DAY 19 / THE GREAT COMMISSION

Matthew 28:18-20

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”.

This passage is most often called The Great Commission and for good reason, it’s the final, powerful mandate or commission from Jesus to His followers. It is the purpose of the church and each individual believer. In this moment, Jesus could have said anything, but He gave us the words “Go and make disciples of all nations”.

To advance the Kingdom is not complicated, we just need to go and make disciples of all nations. What is the first thing we must do to fulfill this value? First, is to recognize that the mandate is not for a few “super Christians” but for all Christians. It’s a core part of who we are as believers and more importantly, through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can follow the Great Commission.

The Great Commission begins with an affirmation of Christ’s power: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me." This statement is the foundation for everything we do as believers as we seek to Advance the Kingdom. Because the Holy Spirit resides in us, we have access to the authority and power that Jesus speaks of in Matthew 28:18. In other words, because He has absolute authority; we can confidently move forward with the Great Commission as our mandate.

PRAY

Pray that God would give you the understanding to see what it really means to Go and Make Disciples. Then pray for the faith to move beyond your comfort zone to follow the mandate to go.