Go and Make Disciples: Living as a Mission-Driven Church

Sep 21, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Walking With the One Who Opens Doors

When a road manager’s authority grants access to restricted spaces, it mirrors how Christ’s authority empowers believers to go where they could never go alone. The Great Commission begins not with human capability but with Jesus’ claim over all creation. His universal lordship turns every workplace, neighborhood, and nation into territory under His reign. Confidence comes not from personal qualifications but from walking with the King who owns the keys. [58:11]

“And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.’”
(Matthew 28:18-20, ESV)

Reflection: Where have you hesitated to step into God’s mission because you felt unqualified? How might Christ’s authority, not your adequacy, change your willingness to go?

Day 2: When “Go” Means Both Your Street and the World

Missions isn’t a choice between local soup kitchens and overseas journeys but an invitation to engage both. The church in Brazil modeled this by showing up in schools, streets, and public squares alongside visiting teams. Jesus’ command rejects compartmentalization—the same authority that sends believers to nations also commissions them to neighbors. A mission-driven life blurs the line between “here” and “there,” seeing every open door as holy ground. [08:33]

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
(Acts 1:8, ESV)

Reflection: What practical step could you take this week to serve both your “Jerusalem” (local community) and the “ends of the earth” (global missions)?

Day 3: Baptism as Battle Cry, Not Just a Checkbox

Submersion in water isn’t a graduation ceremony but a declaration of wartime allegiance. Baptism publicly enlists believers into Christ’s mission, marking them as His sent ones. Like soldiers wearing uniforms, it identifies whose authority we operate under. The Brazilian church understood this—their baptisms weren’t isolated events but launchpads for disciple-making. Every wet shirt testified to a life surrendered to the Great Commission. [09:53]

“We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”
(Romans 6:4, ESV)

Reflection: Does your view of baptism emphasize personal salvation more than missional sending? How might this sacrament reorient your daily purpose?

Day 4: The Church That Shows Up Where It Hurts

A mission-driven congregation isn’t known for its seating capacity but its sending capacity. The Brazilian church’s presence in every outreach mirrored Jesus’ habit of being where pain and need gathered. True discipleship happens not in comfortable pews but in streets, schools, and spaces where people ache. When the church shows up, it declares, “Our King is already here—and we’re under His orders.” [12:12]

“If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?”
(James 2:15-17, ESV)

Reflection: Where is God prompting you to physically show up this month—not just donate or pray from afar—to demonstrate His nearness?

Day 5: The Promise That Fuels Impossible Missions

Eleven disciples stared at the “all nations” mandate and doubted. Jesus didn’t downsize the mission but upgraded their assurance: “I am with you.” The same presence that calmed storms and raised the dead now empowers ordinary people to make disciples. A church walking in this promise doesn’t count volunteer numbers but chases divine appointments, trusting the Commander’s presence turns impossible tasks into eternal victories. [15:25]

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

Reflection: What daunting mission have you avoided because it felt too big? How might Jesus’ enduring presence reframe your fear into faith?

Sermon Summary

Matthew 28:16-20 gives Christ’s followers one job: make disciples who make disciples. The Great Commission is not a nice idea to admire or a task for a select few. Christ gives it as a command from the King, and if believers fail at that one job, it does not matter what else they do well.

Christ begins with His authority. “All authority in heaven and on earth” belongs to Him, so His people never go out depending on their own credentials, personality, or ability. Christ’s authority is universal. He is Lord in Brazil, Africa, Asia, Rustburg, the workplace, the school, and the neighborhood. Christ’s authority is also inherent. Believers do not make Jesus Lord; they surrender to the Lord He already is.

The command of Christ is costly, because following Him costs time, comfort, money, and sometimes the willingness to do what feels uncomfortable. The Great Commission still makes the command clear: go, baptize, teach, and serve. Missions does not begin only when somebody gets on an airplane. Missions begins when believers walk out the doors and see the people God has already placed around them. Christ does not call His church to choose between caring for people across the street and caring for people across the ocean. Christ calls His people to do both.

