with  them (Verse 20) “Lo I am ...”

Do you believe Jesus when He said “Lo, I AM with you always, even to the end of the age”? If Christ is in this room; would it influence your attitude? If Jesus is a member of the Church congregation which you belong, will it make a difference in your attendance, devotion and service? If Jesus were in Nigeria and living in Lagos, would it make a difference in your attitude to others? To your witnessing activity? To your work in office and other aspects of your life? If your answer to any of these questions is “yes”, it means that you do not believe that He is always with you.

What is the work of the Church today? Maybe we can read the great Commission again along with Matthew 5:13-16: “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavour, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.  “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven”.


Does the Great Commission worth being committed to? If your answer is “yes”; then here is a very frank and direct question. “What is your commitment; partial, total or non-existent? Do you believe He is always with you? Would you want to begin today? Before you say “yes”; remember, the road will be rough, rugged and full of hardships including rejection, humiliation and even death. Are you ready for all that?

“Yes, all who would desire to live righteously in Christ shall suffer persecution.” They called Me (Christ) Beelzebub; - they would call you worse names.

Are you still ready to go ahead to commit yourself today to the Great Commission? You will never regret your decision for God Himself is with you.

God bless you all. Let us pray.