Go, Baptize, Teach: Living the Great Commission

May 31, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Sent Out After Being Filled

The rhythm of gathering, studying, sharing, and being sent isn’t just liturgy—it’s the heartbeat of discipleship. Jesus designed his followers to carry his teachings beyond church walls, not hoard them. Just as the disciples left Galilee to obey Christ’s command, believers today are meant to move outward with purpose. This "apostolic momentum" requires stepping into relationships, not waiting for perfection. The call to "go" isn’t about distant lands but the next conversation, the open door across the street. [27:15]

"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." (Matthew 28:19, ESV)

Reflection: Where has God already placed you to "go"—not geographically, but relationally? How might your daily routines become intentional pathways for gospel momentum?

Day 2: Discipleship Grows in the Soil of Time

Making disciples isn’t a transaction but a slow cultivation. Jesus spent three years walking with his followers, modeling patience over quick results. Like a farmer trusting seasons, discipleship requires watering seeds through consistent presence. Statistics say 26 gospel exposures may precede faith—a reminder that faithfulness matters more than immediacy. This work thrives not in programs but in shared meals, honest questions, and showing up. [29:18]

"I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth." (1 Corinthians 3:6–7, ESV)

Reflection: Who in your life needs the "watering" of sustained friendship? What small, regular step could you take to nurture their spiritual curiosity?

Day 3: Baptism as the Church’s Open Hands

Baptism isn’t a clergy-exclusive ritual but a communal celebration. Jesus empowered all disciples to initiate others into faith, breaking down hierarchies. Whether in a sanctuary or swimming pool, this act declares God’s welcome. It’s not about perfection—even the doubting disciples in Galilee were commissioned. Baptism flings church doors wide, inviting ordinary believers to proclaim, "You belong." [32:41]

"And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, 'See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?' And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him." (Acts 8:36–38, ESV)

Reflection: When have you hesitated to invite someone into baptism? How might viewing it as a communal "welcome" rather than a performance free you to act?

Day 4: Teaching That Walks Like Jesus

Teaching in the Great Commission isn’t lecturing but embodying. For the first time, Jesus hands the "rabbi" role to flawed followers, trusting them to model his ways. It’s less about curriculum and more about letting others watch faith in action—how you forgive, serve, or face doubt. Like Archie mentoring through emails, teaching thrives in shared life, not classrooms. [34:49]

"Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:19, ESV)

Reflection: What daily habit, if someone observed it, would teach them most about following Jesus? How could you invite others into that practice?

Day 5: Emmanuel in the Everyday Commission

The Great Commission’s power lies in its promise: "I am with you." Jesus bookends Matthew’s Gospel as Emmanuel—present not just in sanctuaries but soup kitchens, not just pulpits but playgrounds. His presence turns Plano or Peru into holy ground. Doubters and the unqualified are still sent, not because they’re ready, but because he goes with them. [42:03]

"Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel (which means, God with us)." (Matthew 1:23, ESV)

Reflection: Where do you feel least equipped to serve? How might embracing "God with us" shift your willingness to step into that space?

Sermon Summary

Matthew’s last chapter puts Jesus on a Galilean hillside with worshipers who still carry doubt in their bones. Into that mixed crowd, Jesus gives parting words that do not wait on perfect faith. Jesus commands action: “go, make disciples, baptize them, and teach them.” The verbs set the pace. “Go” carries movement, travel, purposeful steps, the same word used for Jesus’ own going from town to town. The gospel moves because disciples move. The church’s gathered life finds its shape here too. It gathers, hears the word, shares the meal, and is sent. Sent is not a suggestion. Sent is the shape of a Christian week.

“Make disciples” reaches beyond converts to an intentional relationship of teacher and student. Jesus had been called Rabbi. Now he turns that role over. The disciples become teachers who help others “progress,” a lifelong learning that is not just brains but a way of life. Discipleship starts with friendship, because people listen when they are loved. That love will cost something: time, patience, attention, even resources. It also refuses anxiety about outcomes. One plants, another waters, and God gives the growth. Every coffee, every prayer, every Scripture shared is seed work. Results belong to God.

