Introduction
This is the word of the Lord,
Matthew 28:18–20 ESV
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
19 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, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Welcome to 2025! This is the first Lord’s Day of the year, and as some of you know, I take this opportunity to cast the vision for the year. Last year, we began with an exhortation on ‘Serious Joy’ – a joy that is unfailing in the face of sorrow. This year, it will be the Great Commission.
James 4:13–15 ESV
13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”
- Notice how the ambitious plan-maker is called to account, not so much for his plan, but for his life. The problem here is the assumption that our plans are rock-solid, and even worse, is the assumption that tomorrow is mine to conquer.
- So, the remedial step is to submit to the Lord’s will – even in dying and especially in living. Therefore, this yearly vision is not in conflict with James as long as we can tell the difference between pride and intentionality.
The sermon today is unique in three different ways (two general and one personal),
- It marks the end of our expository series through Matthew
- It marks the beginning of a new year
- It marks the beginning of my tenth year of preaching at Redemption Hill Church (personal)
Given these markers, I am now convinced that I could not have picked a more fitting scripture portion to preach from even if I tried.
In this closing passage of the Gospel according to Matthew, we see a discouraged group of disciples.
Matthew 28:17 NASB95
When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful.
They’d been through a lot and were all over the place emotionally. At the time of this encounter, they were struggling, not ecstatic. And Jesus commissions them to save the world. Why would he give such a great commission to such a following of disciples? Because the fulfilment of the commission is not predicated upon their merit or qualification, but on Christ’s merit and qualification. This is, ultimately, the work of God, through and through. This is why Jesus sandwiches the commission between an assurance and a promise.
Matthew 28:18 NASB95
And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
Matthew 28:20 NASB95
… and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
The Great Commission is Christ’s mandate, issued from his sovereign authority and upheld by his sovereign presence to the end of the age.
Exegesis
Let me begin by clarifying something that I said in the last sermon – that is crucial to understanding the Great Commission. The words of Jesus in Matthew 28:18-20 are not primarily a call to isolated individuals to go out on their own strength and accomplish the mission. No, the language, the tense of the verbs, and the pronouns make it clear: this is a commission given to the community of disciples—the Church. It is an us mission, not merely a me mission. This is God’s plan to redeem the nations, and He has entrusted it not to lone rangers but to His gathered people, the Church. But don’t misunderstand. The Great Commission is intensely personal in its impact on your life individually. Each of us is called to play a role, to take up the mantle in our own sphere of influence. The gospel changes us individually and compels us to go. Yet it does so in the context of the Church—the body of Christ, where each member has a vital part to play.
John Calvin, writing on the nature of the Church’s mission, said, “When Christ ascended to heaven, He did not take the preaching of the gospel with Him but left it in the hands of His apostles and their successors, that through their combined labors, the whole world might be brought to the obedience of faith.” Calvin understood that this mission was a communal charge, a cooperative effort under Christ’s headship.
We see this vividly in the book of Acts. When Paul sets out on his missionary journeys, he doesn’t just decide one day to pack up and go. He is sent by the church in Antioch, laid hands on, and commissioned by the body of believers (Acts 13:2-3). Stephen, even in his martyrdom, is a part of the Church’s larger mission in Jerusalem, witnessing boldly to the truth. Peter’s sermon at Pentecost doesn’t result in scattered, individual converts wandering alone. It leads to the formation of the first church in Jerusalem, a community devoted to the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, and prayer (Acts 2:42).
The Great Commission is the work of the Church, empowered by the Spirit, carried out by individuals within the Church, and always aiming toward the growth and strengthening of the Church. This is not a solo hero mission. No one acts alone in the Kingdom of God. Missionaries plant churches. Evangelists preach to gather the lost into churches. Pastors shepherd churches. The work always comes back to Christ’s body, the Church, which is the pillar and buttress of the truth (1 Timothy 3:15).
Charles Spurgeon once said, “The church is not a heap of stones but a temple, a body fitly framed together, each one lending its strength to the other, that Christ might be glorified in all.” When we take up the Great Commission, we do so as living stones, built together into a spiritual house (1 Peter 2:5). Alone, a stone accomplishes little, but together, they form the dwelling place of God.
If you consider now the commission in,
Matthew 28:19–20 ESV
19 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, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you…
we see four imperatives or commands – go, make disciples, baptise, and teach. Understanding the Great Commission is about understanding what these imperatives mean and how they relate to one another. At first glance, these might appear as four equal imperatives, but a careful reading reveals a deeper structure. The main imperative in this passage is “make disciples” (μαθητεύσατε), and the other three—“go,” “baptizing,” and “teaching”—function as participles.
