Mt 28:16-20  The Great Commission

Go to all nations (including our own; beginning where we are). “In Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” A girl returning home from Sunday School expressed disappointment with the classes’ reaction after the day’s lesson. “We were taught to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations,” she said, “but we just sat.” Jesus says, “Go.”

Make – a fuss, a mess, mistakes, faces, chocolate disappear. Make disciples. Very definite. Caught any fish, influenced. Jesus says, “Go and make disciples of all nations.”

Baptise – in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. We picture babies being brought by Christian parents. But picture the roughest family in your neighbourhood.

Baptism is making a public profession of faith in God.

And it is throwing in your lot with rest of Christ’s followers. Because ‘there is no way of belonging to Christ except by belonging gladly and irrevocably to that marvellous and extraordinary ragbag of saints and fatheads who make up the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.’ Jesus says, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

Teach – That’s what Jesus did, when he went to church, into the mountains, round people’s houses, he taught. But it is a practical kind of teaching. The purpose is not simply to know, but to obey. Jesus says, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptising 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.”

It’s a big ask. But the Great Commission was not given to supermen, or spiritual giants. It was given to people like us, an ordinary bunch of failure-prone learners (v17, some doubted). Do you think they felt ready? Do you think think they felt up to the job? Do you think they always got it right? Someone once criticised a Christian evangelist about his methods. “OK, then,” he replied, “how do you evangelise?” “Well, I don’t.” “In that case, I prefer the way I evangelise badly to the way you don’t evangelise at all.”

It’s a long journey. But every journey begins with the first step. Let it be known that you are a Christian

It’s a big project. What is 750,000 miles long, reaches around the earth 30 times, and grows 20 miles longer each day? Answer: The line of people who are without Christ. But notes the ‘alls’. Jesus has all authority; he sends his followers to all nations; disciples are to be taught to obey all that he has commanded; his presence is assured all of the time.

We’re not alone. “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

He is with us, to pardon and forgive, to comfort and to empower, to defend and protect, to lead and guide, in sorrow and in joy, in sickness and in health, in life and in death, in time and in eternity.