“Baptize” lands as a concrete act that marks belonging. Baptism is washing, immersion, naming. And in Jesus’ words, the whole church can baptize. The font is not a bottleneck. A pool will do. Faithfulness, not formality, is the point. “Teach” then links evangelism to sustained formation. Jesus widens the classroom to “all nations” and makes teaching continuous, not a one-off lesson but a pattern of life where obedience gets modeled. “Say what I say. Do what I do.” People learn what Jesus is like by watching those who belong to him.

The mission field does not always require a passport. Some are sent far, like Archie and Christine with Wycliffe, laboring years so the Quechua can read Scripture in their heart language. Others are sent across a street, into a clothes closet, a shelter, a kitchen. All nations have come to the neighborhood. Jesus’ charge lands on every disciple, not a select few. And the command is welded to a promise. Matthew’s Gospel opens with Emmanuel, God with us, and it closes with Jesus saying he will be with his people to the end of the age. He never sends without staying.

Key Takeaways

1. Jesus’ mission moves on “go” Movement is not optional but the way the gospel advances. “Go” names ordinary steps that carry good news into actual places, like Jesus’ own pattern of going town to town. Hesitation does not disqualify. Obedience takes the first step and lets God steer the next. [25:50]
2. Discipleship is slow, relational work A disciple learns Jesus’ way by walking with someone who cares. Friendship carries truth farther than expertise, and it costs time, patience, and presence. Seed-time precedes harvest, and God guards the timetable. [29:42]
3. Outcomes belong to God alone Anxiety eases when planting and watering are received as faithful work. Scripture frees the church from scoreboard spirituality by naming God as the grower. Faithfulness looks like steady sowing without demanding immediate results. [31:25]
4. Baptism and teaching are communal Baptism marks belonging, and Jesus entrusts it to his people, not a spiritual elite. Teaching then continues that belonging into obedience, linking doctrine to daily imitation. Formation sticks when truth is modeled as much as it is explained. [32:41]
5. Christ’s promise empowers ordinary mission The command lands on all disciples, and the presence comes with it. Emmanuel at the beginning becomes “I am with you” at the end, bracketing the whole calling with companionship. Sending never means abandonment, which is why ordinary places become holy ground. [41:38]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[24:54] - Matthew and the Commission
[25:28] - Four verbs that send
[25:50] - Defining “go”
[26:57] - Sent in Lutheran liturgy
[28:01] - Worship and doubt together
[28:19] - What a disciple is
[29:42] - Friendship and slow formation
[31:25] - Seeds, watering, God’s growth
[32:41] - Baptism belongs to the church
[33:27] - Teach all nations, ongoing
[34:49] - Model what Jesus does
[35:27] - Archie and Christine’s mission
[40:24] - Nations have come here
[41:38] - Promise of presence to the end

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Matthew 28:19-20 (ESV)
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.

Observation questions

What four verbs does Jesus use in Matthew 28:19-20 to describe the mission of his followers?
The sermon mentions that Jesus’ disciples “worshiped him, but some doubted” (Matthew 28:17). How does this detail shape the way we understand who is called to participate in Jesus’ mission? [28:01]
According to the sermon, what analogy does Paul use in 1 Corinthians 3:6 to explain the roles of disciples and God in spiritual growth? [31:25]

Interpretation questions

Jesus says “go” is the first action in the Great Commission. How does the sermon define “go” in practical terms, and why is movement essential to the gospel? [25:50]
The sermon contrasts “making converts” with “making disciples.” What does it mean for discipleship to be “slow, relational work” rather than a one-time event? [29:42]
Why might Jesus emphasize baptizing and teaching in the Great Commission? How do these two actions work together to create belonging and growth in a community? [32:41]

Application questions

“Go” doesn’t always mean traveling far—it could mean crossing a street or volunteering locally. What is one “ordinary step” you can take this week to intentionally move toward someone who needs to experience God’s love? [40:24]
Discipleship starts with friendship. Who in your life (a coworker, neighbor, or family member) might be open to a deeper relationship where you could model Jesus’ way of life? What would it look like to invest time and patience in them?
The sermon says, “Results belong to God.” When have you felt anxious about the outcome of sharing your faith or serving others? How could trusting God’s timing change your approach to “planting seeds”?
Baptism is described as a communal act, not a “bottleneck.” Have you ever hesitated to talk about baptism with someone? What practical step could you take to help others understand its significance?
Jesus promises, “I am with you always.” How might this truth empower you to step into a situation this month that feels intimidating or beyond your ability?

