Go! Make Disciples: The Great Commission | Matthew 28:16-19

You’ve probably heard the saying, “History repeats itself.” A lesser-known version, often attributed to Mark Twain, puts it this way: “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes.” In other words, while events may not unfold in exactly the same way, patterns emerge. The past helps us understand the present.

Similarly, Scripture shows us that God often works in consistent ways, especially in how He relates to His people. I believe He does this so we can know Him more deeply and learn to recognize His hand at work in our lives.

Again and again in the Bible, we see God meeting with His chosen servants, sending them out with a mission, and assuring them of His presence.

When God appeared to Moses in the burning bush, He said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” He then commissioned Moses to deliver His people from slavery in Egypt. When Moses questioned the plan, God assured him of His presence and said, “Tell them, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”

When Joshua succeeded Moses, God promised to give Israel the land, commissioned Joshua to lead the conquest, and declared, “I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

When the Lord appeared to Gideon, He commissioned him to deliver Israel from the Midianites, and told him to go in strength—because He was sending him and would be with him.

As you hear these stories, you might wonder what it would be like to receive such a commission from Almighty God. Maybe you’ve thought, “If only I could be like those heroes of the faith—if God would call me to do something incredible for Him, to rescue a people, to make a real difference.”

Or maybe you relate more to how those men actually felt. Moses begged God to send someone else. Joshua may have needed God’s encouragement to be strong and courageous because he wasn’t. And when God called Gideon, his response was essentially, “You’ve got the wrong guy.”

Whichever camp you’re in, here’s the truth: if you are a believer, you’ve already had such an encounter. God has confronted you through His Word. He has declared His power and authority. He has called you, commissioned you as His messenger of salvation, and promised to be with you every step of the way.

The Basis of the Great Commission: Jesus Christ’s Authority

When we think about the Great Commission, we often skip straight to verses 19 and 20. But verse 18 is the foundation upon which the entire Commission stands. Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”

With these words, Jesus announces the dawning of a new era. As the eternal Son of God, He has always possessed divine authority. But now—after humbling Himself, taking on human flesh, and offering Himself as a sacrifice on the cross—He has been raised from the dead and exalted by God the Father. He has been given the name above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow—in heaven, on earth, and under the earth—and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

The resurrection is His vindication. It confirms that Jesus is the true Messiah—the King who has come to establish His Kingdom. When He declares His authority, He echoes the prophecy of Daniel 7:13–14: He is the foretold Son of Man, who has been given dominion and glory and an everlasting kingdom, that all peoples and nations should serve Him.

In the wilderness, Satan offered Him temporary power over the kingdoms of the world. But now, Jesus declares that all authority—in heaven and on earth—has been given to Him. He is the one through whom God mediates His rule. He has been exalted as the universal King, with universal authority.

And now, as the risen and reigning King, He has the authority to send His disciples on a global mission to call all people into His Kingdom because He is the Lord of all.

The Objective: Make Disciples

This is our mission: to make disciples of Jesus Christ. We are to go into all the world because He is Lord over the whole world. We are to make disciples of every nation because He is Lord over every nation. That is the heart of the Great Commission.

To fully grasp Jesus’ words, we must consider the structure of His command. In this passage, Jesus uses four verbs, but only one is the main verb—the central command: make disciples.

It’s reminiscent of the iconic line from Mission: Impossible: “Your mission, should you choose to accept it…” But Jesus leaves no room for ambiguity. It’s as if He says, “Your mission—on the basis of My authority—is to make disciples.”

Yet far too often, we treat this as optional. It’s as though we hear the Great Commission and respond, “Thanks, Jesus. I’ll take that into consideration.”

But this is no suggestion. It is an imperative—a command from the King. A commission to advance His Kingdom. Just as God declared His authority as the Great I AM and sent Moses to deliver His people from slavery in Egypt, so now Christ, the exalted Son of Man, declares His supreme authority and sends you to rescue people from the kingdom of darkness and bring them into the Kingdom of God. Like Moses, you may feel inadequate, unqualified, or afraid. But the command remains: make disciples.

In fact, our mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ is so integral to the Christian life that if we neglect this duty, we must ask ourselves: Do we truly understand the value and power of the gospel?

The Means: Purposefully Go!

When God calls His servants to undertake a great work, He never leaves them to figure it out on their own. Jesus not only gives us the mission—He also prescribes the means by which it is to be accomplished. As I mentioned, this passage contains four verbs, with one central command: make disciples. The remaining three verbs—go, baptize, and teach—show us how that command is to be carried out.

The first is go. This instruction carries the same imperative force as the primary command. In other words, go is not a passive suggestion or casual remark—it is an active directive. We are sent with purpose, urgency, and intentionality, compelled to take the gospel to others.

Some well-meaning interpreters have softened Christ’s meaning, translating it as “as you are going.” The implication is that we should make disciples as we go about our daily routines—if the opportunity arises. But that interpretation diminishes the weight of what Jesus is saying. He is not inviting us to carry on His work if the moment presents itself. He is sending us. This is not a hobby. This is your purpose.

Imagine if the chief of the fire department told the firefighters, “If you happen to see a fire while you’re out and about, go ahead and put it out.” That would be absurd. Firefighters leave the station with a mission: to put out fires. That clarity of purpose should reframe how we think about our own calling.

No matter your vocation, when you show up to work, you are stepping into your mission field as an ambassador of the King.

When you join a professional organization, a gym, or a country club, you should enter those spaces already thinking, “Who here might God be calling into His Kingdom?”

When you go to the coffee shop, you’re on a divine assignment, looking for opportunities to point someone to Jesus.

And parents, you don’t just disciple your kids when they randomly ask a question about God. When you wake up in the morning, you should already have a plan for when and how you will help them grow in their relationship with the Lord.

Remember, when Jesus said He would make His disciples fishers of men, He wasn’t describing the modern, passive picture of fishing. In His day, fishing was more like hunting—an active pursuit that required focus, strategy, grit, and perseverance.

Just as God told Moses to go and deliver His people, and Joshua to go and take the land, Jesus tells us: Go! Make Disciples.

Next, Jesus tells us what is involved in making disciples. We are to baptize them in the name of the Triune God, and we are to teach them to obey all of Christ’s commands. The first of these instructions represents a spiritual milestone in the life of a Christian—you are baptized when you become a disciple. The second is a lifelong journey of becoming more like our Savior—it is how you live as a disciple.

The Promise: Christ’s Presence and Power

Just as God called His chosen servants in ages past, He has commissioned you—through His Word—to make disciples by calling people out of darkness and into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.

Jesus came to be Emmanuel—God with us. And He remains with us through His Holy Spirit. He is with you to uphold you when the burden is heavy. He is with you to forgive and intercede when you stumble. He is with you to teach, sanctify, and strengthen you. He is with you to defend you against the enemy. And He is with you to guide you as you fulfill the great work He has entrusted to you.

Full Passage: Matthew 28:16-19