Go and Tell the World

“And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” — Matthew 28:20

After He rose from the dead, Jesus appeared to His followers many times over forty days. He showed them that He was really alive, in many different ways. Once He even appeared to more than five hundred people at the same time (1 Corinthians 15:6). And He talked with them about the kingdom of God.

One day the eleven disciples went to a mountain in Galilee, where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw Jesus, they worshipped Him. But some of them still weren’t sure.

Then Jesus came to them and said:

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. So go and make disciples of all nations. Baptise them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. And teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Jesus was giving His followers the most important job in the world.

“All authority in heaven and on earth” means that Jesus is in charge of everything. He is King over everything.

“Make disciples of all nations” means: go everywhere, to every country, to every people, and help people to follow Jesus. Do you remember God’s very first promise to Abraham, that all the families of the earth would be blessed through him? Now it was going to come true. The good news about Jesus was for the whole world.

“Baptise them” means that people who believe in Jesus are baptised, as a sign that they belong to Him.

“Teach them to obey” means helping them to live the way Jesus taught: loving God and loving other people.

And then the most wonderful promise of all: “I am with you always.” Jesus wasn’t sending His friends out on their own. He would be with them every day, wherever they went, until the end of time.

Those eleven men were just ordinary people, mostly fishermen. They weren’t rich or powerful. And they were being asked to tell the whole world about Jesus!

But they did. And the people they told told other people, who told other people, all over the world, for two thousand years. And that is how the good news about Jesus has come to you.

That job hasn’t finished yet. Jesus still says to His followers, “Go and make disciples.” And He still says, “I am with you always.”

Read it in your Bible: Matthew 28:16–20

Dear Jesus, thank you that the good news about you is for the whole world. Thank you that you are with me always. Please help me to tell other people about you. Amen.