What is the Great Commission?
The Great Commission is the command Jesus Christ gave His disciples after His resurrection to take the Gospel to the nations and make disciples.
It is recorded most clearly in Matthew 28:18-20 and remains one of the most important mission passages in the New Testament.
Jesus said:
"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."
He continued:
"Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you."
The Great Commission shows that Christianity was never intended to remain with a small group of disciples. The good news of Jesus Christ was to be carried throughout the world.
The Great Commission Begins With Jesus
Before commanding His disciples to go, Jesus declared:
"All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth."
This is important because Christian mission begins with the authority of Jesus Christ.
The disciples were not being sent into the world simply because they had developed their own religious movement. They were being sent by the risen Lord.
Christian mission therefore belongs to Christ.
What Does It Mean to Make Disciples?
The Great Commission is sometimes summarized as a command to preach the Gospel. Sharing the Gospel is essential, but Jesus' command goes further.
He commands His followers to make disciples.
A disciple is a follower and learner of Jesus Christ.
Making disciples therefore involves helping people hear and understand the Gospel, respond to Christ in faith, grow in biblical truth, and learn to live according to His teaching.
The goal is not merely to obtain a decision or increase the number of people attending a church.
The goal is to help people become faithful followers of Jesus.
Go to All Nations
Jesus said to make disciples of "all nations."
The Gospel is not limited to one nationality, language, ethnic group, or social class.
God's saving message in Christ is to be proclaimed among the peoples of the world.
This mission is also seen in Acts 1:8, where Jesus tells His disciples:
"Ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."
The movement begins locally but extends outward.
The Great Commission Includes Evangelism
Evangelism means communicating the good news of Jesus Christ.
The Gospel announces that Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose again.
Christians therefore have a responsibility to tell others about Christ.
Romans 10 asks:
"And how shall they hear without a preacher?"
People cannot respond to a message they have never heard.
Christian mission therefore involves communicating the Gospel clearly and truthfully.
The Great Commission Includes Baptism
Jesus commanded His disciples to baptize:
"In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."
Baptism has therefore been connected with Christian discipleship from the earliest church.
In the book of Acts, people who received the Gospel were baptized and became part of the community of believers.
The Great Commission is not simply about private belief. Jesus calls people into an identifiable life of discipleship.
The Great Commission Includes Teaching
Jesus also commanded:
"Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you."
This means discipleship does not end when someone first believes the Gospel.
New Christians need teaching.
They need to learn Scripture, understand the Gospel more deeply, develop a life of prayer, grow in holiness, participate in Christian fellowship, serve others, and learn to obey Jesus.
Christian education is therefore an important part of the Great Commission.
Jesus Said to Teach Obedience
Jesus did not merely say, "Teach them everything I commanded."
He said to teach them to observe what He commanded.
Christian discipleship is therefore more than collecting biblical information.
A person can know many Bible verses and theological ideas while refusing to practice the teachings of Christ.
True discipleship seeks both understanding and obedience.
The Great Commission Is Not Only for Missionaries
Some Christians hear the word "mission" and immediately think of someone traveling to another country.
Cross-cultural missionaries have an important role in taking the Gospel to places where Christ is not widely known.
But the Great Commission concerns the whole church.
Not every Christian will move to another country, but every Christian can participate in Christ's mission.
We can share the Gospel with family members, friends, coworkers, neighbors, and people within our communities.
We can pray for missionaries.
We can support Gospel ministry.
We can help new believers understand Scripture.
We can serve in our local churches.
We can use our abilities and opportunities to help others know and follow Christ.
The Great Commission Starts Where You Are
Acts 1:8 gives a helpful pattern.
The disciples would witness in Jerusalem, Judaea, Samaria, and ultimately to the ends of the earth.
For them, Jerusalem was the place immediately around them.
Christians today can apply the same principle.
Mission begins where God has placed us.
Your family can be a mission field.
Your workplace can provide opportunities to demonstrate Christian character and explain your faith.
Your neighborhood can be a place of Christian service.
Your church can train and send believers into wider ministry.
Making Disciples Requires Relationships
Jesus did not simply deliver information to His disciples and leave them.
He lived among them.
He taught them.
He answered questions.
He corrected them.
He demonstrated compassion and service.
He prepared them to serve others.
This reminds us that discipleship often requires time and relationships.
A mature Christian can help a newer believer read the Bible, develop a prayer life, understand Christian doctrine, face temptation, and learn how to follow Jesus in everyday life.
The Gospel Must Not Be Forced
The Great Commission gives Christians a mission to proclaim and teach the Gospel. It does not give Christians permission to force conversion.
Faith cannot be produced through coercion.
Christians should communicate the Gospel honestly, respectfully, and lovingly while recognizing that people are responsible for how they respond.
First Peter 3:15 instructs believers to be ready to give an answer concerning their hope with meekness and fear.
Christian witness should therefore reflect the character of Christ.
Mission Should Be Motivated by Love
Christians should not share the Gospel because they want to win arguments or prove themselves superior to other people.
The Gospel itself teaches humility.
Christians believe salvation is received by God's grace rather than earned by personal goodness.
Our motivation for mission should therefore include love for God and genuine concern for people.
Second Corinthians 5:14 says:
"For the love of Christ constraineth us."
The Holy Spirit Empowers Christian Witness
Jesus did not send His disciples into the world depending entirely upon their own strength.
Before His ascension, He promised:
"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me."
The book of Acts then records the Gospel spreading as the Holy Spirit empowered the early church.
Christian mission therefore depends upon God rather than merely upon human ability, marketing, personality, or organization.
The Great Commission and the Local Church
The book of Acts shows believers forming churches, receiving teaching, sharing fellowship, praying, worshiping, and sending people into ministry.
The Great Commission is therefore closely connected with the life of the church.
Churches should not exist only to serve people who are already Christians.
They should also proclaim Christ, train disciples, prepare believers for ministry, and participate in taking the Gospel beyond their immediate community.
Every Generation Must Continue the Mission
The original apostles eventually died, but the mission continued.
They taught others who then carried the Gospel to still more people.
Paul expressed this pattern to Timothy:
"And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also."
This is multiplication.
One disciple helps another person become a disciple, who can then help others follow Christ.
Jesus Promised to Be With His People
The Great Commission ends with one of the most encouraging promises Jesus gave His disciples:
"And, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen."
The mission may be difficult.
Christians may experience rejection, opposition, discouragement, or persecution.
But Jesus does not send His followers alone.
The Great Commission begins with Christ's authority and ends with Christ's presence.
The Great Commission Continues Until Christ Returns
The mission of making disciples continues.
There are still people who have never clearly heard the Gospel.
There are still new believers who need teaching.
There are still communities that need faithful churches.
There are still children and future generations who need to hear about Jesus.
Until Christ returns, the church has work to do.
How Can You Participate in the Great Commission?
Learn the Gospel clearly so that you can explain it accurately.
Pray for people who do not know Christ.
Share your faith when God gives you opportunities.
Help another believer grow in Scripture.
Support faithful missionaries and ministries.
Serve through your local church.
Use your gifts for God's kingdom.
And be willing to go wherever God may call you.
Conclusion
The Great Commission is Jesus' command to make disciples of all nations.
It includes going, sharing the Gospel, baptizing believers, teaching the commands of Christ, and helping people grow into faithful disciples.
It is not merely a command for pastors or overseas missionaries.
It is the mission Christ entrusted to His church.
Jesus has all authority.
The Gospel is for all nations.
Disciples are called to make disciples.
And Christ promises to remain with His people as they carry out His mission.
"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations."