05-17-2026_Do_I_Hve_To_Make_Disciples

May 17, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Authority Over Every Step

The eleven disciples climbed the Galilean hillside, dirt crunching beneath sandals. They saw Jesus – scarred hands outstretched – and fell to their knees. Yet even as they worshiped, doubt lingered like morning mist. Then Jesus spoke: “All authority is mine.” Not just over temple rituals or stormy seas, but over every nation, every classroom, every dorm room, every career path. [45:32]

This declaration changes everything. The same power that rolled death’s stone away now fuels our faltering steps. When we share Christ, we don’t rely on eloquence or expertise – we stand on throne-room authority.

Where does your doubt whisper “not enough” today? Jesus doesn’t need your adequacy, only your availability. What fear keeps you silent about your faith when conversations turn toward life’s big questions?

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”
(Matthew 28:18, ESV)

Prayer: Ask Jesus to replace your self-doubt with confidence in His supreme authority.
Challenge: Write down one area of life where you’ve relied on your own strength. Surrender it to Christ’s authority today.

Day 2: Disciple-Making in Daily Going

Jesus didn’t say “Go become missionaries.” He said “As you go” – to soccer practice, biology labs, and grocery runs. The disciples understood this rhythm. Peter fished while preaching. Lydia sold purple cloth as she hosted churches. Your ordinary paths become holy ground when walked with intentionality. [52:18]

Disciple-making isn’t another task on your calendar – it’s the filter through which you see cashiers, classmates, and coworkers. Every interaction holds potential eternal significance.

You’ll pass seven people today who need Christ’s hope. Will you see them as interruptions or image-bearers? What “normal” place do you frequent that God might use as your mission field?

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
(Matthew 28:19, ESV)

Prayer: Thank God for three people in your daily circles. Ask for eyes to see their spiritual hunger.
Challenge: Identify three routine locations (coffee shop, gym, etc.) and pray for divine appointments there this week.

Day 3: Teaching What Christ Commanded

The resurrected Jesus served broiled fish, then served truth: “Teach them to obey.” Early believers didn’t just convert – they apprenticed. Paul mentored Timothy over scrolls and journeys. Priscilla and Aquila explained theology through tent stitches. True discipleship walks beside others through bills, breakups, and Bible questions. [59:09]

We’re called to more than altar calls – we’re called to kitchen-table discipleship. It’s messy. It’s slow. It’s how faith becomes flesh.

Who needs your patient guidance today? What practical truth could you share from your own walk with Christ – not as an expert, but as a fellow traveler?

“Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”
(Matthew 28:20a, ESV)

Prayer: Confess areas where you’ve prioritized conversion over continued discipleship.
Challenge: Text one newer believer today with a Bible verse that helped you this week.

Day 4: Ambassadors with Open Mouths

Paul stood in chains yet declared: “We are Christ’s ambassadors.” The disciples entered synagogues and marketplaces, voices trembling but truth resounding. Your words matter. Your story matters. Like Owen babbling about servers, let gospel conversations flow naturally from your lips. [01:08:49]

Silent faith is incomplete faith. Jesus didn’t just heal – He explained. He didn’t just die – He proclaimed. Our lives preach, but our lips must too.

What relationship have you avoided spiritual conversations with? What simple phrase could you practice today: “Let me tell you what Jesus did for me…”?

“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.”
(2 Corinthians 5:20a, NIV)

Prayer: Ask boldness to speak Christ’s name specifically in one conversation today.
Challenge: Share one way God helped you this week with a coworker or neighbor.

Day 5: Presence at Life’s Crossroads

The disciples faced an empty hillside but full hearts. “I’m with you always,” echoed in their memories as they walked toward martyrdoms and missions. Graduates packing boxes, parents releasing children, retirees facing new chapters – all carry the same promise. [01:06:06]

Christ’s presence isn’t limited by geography or life stages. Dorm rooms, hospital rooms, and boardrooms all become holy ground when He walks beside you.

Where do you feel most alone in your disciple-making? How might remembering Emmanuel – “God with us” – change your next difficult conversation?

