Good morning, and a blessed Thursday morning to you!

Would you open your Bibles, please, to the 28th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew? Matthew, chapter 28. For our time in God's Word today, let's pick up at verse 18.

“And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, 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 passage of Holy Scripture is called the Great Commission. It takes place after the cross of our Lord, after His resurrection, and before His ascension.

It's the marching orders for the Church. It gives us our call.

Jesus is clear that we are to go and make disciples of all nations. And notice what's associated with making a disciple: baptism.

There in baptism, God takes the victory won through the cross and the empty tomb and washes us in those promises.

And so, a disciple is made in the waters of baptism.

As we live out our lives of discipleship, the Bible tells us there are six marks of living as a disciple. We are to pray. We are to worship weekly. We are to study the Bible. We are to witness to others. We are to be in relationships that encourage spiritual growth. And we are to be faithful stewards of our time, talent, and treasure as disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We have an incredible message to share—that glorious Gospel! Jesus has paid for our sins on the cross. His tomb is empty. And He wants to spend forever with us!

I want to commend to you the mission video that has been sent out to the congregation. Thanks to Steve Burke, our Director of Social Media and Ministry, for putting this together.

https://youtu.be/0Cil5B0cbIA  This is the link where you access this wonderful mission video. It provides a visual summary of the missions, ministries, and missionaries with whom we're partnered in 2026.

It's a wonderful, wonderful tool that brings together the incredible outreach of this congregation as we live out our lives as disciples.

It's also an opportunity, as you watch the video, to give thanks to God for how He's using this congregation. We can pray for the various ministries and for the people involved in them.

And so, I commend the video to you. Take a look at it and use it as part of your devotion time today. Give thanks to God, because our call is clear: to go forward and make disciples.

Let's pray.

Gracious Heavenly Father, we give You thanks for this time in Your Word. Your Word is truth. We give You thanks, O Lord, for the call to make disciples. Empower us continually, O Lord, to be faithful to that call.

In Jesus' strong and holy name we pray. Amen.

God bless you today. Encourage someone.

Pastor Eibel