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Genesis
John 3:16
Psalm 23
Philippians 4:13
Proverbs 3:5
Romans 8:28
Matthew 5:16
Luke 6:31
Mark 12:30
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by Pinewood Church on Sep 11, 2025
Jesus’ final words to His disciples were not just a farewell, but a commissioning: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.” This assignment was given to ordinary people—some worshipped, some doubted, but all were called. The call to make disciples is not reserved for the spiritually elite or those who feel perfectly equipped; it is for every follower of Jesus, regardless of their doubts, past, or perceived inadequacies. Jesus entrusts His mission to us, inviting us to carry hope to a world in need, reminding us that all we have is all we need when we walk in obedience to His command. [01:08]
Matthew 28:16-20 (ESV)
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.”
Reflection: Who in your daily life—where you live, work, or play—might God be inviting you to intentionally walk alongside and encourage in their journey toward Jesus this week?
Jesus declares that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him, and He releases that authority to us as we go out to fulfill His mission. This authority is not based on our own strength, knowledge, or spiritual resume, but on the victory of Jesus over sin, death, and darkness. When we feel stuck, unqualified, or overwhelmed by our past or present struggles, we are reminded that we do not go in our own name, but in His. The authority of Jesus is the foundation that enables us to step out in faith, break through fear, and bring hope and deliverance to those around us. [15:01]
Acts 1:8 (ESV)
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.
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you have been hesitating to step out in faith because you feel unqualified—and how might remembering Jesus’ authority change your response today?
Many of us allow our doubts, fears, past mistakes, or feelings of inadequacy to become stumbling blocks that keep us from stepping into the assignment Jesus has given us. Instead of standing on the authority and truth of Jesus, we let these obstacles trip us up and keep us from moving forward. But Jesus calls us to turn those stumbling blocks into footstools—stepping over lies and limitations by standing on His promises. When we recognize the authority we carry in Christ, we can move through fear, shame, and uncertainty, and boldly live out our calling to make disciples. [17:46]
Psalm 110:1 (ESV)
The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.”
Reflection: What is one specific lie, fear, or past experience that has become a stumbling block for you—and how can you bring it before Jesus today, asking Him to turn it into a footstool for His purposes?
Jesus doesn’t just give us an assignment; He gives us His presence as our assurance. “I am with you always, to the end of the age” is not just a sentimental promise, but the very fuel for our obedience. His nearness is what gives us hope, confidence, and the courage to step into spaces that feel daunting or overwhelming. We are not alone in our mission—His presence goes before us, qualifies us, and empowers us to love, serve, and disciple others. When we truly believe He is with us, it changes how we see ourselves and the world around us. [33:16]
Isaiah 41:10 (ESV)
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Reflection: In what situation or relationship do you most need to remember that Jesus is with you—and how might that assurance give you courage to take a next step today?
It’s easy to get caught up in doing things for God—serving, leading, going—while neglecting simply being with Him. But true effectiveness in making disciples flows from intimacy with Jesus. When we choose to be with Him, to get honest, to trust, and to rest in His presence, we find the safety and strength we need to obey His call. Our mission is not just about activity, but about relationship—letting our time with Jesus shape our hearts, our trust, and our willingness to go wherever He leads. [36:07]
John 15:4-5 (ESV)
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
Reflection: How can you intentionally create space today to simply be with Jesus—listening, resting, and allowing Him to speak to your heart before you step out to serve others?
Today’s focus is on the profound simplicity and power of the Great Commission in Matthew 28:16-20. Jesus, in his final moments before ascending, entrusted his followers with a world-changing assignment: to go and make disciples of all nations. This call was not given to perfect people, but to worshipers and doubters alike—people just like us, with all our strengths and weaknesses. The beauty of this moment is that Jesus didn’t wait for his disciples to have it all together; he came near to them, offering his presence and authority as the foundation for their mission.
The heart of this calling is not about having the perfect “ingredients” or being fully equipped by our own standards. Just as a cake can be made from whatever is on hand, God uses what we have—our stories, our faith, even our doubts. The authority Jesus gives is not something we earn; it’s a gift, rooted in his victory over death and his dominion over heaven and earth. We are not sent out in our own strength, but in his name, carrying his power and presence wherever we go.
Often, we allow our insecurities, past failures, or lack of resources to become stumbling blocks, forgetting that Jesus’ authority is meant to be our footstool, not our barrier. The enemy’s lies can keep us stuck, but the truth is that we are qualified because Jesus is with us. The assignment to make disciples is not a one-time event or a task for the “super spiritual”—it’s a lifestyle, a posture of going as we live, work, and play. It’s about being present with people, seeing them, loving them, and inviting them into the journey with Jesus.
