The Great Commission is the command given by Jesus Christ to His disciples to spread the gospel to all nations, making disciples and teaching them to obey all that He commanded. It is the mission mandate for the church and defines its global responsibility.
This command is recorded in Matthew 28:18–20:
“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ Amen.” (Matthew 28:18–20)
The foundation of this commission is Christ’s authority. He commands because all power in heaven and earth belongs to Him. This is not merely a suggestion, it is the marching order of the risen Lord.
The command involves:
Going: Actively reaching out to the lost.
Making disciples: Not just converts but followers of Jesus.
Baptizing: Identifying new believers publicly with Christ.
Teaching: Instructing believers to live in obedience to Christ’s commands.
Mark’s gospel emphasizes the proclamation of the gospel:
“And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.'” (Mark 16:15)
Luke records Jesus saying:
“And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” (Luke 24:47)
The mission begins at home but extends to the ends of the earth. Acts 1:8 describes the geographic and spiritual scope:
“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
The Great Commission is not complete until the gospel has reached every people group. It is the church’s ongoing responsibility to evangelize, baptize, and disciple in every generation.
“How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14)
This is not the work of missionaries alone but of every believer who is called to be a witness of Christ. It is a sacred duty, driven by love for the Lord and a desire to see souls saved.
“Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men.” (2 Corinthians 5:11)
“For the love of Christ compels us.” (2 Corinthians 5:14)
The Great Commission remains the heartbeat of true Christian ministry: to make Christ known, to make disciples, and to teach them to follow Him in truth and obedience.