“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
(Matthew 28:20b, NIV)

Prayer: Thank Jesus for His constant presence in your most uncertain moments.
Challenge: Write “Emmanuel” on your hand. Let it remind you to pray for Christ’s guidance in one anxiety today.

Sermon Summary

We gather around the reality that Jesus gives the command and the authority for disciple making. We confess that fear and doubt often keep us silent, but we rely not on our clever words or personal gifts, we rely on Jesus authority and the power of the Holy Spirit. We accept the correction that making disciples is not an optional program for specialists. We understand that the Greek emphasis places the main command on making disciples and frames go as while you are going, which means disciple making permeates ordinary life. We resolve to treat evangelism as daily, ordinary, relational work that moves from witness to baptism to teaching.

We name the practical shape of that work. We must invite people into conversation, tell of what Christ has done, and then walk alongside new believers as they learn to obey Jesus commands. We refuse the posture of mere spectators who consume worship and teaching. We commit to be contributors who invest time, presence, and discipline into others. We also reclaim the home as the primary place of formation. Parents and families must practice spiritual rhythms, model prayer and Scripture, and enforce loving discipline so children learn to follow Christ.

We sharpen the urgency. If not us, then who will bear the name of Christ in our neighborhoods, in our workplaces, and in our homes? We imagine small multiplication, where each disciple intentionally makes another, and we see how quickly the kingdom spreads when ordinary people obey. We remind one another that Jesus promises his presence to guide and enable every step. We ask for boldness, clarity, and persistent love so the gospel moves from our lips into lives and then into eternity.

Key Takeaways

1. We act under Christs authority We do not rely on our own ability to persuade or perform. The commission rests on Jesus right to speak and to send, so our witness carries his power and not merely our charisma. This reality frees us from paralysis and calls us to obedience that trusts divine enablement rather than human skill. [47:48]
2. Make disciples as we go The command centers on making disciples, not on going alone, so our daily rhythms become mission fields. Workplaces, schools, and errands become settings for gospel conversations and faithful presence. Intentionality in ordinary routines turns busy lives into consistent opportunities for spiritual multiplication. [52:18]
3. Baptize then teach to obey Conversion is not an endpoint but the start of patient formation that leads to obedience. Baptism publically marks new life and belonging while ongoing teaching shapes moral habits and theological understanding. True disciple making commits to long term walking with others until obedience becomes their pattern of life. [57:43]
4. Home must disciple the next generation The earliest and most enduring formation happens in the household through Scripture, prayer, and disciplined correction. Parents who model spiritual practices and enforce consequences create moral soil where discipleship takes root. Family formation connects identity and practice so children inherit faith that matters and endures. [62:19]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[31:42] - Recognizing the graduating seniors
[36:38] - Prayer for the seniors
[38:19] - Series recap and central question
[43:35] - Reading Matthew 28
[45:32] - Jesus authority explained
[52:18] - Make disciples as you go
[57:43] - Baptize and teach to obey
[62:19] - Home as primary discipleship
[65:44] - Christs abiding presence
[69:32] - Call to action and closing prayer

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Matthew 28:16-20 (ESV)
16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 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.”

Observation Questions

What does Jesus claim about His authority in Matthew 28:18, and how does this connect to the command to make disciples?
The sermon emphasized that the Greek structure of "go" in verse 19 is better translated "as you go" ([52:18]). How does this shift in translation change the way we view disciple-making?
According to the passage, what two actions follow baptizing new believers (v. 20), and why might this sequence matter?
The sermon stressed that disciple-making starts in the home ([01:02:19]). What specific practices were mentioned as essential for family discipleship?

Interpretation Questions

Why might Jesus’ declaration of all authority (v. 18) be critical for overcoming fear or doubt in sharing the gospel, as discussed in the sermon ([47:48])?
How does viewing disciple-making as something done "as you go" (v. 19) reframe ordinary routines like work, errands, or parenting as mission fields?
The sermon described conversion as "the start of patient formation" ([57:43]). Why is long-term teaching necessary for obedience to become a "pattern of life"?
What does it mean for the home to be the "primary place of formation," and how might neglecting this impact future generations?