Baptism publicly identifies a believer with Jesus Christ, and teaching helps disciples obey everything Christ commanded. Discipleship cannot be filling heads with information and then sitting down for the rest of life. The Great Commission sends disciples back out to serve, share, invest, and make more disciples. A mission-driven church does not merely ask, “How many people came?” A mission-driven church asks, “How many people went?”

Christ also gives the promise His people need: “Surely I am with you always.” The size of the mission can feel overwhelming, just as eleven disciples could not possibly reach all nations in their own strength. Christ’s presence enables His people to accept the mission and accomplish it. The confidence for going does not come from having what it takes. The confidence comes from knowing who is taking them there.

The call is for Highland Heights to be there when needs arise, whether at the food pantry, in homes, among children, in public squares, or across the world. Christ calls every believer off the sidelines and into obedient, present, gospel-sharing mission.

Key Takeaways

1. Christ’s authority sends ordinary believers Christ never grounds the mission in the strength, experience, or qualifications of His followers. His universal authority means no neighborhood, nation, workplace, or difficult conversation lies outside His rule. Believers go where they could never go alone because they go with the King. [58:11]
2. The Great Commission is a command Christ does not ask for volunteers to make disciples. His command carries a real cost, including comfort, time, resources, and the willingness to be inconvenienced for the sake of another person. Discipleship begins when obedience matters more than ease. [1:02:32]
3. Mission begins across the street Christ calls His people to go to the nations, but He also places people with real needs nearby. The choice is not local ministry or global missions, because Jesus says Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. Faithful mission sees both the food pantry and the faraway village as places where Christ is already Lord. [1:06:52]
4. Christ’s presence makes mission possible Christ gives an enormous task, yet He does not leave His people alone with it. His promise, “I am with you always,” changes fear into faithful availability. The mission rests on Christ’s presence, not on a believer’s talent or confidence. [1:16:07]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[46:29] - A Mission-Driven Church
[47:52] - One Job to Do
[50:05] - Make Disciples Who Make Disciples
[52:31] - The Great Commission
[53:59] - Trust Christ’s Authority
[58:11] - Going With the One in Authority
[59:34] - Christ’s Universal Lordship
[1:01:53] - Obey Christ’s Command
[1:03:11] - The Cost of Discipleship
[1:05:47] - Go, Share, Baptize, Teach, Serve
[1:12:45] - How Many People Went?
[1:13:13] - Rely on Christ’s Presence
[1:17:10] - Highland Heights Is There
[1:19:37] - The Call to Live on Mission

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Matthew 28:16-20
“Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” [47:11]

Acts 1:8
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” [01:07:12]

Philippians 2:9-11
“Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” [01:01:24]

Observation questions

In Matthew 28:16–20, what responses did the disciples have when they saw Jesus, and what does Jesus say before giving them their mission?
What actions are connected to making disciples in Matthew 28:16–20—both at the beginning of a person’s faith and as they grow in obedience? [01:09:26]
According to Acts 1:8, what places are included in the calling to be Christ’s witnesses? How does that keep believers from treating local ministry and global missions as an either-or choice? [01:07:12]
What examples of needs and places for ministry were named: food pantry, children, struggling families, public squares, and opportunities across the world? [01:17:36]

Interpretation questions

Jesus grounds the command to make disciples in His authority over heaven and earth. Why does His authority need to come before the command to go, baptize, and teach? [58:42]
Philippians 2:9–11 says that every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. What is the difference between making Jesus Lord and surrendering to Jesus as the Lord He already is? [01:00:46]
Matthew 28 includes teaching disciples to obey everything Jesus commanded. Why is discipleship incomplete if it only gives people Bible knowledge but does not lead them to obey, serve, and help others follow Christ? [01:10:50]
The disciples received an enormous mission, even though some doubted. How does Jesus’ promise to be with them address fear and feelings of being unqualified? [01:16:07]

