The Great Commission is a term often used to describe Jesus’ final instructions to His disciples. A person’s last words are usually a reflection of their values, priorities, and deepest concerns. For Jesus, His final command—recorded in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke—was a call to global discipleship. While each account differs in phrasing, the core message remains the same.
At the heart of the Great Commission, we find four key actions: Go, Make, Baptize, and Teach.
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
— Matthew 28:19–20
GO: A Call to Engage
Jesus’ command to go is a clear call for His disciples to actively participate in missions and evangelism—whether in their local communities or across cultures. To go means stepping out in faith, boldly seizing opportunities to share the message of salvation with those who have never heard it.
There are countless ways to go—mission trips, community outreaches, school evangelism, prison ministry, digital media evangelism, and neighborhood preaching, among others. Every disciple of Jesus is called to invest their time, skills, talents, and resources in the pursuit of the lost.
MAKE: A Call to Multiply
The command to make disciples of all nations is an intentional, strategic effort to raise others in the faith. Discipleship isn’t passive; it requires commitment and action.
Throughout history, disciple-makers have used various means to spread the gospel—miracles that testify to God’s power (Mark 16:15–17), welfare projects that provide food and clothing, and church planting efforts that establish strong Christian communities. The goal is clear: to proclaim the gospel so that others may follow Jesus.
TEACH: A Call to Strengthen
Christianity is built on truth, and teaching is a core element of the Great Commission. New disciples must be instructed in God’s Word, developing convictions that are rooted in truth rather than shaped by a shifting world.
Disciple-makers carry a great responsibility to train, equip, and nurture believers, helping them grow in faith, moral integrity, and faithful stewardship of their calling. The goal is not just to make converts but to raise mature disciples who, in turn, will disciple others.
The Great Limitation
Despite the clarity and urgency of the Great Commission, a troubling reality remains: nearly half of the world’s population has yet to hear a clear presentation of the gospel.
Why does this Great Limitation exist?
Is it a lack of access to information and data?
Is it a shortage of trained workers?
Is it a financial constraint?
John Piper categorizes disciples into three groups when it comes to the Great Commission:
1. Goers – Those who actively take the gospel to the unreached.
2. Senders – Those who support and enable mission efforts.
3. Disobedient – Those who do neither.
At its core, the Great Limitation is the disobedience of disciples. Many who have received the light of Christ have hidden it instead of sharing it with the world. The reluctance of believers to step out and fulfill their calling is one of the greatest barriers to the gospel reaching every nation.
If you are not going, making, baptizing, or teaching, then you are disobeying.
The time is now for disciples everywhere to rise and respond to the marching orders of our Great King. Will you be a Goer, a Sender, or will you remain disobedient?