"Go and Make Disciples": Living the Great Commission of King Jesus
- Pr Enos Mwakalindile
- Jul 1
- 7 min read
A Study Guide on the Life, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ
🌿 The Great Commission's Incitement
In a world of violence and confusion, the voice of the risen King rings out as a call for peace:
"All authority has been given to me... Go..."
In these words, we hear the heartbeat of God to the world – a call to heal, teach, and make all people disciples of Jesus.
What does it mean to proclaim the Kingdom of God in a modern world of globalization, spiritual apostasy, and divided religious systems? The Great Commission motivates us not only to preach, but to live the story of God among all nations.
🚨 The Challenge of the Great Commission: History, Conflicts, and the Violence of Faith
Having seen Christ's universal and gracious invitation, we should also look honestly at how this Commandment has been received, implemented, or ignored in the history of the Church and in the present reality.
Although Jesus commanded with absolute authority, the history of the Church shows the dilemma of carrying out this mission. In the 15th and 16th centuries, during the spread of Christianity through European colonization in Africa, Asia, and South America, some missions were accompanied by colonialism and imperialism. For example, the spread of Spanish Christianity in South America was accompanied by the oppression of indigenous cultures. The gospel was colored with the colors of Western civilization, leading some to see Christianity as an instrument of colonization.
Similarly, in the 20th century, some churches focused on personal spiritual success ignored the responsibility for social justice, a situation reflected in the silence of many European churches during apartheid in South Africa or the Civil Rights Movement in the United States.
Even in the Bible, we see this pattern. Israel was called to be a light to the nations (Isa. 49:6), but they often separated themselves from the nations, thinking they were superior. Similarly, when the apostles were persecuted after the death of Stephen (Acts 8:1–4), they were forced to spread the gospel to more nations, demonstrating that sometimes challenges motivate obedience to the Great Commission.
In our generation, the Church faces new challenges: the rise of unique religions and teachings like Islam, Buddhism, and even postmodern secularism; technology that intoxicates morality; and intellectual skepticism that belittles the true claims of the Gospel. For example, Gen Z prefers love and inclusion to unique claims of truth – how do we respond to this with humility without diminishing the authority of Christ? How do we teach God’s love without softening the tensions of his Kingdom that demand life transformation?
⚡ Visionary Tension: Is Mission Preaching, Acting or Living?
In today’s world of the Church of Christ, debates about the meaning of mission have grown in intensity and depth. Is mission simply preaching from the pulpit or is it living a daily life that bears witness to the Gospel? Should we focus our efforts on individual salvation or on bringing about social change? These debates have had a profound impact on how churches, missionary organizations, and individual believers understand and carry out the Great Commission.
In the 21st century, interpretations of missions have diverged:
📍 Mission as Personal Salvation: Some emphasize personal conversion, making mission an individual experience between oneself and God. A historical example is the missionary revival of the 18th–19th centuries represented by men like Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield, where the emphasis was placed on individual repentance and spiritual rebirth. The key scripture for this view is John 3:3, where Jesus tells Nicodemus: “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” For them, mission is to draw individuals to Jesus through preaching and personal witness, as Philip preached to the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26–40).
📍 Mission as Social Redemption: Some see mission as simply social justice – engaging in systemic change. This view is reflected in the work of people like Martin Luther King Jr., who saw that the Gospel is not enough without bringing about social change. Supported by scriptures like Micah 6:8 – “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” – they saw mission as engaging in bringing about justice, opposing discrimination, and lifting up the downtrodden. In this view, mission is about addressing oppressive systems and bringing about social redemption in the name of Christ.
But Jesus never separated these. He preached heartfelt repentance and also reached out to the marginalized. He forgave sinners (Luke 7:48) and healed the sick (Mark 1:41). He taught grace, and he denounced the hypocrisy of the religious leaders (Matthew 23).
🌈 Jesus' Answer: Discipleship as a Way to Participate in the Kingdom of God
In the midst of a heated debate about the meaning of mission, we need the light that comes from Christ himself – who not only taught mission, but lived it as mission. The solution to this tension is not found by choosing one side, but by looking anew at the life and teachings of Jesus as a model of mission that is balanced, compassionate, authoritative, and reveals the Kingdom of God.
Jesus didn't just give us commands – he also gave us his Presence: "And I am with you..." (Matt. 28:20). So the mission is:
📖 1. Proclaiming the Gospel by Word and Deeds
Just as Jesus invited his first disciples to come and see (John 1:39), we too need to welcome people into the life of the Kingdom of God – not with empty words but with visible and tangible testimony.