A participle is a form of a verb that doesn’t act as the main action of a sentence. Instead, it functions as a modifier, much like an adjective or an adverb. In English, participles often end in -ing (present participle) or -ed (past participle). For example:
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- Running through the field, the boy laughed. (The participle “running” describes what the boy was doing as he laughed.)
- The meal, prepared with care, was delicious. (The participle “prepared” describes the meal.)
Participles give additional information about the main verb. They often tell us how, when, or why something happens. They add richness to the meaning of a sentence, but they depend on the main verb for their significance.
In the Great Commission, Jesus gives the Church a command: “Make disciples” (μαθητεύσατε). This is the main imperative—the heart of the Great Commission. Surrounding this command, Jesus uses three participles:
- “Going” (πορευθέντες),
- “Baptizing” (βαπτίζοντες),
- “Teaching” (διδάσκοντες).
These participles explain how we are to carry out the command to make disciples. They are not additional commands but modifiers that describe the steps involved in fulfilling the main task – to disciple.
Make disciples of all nations – Given this structure between the main imperative/command ‘make disciples’ and the surrounding participles ‘go, baptise and teach’, let’s first look at that main imperative – the heart of the great commission. It does not matter whether you go, baptise or teach if doing these things do not disciple.
Disciple the nations – The translation “make disciples of all nations” could just as faithfully be rendered “disciple the nations.” This interpretation focuses on the overarching aim of the Great Commission—not merely individual conversions, but the transformation of entire nations. The word ἔθνη refers to people groups, cultures, or ethnicities, not just geographical entities or political states. Jesus’ command is to disciple entire peoples, bringing their collective life under His rule. In this sense, the Great Commission is a community endeavour to transform communities. It is from plural to plural. That is not to say that your one-on-one evangelism is not the Great Commission. It surely is. But that one-on-one is not the end. It is the means to reaching that end of discipling the ἔθνη. Now, how does that affect our understanding of the Great Commission. Well, from a strategic perspective, you are thinking of groups and not individuals.
Disciple and discipleship – The word here for making disciples indicates two things – ‘the making of Christians’ and ‘the discipleship of Christians’
Go (πορευθέντες – Poreuthentes)
The word “Go” serves as a modifier to the main imperative, “make disciples,” it does so with a clear expectation of purposeful movement. The very nature of the word assumes action. In its grammatical form, “go” implies motion that is already happening or is about to happen. This is not a call to wait for the perfect conditions, nor is it a passive acknowledgment of life’s natural flow. Jesus is saying, “Move forward. Engage. Be intentional as you go.” When Jesus says, “Go,” He isn’t suggesting that you wander aimlessly through life, hoping to bump into someone who might want to hear about Him. This participle is a word of movement, but not movement for its own sake. It assumes intentionality. It assumes purpose. It assumes that you’re stepping out with your boots laced tight and your gospel ammunition ready. Beloved, you don’t “accidentally” obey the Great Commission, and you certainly don’t stumble into disciple-making. Jesus does not give us permission to loiter.
The main imperative is “make disciples,” and this participle, “going,” tells you how to start. You can’t skip it. You don’t make disciples without movement. And not just any movement—this is deliberate, purposeful, gospel-saturated movement. Think about the apostles. Did they stay in Jerusalem, hoping that the nations would just meander their way into the upper room? Hardly. The book of Acts shows us what “go” looks like. It looks like Philip jogging after the Ethiopian eunuch’s chariot (Acts 8:26-40). It looks like Paul and Barnabas being commissioned and sent out by the church at Antioch (Acts 13:1-3). It looks like Peter stepping into Cornelius’ home, crossing cultural boundaries that no respectable Jewish man would have touched with a ten-foot pole (Acts 10). The gospel moves forward because faithful men and women obeyed the call to go—intentionally, actively, and courageously.
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Go in Your Daily Life
First, “go” happens right where you are. Disciple-making begins at home, at work, and in the grocery store. It’s not glamorous, but it’s essential. Parents, are you discipling your kids, or are you outsourcing their spiritual growth to Sunday school? Workers, are you a faithful witness at the office, or do you leave your Christianity in the car with your coffee mug? Going doesn’t always mean packing your bags—it often means opening your mouth where you already are. This doesn’t mean that disciple-making is casual or accidental. Far from it. “Going” in your daily life requires eyes that see people as eternal souls and hearts that are ready to engage. You don’t coast into obedience, and you don’t stumble into making disciples. You must be deliberate.
