We wake each morning with questions that go deeper than our schedules: Where do I belong? What difference does my life make? Matthew’s closing scene speaks precisely to those longings — a risen Lord who claims authority and, rather than retreating to heaven alone, sends people out with a purpose and his presence. If you’ve ever felt small in a big world, this passage both unsettles and steadies you: you’re commissioned, and you’re not sent alone.
In Matthew 28:16–20 we find the eleven disciples on a mountain in Galilee where Jesus had told them to meet him. Some worshiped and some still doubted, but Jesus stood and declared that all authority in heaven and on earth had been given to him. He commanded them to go, make disciples of all nations, baptize them in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey everything he commanded — and then promised, “I am with you always, to the end of the age.” This mountain-setting and the explicit Trinitarian formula are unique to Matthew. Mark and Luke (with Acts) give related commissions — Mark’s disputed ending urges preaching and signs, Luke/Acts emphasizes being witnesses to the ends of the earth — while John records commissioning themes (being sent, shepherding) without this specific mountain scene.
This passage reveals Jesus as both King and Companion: he carries sovereign authority and extends a delegating, risky love to fragile people. The weight here is enormous — we’re not merely invited to believe privately but to form disciples, teach obedience, cross cultural boundaries, and baptize in the name that binds us to the triune God. That’s demanding. And it’s grace-filled: the mission is doable precisely because it’s carried by the One whose authority holds history and who promises his abiding presence. Don’t rush past the tension — the call costs, the promise sustains.
Today, live this in a small, concrete way. Pick one person you can intentionally invest in this week — a neighbor, coworker, family member. Invite them for coffee, listen to their story, share briefly how Jesus has been real for you, and ask if you can pray for them. Pair that courage with dependence: before you go, pray simply, “Jesus, go with me,” and trust his presence to shape the conversation. That’s discipleship starting where you are.
In Matthew 28:16–20 we find the eleven disciples on a mountain in Galilee where Jesus had told them to meet him. Some worshiped and some still doubted, but Jesus stood and declared that all authority in heaven and on earth had been given to him. He commanded them to go, make disciples of all nations, baptize them in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey everything he commanded — and then promised, “I am with you always, to the end of the age.” This mountain-setting and the explicit Trinitarian formula are unique to Matthew. Mark and Luke (with Acts) give related commissions — Mark’s disputed ending urges preaching and signs, Luke/Acts emphasizes being witnesses to the ends of the earth — while John records commissioning themes (being sent, shepherding) without this specific mountain scene.
This passage reveals Jesus as both King and Companion: he carries sovereign authority and extends a delegating, risky love to fragile people. The weight here is enormous — we’re not merely invited to believe privately but to form disciples, teach obedience, cross cultural boundaries, and baptize in the name that binds us to the triune God. That’s demanding. And it’s grace-filled: the mission is doable precisely because it’s carried by the One whose authority holds history and who promises his abiding presence. Don’t rush past the tension — the call costs, the promise sustains.
Today, live this in a small, concrete way. Pick one person you can intentionally invest in this week — a neighbor, coworker, family member. Invite them for coffee, listen to their story, share briefly how Jesus has been real for you, and ask if you can pray for them. Pair that courage with dependence: before you go, pray simply, “Jesus, go with me,” and trust his presence to shape the conversation. That’s discipleship starting where you are.
Matthew: 28:16-20
After meeting the risen Jesus in Galilee, the disciples are given his authority and commissioned to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them and teaching obedience to his commands. Jesus closes by promising his continual presence with them always, to the end of the age.
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