Jesus preached the Gospel of repentance and forgiveness but also confirmed his message with signs of mercy and healing. Therefore, proclaiming the Gospel today means demonstrating Christ's victory over sin and death by living a life of courage and hope (Acts 4:31).
He taught that His people would be known by their love (John 13:35), so as James emphasizes, we need to live lives of justice and mercy that reflect a living Faith (Jas. 2:14–17).
🔥 2. Be Witnesses by the Power of the Spirit
Jesus himself began his ministry in the power of the Spirit (Luke 4:1, 14) and gave his disciples the promise of the Holy Spirit as the power for witnessing (Matt. 28:18–20).
Just as the apostles received boldness to witness on the day of Pentecost (Acts 1:8), today's mission needs Spirit-filled believers who will not be intimidated by circumstances but will witness in love and truth.
The example of Stephen shows how a Spirit-filled testimony can turn into a final sacrifice of faithfulness (Acts 7:55–60) – he was Christlike to the end.
🌍 3. Local and International Missions
Jesus fed thousands, touched lepers, and spoke to disrespected women—breaking social and ethnic boundaries. He commanded us to follow that pattern as we go to “all nations” (Matt. 28:19).
Just as He taught with the parable of the Good Samaritan that a neighbor is anyone in need (Luke 10:25–37), we are invited to look to our neighbors as part of our daily mission – at school, at work, or at home (Col. 3:17).
The Apostle Paul preached publicly and also built house churches (Acts 16:13–15), showing that mission involves extensive travel as well as close, daily presence.
⛪ 4. Discipleship Community
Jesus did not call the disciples to be independent followers, but a new family learning together, as he taught that whoever does the will of the Father is his brother (Mark 3:35).
The early church was a place of prayer, fellowship, and sharing – a living example of the Kingdom (Acts 2:42–47).
Paul encouraged believers to be one body with different members but working together for the building up of the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:12–27; Eph. 4:15–16), meaning mission is a collective work, not an individual one.
🛤️ "Go and Make Disciples": A Daily Response to Mission
After seeing the broad picture of mission as exemplified by Jesus and the early church, these steps provide us with a practical way to live that mission with daily faithfulness and consistency.
✅ Welcome people into your life – open your home as part of a mission.
✅ Learn to tell the Gospel story – as a narrative of hope, not just as a system of rules.
✅ Pray for your neighbors and nations – engage in evangelism near and far.
✅ Serve faithfully at work and at home – wherever you are, you are in the mission field.
✅ Live as a disciple before making others disciples – the greatest testimony is real life.
🙋 Reflect on Your Response to Jesus' Call
These questions are intended to stimulate inner reflection and collective discussion in study groups, family devotions, or community discussions. Use them as a guide to examine your heart and discover your opportunities to participate in God's mission.
💭 How does the Great Commission address the notion that missions is only the work of pastors?
💭 How can we re-understand discipleship as a life process and not a one-time event?
💭 In your current situation, how are you called to participate in God's mission?
🙌 Royal Blessing: Fulfilling the Call of Jesus
Go now in the power of the Holy Spirit. Testifying with your words and your lives that Jesus is Lord. Partnering with the family of God in making the Kingdom of God manifest in the world. And the grace of the Lord Jesus, the love of God the Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you always. Amen.
💬 Invitation to Responses
Which one has touched you the most? Where are you on the journey of the Great Commission? Share your thoughts below or write in your prayer journal: "Today, I answer the Great Commission by..."
📚 Annotated Bibliography
NT Wright, Simply Jesus – Provides a deep understanding of Jesus’ authority as King and the meaning of the Kingdom of God, an essential foundation for understanding mission as sharing in the work of the Kingdom.
Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages – This book presents Jesus as the great example of a missionary, who lived in selfless love, speaking and acting for the lost.
Richard Bauckham, Jesus and the Eyewitnesses – Provides historical evidence for the Gospel testimony and how they witnessed the life of Jesus, the basis for boldly proclaiming the Gospel.
David Bosch, Transforming Mission – Engages in a historical and philosophical discussion of various interpretations of mission, a great help in understanding today's tensions over mission.
Tim Keller, Center Church – Explores contemporary urban evangelism, the relevance of the Gospel to diverse communities and cultures, and how to connect personal salvation with social justice.
BibleProject: Gospel of the Kingdom (video) – Provides a visual overview of the teachings of the Kingdom of God in the Bible, ideal for community and youth teaching.
Richard Rice, The Reign of God – A detailed explanation of the doctrine of the Kingdom of God from an Adventist perspective, providing a doctrinal contribution to the study of missions.
Matthew Thiessen, Jesus and the Forces of Death – Explores how Jesus’ ministry was aimed at liberating people from the powers of darkness and death, and bringing about divine life – a key concept of the perfect mission.
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