Mat 28:16-18 16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
We may think we have come to the end of Matthew’s gospel, but according to Matthew, this is not the end; it is the beginning of a new book. His whole gospel is the foundation for this section. Every chapter and every verse he wrote was intended to bring us here. This is so very important; if you miss the message from this section of verses 16-20, you have missed the primary message of the Gospel of Matthew.
This is called the beginning of the Great Commission. A “commission” is “an authoritative command.” This Commission is the foundation of all the missionary work of the church, from the earliest days after Pentecost until now. All the missionary work that spread the light of the gospel to a dark world and made the world new came from this command. The wonder of wonders is that it started with eleven ordinary, fearful men 2,000 years ago. Today, it is the biggest religion in the world with 2.4 billion people—31% of the world are at least namesake Christians. It started with eleven poor men taking this command seriously and going out to preach the gospel of Christ. The Lord revealed His power through them, and their witness impacted the world so much that even their enemies accused them of “turning the world upside down” (Acts 17:6).
That was then, but if you look at today, I realized while preparing this that our whole generation—including us—has gone astray from this message. We have gone astray so much that what was given as The Great Commission has turned into The Great Omission. When something is “omitted,” it is “left out, undone, or neglected.” Today’s church, instead of taking the Gospel to the ends of the earth as the Lord commanded, is so powerless it cannot even take the Gospel to the end of the street. Aren’t we also like that? What is wrong with us? Generally, 95% of all Christians have never won a soul to Christ. Is that accurate for our church? Not even 1% of people are involved in the ministry of evangelism. Are we going to live such superficial Christian lives all our days?
I am saying this not to make us feel guilty or sad, but to help us realize something is wrong and how we can correct it. We have to ask why the Holy Spirit is not working in our church as He did in the New Testament church and what we are doing to grieve Him. Only when we know our sin and our need and turn from it will the Holy Spirit give us grace and power to do the work. As we meditate on this passage in a fresh way today, my prayer is that God may transform each of our minds and hearts so we also become like the 1st-century church—not only a local church but a Great Commission church that powerfully fulfills this great command.
Oh, these verses are so important. For two thousand years, these words have been read, memorized, and deeply pondered; the Holy Spirit used them to transform Christians into world-changers. Because what Jesus said to His disciples that day was perhaps the most important thing He ever said to them. He gave many commands, but this is called the Great Commission. Why is this the most important thing? Let me give three reasons:
- Last words are important. When a loved one dies, one of our questions is: “Did he or she have any last words?” We all realize that the last words people say represent what is closest to their hearts. So, these words are important because they are the last words of Jesus Christ recorded in Matthew’s gospel.
- Our primary task. These words are important because the Lord has already accomplished complete redemption for us; we don’t have to do anything for our salvation. For a church filled with saved people full of gratitude, these words tell us what our primary task should be in the long period between His first coming and His second coming.
- Universal application. These words are important because they apply without exception to all Christians at all times, in all places, and in every possible situation. Four times He uses “all” or some form of the word “all.” Notice verse 18: “All authority has been given to me.” Verse 19: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations.” Verse 20: “Teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you and surely I will be with you always.” That’s very clear, isn’t it? All authority, all nations, everything I taught, always. The words of Jesus Christ have permanent, enduring, and universal validity for you and for me.
We will look at Matthew 28:16-20 under four headings:
- The Place, Persons, and Situation of the Great Commission
- The Great Claim
- The Great Commission
- The Great Promise
Today, we will cover only the first two.
1. The Place, Persons, and Situation
The Place: Verse 16 clearly tells us it was in Galilee, on a mountain Jesus appointed for them. Remember, the angel said He would meet them in Galilee, and then the Lord Himself appeared and commanded them to come. Why the mountain? On mountain heights, heaven and earth seem to meet. Here, the glorified Savior speaks of His authority in heaven and earth with the vast expanse of sky above Him and the great panorama of earth spread beneath. Jesus stands in exaltation and glory to announce this Great Commission. It was an apt stage to make this announcement. Not only His words, but the place itself would make a deep and lasting impression on the minds of the disciples.
The Persons: To whom was it first given? Matthew clearly states the eleven. Judas, as we know, loved money, perished, and went to hell, missing this highest privilege. This glorious commission was primarily given to the eleven, but from other Bible passages, we understand there were around 500 people present (1 Corinthians 15:6). Imagine that sunny day in Palestine. If you had a drone view, you would see a big crowd gathered—people from different places and lifestyles: fishermen, farmers, tax collectors, and former sinners, all transformed by grace. They came in obedience to the risen Lord’s command.
The Situation: Verse 17 says, “When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.” As they waited on top of the mountain, suddenly, He was there. Seeing Him, they bowed down and worshiped Him. Worship is the natural response to knowing Christ as the risen Savior and the Master of Death. They prostrated themselves in adoring worship that those Jews would only give to a deity.
The end of verse 17 says “some doubted.” This refers to a few who experienced temporary doubt. It likely wasn’t the eleven, as the Lord had already removed their doubts earlier. This was not the “settled unbelief” of Thomas, but a state of uncertainty. Because the Lord appeared suddenly and perhaps at a distance, some were not immediately sure it was Him. This shows the transparent honesty of the biblical writer. If men were trying to build a false story about a resurrection, they wouldn’t mention that people doubted at the climax unless it was true. It shows how overwhelming and unexpected the resurrection was for them.
2. The Great Claim
Verse 18: “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.'”
