Go...

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 28:16

1. Then Jesus came to them and said, INITIATOR OF MISSION
2. “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. POWER OF MISSION
3. Therefore go DIRECTION OF MISSION
4. and make disciples - OBJECTIVE OF MISSION
5. of all nations, EXTENT OF MISSION
6. baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, INITIATION OF MISSION
7. and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. OBEDIENCE OF MISSION
8. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” PROMISE OF MISSION

I have spent some time recently looking at this statement of Jesus and considering the implications for us in the 21st century. Various questions and thoughts have arisen, which include the following:

• I must presume that I need also to 'obey everything Jesus has commanded'
• Obedience requires teaching 
• Teaching is by disciples who have gone
• The command is made to disciples not to a disciple
• How many of the commands of Jesus are to do with what to believe compared to how to act?
• Is it possible to be a disciple of Jesus if we are not going and making disciples?
• Was this command meant for just the apostles or to all disciples of Jesus? 
• Is it reasonable to understand the verse in this way? Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, BY 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
• What are the 'everything' commands of Jesus?
• Don't try to teach others until I am doing this myself
• Surely the early disciples would have understood that this very command of Jesus was one of the commands that should be taught to the nations. This would therefore mean that all disciples should: go, make disciples, baptise, teach
  
  
  Challenging thoughts and huge possible implications