“Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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, 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 28:18-20)
If you or I were writing the final chapter of Jesus’s earthly ministry, we might end it with fireworks. Trumpets. A sweet victory lap through Jerusalem. Or perhaps a display of raw power that would silence every skeptic and seal His legacy.
Instead, Jesus gathers a ragtag group of Galilean disciples — doubters, deniers and fishermen — and hands them “all authority in heaven and on earth” … to go.
It’s like wait — what?
Let that sink in: Jesus has all authority. And His first move isn’t to dominate or overthrow. It’s to delegate. To commission. To entrust the global movement of the Kingdom not to the powerful or the polished — but to the ordinary.
That’s counterintuitive.
It goes against everything our culture trains us to expect. In our world, authority is about control, dominance, hierarchy. The one with authority gets things done through others — while remaining at the top. But in the Kingdom of God, authority flows downward and outward. Jesus flips the script.
This passage — often called the Great Commission — isn’t just a job description. It’s a window into the upside-down logic of the Kingdom. Jesus is saying:
“Because I have all authority, you now go.”
But let’s not forget who He’s speaking to. These aren’t generals or religious scholars. They’re blue-collar, doubting, impulsive, sometimes fearful followers. And yet, Jesus looks at this unlikely crew and essentially says, “You are my plan. Now go change the world.”
We often assume God uses the strong; the educated; the experienced; the charismatic. But again and again in Scripture, we see the opposite:
Jesus doesn’t recruit based on resumes. He sends out the willing. He empowers the faithful.
Jesus once compared the Kingdom to a mustard seed. The tiniest of all seeds, He said, but when planted, it becomes the largest garden plant. (Matthew 13:31–32) That’s how the Gospel spreads — not in grand, showy ways, but through simple obedience and everyday faithfulness.
There’s an old story about a missionary who served for decades in a small African village. He didn’t start a mega-church. He never published a book. He just lived among the people, shared Christ and discipled a handful of locals. Years later, those few became pastors and leaders across an entire region. One of them would later say, “He came and lived like we lived. He made us believe Jesus could be for people like us.”
That’s the power of the Gospel — from the inside out. Not coercive. Not flashy. Just faithful.
What Jesus offers in Matthew 28 isn’t just a mission. It’s a new way to see ourselves.
He says to you, “Because I have authority, you don’t have to. Just go. Make disciples. Teach what I taught. I’ll be with you.”
That’s freeing. Because it means your job isn’t to be impressive. Your job is to be available. The Great Commission wasn’t meant for spiritual superheroes — it was meant for all believers. Including the ones with doubts. The ones with past mistakes. The ones who feel like they’re barely hanging on.
God doesn’t call the equipped. He equips the called.
Living in this counterintuitive truth is so much better than the world’s way.
The world tells us: “Make your mark. Build your platform. Prove your worth.”
Jesus says: “Lay it down. Carry your cross. Go to others.”
The world is driven by “how”: How do I get ahead? How do I win? How do I gain influence?
But the Gospel is concerned with “why”: Why am I here? Why does God care about people like me? Why would He send me?
And the answer? Because that’s who He is. Love that moves toward others. Grace that stoops low. A Savior who embodies truth in the flesh — and then sends His people out to do the same.
We are a sent people, not just to do, but to be — to be light, to be salt, to be a living preview of a Kingdom where the last are first, the meek inherit the earth and the weak are made strong.
You don’t need a pulpit or a passport to live out the Great Commission. You just need to say yes to Jesus where you are.
Are you a barista? Love your coworkers and show integrity in how you serve.
Are you a student? Let your classmates see a different way of living — one marked by humility and hope.
Are you a parent? Your home is one of the most powerful disciple-making arenas on earth.
Being sent doesn’t always mean going far. It means living like Jesus right where you are. His authority fuels our going. His presence sustains us on the way.
So ask yourself today: Who around me needs to see the Kingdom? Who can I pray for, serve, invite, or simply love with intentionality?
You may feel ordinary. But in the hands of the King, ordinary becomes sacred.
Because His authority + your availability = life-changing impact.
Now go.
He’s with you. Always.
If you’ve turned in a resume for a job in the last few years, you had to both ask and answer this question: What are they looking for in a good employee? Consider today’s devotion, and Acts 4:13 to answer this question: What qualifications is God looking for in me?
What makes the mission statement of the Kingdom of God counterintuitive to the way both the world and the world’s religions think?