Oh, what a claim! Grasping this truth is what changed their lives and made them change the world. This is the Magna Carta of the Christian church. This is the authority and right the church received from her Lord. When a church understands this, it gains the boldness needed to preach the gospel without fear.
Notice that before the Lord speaks of duties, He wants us to focus all our attention upon Himself. He makes the most staggering, mind-boggling claim: All authority. The Greek word is exousia, meaning the right and power to do anything. It is unlimited.
In Heaven: Christ says He has all authority in heaven. He decides what each man gets in this life; He decides birth, death, and eternal destiny. He is the Commander-in-Chief of countless angels. Every planet, every comet, and every galaxy is controlled by Christ. He has authority over Satan and all demons.
On Earth: The risen Christ has more authority than any Prime Minister, President, or the United Nations. If you gathered all the authority of all the governments and armies of the world and put them on a scale against the authority of Christ, they would be as light as air. He has authority over all nations, all industries, all finances, and all nature—from hurricanes to the molecular structure of an atom. He has authority over every virus and every beat of the human heart.
This is what the New Testament means in Philippians 2:9-11, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow. He alone is worthy to administer the will of God in human history. He says to the disciples: “Before you understand the command I give you, first pay attention to me—to who I am and what I possess as the risen Lord: unlimited cosmic authority.”
Application
Today, we often focus on the challenges of preaching the gospel. We ask ourselves: What is it that robs us of our boldness? On one hand, we face opposition from ancient religious traditions and government restrictions like anti-conversion laws. On the other hand, we face intense religious opposition from various faiths. More than that, we hesitate for selfish, silly reasons: we fear being mocked, we claim we don’t have time, or we feel we lack the right contacts.
Think of the disciples. Could there be any group more religiously zealous than the first-century Jews? The disciples had to preach that the very Jesus whom the people had crucified was their Messiah. Furthermore, the authorities—the entire Sanhedrin—had plotted with soldiers to spread the official lie that the disciples stole the body. This was national news! How could they even go out in public? Before they could even open their mouths, the minds of the people were poisoned.
Then there were the Romans. How could the disciples tell them that the man their governor, Pilate, had executed was the true God? How could they stand against the grandeur of the Roman Empire, its wealth, and the worship of Caesar? Locally and internationally, the hindrances were staggering. Whether they faced the ancient cultures of Egypt, the brilliant philosophers of Greece, or the teeming masses of India, the obstacles were immense. They faced religious, educational, financial, and cultural borders—all overseen by the blinding power of the devil.
Against all that, whom did the Lord send? Eleven uneducated men and a small group of 500 followers, some of whom were still doubting. If ever there was a “mission impossible,” this was it. How could eleven men possibly disciple all nations? Left to their own strength, they would have sat on that mountain with their heads in their hands, overwhelmed.
The Answer: The Great Claim
The answer is found in Christ’s claim: “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.”
Notice how Jesus does it. He doesn’t begin by pointing to the wretched condition of the world or the frightening power of the devil. Before He gives a command, He directs their gaze toward Himself. It is as if He takes them to the mountain, switches off all the lights of the world, and puts a floodlight upon His own person. He says, “Behold Me.”
When the Holy Spirit enlightens your mind to see His authority—His right to rule—your perspective changes. Just like an opera theatre where the house lights go dark and the spotlight hits the lead actor, the Lord wants our eyes focused solely on Him. Because He has all authority, His mission cannot fail. His message survived Rome, Greece, and Egypt, and it will survive today because no power on earth is greater than the power of Jesus Christ.
Why the Holy Spirit Withholds Power
We have the same call today, but are we faithful? We have more facilities and knowledge than the early church, yet we often lack their power. Why? Because we have a wrong idea of the church. We view it through a selfish lens. We are satisfied just to be “saved” and think our only responsibility is to attend a service when it is convenient. We “play church” while the world goes to hell.
To become a Great Commission church, we must return to three basic prerequisites: Come, Worship, and Obey.
1. Come (Availability)
Jesus told the disciples to meet Him in Galilee, and they were there. The greatest ability is availability. It doesn’t matter how talented you are if you aren’t present. Those who were available received the privilege of the Commission.
In Acts 2:42, the church continued “steadfastly.” They were committed to being together. Today, many treat church attendance as optional or negotiable. We grieve the Holy Spirit when we forsake the assembly. YouTube is not the church; Christ promised to be where two or three are gathered. Are you available for the Lord, or are you too busy with trivia?
2. Worship
The disciples didn’t just show up; they worshiped. When you come to church, do you come with a prepared, grateful, and prayerful heart? Reaching a lost world requires a heart saturated with worship. When you worship, the Holy Spirit enlightens your mind to see the glory of Christ, which in turn gives you the boldness of a lion.
3. Obey
Only a heart that “comes” and “worships” is prepared to “obey.” The early church changed the world because their commitment was unshakable. Everything else paled in significance compared to Christ.
A Warning to the Unbeliever
For those who have not yet believed: The risen Christ has absolute authority over your life, whether you acknowledge it or not. He has authority over your past, your future, your family, your body, and your thoughts. He is God.
To rebel against the highest authority is the highest crime—high treason against Heaven. If you resist His claim and turn to “silly idols” for satisfaction, you will eventually face the judgment of this supreme authority. On that day, there will be no appeals. Your current indifference will appear as infinite foolishness.
Do not commit eternal suicide by ignoring Him. His authority is the very reason you should follow Him—because He cannot fail. Sin, death, and hell cannot defeat Him. Trust Him today.