Guided Study · Foundations
The Great Commission for Every Disciple
Receiving Jesus’ authority, mission, command, and promised presence
Begin here
Disciple-making is not a special interest for unusually gifted Christians. The risen Jesus sends His people to make disciples, and every believer can participate faithfully under His authority and with His presence.
Read Matthew 28:16–20. Notice who speaks, what authority He possesses, the central command, the actions that accompany it, and the promise that sustains the mission.
What does God say?
The risen King sends His disciples
Jesus gives the commission after His resurrection and grounds it in His universal authority. The mission belongs to Him before it belongs to us.
The central command is to make disciples of all nations. Going, baptizing, and teaching describe the movement of that mission as people are brought to allegiance to the Triune God and taught to obey everything Jesus commanded.
How does Jesus’ authority give both urgency and confidence to disciple-making?
What parts of the commission are lost when disciple-making is reduced only to a decision, class, or transfer of information?
What does it mean?
Disciple-making aims at obedient followers
A disciple learns from Jesus in order to become like Him. Paul therefore labored to proclaim Christ, admonish, teach, and present people mature in Christ.
Disciple-making includes evangelism but does not end there. It helps people know Christ, receive Scripture, practice obedience, belong to the church, serve, and eventually help others follow Him.
Have you thought of disciple-making mainly as sharing information or as helping a whole person follow Jesus?
Which part of another believer’s growth could you faithfully support without pretending to provide everything he needs?
How should I live?
Begin with one person and one faithful step
Andrew brought Simon to Jesus, and Philip invited Nathanael to come and see. Ordinary invitations can become part of God’s work in a person’s life.
Pray for one person, listen to his story, speak naturally about Christ, invite him to read a Gospel, and connect him with the worship and care of a faithful local church.
Who can I help?
Depend upon Christ’s presence
Jesus does not send His people alone. The Holy Spirit empowers believers to bear witness to Christ, and the risen Lord promises His presence to the end of the age.
Confidence rests neither in personality nor technique. Pray, prepare, speak truthfully, love patiently, and trust God with the response.
Faithful response
Take the next step.
Write down the name of one person you can pray for and encourage toward Christ.
Choose one concrete invitation: a conversation, a Gospel reading, a church gathering, or a meeting with a mature believer.
Ask your church how you can participate in its evangelism and disciple-making ministry.
Help another man
Pass it on.
Keep Jesus and His gospel central rather than building dependence upon your personality.
Help him take one faithful next step without forcing a timetable or claiming control over spiritual results.
Connect every disciple-making relationship to the doctrine, worship, care, ordinances, leadership, and mission of the local church.
Continue the journey
Begin Helping Someone Follow Christ
Begin disciple-making with prayer, the gospel, an open Bible, an honest relationship, and a willingness to walk faithfully with one person.