The assurance Jesus gives—“I am with you always”—is not just sentimental comfort, but the fuel for our obedience. We are not alone in this mission. His presence is our permission badge, our qualifier, and our confidence. The real question is not whether Jesus is with us, but whether we will choose to be with him, to trust him, and to step out in faith. When we do, honesty with God leads to safety, safety leads to trust, and trust propels us into obedience. All we have is all we need, because he is with us.
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.”
His assurance wasn't meant to be sentimental, it was meant to be the fuel for obedience. You know, we can get stuck in sentiments and feelings, right? Like, I'm more of a feeler than I ever have been before... but the reality is that many of us can get... stuck in our feelings, we can get stuck in the in the how do I feel and what feels right for me and this isn't what Jesus is saying right now. He's not just saying I'm with you... it's an assurance, it's supposed to be a fuel to say I am with you, it's the power source behind when we go.
What's been powerful about the Good News series is, I think sometimes we just need to go back to the simplicity of the gospel, the simplicity of what Jesus did for us, and the simplicity that says, not only did Jesus die for us, but we are carriers of the Good News. We are carriers to a world that needs hope and that is lost and that is pleading for answers. And we carry that hope. [00:00:14]
Noriah didn't have the perfect ingredients but she still made something beautiful and isn't that just like us sometimes when we're following Jesus and called to make disciples we go into this journey we look at our lives and we think I don't have enough I don't have what it takes I don't have the tools I'm not equipped you don't know my past and we feel like we don't have all of the resources to bring it together and yet when Jesus gave the Great Commission he wasn't talking to perfect people with all the right ingredients he was speaking to the disciples. [00:06:30]
What's amazing is whether they were standing at the place of worshiping or doubting the same assignment was delivered. He didn't change the assignment. He said okay, he didn't say I need my doubters over here, my worshippers here, my faith gifts here, no. He was talking to the disciples, many in which who had doubted along the entire journey of Jesus and faith, and he was speaking to both of them and he spoke the very same assignment. He said go and make disciples. [00:08:13]
Jesus came near. He came near. He is a near God. He is not far away. He is not out of reach. Jesus came near to them. He didn't say oh because you're doubting, because you have questions, because you're unsure, because you deal with addiction, because you have depression, because you're searching for what a truth is, he doesn't say no, I'm gonna push you aside. No, he says oh, I'm gonna actually come near to you again. [00:09:17]
Nearness is the very thing that gives us hope. Nearness is the very thing that restores. Nearness is the very thing that says yeah, you in the back, nearness is the one that says hey, I see you in the darkness of the night. Nearness says hey, you're not disqualified. Nearness is a qualifier that says I see you. That's exactly what Jesus is doing in this moment. [00:09:58]
Jesus is Lord over the spiritual and physical every day. He doesn't say that I have power and then holds on to it. No, this is a moment of releasing us into his authority, into his power. The front of this passage and in tie together because he says I have the power and authority that trumps it all. He's setting himself up here, he's setting us up. [00:11:16]
The minute he said, turn it down, there was a weight that was carried different in that moment. There was an authority that was carried different in that moment. And Jesus' words after the cross and resurrection carried a different weight and a different authority. The disciples had seen Jesus going and demonstrating his power and authority. He had been teaching about, he had been demonstrating his power and authority. And now he's able to declare a different power and authority. Why? Because now he had defeated the grave. He had defeated the darkness. He had defeated death. And now he's able to stand with all authority, all power, and say, under my authority, there is going to be power. There's going to be deliverance. There's going to be breakthrough. [00:14:01]
We get stuck because we're wrestling through, do I actually have what it takes? Do I actually have time? Do I actually want to do this? I have too much baggage. I have too much church hurt. I have too much that I'm carrying to actually step in to the assignment. And Jesus starts the assignment with, I release and give all authority over heaven and earth. [00:15:12]
For many of us we're just stuck, we're stuck and we're crippled not able to move forward because we have forgotten that when we made Jesus Lord over our lives we carry this same power and authority to go and fulfill the assignment that he gave us. We sit under a banner of Jesus's authority and power. [00:16:07]
Some of you have been making what should be your footstool into your stumbling block. Some of us have been making what should be our footstool, which should be the very thing—it's a very small stool, okay, here we go—the very thing that should actually propel us forward, that should reach us higher in dominion and in power and authority. It's the very thing that we've said, you know what? We said, I don't have time. [00:17:15]
We keep finding areas in our life that say, oh, we just don't have what it takes. I just don't know. The lies that the enemy is coming at us, it's becoming so real in our lives and keeping us in bondage from walking in the assignment because we've forgotten the authority that we carry. And if we recognize the authority that we carry, this is what we do. We say, oh, okay, the lies are coming at me. The recognition that says, I don't know that I have what it takes. And he says, all power is given to you under heaven and earth. [00:18:37]
