Good morning, and a blessed Thursday morning to you. Would you please open your Bibles with me for a time of devotions today to the 28th chapter of Matthew. This is one of the great, great chapters of Holy Scripture. I want to focus with you on the last few verses of this, the 28th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew. This is a portion of scripture that I encourage every believer to memorize by heart and to hold it dear.  Let's look at Matthew 28:18-20.

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 and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

This wonderful portion of God's Word, this Great Commission, really gets at our purpose. It's so important for each of us to know what God's purpose is for us.  And God, in his grace, gifts us our purpose.  Let’s break down this portion of the scripture. Verse 18 again, “Jesus came and said to them, All authority”… When you look at that range of authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, it is all-encompassing, isn't it.  We see that he has authority over disease and sickness. We see that he has authority over demons. We see that he has authority over death. We see that he has authority to forgive sin. We see that he has the authority to judge and raise the dead. Jesus’ authority is absolutely all encompassing. So this one who has all-encompassing power, this all-encompassing right, this all-encompassing authority says, “All authority in heaven and on Earth has been given to me. Go therefore”... Interestingly, in the Greek this actually can be translated “having gone”. It's the assumption that one has already gone.  

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.” The word “disciples” is an important word for us to understand. Disciples are understood as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. It’s conveyed as if it's a sole aspect or identity, that one is a believer.  Well if Jesus wanted to use disciples in this way, as simply meaning "believ, well then he would have used a different word.  Or disciples can be understood as a learner. But if Jesus simply wanted to focus on discipleship as being a learner of him, he would have used a different word. This word “disciple” combines believer and learner together. So what is a disciple? A disciple is one who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, and one who continually learns from the Lord Jesus through the study of his Word.

“All authority in heaven and on Earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.” And how are disciples made? “baptizing them.” At baptism the Lord Jesus Christ creates faith in the littlest among us. Or God can bring an older person to faith, and then lead them to the waters of baptism. I think of the great passage in Galatians 3:26-27

26 for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. 27 As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

Colossians 2:12

When you were buried with him in baptism, you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. 

So how are disciples made? Disciples are made at the baptismal font, as God comes with his gracious gifts. 

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and the son and of the Holy Spirit.” Notice in whose name we are baptized… the Triune God…we’re baptized in the name of the father Son and Holy Spirit. That speaks of God's commitment to us. “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 that I have commanded you.” 

Colossians 3:16

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; 

Go.  Make. Baptize. Teach. There's our purposes! May this purpose form our days, May it guide us. May it consume us, and give us direction for all of our days.  What a gracious God we worship. For he puts an end to the search of our purpose,  and he gives us the purpose to make disciples, to spread the glorious news of Christ crucified and risen for the salvation of the world.  

And notice the ending promise… “And remember, I am with you always to the end of the age.” Purpose and empowerment!  What an incredible gift!

Let's pray:  Thank you Lord for this time in your word. Your word is truth. Thank you for this, the Great Commission. Thank you for gifting us with purpose. Thank you for empowering that purpose, in Jesus’ strong and holy name we pray.

May God bless you this week as you live out your purpose. Encourage someone!

Pastor Eibel