Embracing Our Mission: Discipleship and Christ's Supremacy

Devotional

Day 1: Make disciples under Christ’s unrivaled authority and presence.

Jesus is worshiped as God, possesses all authority in heaven and on earth, and commissions His people to make disciples among all nations, promising His very presence as they go; because the mission flows from His supremacy, confidence rests not in methods but in the living Lord who goes with you—so begin right where you are, pray for boldness, and step toward someone who needs the gospel today, trusting His authority and nearness to sustain you. [49:26]

Matthew 28:16-20 (NASB1995)
But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful. And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Reflection: Before the day ends, write down the names of two unbelievers and send each a message to set up a specific time this week for coffee or a meal with the aim of talking about Jesus—what day and time will you propose?

Day 2: Healthy churches devote themselves to Word, fellowship, ordinances, prayer.

The first church modeled disciple-making in action: the gospel was proclaimed, repentant believers were baptized, and then they devoted themselves continually to the apostles’ teaching, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer; this Christ-centered rhythm formed a vibrant, fruitful community where the Lord kept adding to their number, and it remains the pattern for us—plant your life in these four priorities and help someone else do the same. [01:32:17]

Acts 2:37-47 (NASB1995)
Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?” Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. “For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.” And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation!” So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls. They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Reflection: Put the next corporate prayer gathering or small group meeting on your calendar right now, and text one believer today to share a verse that encouraged you and ask how you can pray for them this week—who will you contact?

Day 3: Following Jesus begins with restful submission to His lordship.

Jesus invites the weary to come and find soul-rest, but He calls us to take His yoke and learn from Him—glad, humble submission to His lordship; His yoke is easy, His burden light, because He frees us from sin’s cruel mastery and teaches us to walk in His ways, so come to Him on His terms today and begin becoming like Him through surrendered, daily obedience. [01:15:13]

Matthew 11:28-30 (NASB1995)
“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Reflection: Name one area you’ve been resisting Jesus’ yoke (e.g., your schedule, finances, a relationship); before dinner today, take one concrete step of submission (make the apology, set a budget line for generosity, block an hour of true rest, or confess a hidden sin to a trusted believer)—what exact step will you take?

Day 4: Love for Jesus expresses itself in glad obedience.

To be a disciple is to learn and do all that Jesus commands; love for Christ is not sentimental but practical—“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments”—and because His commands come from a loving Master, they are not burdensome but life-giving, training us in Christlike character and usefulness for His kingdom. [01:06:05]

John 14:15 (NASB1995)
“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.”

Reflection: Identify one clear command of Jesus you’ve been postponing (forgiveness, reconciliation, baptism, purity, generosity, prayer); what specific action will you take in the next 24 hours to begin obeying (make the call, schedule the baptism class, install an accountability app, set a recurring gift, or set a daily prayer time)?

Day 5: Christ builds His church; our mission cannot fail.

The risen Lord wields unassailable authority and is actively building His church; the gates of Hades will not overpower His advance, and He exercises His rule through His people as they make disciples—therefore, take courage, labor with expectancy, and support the spread of the gospel to all peoples, knowing the outcome is secured by His power. [59:10]

Matthew 16:18 (NASB1995)
“I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.”

Reflection: Choose one gospel worker or missionary (local or global) and, before you go to bed tonight, send a note of encouragement and commit to pray weekly for them—set a recurring reminder now, and if possible begin (or increase) a specific monthly support amount.

Sermon Summary

We gathered with grief and gratitude—grief over the homegoing of our dear brother, missionary Nilo Sanchez, and gratitude that Christ’s gospel outlives every one of us. The shocking murder of Charlie Kirk underscored how brief life is. A vapor. That brevity should sober and focus us: what are we doing with our lives? In this new series on Christian Essentials, I reminded us of our mission—given by the Lord Himself—to exalt Christ locally and globally by making disciples. The Great Commission is not an optional ministry track; it is the marching order for every believer and every church.

