Go and Make Disciples

This article has been adapted from a full sermon titled “Making Disciples” based on Matthew 28:18-20.

Last words matter. If you’ve ever been with someone you love at the end of a conversation, dropping them off at college, saying goodbye before a trip, or finishing a meaningful moment, you know this instinctively. You lean in a little closer. You listen more carefully. You don’t want to miss what comes last.

If we’re being honest, “go and make disciples” can feel overwhelming. It can sound like something meant for people who are more confident, more outgoing, or more spiritually mature. But Jesus wasn’t speaking to experts. He was talking to ordinary followers who were still learning what it meant to trust Him.

Matthew 28:18 captures Jesus’ final words before He ascends to heaven. And they aren’t complicated. They aren’t abstract. They are clear, direct, and deeply intentional.

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…”

This is not a suggestion. It isn’t reserved for pastors, missionaries, or people who feel “qualified.” It’s a commission for every follower of Jesus.

Sometimes we treat discipleship like an optional add-on to the Christian life, something extra for people who want to go deeper. But Jesus didn’t frame it that way. He gave one clear mission: make disciples.

Not converts.

Not church attenders.

Not people who simply know the right answers.

Disciples are people who are learning to follow Jesus with their whole lives. And the beauty of this command is that Jesus doesn’t just tell us what to do, He tells us how.

Before Jesus says, “go,” He reminds His followers of something essential:

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”

Discipleship doesn’t start with activity; it starts with abiding in Christ. You cannot lead someone where you yourself are not going. You cannot pass on something you are not actively receiving. That is why personal time with Jesus Christ, reading scripture, praying, listening, and being shaped, matters immensely.

A simple example of this is journaling through scripture. Not to check a box, but to actually sit with God’s Word. Writing down what stands out. Asking questions. Letting the Spirit speak. It’s often in these quiet and ordinary moments where hearts soften and transformation begins. It’s not about doing it perfectly. It’s about showing up consistently and letting Jesus shape you before you try to lead someone else.

Discipleship is not flashy. Most of the time, it looks like conversations over a cup of coffee, prayers in the car, reading Scripture together, and walking with someone through the joys and hardships of life. It’s more like passing a baton than delivering a lecture.

Someone invested in you. Someone prayed for you. Someone showed you what it looks like to follow Jesus in real life. And now, whether you realize it or not, you’re holding the baton. The question isn’t if you’re influencing others, it’s how.

Jesus says to teach disciples to obey everything He commanded. That’s important. He doesn’t say “teach them to know” or “teach them to agree,” but to obey. Obedience is not about perfection; it’s about direction.

Obedience is about learning how to trust Jesus with your decisions, relationships, time, habits, and your future. And that kind of learning happens best in a community, where people can ask questions and grow together.

Jesus ends the Great Commission with a promise that changes everything:

“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

We often focus on the command and forget the comfort that comes. The call to make disciples isn’t something we’re expected to accomplish in our own strength. Jesus goes with us, continually empowering and sustaining us every step of the way. You won’t have all the answers. You just have to be willing.

Discipleship doesn’t have to start big. It often starts with one. One person you pray for. One person you invite to read scripture with you. One person you intentionally encourage in their walk with Jesus.

May we never lose sight of what matters most. The mission Jesus gave us is still the mission today. You may feel ordinary, but ordinary faithfulness in the hands of an extraordinary God changes lives.

So go, make disciples, and trust that He is with you every step of the way.

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