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Go to the Nations
But the Great Commission isn’t just about your neighborhood—it’s about the nations. The phrase “all nations” (πάντα τὰ ἔθνη) makes it clear that the gospel isn’t a local product with limited distribution rights. It’s for the whole world. Jesus didn’t say, “Go as far as it’s convenient,” or “Go to the places you like.” He said, “Go to all nations.” Reformed theologian John Stott once said, “We must be global Christians with a global vision because our God is a global God.” The nations need Christ, and the Church has the message. Some of us are called to go physically—to cross oceans and cultures. Others are called to send and support. But none of us are called to sit idle. If you’re not going, you’re sending. If you’re not sending, you’re disobeying.
Intentionality vs. Passivity
The call to “go” destroys any notion of passivity in the Christian life. There’s a reason the gates of hell won’t prevail against the Church (Matthew 16:18). Gates are defensive structures, which means the Church is the one advancing. You don’t storm the gates of hell by accident. The gospel isn’t a passive force, and neither are we. The call to “go” is a call to courage, to initiative, and to resolve. And if we don’t move, the mission doesn’t either. So, the participle ‘go’ modifies ‘disciple the nations’ by telling you this is done intentionally in all your goings.
“Baptising” (βαπτίζοντες – Baptizontes)
The second participle, “baptising,” describes the first step of obedience for new disciples. Jesus specifies that baptism is done “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” emphasising the Trinitarian nature of salvation. Conversion is a trinitarian affair.
Baptism signifies:
- Union with Christ: It symbolizes a believer’s identification with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 6:3-4).
- Incorporation into the Church: It marks a believer’s entrance into the visible body of Christ.
Baptism is the sign of our adoption into the family of God, and through it, we are bound to one another in the unity of the Spirit. This signifies the importance of evangelism in the Great Commission. This participle modifies ‘disciple the nations’ by showing that this commission involves the conversion of people groups. This is one reason why the English translates it as ‘make disciples’ instead of just saying ‘disciple’.
“Teaching” (διδάσκοντες – Didaskontes)
The third participle, “teaching,” emphasizes the ongoing nature of discipleship. Jesus doesn’t just call us to teach knowledge but to teach obedience: “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” This is not about information transfer; it’s about life transformation.
Teaching involves:
- Instruction: Imparting sound doctrine and biblical truth. Reproof-Correction-Training in righteousness.
- Modelling: Demonstrating what it looks like to live in obedience to Christ.
The goal of Christian teaching is not mere knowledge, but the glorification of God in thought, word, and deed. This participle modifies ‘make disciples’ as involving ongoing instruction (discipleship)
therefore – The Authority of Christ
behold – The Presence of Christ
Conclusion
Every year, the Lord graciously gives us 52 weeks—52 Sundays to gather as His people, and perhaps fewer than 50 Bible studies once we account for holidays, travel, and unforeseen interruptions. That’s roughly 104 opportunities in a year to meet together for worship, teaching, fellowship, and discipleship. Just 104 opportunities—barely a drop in the bucket when you think about the time spent on everything else in life. Now, let’s compare that with the time spent in school or college. A standard academic year lasts 36 to 40 weeks, with students spending five to six hours a day in structured learning. By the end of a year, that adds up to over 1,200 hours focused on education and preparing for life in this world.
And what about work? The average full-time employee spends 40 hours a week in their job, often more. That’s over 2,000 hours a year devoted to the demands of earning a living. 2,000 hours at work, 1,200 hours in school, but only around 100 hours in a year dedicated to the things of God—if we’re faithful to attend church and Bible study regularly. The imbalance is staggering. What does this say about how we prioritise our lives? Are we giving the eternal things the focus they deserve, or are they squeezed into the margins, competing for leftovers in our busy schedules?
Now, let’s take it a step further. If schools and workplaces can plan so meticulously for the year ahead—scheduling lessons, deadlines, exams, performance reviews, and milestones—what of the church? How intentional are we in planning for the spiritual growth of the body of Christ? Are we just going through the motions week by week, or are we making a deliberate effort to use the time God has given us wisely and faithfully? This is a sobering thought. The world around us plans for everything—academic success, career advancement, even leisure time. Yet we are called to something far greater. We are called to prepare for eternity. We are called to equip one another for the work of the kingdom. We are called to worship the God of the universe with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. How much more should we be intentional in how we use the precious time God has given us?
The world gives its best time and effort to things that will pass away. Let us, the church, give our best to things that will last forever. Let us live and labor with eternity in view. Time is short, brothers and sisters. Let’s not waste it.
