April 12, 2026 -You Promised: I Am with You -Matthew 28:16-20
Matthew 28:16-20 (the Great Commission) records Jesus meeting his disciples on a Galilean mountain, where he declares his universal authority. He commands them to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Trinity and teaching them his commandments, while promising his presence until the end of the age.
Key Elements of the Passage:
- The Meeting (v. 16-17): The eleven disciples meet Jesus in Galilee; while they worship him, some still express doubt.
- The Authority (v. 18): Jesus declares that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to him.
- The Command (v. 19-20a):The core instruction is to “make disciples” of all nations—not just converts, but followers who learn to obey his teachings. This includes baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
- The Promise (v. 20b): Jesus assures his followers that he will be with them always, even to the end of the age, empowering them for this mission.
- This passage acts as the climax of Matthew’s Gospel, shifting from Jesus’s earthly ministry to a worldwide, ongoing mission for the church.
Matthew 28:16-20
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Commissioning of the Disciples
16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him, but they doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit 20 and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Podcast: Play in new window | Download