Daily Devotional

In Matthew 28:19 our Lord gave us the Great Commission saying “Go and make disciples.” At this point the disciples had been following Jesus for three years, listening to Him teach the multitudes about the kingdom, and watching Him heal the sick, raise the dead and cast out demons. They even participated in His ministry. But things are about to change. Jesus is coming up to the time when He is going to ascend into heaven. And He’s going to leave the work of evangelizing the world to His disciples. So these are some of Jesus’ final words.

The Greek verb translated go is actually not a command but a present participle (going). So what Jesus is saying is, “While you are going, make disciples of all the nations.” Translated this way, we get the full picture of what Jesus is telling us to do. He’s saying “Make disciples wherever you go.”

This command is not just for the eleven disciples standing there, it’s for anyone who follows Jesus all the way up to today. The focus of this commission is reproducing in others what Jesus is producing in you: faith, obedience, growth, authority, compassion, love, and speaking the truth boldly. We are called to be learners who produce more learners.

Far too many Christians look at the Great Commission and think, “That’s for pastors, or that’s for people who have the gift of evangelism, or that’s for those who have been a Christian a long time, that’s not for me.” But that’s not true. This is for all Christ-followers.

So, what about you? Are you making disciples “while you are going”? While you are going out to the mailbox, do you say hi to a non-Christian neighbor and start developing a friendship? While you are going to have lunch in the break room at work, are you getting to know a non-Christian co-worker? While you are going to the same 7-11 at the same time each morning to get a cup of coffee, are you getting to know the non-Christian staff on that shift, getting to know their names, and having meaningful conversations about things that matter? Are you praying for opportunities to share the gospel…while you are going?

Once I understood the Great Commission as “While you are going, make disciples”, it took the pressure off. Now evangelism is on my mind with every person I meet throughout my day. Introducing myself, being kind, helping out, and setting the stage for a conversation at that time, or possibly in the future, about the most important message I could ever share with them, the good news of Jesus Christ.

While you are going, make disciples.