CROSS TO COMMISSION | Therefore Go | Matthew 28:16-20

Devotional

Day 1: Finding Ultimate Meaning in God’s Redemptive Mission

Life finds its highest meaning and purpose not in earthly pursuits but in connecting to God’s eternal mission. This mission is the apex of all human activity, transcending every temporal cause. It is the work of God to redeem a humanity separated from Him by sin. Any life aligned with this redemptive purpose discovers its true significance and calling. [06:22]

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: What is one activity or pursuit in your life that currently feels meaningful, and how could you intentionally connect it to the mission of making disciples?

Day 2: Obeying Christ’s Call Even When You Don’t Understand

Following Jesus often requires obedience that defies human logic and understanding. The disciples were instructed to travel a great distance without a full explanation, yet they chose to trust and go. This demonstrates a faith that acts on God’s word even when the path is unclear. We are called to trust the Savior even when we cannot trace His reasoning. Such obedience is the bedrock of a life lived in faith. [12:35]

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. (Matthew 28:16, ESV)

Reflection: Where is God currently asking you to take a step of obedience that doesn't fully make sense to you, and what is one practical way you can act on that this week?

Day 3: Worshiping Through Doubt and Struggle

A genuine relationship with God allows for worship that coexists with human doubt and struggle. The disciples all worshiped Jesus upon seeing Him, yet some still wrestled with uncertainty in their hearts. This reveals that faith is not the absence of questions but a commitment to worship in the midst of them. God does not condemn us for our doubts but meets us in them, seeing the person we are becoming. [15:37]

And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. (Matthew 28:17, ESV)

Reflection: What is an area of doubt or struggle you are currently facing in your faith, and how can you bring that honestly into your worship this week?

Day 4: Living in the Authority of the Risen Christ

The resurrected Jesus holds all authority in heaven and on earth, a truth that fundamentally changes how we live and pray. This authority is complete, leaving no room for any rival power. Because He reigns supreme, we can pray with confidence, live with boldness, and confront darkness without fear. Our identity is rooted in the power of the One who is with us. [23:31]

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

Reflection: How might praying and living from a place of Christ’s complete authority change the way you approach a specific challenge or relationship in your life right now?

Day 5: Embracing the Mission to Make Disciples

The central command for every follower of Jesus is to participate in making disciples. This is not a suggestion for a select few but the primary mission for the entire church. It involves evangelism, baptism, teaching, and fostering obedience to all Christ commanded. This mission gives our lives eternal purpose and aligns us with God’s redemptive work in the world. [34:56]

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. (Matthew 28:19–20a, ESV)

Reflection: What is one tangible, next step you can take to move from being a passive church attender to an active participant in the mission of making disciples?

Sermon Summary

The closing verses of Matthew 28 present the church’s highest calling: the redemptive mission to reclaim a lost humanity. The resurrection secures that mission—death has been conquered and all authority in heaven and earth belongs to Christ—so the task now moves from a local ministry in Galilee to a global mandate. The commission issues a single imperative: make disciples of all nations. That command reorients life from temporal pursuits to eternal purpose, insisting that salvation is the beginning of a lifelong apprenticeship in Christ, not a cultural affiliation or attendance pattern.

The narrative preserves raw human reality: worship and doubt coexist among the eleven who meet on the Galilean mountain, showing that faithfulness does not require flawless certainty. The risen Lord addresses the whole group, including the doubting, and entrusts them with responsibility rather than excusing them. Authority and grace converge: Jesus exercises universal authority, and that authority empowers ordinary, imperfect people to advance the gospel.

Discipleship unfolds through concrete practices. Evangelism initiates the process; baptism publicly identifies new apprentices with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; teaching grounds them in doctrine; and mutual accountability cultivates obedience to “all that” Christ commanded. Community, correction, service, and sustained investment produce measurable spiritual growth over time—fruit that proves a life is following Christ rather than merely performing religious rituals.

Urgency frames the commission: people continue to die apart from Christ, so the church must prioritize making disciples above every other activity. The promise “I am with you always” accompanies the commission, assuring persistent presence and enabling obedience in weakness and opposition. Financial stewardship, prayer life, speech, and daily rhythms must reflect commitment to this mission. When life submits to the work of making disciples, identity and meaning align with the redemptive movement of God, and personal purpose finds its fullest expression in participation in the kingdom’s advance.

