Sunday, May 31, 2026

Scriptures:  Genesis 12:1-9, Matthew 28:16-20

Sermon title: “The Great Commission”

1. Introduction

A few years ago, I made the difficult decision to answer God’s call to ministry. It was not easy; I left behind my pregnant wife, family, work, and everything familiar to me. On the day I traveled, I carried only two bags and a Bible my wife had given me when we were dating. Many people asked why I would leave everything behind, and my answer was simple: “Because Jesus said, ‘Go.” This verb reminds us of Jesus’s final instruction to His disciples, which is known as “the Great Commission.”

2. The Eleven go to Galilee

In the Gospel of Matthew, the disciples sense that everything has changed after the resurrection, but they still do not fully understand their mission. They go to Galilee as Jesus instructed, carrying grief and confusion with them. Judas is gone, and the community has been wounded by betrayal, fear, denial, and loss. The mission ahead feels greater than they can carry on their own. One unique feature of the Gospel of Matthew is that the resurrection does not erase the pain and wounds of what happened. Jesus’ mission begins with a broken group of disciples. In a society where women were often treated as less important and their voices ignored, Jesus, throughout His ministry, treated women with dignity and respect, challenging the norms of society. Women were the first witnesses of the empty tomb and the first to receive the news of the resurrection.

Even though women’s testimony was often ignored, Jesus entrusted Mary Magdalene and the other Mary with the message to tell the disciples to go to Galilee. The disciples struggled to believe both the women’s testimony and the miracle of the resurrection itself. The disciples went to Galilee in obedience to Jesus, where He was calling them to a new beginning. Galilee was the place where Jesus’ ministry first began, where He called disciples, taught, healed, and formed them in faith.

3. Worship and doubt of the disciples

As a reminder, this is the first time in the Gospel of Matthew that the disciples encounter the risen Jesus. They meet Him on a mountain, a place often associated with revelation, where Jesus was tempted, taught the Sermon on the Mount, performed healings and miracles, and was later transfigured.

The Bible says, “When they saw him, they worshiped him, but they doubted.” The disciples respond to the risen Jesus with worship because they know He was crucified and buried, and now they see Him alive again, confirming He is the Messiah and the victory of life over death.  Alongside their worship, some disciples still doubted or hesitated, since nothing in their experience had prepared them to see Jesus alive again, apart from earlier signs like Lazarus being raised. Jesus had already warned that if people do not believe the Scriptures, they may still not believe even if someone rises from the dead (Luke 16:31), and even after the resurrection, the disciples continued to struggle with faith.

Yet Jesus does not reject their doubt. He meets their weakness with understanding, strengthens their faith, and still entrusts them with His mission despite their imperfection. God does not wait for perfect faith before sending us. Even when we feel unqualified, He calls us as we are and equips us as we go into the mission He gives us.

4. All authority belongs to Jesus

Jesus declares that all authority in heaven and on earth belongs to Him. This is not mere influence but complete dominion over all creation, visible and invisible. It fulfills Daniel’s vision of an eternal kingdom (Daniel 7:14). The resurrection shows not only that Jesus is alive, but that He reigns as King.

At the beginning of His ministry, Jesus was tempted by the devil with all the kingdoms of the world in exchange for worship, but He refused, affirming that only God is to be worshiped and served (Matthew 4:8-10). Because of His faithfulness to God, Jesus receives far more than what was offered: authority over heaven and earth. This is important because the mission that follows is grounded in Christ’s authority. The disciples are sent not because of their own ability, but because they go with the risen Christ who reigns over all.

5. The Great Commission

After establishing His authority, Jesus gives a clear command: “Go and make disciples of all nations.” This is not a suggestion but the Great Commission. Jesus did not say, “If you feel like it or if you have time, try to make disciples.” This command applies to every believer. “Go” is not just about physical movement but intentional action. Making disciples means actively training, teaching, and shaping others to follow Christ.

“All nations” goes beyond political borders and includes every ethnic group, tribe, language, and culture. Jesus calls His followers not only to spread the gospel geographically, but to welcome all people into God’s kingdom family. His own ministry reflected this reach as He healed the Roman centurion’s servant, told the parable of the Good Samaritan, and affirmed the gratitude of a Samaritan leper. He also declared that repentance and forgiveness would be proclaimed to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem.

This command should reshape how we live, because faith is not private but meant to multiply. James 4:17 reminds us that knowing what is good and failing to do it is sin, the sin of omission.

The Great Commission was not only for the first disciples or for pastors and missionaries, but for every follower of Christ. We are all called to make disciples. When we fail to do so, the Great Commission becomes the Great Omission, and we fall short of what it means to follow Jesus. This command does not necessarily mean crossing the sea; it is about intentionality. Every day we go somewhere, work, school, the store, a park, or even to a neighbor, and these ordinary places are where discipleship can begin.

The question is, how do you fulfill or live out this command in your daily life?

We fulfill the Great Commission by recognizing Jesus’ authority in every area of life, submitting to His lordship, and obeying His guidance. This requires willingness to be interrupted, to step out in faith, and to trust that the Holy Spirit will equip us, even when we feel afraid or unqualified.

Jesus commands us to teach new disciples to obey everything He has commanded. This begins with our own lives, as discipleship must first be lived before it is shared. Our actions in the community should reflect Christ through kindness, mercy, generosity, forgiveness, and integrity, pointing others to God and drawing them to glorify Him.

We are also called to build relationships within our sphere of influence, sharing the Good News and helping others grow in faith. Finally, we are to baptize new believers in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, marking their identity in Christ and their place in the community of faith.

6. Conclusion

God is reminding us of our mission: we are not only learners of Christ, but also those who are sent to represent Him and share the gospel. Jesus promises, “I am with you always, to the very end of the age,” assuring us that we are never alone in this calling. So we are called to go forward in faith, step out boldly, and share Christ where we are, trusting that God is with us at every step, guiding and strengthening us. Amen.