December 26: Go

Scripture
Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go 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 I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
-Matthew 28:16-20

When Jesus met His disciples on the mountain after the resurrection, His final words were not sentimental or reflective. They were purposeful. He reminded them that all authority in heaven and on earth had been given to Him. Nothing was outside His rule, nothing beyond His control. And on the basis of that authority, He gave them a mission. Because He rules and reigns, they were to go.

The command to make disciples carried deep meaning for those who first heard it. These were not casual followers. They were students of a Rabbi who had invited them into every part of His life. They had watched how He treated the broken, how He moved toward the outcast, how He spoke truth without crushing the weak. To make disciples was not to create copies of themselves, but to invite others into the same way of life they had learned from Jesus.

That is why the Great Commission is not simply about belief, but about formation. Faith in Christ is the starting line, not the finish line. The gospel brings forgiveness, adoption, and new life, but it also calls us into transformation. Dallas Willard captured this well when he wrote, “Discipleship is the process of becoming who Jesus would be if He were you.”¹ Following Jesus means allowing His life, character, and way of being to take shape in us, so that others encounter Him through how we live.

And in case the task felt overwhelming, Jesus closed with a promise. He would not send them out alone. “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” The same Lord who has all authority also offers His abiding presence. As we go, as we love, as we teach, and as we follow, we do so with confidence, not in ourselves, but in the One who goes with us every step of the way.

Reflection
1. How are you currently responding to Jesus’ invitation to follow Him, not just in what you believe, but in how you live and love each day?

2. In what ways might Jesus be calling you to grow as a disciple so that others can encounter Him through your words and actions?

3. Where is Jesus inviting you to trust His promise to be with you as you step into obedience, even when it feels uncomfortable or uncertain?

Prayer
Ask God to deepen your desire to follow Jesus as a true disciple, not only in belief but in daily obedience. Invite the Spirit to shape your life so that the character and compassion of Christ are increasingly evident through you.

Footnote
¹ Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life in God (San Francisco: HarperOne, 1998), 254.