We have to get unstuck and to get unstuck you got to be in the word. You have to know what truth says about you. You have to know what truth says about the world that we're living in to be able to stand on some type of foundation that says I'm not going to live on a foundation that's wavering and rocky and moving with time but I'm going to stand on a foundation that's been timeless, a foundation that has been true for all time. [00:21:21]
If Jesus has all of this authority, then the question then becomes what does he want us to do with it? He says I have all of this authority and authority isn't mean to just sit on a shelf. Have you ever found yourself walking and living and you just like, like you carry the authority, you like you carry this authority to break through these chains, you carry the authority to love like me, you carry the authority to bring peace into chaos, you carry the authority to break off addictions. Jesus releases this authority and Jesus makes it clear because he says the assignment is to go and make disciples. [00:21:55]
Discipleship doesn't begin when you feel ready, it begins when you take the next step. We like to say at Pinewood all the time we just are here to help you take your next step on the journey. You're fine. Many of you, your final destination will not end here. I don't think mine will either, okay, so we're all in this together. But you are here now. [00:24:22]
We over complicate it with curriculums and we over complicate it with ideas and systems and structures that we just missed the point all along just to be with people. Just to walk with people, get eye to eye with the people that you're doing life with, get eye to eye with people that you work with, ask how they're doing, check in with their heart. [00:25:51]
That's what happens when you come in with the power and authority of peace, when you come in with a power and authority of conviction and confidence because you know who you are. People just tend to overshare because they feel safe with you. [00:26:25]
The assignment can feel very overwhelming, right? The assignment can feel very daunting and overwhelming when we start to look at it and look at our circles of people around us and we get again, we get stuck, we make stumbling blocks to say, well, there's so many people in my life that are needing hope, there's so many people I don't even know where to start. So then we just, we leave our power and authority to the side and we just don't start anywhere. It can feel very overwhelming, but that's why he didn't give us just an assignment, come on, he gave us assurance, he gave us his presence. [00:28:00]
When Jesus says to go and make disciples, he's putting a wristband on our wrist. That is saying, I have qualified you. He says, the qualifier is not that you have what it takes and that you have all of the tools and that you've read through the Bible 50 times and you've been at church since you were a little kid and you've been baptized minimum 10 times, you know, like, there's no, there's not these qualifiers. He just says, go make disciples and I'll be with you. And the qualifier is that he is with us. [00:32:43]
We can't go without the being in his presence. We can't go without the sitting and the yearning and the wrestling and the allowance of the ruptures in our hearts and the pains in our spirit. We can't go and be and stand in the authority without just sitting with him because we get stuck. We get tired. We get critical. We get weary. We get bitter. We get angry. We get frustrated because we're going and nothing's working. [00:34:42]
We've been given that choice to sit and be with Jesus, to be leaned in with him. Jesus is with you. He is with you. The question is, will you be with him? It's a promise. I am with you. Will you choose to be with him? When we choose to be with him, what happens is then we get honest with God. And where there's honesty, there's safety. And when we begin to feel safe with God, now there's trust. And when trust begins to be built, now there's this, I trust you. You see me. You know me. You still qualify me. And now I'm going to go make disciples. Now I'm going to obey. Because trust propels obedience. Propels it. [00:36:07]
No one is disqualified from the call. No one is excused from the call. We are all called. And all assigned and we go with him. [00:37:20]
He's gonna remind you that the authority that you carry is from him and that he's with you. He's gonna remind us that when you're honest there's safety and when there's safety there's trust and he's gonna remind you that all you have is all you need. You need nothing else this morning. All you have is all you need. He is right here. He is with us. [00:38:30]
I get to close out the Good News series today. Have you guys enjoyed the Good News series? Well, some of you, okay, well, I've enjoyed it. Have you enjoyed the Good News series? If you've been in the room, it's been powerful. And what's been powerful about the Good News series is, I think sometimes we just need to go back to the simplicity of the gospel, the simplicity of what Jesus did for us, and the simplicity that says, not only did Jesus die for us, but we are carriers of the Good News. We are carriers to a world that needs hope and that is lost and that is pleading for answers. And we carry that hope. And so I'm excited to close out the Good News series today.
If you have your Bibles, we're gonna be in Matthew, Matthew 28. If you don't have a Bible, we'd love to put a Bible in your hand—any kind of Bible that you want. A Life Application Bible is one of my personal favorites. A study Bible, there's a Leadership Bible. Come on, there's Bibles. There's all sorts of Bibles. We'd love to get one in your hand.
Matthew 28, 16 through 20 says this:
"The 11 disciples traveled to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him, they worshiped, worshiped, but some doubted. Jesus came near and said to them, all authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. 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 everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always to the end of the age."
So this is a marking moment. Parker started this series with Jesus's first words and first assignments. And now we get to close the series with his final words—right before Jesus is ascending into heaven. So he had just died, he resurrected, and now he's about to ascend to sit at the right hand of his Father. And there's a moment that's happening before he leaves—a releasing moment, a moment of assignment.