Key Takeaways

1. Meaning found in God’s mission A life that ties its primary aim to the redemptive work of God gains a durable, transcendent purpose that outlasts careers, status, and fleeting causes. Committing to the global labor of reconciliation reorders priorities, so choices about time, money, and relationships serve eternity rather than temporary applause. This reorientation makes ordinary tasks significant because they support the spread of the gospel and the making of apprentices of Christ. [06:22]
2. Worship can coexist with doubt Presence before the risen Lord and lingering uncertainty can sit side by side; wholehearted devotion does not require perfect certainty. Acknowledging doubt honestly prevents performance-driven religiosity and opens space for grace to strengthen conviction over time. Leadership and community should receive doubters without exile, shepherding them toward obedience rather than demanding immediate assurance. [15:05]
3. Christ possesses all authority Universal authority over heaven and earth secures the mission and limits spiritual adversaries; ultimate power rests with the risen King. This reality reframes spiritual strategy: prayer and proclamation operate from authority, not fear, and trials function under divine sovereignty rather than chaotic defeat. Confidence in Christ’s rule enables bold ministry and measured spiritual warfare rooted in obedience, not imagination. [20:29]
4. Make disciples of all nations The command centers the church’s activity around forming committed apprentices of Christ across every people group, not merely accumulating converts or church attendees. Disciple-making requires evangelism, baptism, teaching, community, correction, and time—an apprenticeship that transforms character and action. Every ministry and budget should be evaluated by its fruit in producing obedient followers of Jesus among all nations. [36:04]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:32] - Digital family and invitation
[03:18] - Text: Matthew 28:16–20
[09:04] - The apex: mission unveiled
[11:43] - Journey to Galilee: obedience
[15:05] - Worship amid doubt
[20:29] - All authority declared
[34:16] - The Great Commission framed
[36:04] - Make disciples: method and mandate
[49:06] - Promise: "I am with you"
[56:13] - Altar call and response

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 two contrasting responses did the disciples have when they saw the risen Jesus on the mountain?
What specific authority did Jesus claim before giving the command to His followers?
What are the four action steps Jesus includes in the commission to make disciples?

Interpretation questions

Why is it significant that Jesus addressed the entire group—both those who worshiped and those who doubted—with the same commission? [21:06]
How does Jesus having “all authority” change the way we view obstacles, spiritual warfare, and the mission itself? [23:31]
Jesus didn’t say “make converts” or “make church members” but “make disciples.” What’s the difference between those ideas? [41:06]

Application questions

Jesus includes those who doubt in His mission. How can you be honest about your own doubts or struggles while still stepping out in obedience to what He’s called you to do? [17:52]
If making disciples is the central mission Jesus gave every believer, how does that reshape your priorities—like how you spend your time, money, and emotional energy? [39:27]
What’s one practical way you can participate in “making disciples” this week—whether through evangelism, baptism, teaching, or helping another believer grow? [42:57]
Jesus promised, “I am with you always.” How does His presence change the way you face fear, opposition, or feelings of inadequacy in fulfilling His mission? [50:01]
Where in your life right now—neighborhood, workplace, family—do you sense God opening a door for you to engage more intentionally in disciple-making?
How can you better support your church’s efforts to make disciples locally and globally through prayer, giving, or serving? [52:05]

Sermon Clips

45s

#SaveSoulsNow

“Look at me, family. Right now as I'm talking to you before tonight ends, people will die in hospice, and people will die in the street. Rich men will die before the night is over, and poor men will die be and they will wake up in eternal damnation. All around the world, people are dying in record numbers, and they're entering hell faster than people are being saved. This is the mission God has given us, the mission of redemption, to try to redeem as many people as possible before time has run out. Now I'm asking you a question. If people are dying and going to hell every day, what are we doing in the earth that's more important than the great commission of Christ? Here is the answer, nothing.”

45s

#BeyondConversion

“There is nothing you and I are doing that is more important than aiding in the redemptive work to make disciples. And your Christian life has to be given over to the work of helping to make disciples. If the church is not doing that, then our lives are pointless. And since this is the highest mission of Christ given to the church, we should know or we should be asking what is a disciple and how were they made. Notice the Lord didn't say make converts. So salvation is just the beginning but not the end. Notice he didn't say make church goers. Notice he didn't say make church members.”

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CROSS TO COMMISSION | Therefore Go | Matthew 28:16-20 | Philip Anthony Mitchell