Application questions

Where are you most likely to feel unqualified to represent Christ—at work, in your neighborhood, with family, or in another setting? How does Christ’s authority change the question from “Do I have what it takes?” to “Who is sending me?” [58:50]
Making disciples can cost time, comfort, money, and the willingness to enter uncomfortable situations. What cost of obedience do you sense most clearly in this season, and what might a faithful next step look like? [01:03:30]
Who has God already placed near you that you could intentionally love, serve, pray for, or have a gospel conversation with this week? What is one specific step you could take rather than waiting for a perfect opportunity? [01:06:38]
Baptism is a public identification with Jesus Christ. If you have been baptized, how does your baptism continue to shape the way you live openly for Christ? If you have not been baptized, what is keeping you from taking that step of obedience? [01:09:36]
Think about the people God has used to help you grow in faith. How could you begin investing in one person—through prayer, Scripture, encouragement, hospitality, or regular conversation—so that they can grow as a follower of Jesus?
A mission-driven church asks not only, “How many people came?” but also, “How many people went?” Where can you move from watching on the sidelines to serving a real need in the church, community, or world? [01:12:51]
Jesus promises, “I am with you always.” What fear, hesitation, or past failure has made you reluctant to live on mission? How can the group encourage and support you as you take one step forward? [01:16:32]

Sermon Clips

41s

#MissionDriven

“I love this statement. A mission driven church doesn't say this. It doesn't say how many people came. It says how many people went. Let me repeat that. It doesn't ask how many people came. It asks how many people went. Who served? Who shared? Who invested in somebody? And noticed and who noticed a need and did something about it? Who said, God, if you call me, I'm available? My friends, if we are a mission driven church, we must obey the command of of God.”

36s

#SurrenderToGod

“Sometimes we use the language, I decided to make Jesus lord of my life. And I understand what you may mean by that, but but my friends, the truth of the matter is is that there comes a time when we do surrender our lives to him. But the reality is that we don't make Jesus lord of our lives. He's already lord. He's already lord. He always has and he always will be. We're not giving him the authority. God already has that authority. We are simply acknowledging that his authority is there and surrendering ourselves to it.”

37s

#LocalMissions

“And I want you to understand something. You don't have to get on an airplane though to fulfill the great commission. Missions doesn't start when you cross an ocean. Mission starts when you walk out these doors. We have opportunities right here though in our church. You can serve through our food pantry. You can serve through one of our ministries of the church. Invest in children, in teenagers, in families, people that have needs, people that are trying to build relationships. We can share the love of God. We can share with people that God has already placed around us.”

41s

#FaithOverFear

“And I think that's a powerful spiritual picture. There are places that God is calling us to go that we have absolutely no business to go. No reason to go there. But when we're... When we do it on our own, we say, I don't belong here. I'm not qualified to do that. But my friends, when Jesus goes with you, when God goes with you, we can do those things. Our confidence never is supposed to be come from who we are. Our confidence comes from whose authority we are doing it under. Because sometimes the question is, do I have what it takes to get there? The better question is, who's taking me there? Who's going with me?”

50s

#LiveOnMission

“You know, if you look at the pattern of believers over the last fifty to seventy five years, unfortunately, we see a lot of that. We come, we get baptized, we sit, we study. But my friends, that is not the great commission. The great commission sends us out. It sends us back out. We are called to serve others in our community, in our state, in our nation, around the world. And just on a side note, if we care more about we're sitting on a Sunday morning than where we're than where we're serving during the week, we're missing what it means to be a disciple of Christ.”

31s

#HereAndThere

“But my friends, there are things to do. I understand what she is saying. There are needs right here. There are people that are hungry right here in our in our area. There are children who need to be invested in. There are families who are struggling. There are lost people who need Jesus right here. But here's what I would say to you. Jesus never told us to choose between here and there. He called us to do both.”

29s

#ChristGoesWithUs

“The presence of Christ also enables us to accomplish our mission. You know, the mission is massive. It's global in scale. The implications are huge, but the good news is that our ability to fulfill the mission that God has given to us doesn't have to rely on ourselves, on our personality, our talents, our abilities. It's based on the person and the presence of Christ because he's gonna go with us.”

34s

#TeachTheWord

“We cannot obey the word of God, my friends, if we don't know the word of God. That's why teaching matters. That's why our life groups here matter. That's why children's ministry and student ministries and bible studies, they matter because that's how we learn and we teach the word of God. We can't just we can't just go try and fill people's fills with heads with information. We're teaching people the word of God so that they can go and teach the word of God to others.”

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