And it's a moment that everything was shifting. You know, I'm not a college student mom yet, but I can imagine my kids going off to college—I'm going to feel this shift. This shift that they've been with me, they've depended on me, I've walked with them, talked with them, and now they're leaving me. That moment hasn't happened yet, but this is the moment with the disciples. In this moment, Jesus had been walking, talking with them, leading them, shepherding them. They were seeing firsthand the miracles of Jesus, and now he says, "I'm going to go."
And this is where we land in this message. But as he's been walking, as they've been walking and talking and learning from Jesus, he gives this assignment: to go and make disciples. This is the assignment.
So I want to talk to you on this thought today: all I have is all I need. Can you say that with me?
All I have is all I need.
Let's say it one more time:
All I have is all I need.
Will you take a minute and just pray with me?
Jesus, we love you. And as we come into this space, we just want to see you, Jesus. There's a lot of stories that this room represents. And as we show up today, we are desperate for your presence. We're desperate for your peace. We're desperate that your word, as it's opened, will accomplish the purpose for which it is sent. It can speak to the bone and marrow of every single one of us who is in here. So, God, would you do your work today? We entrust this moment to you. And it's in your name. Come on, everyone says, Amen. Amen.
Well, if you were here a couple of weeks ago, we got to celebrate Pinewood's seventh anniversary. And we celebrated—we're still celebrating. Look, there's glitter—I see it. There's glitter. There was confetti. It was a lot of fun. I, since I was a little girl, love a good celebration. And with every good celebration, there's cake, right? So we had a cake. Carson made an amazing cake, and we celebrated. And then a few days later, we got to continue to celebrate with cake because Parker turned 40. Come on, can we honor his life for just a minute? I still have cake. We're still eating cake. And it's just been a lot of fun.
But as any good parent would do, if you enjoy something, you pass it on to your children, right? So since we love cake, we want to teach our kids how to make cake. So Nariah, you know, school is hard, right? Like, you know, I see a lot of the college students in the room—it's draining, okay? For anyone who looks at you and says, "Oh, wait till you get older," no, school is hard, okay? Like, school is very hard. It's draining on our minds and our hearts and our bodies. So one of the ways Nariah likes to come down from school is by cooking. She likes to bake, and she likes to bake her own recipes.
So Nariah comes in a couple of weeks ago, right after school, and shout out Pinewood Youth—that has launched from our house. So where I thought my fridge was empty, now it's very empty. I'm opening the doors to all the youth of the city. And Nariah comes into the kitchen after a long school day, and she's like, "Mom, I just have to bake something." And I'm like, "Okay, well, let's figure it out. Let's see what we have. It's probably not much, but we'll figure this out."
She gets in the cabinets, and you know, there's not chocolate chips, so she naturally grabs Hershey bars—just the bark that you're shaving. We don't have baking soda, and baking soda is, like I learned as a child, a key ingredient to baking any cake or it’s gonna collapse, right? Carson, is that yes? That's how that works. So we're googling substitutions, mixing vinegar and milk to make buttermilk—doing everything we can to help her make this amazing concoction.
She puts all these ingredients together, and somehow, you guys—the Spirit of the Lord is upon her—when she bakes, this cake came out amazing. I had nothing to do with it, but Nariah bakes this cake, and it turns out amazing. And here's the thing: Nariah didn't have the perfect ingredients, but she still made something beautiful.
And isn't that just like us sometimes? When we're following Jesus and called to make disciples, we go into this journey, and we look at our lives and think, "I don't have enough. I don't have what it takes. I don't have the tools. I'm not equipped. You don't know my past," and we feel like we don't have all the resources to bring it together.
Yet, when Jesus gave the Great Commission, he wasn't talking to perfect people with all the right ingredients. He was speaking to the disciples. And this is what it says in Matthew:
"He came near but he came near to those who worshiped and some who doubted. I don't know if that speaks to anyone in the room, but I need this because sometimes I doubt, sometimes I waver. And he says, 'Go.' Why? Because he knew all you have is all you need."
He wasn't questioning the right ingredients in your life. He said, "You could be a worshiper, and maybe we've experienced this—that some days you come in or you're at your house, and you're worshiping Jesus, and the atmosphere shifts, and faith is in the room, and you're going, 'Okay, all things are possible,' and you're experiencing healing, an encounter with Jesus, and faith is lifted. And you're thinking, 'I have the right ingredients. I can go out to my neighbors, I can go to the places I work, I live, I play, and I can make disciples.' And then other days, we waver because we doubt, and we're wavering, and we're just going, 'Okay, the Sundays I wake up, and I wonder, is he really who he says he is? Do I really have all the power that he says has been released to me to go and make disciples?'
