The Great Commission

What Scripture says

All quotations from the World English Bible (public domain).

1. Matthew 28:18-20

   Jesus came to them and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go, 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 things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

   The Great Commission. Every verb counts: go, make disciples, baptize, teach.

2. Acts 1:8

   But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth.

   Local, regional, cross-cultural, global. Not either-or — all four at once.

3. Mark 16:15

   He said to them, "Go into all the world, and preach the Good News to the whole creation."

   All the world. The whole creation. No edited target list.

4. Romans 10:14-15

   How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in him whom they have not heard? How will they hear without a preacher? And how will they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the Good News of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!"

   A chain of necessity — call, believe, hear, preach, sent. Break any link and the gospel does not arrive.

5. 2 Corinthians 5:18-20

   But all things are of God, who reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ, and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation; namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not reckoning to them their trespasses, and having committed to us the word of reconciliation. We are therefore ambassadors on behalf of Christ, as though God were entreating by us: we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

   We are not optional. We are ambassadors — the embassy through which God speaks to a hostile world.

6. 1 Peter 3:15

   But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts; and always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, with humility and fear:

   Ready. Always. With humility. Every Christian should know what they believe and why.

7. Matthew 9:37-38

   Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest indeed is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Pray therefore that the Lord of the harvest will send out laborers into his harvest."

   Pray for workers. Then expect to be sent.

8. John 20:21

   Jesus therefore said to them again, "Peace be to you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you."

   The sending of the Son is the pattern for our sending. Same authority, same Spirit, same Father.

9. Romans 1:16

   For I am not ashamed of the Good News of Christ, for it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes; for the Jew first, and also for the Greek.

   The gospel is power. Not advice. Not philosophy. Power.

10. Revelation 5:9

    They sang a new song, saying, "You are worthy to take the book, and to open its seals: for you were killed, and bought us for God with your blood, out of every tribe, language, people, and nation,"

    The vision of the end: every tribe, language, people, nation. That is the goal.

11. Matthew 24:14

    This Good News of the Kingdom will be preached in the whole world for a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.

    The gospel reaching every nation is what precedes the end. We are participating in something cosmic.

12. Isaiah 52:7

    How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of good, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, "Your God reigns!"

    The messenger of good news has beautiful feet — Old Testament metaphor for treasured arrival.

Further reading

• The Lausanne Covenant →

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