Disciples Making Disciples

Living with Purpose in the Mission of Christ

“And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to keep all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’”
— Matthew 28:18–20, LSB

Living with Purpose

Every believer longs for purpose. Deep down, we want to know our lives count for something greater than just getting through the day. We want to live with meaning—something that echoes beyond our lifetime.

And the truth is, Jesus has already given that purpose to every one of His followers. He did not save us to sit still; He saved us to be sent. He gave us a mission that transcends culture, career, and circumstance:

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations.”

This isn’t a suggestion for the spiritually mature or a task reserved for those in ministry. It’s a calling for every disciple. Wherever God has placed you—your home, your job, your neighborhood—that’s your mission field.

But here’s the good news: you don’t go in your own strength. You go in His. The One who calls you also empowers you. The One who sends you also goes with you.

The Authority That Sends Us

Before Jesus said, “Go,” He said, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.”

Those words are not baseless—they are the foundation. Everything in the Great Commission hinges on the authority of Christ.

Paul said in Colossians 1:16–17, “All things have been created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” That means there’s no place, no person, no power beyond His reach.

When you speak the gospel, you do so under that authority. When you open your mouth to share Christ, you are not standing on shaky ground—you are standing on the Rock. On the Word and power of the risen King.

And that changes everything.

“Christ didn’t say, ‘Go, if you feel ready.’ He said, ‘Go,’ because He is ready.”

Many believers hesitate to share their faith out of fear—fear of rejection, fear of not knowing enough, fear of failure. But remember this: Christ didn’t say, “Go, if you feel ready.” He said, “Go,” because He is ready. He holds all authority. He is Lord over heaven and earth. And He has chosen to work through His people to reach the world.

That truth gives us courage. As Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and self-discipline.”

When you live and speak under Christ’s authority, you walk in power—not arrogance, but confidence in Him. It’s not about self-assurance; it’s about Christ-assurance.

The Mission That Defines Us

“The Great Commission is global in scope, and it begins right where you are.”

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations.”

That phrase defines what the church is meant to be—a movement of disciple-makers, not merely churchgoers.

A disciple is someone who learns from Jesus, loves like Jesus, and lives for Jesus. To make disciples is to invest in others so that they grow to do the same.

The Great Commission is global in scope—“of all the nations”—and it begins right where you are. It starts with the people in your circle of influence: your family, your coworkers, your classmates, your neighbors.

In Acts 1:8, Jesus told His followers, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the end of the earth.”

Notice the order: Jerusalem first—right where they lived. Our mission begins at home, but it doesn’t stop there. It moves outward through relationships, through prayer, and through the Spirit’s power.

And what makes disciple-making so beautiful is its multiplication. Paul told Timothy, “The things which you have heard from me… entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:2).

That’s spiritual reproduction—believers investing in others who invest in others. This is how the gospel grows and generations are reached. You may never stand on a stage, but your quiet faithfulness could ripple through eternity.

The Method That Shapes Us

Jesus said, “Baptizing them… teaching them to keep all that I commanded you.”

That’s the method of disciple-making—conversion and formation.

Baptism marks a new beginning. It’s an outward sign of an inward change, a public declaration of allegiance to Christ. Romans 6:4 says, “We were buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead… we too might walk in newness of life.”

But the mission doesn’t stop at the water. Jesus calls us to teach obedience—to form lives that reflect His character and truth.

Discipleship is not just about knowing what Jesus said; it’s about doing what Jesus said. As James reminds us, “Prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves” (James 1:22).

“When we teach others to follow Christ, we’re not transferring information; we’re modeling transformation.”

True discipleship happens when believers walk side by side—learning together, applying truth, and holding one another accountable. It’s not a classroom program; it’s a life shared.

When we teach others to follow Christ, we’re not transferring information; we’re modeling transformation.

The Presence That Strengthens Us

Jesus closed His command with a promise: “And behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

We are never alone in this mission.

Christ’s presence is the anchor of our courage and the source of our strength. Through the Holy Spirit, He dwells in us, empowering every act of obedience, every word of truth, every step of faith.

Hebrews 13:5–6 reminds us of His enduring promise:

“I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,”
so that we confidently say,
“The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid.
What will man do to me?”

That promise should settle our hearts. There is not a single moment of your life when Jesus is absent.

When you speak His name, He is there.
When you stand for truth, He is there.
When you are rejected for His sake, He is still there.

His presence gives us peace in fear, endurance in suffering, and courage in witness.

Living with Confidence in Christ

To live with purpose is to live in the mission of Christ. But to live with confidence is to understand that mission begins and ends with Him.

He holds the authority.
He provides the power.
He secures the outcome.

Our role is simply to obey and trust. We sow the seed—He brings the growth.

“the Great Commission was first entrusted to ordinary men and women who simply took Jesus at His word.”

Too often we hold back because we underestimate what God can accomplish through ordinary people. Yet the Great Commission was first entrusted to ordinary men and women who simply took Jesus at His word.

The early church didn’t have buildings, budgets, or social media. But they had something far greater—the Spirit of the living God. And with that power, they turned the world upside down (Acts 17:6).

You and I have the same Spirit. We serve the same risen Lord. We carry the same unstoppable gospel.

Your Calling, Your Commission

So what does it mean for you today?

It means your purpose is not unclear. You have been commissioned by Christ Himself to represent Him in this world. Whether you’re leading a business, raising children, or sitting in a classroom—your life is meant to reflect His glory and make His name known.

It might look like praying with a friend who’s struggling. It might mean opening your home for a small group. It might mean sharing your testimony with a coworker or mentoring a new believer.

Whatever form it takes, disciple-making is not a task to add to your list—it’s the mission that gives meaning to everything else you do.

A Prayer for This Week

Lord Jesus, thank You for calling me into Your mission. Thank You for giving all authority and for sending me with Your presence and power.
Give me courage to go where You send me and grace to speak Your name with love.
Help me see those around me through Your eyes.
Use me to make disciples who follow You with all their hearts.
And remind me daily that I do not go alone—You are with me always.
Amen.

Next Step

This week, memorize Matthew 28:19a — “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations.”

Pray it daily. Ask God to put one person on your heart whom you can begin to invest in.

Remember: The call to make disciples is not a burden—it’s a privilege.

You are part of God’s eternal story. Step into it with confidence in Christ, and watch what He will do through you.

Next in This Series

Up Next: The Foundation of the Disciple

Every disciple needs a firm foundation to stand on. In the next post, we’ll explore how to build your life on the unshakable truth of God’s Word, cultivate habits that anchor your faith, and develop a spiritual discipline that sustains you in the mission of Christ.

“A disciple without a foundation is like a house built on sand. Let’s learn to build on the rock that is Christ.”

Stay tuned, and prepare to take the next step in living with purpose and intentionality as a disciple-maker.