But what's amazing is, whether they were standing at the place of worshiping or doubting, the same assignment was delivered. He didn't change the assignment. He said, "Go." He didn't say, "I need my doubters over here, my worshipers here, my faith gifts here." No, he was talking to the disciples, many of whom had doubted along the entire journey of Jesus. And he spoke the very same assignment.
He said, "Go and make disciples."
Matthew 28:18 says this:
"Jesus came near and said to them, 'All authority—someone say all authority—not some, all authority—has been given to me in heaven and on earth.'"
And first of all, can we just point out the intimacy of Jesus here?
I've read this passage since I was a little girl. It honestly anchored me in my life. And as I studied this passage to deliver today, there were just things that shook me and stood out. And this is one of them:
"Jesus came near." He came near. He is a near God. He is not far away. He is not out of reach. Jesus came near to them. He didn't say, "Oh, because you're doubting, because you have questions, because you're unsure, because you deal with addiction, because you have depression, because you're searching for what truth is," he doesn't say, "No, I'm going to push you aside." No. He says, "I'm going to actually come near to you again."
He doesn't separate the doubter and the worshiper. He says, "Oh, there's doubters, there's worshipers," but I'm going to come near. And Jesus came near—that makes a difference that he is near. Why? Because nearness is the very thing that gives us hope. Nearness is the very thing that restores. Nearness is the very thing that says, "Yeah, you in the back." Nearness is the one that says, "Hey, I see you in the darkness of the night." Nearness says, "Hey, you're not disqualified." Nearness is a qualifier that says, "I see you." That's exactly what Jesus is doing in this moment. He's coming in his final words.
Can you imagine? Like, one strong statement—he's like, "I came near. I see the worshipers and doubters," and then he gives a commandment. This is Jesus, right? The greatest leader and disciple maker of all time. In one statement, he's encompassing so many parts of our stories and parts of our lives that we desperately need him to see. He's not a faraway God; he's a near God.
And heaven and earth—this is what he says:
"All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth."
This is a full claim. This is a comprehensive claim. This isn't just what we physically see, but also what we spiritually encounter. And he is now saying, "I carry all authority—over heaven and earth." Jesus is Lord over the spiritual and the physical, every day. He doesn't say, "I have power," and then hold on to it. No. This is a moment of releasing us into his authority, into his power.
The front of this passage ties together because he says, "I have the power and authority that trumps it all." He's setting himself up here. He's setting us up. Just the other day, we're driving in the van—that we like to call our Swagger Wagon. You know, you have to try to make dorky things cool when you're a mom. So we're driving. They're not dorky, okay? If you have a van, that's awesome. Like, it's a season. We need it, okay?
But we're in the minivan, and there's seven of us. And seven of us are getting bigger by the day. Not smaller, bigger. And so the van is getting tighter, okay? The van is not expanding. We're expanding, and we're truly bursting out of it. And many times, we're driving far distances—going to a football game, or driving to school—which is 30 minutes away. And I don't know what happens in tight spaces. I do know what happens: we all feel uncomfortable in tight spaces at some point in our lives. And everything inside of us that we've been holding on to just starts combusting.
So we're in tight spaces, and many parents are like, "Oh, that's what's happening." Yes. And so the kids, you know—they're either tickling and wrestling in a very tight space or singing at the top of their lungs, which we affirm and love over their lives. But many times, I say, "Hey, guys, tight spaces." Meaning, like, this is my kind way of encouraging you—that this is a tight space. We need open space to do the things you're currently doing. Let's chill.
The other day, they're in the van. They're getting rowdy—screaming, tickling, fighting, biting, scratching—you know how it goes. And I'm just like, "Hey, guys, just a reminder: tight spaces." And then I keep going, "Hey, guys, just a reminder: tight spaces." I think I said it four or five times. And finally, Parker's just driving, living in his zone—doesn't have a clue that we're in tight spaces, and the kids are, well, he does have a clue, but he has a way of calming himself.
So I look at him and say, "Can you send a little help here?" And immediately, he goes, "Hey, guys, tight spaces." And there's silence in the van. And I'm like, "Wow, this is amazing. I need this voice more." But the minute he said it, a weight was carried differently in that moment. There was an authority that was carried differently.
And Jesus' words after the cross and resurrection carried a different weight and a different authority. The disciples had seen Jesus demonstrating his power and authority. He had been teaching about it, demonstrating it. And now he's able to declare a different power and authority. Why? Because now he had defeated the grave. He had defeated darkness. He had defeated death. And now he's able to stand with all authority, all power, and say, "Under my authority, there will be power. There will be deliverance. There will be breakthrough."
And before the cross, there was demonstration. But after, there was declaration. This wasn't just a teacher with power; this was a risen king with a crown.
And like, "Jesus, why are we—this is the Great Commission—we're talking about making disciples. Why are we just landing on authority?" Because I believe many of us get stuck here on the authority. We get stuck because we're wrestling through, "Do I actually have what it takes? Do I actually have time? Do I actually want to do this? I have too much baggage. I have too much church hurt. I have too much that I'm carrying to actually step into the assignment."
