The Great Commission (Part 2)
2 incredibly simple steps to reach the world
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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, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.
Matt. 28:19-20 (ESV)
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When it comes to evangelism — that is, sharing the gospel of Jesus with others — I want to focus on two main instructions here.
1. Go
Some translations render this “as you are going,” because it’s not as strong a verb in the Greek as “make disciples.” Instead of functioning as an imperative command, this word “go” is more of clarifying how you accomplish the task of making disciples.
Thus, as you are going through your life, keep your eyes open for opportunities to make disciples.
Rarely does something I want to happen just fall in my lap. More often I have to look for it, work for it, in order to accomplish whatever it is.
The same with going through life.
2. Baptize
The instructions here are for what we do with those who confess their new faith in Christ as savior and Lord. We baptize them into the family, under the authority of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Of course we can only find them if we’re going through life with intent.
But evangelism is only the first step in the commission to make disciples.
There’s another step, which we’ll look at tomorrow.
— Ricky Ketchum
Copyright © 2025 by Ricky Ketchum. All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication prohibited.
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Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from the ESV®Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright© 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NKJV) are from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