Application Questions

Jesus’ authority, not our own ability, empowers disciple-making ([47:48]). Where do you feel inadequate to share your faith, and how can relying on His authority change your approach?
"As you go" means integrating disciple-making into daily rhythms ([52:18]). What specific routines (e.g., school drop-offs, coffee breaks) could become intentional opportunities for gospel conversations?
Baptism and teaching are part of a lifelong process ([57:43]). Is there someone in your life you could walk alongside long-term to help them grow in obedience to Christ? What would that look like practically?
The home is foundational for discipleship ([01:02:19]). If you’re a parent, what one spiritual rhythm (e.g., prayer, Scripture reading) could you prioritize this month? If not, how can you support families in your community?
The sermon warned against being "spectators" in church ([01:00:17]). What step could you take to move from consuming to contributing (e.g., mentoring, serving, initiating conversations about faith)?
"If not you, then who?" ([42:57]). Who in your relational circle (neighbor, coworker, friend) needs to hear about Jesus, and what’s one way to invite them into a conversation this week?
Jesus promises His presence "always" (v. 20). How might remembering His nearness daily change your willingness to take risks in disciple-making?

Sermon Clips

39s

#MakeDisciplesWhileGoing

“Now when we read the word, verse 19 go back to verse 19 for me, Eve. It says what? Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations. Can I be honest? It is a very poor translation. When you look at the Greek structure of this, go is not the command. It is a present participle. Meaning, it should be translated while you are going or as you are going. And the command is make disciples.”

35s

#HomeDiscipleship

“When it comes to making disciples, the most important place for this to happen is your home. The most important place for this to happen is your home. Now I know all of you don't have little kids at home. We've got kids graduating and things like that, but parents, you can still be an incredibly powerful influence on your kid's faith. And for those of you with younger kids, it is imperative that you read the word of God to them, that you pray with them, that they catch you reading the word of God and they catch you praying.”

33s

#NoExcusesMakeDisciples

“It is a daily walk with Christ for every single one of us and he commands us each to make disciples in every place that we go. You cannot say it's not my spiritual gift because the Lord commanded us all to do it. And he is with you and he will enable you because he's given you his authority to make disciples. There's no excuses. I'm busy is not gonna be very good on judgment day. I had other things to do is not gonna be a very good excuse. Jesus won't accept those.”

29s

#EverydayDiscipleMaking

“That is the command. So it would read, while you are going, make disciples. And here's the deal, we're really good at going, aren't we? We go everywhere. We go to work. We go to school. We go on vacation. We go to the ball field. We go to the park. We go to church. We go all the time. And so what Jesus is saying is, while you're doing all of these things, make disciples.”

30s

#JesusAlwaysWithYou

“His presence guides us. Look at the very end of verse 20. What does it say? Read it with me. And behold, I am with you always to the very end of the age. His presence guides us. In church, we often say where two or three are gathered, Jesus says, there I am with them. That is very true. However, you need to know as a believer that when you are alone in every room you walk into, Christ is with you.”

31s

#DependOnJesusAuthority

“I mean, think about think about how vast and how broad and how huge the earth is and Jesus has all power over it. So when it comes to making disciples, you and I do not rest on our own ability, on our own competence, on our own ability to communicate things correctly. We rest on the authority and the power of Jesus Christ and his holy spirit working in our lives. Jesus is in control.”

29s

#YouArePlacedForPurpose

“Because even if we compiled a list of all the people who need Christ and you handed that to me as your pastor and said, we need you to be a witness to these folks. I don't know. I don't know their lives. I don't know what's going on. I don't have relational capital, but God has placed you in their life for a very specific reason, and that is to make disciples. If not you, then who?”

31s

#DisciplineBreedsDisciples

“That's one of the things I I love about doing quiet time in the morning is sometimes Hailey wakes up early, she comes to my into my office and she catches me doing that. In addition to that, if we're going to properly disciple our children, that also requires that also requires discipline because a disciple is a person who has discipline themselves. Our children don't have that capability. As parents, God has instructed us to discipline our children well. Do not be afraid to discipline your children.”

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Why is the home central to disciple making?