And Jesus starts the assignment with, "I release and give all authority over heaven and earth." So every realm, every power, every knee has to bow because he holds it all. So when he says, "Go," I don't go in my name; I go in his name. We don't go in our name; we go in his name. Acts 1:8 says this:
"And you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and then you will be my witnesses." He doesn't just say, "Go be a witness." He says, "You will receive my power, and then you will be my witnesses."
For many of us, we're just stuck. We're crippled, unable to move forward because we've forgotten that when we made Jesus Lord of our lives, we carry this same power and authority to fulfill the assignment he gave us. We sit under a banner of Jesus' authority and power.
First Peter 2 talks about us being a royal priesthood—that means, "Hey, under my authority, now you get to carry what I carry." Now that I carry dominion over heaven and earth, guess what? Now you carry dominion over heaven and earth. That means when you speak, there's no hesitation—like my kids hesitating in the van. No, there's immediate response because we carry that same authority.
I have a stool over here I want to use for a minute. There's a verse in Psalms 110:1. I'm going to illustrate this. It says:
"This is the declaration of the Lord to my Lord: Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool."
Some of you have been making what should be your footstool into your stumbling blocks. Some of us have been making what should be our footstool—the very thing that should propel us forward, that should reach us higher in dominion and in power and authority—the very thing we've said, "I don't have time."
So the very thing that should be under us and stomped on because of Jesus' authority is instead becoming a stumbling block. And instead of standing on the power of what Jesus calls us to—authority over darkness and light—it becomes our stumbling block. We say, "You have no idea what addictions I deal with. You have no idea how long I've searched for my inner peace," and we keep finding areas in our lives that say, "Oh, I just don't have what it takes."
I just don't know the lies the enemy is feeding us. It's becoming so real in our lives and keeping us in bondage from walking in the assignment because we've forgotten the authority we carry.
And if we recognize that authority, this is what we do: We say, "Oh, okay, the lies are coming at me." The recognition that says, "I don't know if I have what it takes," and he says, "All power is given to you under heaven and earth." It says, "No, I have fear. If I present this to my neighbors, my coworkers, my friends, they're going to judge me." You don't know the culture and surroundings I’m in. If I present the gospel, if I try to release the assignment over their lives, the lies that come in—"You have no idea"—but it says, "No, there's no power that shall overtake you." Because he says, "For I am not giving you a spirit of fear, but of power and of a sound mind."
And when we stand on that truth, there's peace, there's authority, there's power. And some of us are just stuck because we're stumbling over the very lies: "I don't have what it takes," "You don't know my past," "There's shame, guilt," and we can't even seem to get on top of the footstool because we're seeking everything else around us for that authority instead of Jesus himself.
And Jesus says, "All authority is given to me." He starts the passage this way and ends with, "I will be with you," which tells me, "Oh, you're gonna be with me, then. You're my person." That's gonna give me peace. You're my person. That's gonna when I walk into spaces where I don't feel like I have dominion, you're gonna release dominion. When I walk the streets of Pearl Street and see what's happening, see people needing hope—oh, you're gonna give me dominion over this land because he's been given all authority over heaven and earth.
Okay, that's the authority we get to live in. This is a reality that I think so many of us miss. When we hear, "Go make disciples," we get stuck. We get stuck in the lies. We get stuck thinking, "I don't have what it takes." We get stuck thinking, "I don't have enough resources." We get stuck thinking, "I don't know the Bible well enough." We get stuck in, "And you don't know where I've come from." We get stuck in people making fun of us. We get stuck in not having boldness and courage.
We have to get unstuck. We have to get unstuck. And to do that, you gotta be in the Word. You have to know what truth says about you. You have to know what truth says about the world we're living in—to stand on some kind of foundation that says, "I'm not going to live on a wavering, rocky ground that moves with time. I'm going to stand on a foundation that is timeless, that has been true for all time."
If Jesus has all this authority, then the question becomes: What does he want us to do with it? He says, "I have all of this authority," and authority isn't meant to just sit on a shelf. Have you ever found yourself walking and living, and you just—like, you carry this authority to break chains, to love like Jesus, to bring peace into chaos, to break off addictions? Jesus releases this authority, and he makes it clear because he says, "The assignment is to go and make disciples."
Matthew 28:19 says, "Go therefore and make disciples." Disciples are just learners of Jesus. You're in the room, which tells me you're one step ahead of someone else who's not in the room. You learned something today, or the Spirit's going to speak to you today, and you're going to be one step ahead of someone else who has no idea of the hope of Jesus.