Sermon Clips

41s

#MissionNextDoor

“I don't know about you, but I imagine when we hear the word the great commission, we think of stories like Archie's. But Jesus didn't tell us all that we have to go to Africa. He could be calling you to Plano, to the clothes closet. He could be calling you to McKinney, to the Samaritan Inn, or the Community Garden Kitchen. Sure, he said all nations, but look around at our community. People, all the nations have already come to us. They are here. We are they now.”

44s

#RelationshipsFirst

“Again not just converts and this is not just an intellectual exercise, it's a way of life that Jesus is expecting them to adopt. Discipleship starts with relationships. First to be friends. Right? Are you more likely to take advice from a friend or from a complete stranger? Probably a friend. Right? So a relationship that getting to know you is part of this discipleship making. You know, someone has said, and I don't know who it was, people will care how much you know when they know how much you care.”

43s

#IntentionalDiscipleship

“Not just converts. He's not asking that. He's asking them to have an intentional relationship with people to show them the ways and the words of Jesus. You know, Jesus spent three years with his disciples. That implies that we are to spend some time, some intentionality. This isn't just a one off thing. It's not a meet and greet. This word to teach or make a disciple, helping someone to progress. Again, it implies some movement progressively learn more and more about the ways of Jesus our whole life long.”

40s

#EmmanuelPromise

“But Jesus thought of that too when he told us, I will be with you to the end of the age. At the beginning of the book of Matthew, Matthew is describing the visit of the angel to Joseph. And you know Joseph is disappointed in Mary and ready to divorce her quietly but the angel comes to him in a dream and says, do not divorce Mary. Her pregnancy is of God and the Holy Spirit. This baby will be born and it will be Emmanuel, God with us.”

41s

#ChurchOnMission

“A continuous action as if it's part of our DNA, something we always do as the church. We are always making disciples. We are always baptizing. We are always teaching. It links evangelism to sustained learning. Prior in our book when he sent them out, he sent them out to cure the sick, cleanse those with skin disease, cast out demons, but he never asked them to teach. This will be new. And he's telling them these new disciples will be from all nations. This is the mission field anywhere you go.”

50s

#CalledToGo

“I know this story envisions a demanding picture of quitting our job and selling everything we own and going off to some remote village, But Jesus didn't say any of that at all. Yes. He said, own all nations and all nations will be involved in that. But today, maybe you just need to go across the street. Jesus directs and commands all of his disciples, not just Peter, James, and John, his inner circle, and not just a select few. We are all called to make disciples. Jesus doesn't give us a choice in this. And we might think we're not qualified. We might think we're not ready.”

54s

#GoWithPurpose

“Jesus is expecting us to get up out the chair and go. That's what he told us to do. Right? So this action, this doing, I thought we could focus on these four verbs in our story today. The first one is go. And I wanna pronounce these well even though you aren't gonna probably go speak Greek to anybody at lunch today. But if you were, you could tell them that go is, Moving from one place to another, coming or going, it implies travel, proceeding, moving to the next step, purposeful, sometimes divine directed motion.”

40s

#AnyoneCanBaptize

“You know, after learning to be disciples of Jesus, you might have someone who's never been baptized. That might sound odd to us in the Lutheran because we baptize as babies, but there are loads of people out there who haven't been baptized. Someone might come to you and say, hey, how do how do we do this? How do we get baptized? Well, here's a secret the Lutheran church probably wouldn't want me to share with you. In Jesus' own words, we are all able to baptize anyone. So you don't have to wait for me. I love to do it, but any disciple can baptize someone.”

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Go, Baptize, Teach: Living the Great Commission

Devotional

Day 1: Sent Out After Being Filled

Day 2: Discipleship Grows in the Soil of Time

Day 3: Baptism as the Church’s Open Hands

Day 4: Teaching That Walks Like Jesus

Day 5: Emmanuel in the Everyday Commission

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Go, Baptize, Teach: Living the Great Commission

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