Everything pivots on who Jesus is. We saw six realities that magnify His supremacy and, therefore, the weight of our mission: He is worshiped as God; He possesses all authority in heaven and on earth; His mission is worldwide in scope; His name is the name of the Triune God; His commands are to be obeyed; and He promises His living presence—“I am with you always.” Because He reigns, the mission cannot fail. Our confidence is not in methods but in the risen King who builds His church.

What is a disciple? A disciple is a true believer who is becoming like Jesus. Christian and disciple are not two tiers; they’re the same person. Making disciples therefore begins with evangelism—calling people to come to Jesus—moves to baptism—publicly owning Christ—and continues with teaching believers to obey all He commanded. The Lord’s invitation, “Take my yoke upon you,” is a call to restful submission under a gentle Master whose yoke is easy and whose burden is light.

How do we carry this out? Go, baptize, teach. Practically, we’re pursuing four E’s: engage and evangelize the lost; establish and equip believers in the truth—forming convictions, shaping Christlike character, growing competence for service, and learning to care for others. Everyone has a part; God has prepared good works for each of us. Acts 2 shows the pattern: Scripture-saturated evangelism, real repentance, baptism, and a church devoted to four essentials—apostolic teaching, fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayer. We want to be that kind of church: Word-saturated, Christ-centered, fervent in love, steady in prayer, eager to obey, and bold to go.

Key Takeaways

1. Supremacy fuels obedience. Disciple-making does not begin with strategies but with worship. When I see Jesus as Lord over all, I can move toward people with courage because the outcome does not rest on my persuasiveness but on His authority. This is why our mission cannot fail—He reigns, He sends, He saves. [01:00:03] - A disciple is not a spiritual “extra credit” Christian; a disciple is a Christian. Following Jesus means submitting to His teaching, His example, and His authority—taking His yoke because we’ve discovered His gentleness and rest. Transformation into Christ’s likeness is not cosmetic but comprehensive; it reaches desires, habits, and hopes. Our aim is not decisions but disciples who become like their Teacher.
- The pathway of disciple-making is clear and repeatable: go, baptize, teach. We engage and evangelize, then establish and equip—building convictions that shape character, competence for service, and a life that genuinely cares for others. This is slow, intentional work that dignifies every gift in the body; no one is on the bench. God gives the fruit, but He uses ordinary saints who are faithful in these ordinary means.
- Acts 2 is not nostalgia; it is a roadmap. The Word preached pierced hearts, baptism marked repentance and public allegiance, and new believers devoted themselves to teaching, fellowship, the Table, and prayer. The risen Christ then added daily to their number—His presence authenticated by the fruit. Health in the church is measured less by events and more by this steady devotion.
- The four devotions are the spine of a disciple-making church. The Word matures us when we practice it, not merely when we hear it; fellowship deepens when we apply truth to one another’s lives; the Table keeps the cross central in our affections; prayer confesses our dependence and invites God’s power. These are not rituals but lifelines that keep us near Christ and useful to Him. [60:03]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[42:13] - Missionary Update and Prayer for the Sanchez Family
[45:12] - Life Is a Vapor: Urgency for Our Mission
[48:07] - Christian Essentials: Why Focus on the Essentials
[49:26] - The Great Commission Read and Framed
[54:46] - Six Glories of Christ That Fuel the Mission
[70:18] - What Is a Disciple? Christian = Disciple
[75:13] - Come to Me: The Easy Yoke and Lordship
[82:21] - How We Make Disciples: Go, Baptize, Teach
[84:17] - Acts 2: A Live Model of Disciple-Making
[90:54] - Repentance, Baptism, and 3,000 Added
[92:17] - Devoted to Teaching, Fellowship, Bread, Prayer
[94:29] - Four Priorities: Word, Fellowship, Supper, Prayer
[101:42] - Becoming Doers: Maturity, Discernment, and Care
[115:17] - Closing Prayer and Charge

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