So we are all now—I just release you—that you are qualified and empowered. You are carriers of the Good News. And you have what it takes. I love this because we have a "Go, not Woe" culture here at Pinewood. Meaning, we want you to run with your ideas. We want you to run with vision. We don't want to be pushing you along. We want you to have such crazy ideas that we're like, "Okay, wait, we don't have the budget for that yet. Hold on, we need to reel it back."
We want to fan the flame that is you. And this is what Jesus is saying: "Go." The context in Hebrews says, "As you go." Not just "Go" as in Africa, or India, or unreached people groups—yes, that is part of the journey—but also, "As you go," who are the people you live, work, and play with that need the authority you've been gifted? To be released over their lives so they can learn about Jesus, not just from you, but to go and help others learn about Jesus.
He's not only commanding a one-time event but a lifestyle. Discipleship doesn't begin when you feel ready; it begins when you take the next step. We like to say at Pinewood all the time: we're here to help you take your next step on the journey. You're fine. Many of you, your final destination won't end here—I don't think mine will either. Okay? So we're all in this together.
But you are here now. We tell college students and people transient with jobs: "Hey, if you're here now, be all here. Be all in. Meet people. Connect with people. Go on the journey with people. Make it a lifestyle, a posture, and a mission."
I love Jesus' leadership here because he's making it very clear what the assignment is: "Go make disciples." And in my studying, I just got so stuck. I was like, "Okay, Jesus, you say 'Go.' Where are we going? Tell us where we're going." We want clear direction. We want the aha moments. That was me as a child—I wanted these aha moments of, "I'm gonna go and do and be." And many times, he's just saying, "As you go," to the people around you.
And then I look at this word: "make." Okay, Jesus, you're telling us to make disciples. That's the church's mission throughout history: to unlock this. Okay, make disciples. We've been assigned to make disciples. And the reality is, we overcomplicate it. We overcomplicate it with curriculums, ideas, systems, structures, and we miss the point all along: just be with people. Just walk with people. Get eye to eye with the people you're doing life with. Ask how they're doing. Check in on their hearts.
Just yesterday, we were working out with a guy we work out with often. Afterward, we lingered a little longer, checked in, and asked how he was doing. And he said, "I'm so sorry, I think I just overshared." That's what happens when you come in with the power and authority of peace, conviction, and confidence—because you know who you are. People tend to overshare because they feel safe with you.
He shared that him and his wife are splitting up, and he's going through a hard season. We were able to love him, be right there in the moment, and let him know we're praying for him. And guess what? That's making disciples—that's saying, "Hey, I see your pain, I see your hurt. Can I take you to a place of peace, love, and joy? Can we go on this journey together?"
It doesn't have to be intimidating. And can I just give a quick plug for conference? Because this is our heart: to see a disciple-making movement—one that spreads way beyond these walls. Our heart is that more people in the city encounter Jesus, and it never comes back to us, never comes back to our staff. No one even needs to know who we are, because there's so much multiplication happening in the city—disciples being made—because the people of God believe, "Hey, God could use someone like me, through the Spirit of God and the Word of God, to release others into the hope of Jesus."
And that's what conference is about. We're bringing in speakers and leaders, and all weekend, we're just going to get trained up. Today, we're getting fired up. At conference, we're going to get trained up. That's the heart. And I'm just thankful for his presence and thankful that he goes with us.
The assignment can feel very overwhelming, right? The assignment can feel very daunting when we look at it and see the circles of people around us. And again, we get stuck. We make stumbling blocks—"There are so many people needing hope. I don't even know where to start." So then we leave our power and authority aside, and we just don't start anywhere. It can feel very overwhelming.
But that's why he didn't just give us an assignment—come on—he gave us assurance. He gave us his presence. In Matthew 28, it says:
"Remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
Whoo! He is with us. He is with us. His assurance isn't meant to be sentimental; it's meant to be the fuel for obedience. You know, we can get stuck in sentiments and feelings—like, "I'm more of a feeler than I ever have been before." I'm getting stuck up here. It's fine. Not a stumbling block. Just stuck in my mic. We're moving through it.
But the reality is, many of us can get—now I'm like, "I'm stuck." That's not where we were going. But we can get stuck in our feelings. We can get stuck in the "How do I feel?" and "What feels right for me?" And this isn't what Jesus is saying right now. He's not just saying, "I'm with you." He's not tapping us on the shoulder saying, "It's gonna be okay." Although he is a God who sees, who is with you, who doesn't abandon you. He sits in the heart. He cries with you. He grieves with you. He calls us to that as followers of Jesus.
But in this moment, it's an assurance. It's supposed to be a fuel—say, "I am with you." It's the power source behind when we go. He says, "You don't have to go alone." It should be the very thing that boosts our confidence: "Okay, this isn't about me. This isn't about my story. This isn't about my confidence. This is about what Jesus wants to do through me."
And when I stand in conviction and say, "You know what? He is with me," something wells up inside. We are people who don't want to be alone. We want to know that others see us. We want to be sat with in our griefs, our depressions, our anxieties, our hardships. We need that. And then to go, "Oh, he's with me." I don't have to depend on everyone else around me to be with me. He's with me.
It gives me confidence. It gives me assurance. Have you ever been given that permission badge? I see some of our team today have badges. If you have questions, we have new badges. It says, "Ask me anything" or "I can pray for you." I love that. Because now, if you need to know where the bathroom is, the person with the badge can tell you.
We went to Red Rocks Amphitheater—you guys love Red Rocks, right? It's just beautiful and stunning. It takes us to church there one day. Jesus. And I don't know how we got here, but we had some friends singing worship at Red Rocks. It was a worship night, and they needed a choir. So we got called up.
It was a moment. They asked us to be in this choir at Red Rocks. And of course, we're like, "Sign us up! This sounds like a party of a lifetime." And when we got there, they gave us wristbands and badges. We went into backstage spaces and rooms we should never step foot in—truly, like, "This is a great stage." Okay? Beyond that is just, you know, for the dreams of the Lord. I'm declaring that.
So we go into all these spaces, given wristbands, permission for snacks, goodies, behind-the-scenes access. And the reality is, we should have never been in that space. We should have never had permission to go on the Red Rocks stage in the pouring rain and sing worship to Jesus for three hours with a full-lit, beautiful sunset evening of worshipers. With Jesus.
But we were given that wristband. And many of you have had experiences like that—like, you know, you go to a carnival or a fair, an amusement park, and you need a certain wristband to get on rides, or you need to be a certain height, or you need a qualifier.
And the reality is, when Jesus says to go and make disciples, he's putting a wristband on our wrist. That says: I have qualified you. He says, "The qualifier isn't that you have all the tools, that you've read the Bible fifty times, that you've been in church since you were a kid, that you've been baptized ten times." No. There are no qualifiers. He just says, "Go make disciples, and I will be with you."
And the qualifier is that he is with us. It's the permission badge that lets us walk into spaces way cooler than Red Rocks—into people's lives that are hurting and need Jesus. It's the qualifier that lets us walk in and say, "Under the banner and authority of Jesus," because he's the qualifier.
Many of us know we can be with people but not really with people. You know what I mean? We live in a fast-paced culture where we see people, glance at people, but we don't really see where they are.
I remember as a child, my mission in life was to go for God. Literally. My first email was "goingforhim@gmail.com." That's not a joke. You can still email it. I don't check it, but it's there. And I remember being so stirred up for Jesus that I just had to do something for him. Looking back, I realize that "going for him" became an idol—became the focus, the priority, the mission.
Any "goers for God" out there? It's okay. I'm a goer for God. But we can't go without being in his presence. We can't go without sitting, yearning, wrestling, allowing the ruptures and pains in our hearts. We can't go and stand in authority without just sitting with him. Because we get tired. We get critical. We get weary. We get bitter. We get angry. We get frustrated because we're going and nothing's breaking.
We're going, and there's no change. No peace. No breakthrough. No sense of being equipped. And we're reading the Word, and nothing's coming alive in our spirits because everything is out of this space for God.
And really, he ends this time on earth by saying, "I am with you." I am with you. I am with you. I am with you.
I can say yes to going on a date with Parker, and I can sit in the passenger seat, look out the window, and be completely unengaged. I can go with him but not be with him. I can go on the journey, go on a date, but not engage—just check out.
We've been given that choice—to sit and be with Jesus, to lean in with him. Jesus is with you. He is with you. The question is: Will you be with him?
It's a promise. I am with you. Will you choose to be with him?
When we choose to be with him, then we get honest with God. And where there's honesty, there's safety. And when we begin to feel safe with God, then there's trust. And when trust begins to build, then there's this: "I trust you. You see me. You know me. You still qualify me." And now, I'm going to go make disciples. Now, I'm going to obey. Because trust propels obedience. Propels it.
There's a command and a call. There's an action we're all called to. No one is disqualified from the call. No one is excused from the call. We are all called. And all assigned. And we go with him.
Can you stand with me? We're just going to open our hands today as a posture of surrender. Some of you need to get honest with God today. Some of you need to acknowledge where your stumbling block has left you stumbling instead of being a footstool. Instead of allowing it to be a footstool, you've let it become an obstacle.
Some of you just need to be honest with God—say, "I'm stumbling." Maybe you don't even know where you're stumbling yet. I believe the Spirit can open our hearts and minds today to reveal where we need him. Where he needs to come in and fill spaces that have been dry, broken, burned up. He'll do some repair work. And he's going to remind you: the authority you carry is from him. He's with you.
He'll remind us that when you're honest, there's safety. And when there's safety, there's trust. And he's going to remind you: all you have is all you need. You need nothing else this morning. All you have is all you need. He is right here. He is with us.
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