The Royal Mandate
Welcome back to The King and His Kingdom. We have journeyed from Jesus’ royal identity to His fulfilment of Scripture, His global rescue, His formation of a new family, and His unfailing presence with His people. Each part has carried us forward — not toward an ending, but toward a beginning.
Now we arrive at the sixth movement: the risen King sends His people. Matthew closes his Gospel with a royal command that defines the church’s identity and purpose. The King does not only call people into His Kingdom — He sends them into the world under His authority.
This is the heart of Part 6: the church is sent — making disciples is our mission and purpose.
What Matthew Teaches
Matthew shows that the risen Jesus gathers His disciples on a mountain — a familiar place where God reveals His purposes. The One who once walked to the cross now stands alive. His authority spans heaven and earth. Nothing lies outside His rule.
On that foundation, He gives His disciples their task. They are to go, baptise, and teach — not merely spreading ideas but forming disciples who live under His commands. This is not a suggestion. It is a royal commission.
To baptise in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is to bring people into a new identity. Their lives now belong to God Himself. They are drawn into the life of the Trinity — welcomed into fellowship with the Father through the work of the Son and sealed by the Holy Spirit.
To teach them to obey everything Jesus commanded is to nurture a new way of life. Discipleship is not momentary; it is lifelong. It forms whole lives under the gracious rule of the King.
This mission is global. The disciples are sent to “all nations.” Jesus does not limit the scope to one people or place. The grace of the King extends across every boundary. Matthew began his Gospel by naming Jesus as the One who would save His people from their sins. He ends it by sending His followers with that same message into the world.
Matthew notes that some of the disciples worshipped while others hesitated. Their uncertainty did not disqualify them. Jesus did not send them away or replace them. Instead, He grounded them in His authority and entrusted His mission to them. The weight of the mission does not rest on their inner strength; it rests on Him.
At the heart of this mission lies a great promise: Jesus will be with His people until the end of the age. The command and the promise belong together. The church goes because the King leads. The church speaks because the King empowers. His authority sends, and His presence sustains.
The Spirit Who Enables
Matthew shows that the mission Jesus entrusts to His people is not carried out in human power alone. Earlier, when He first sent His disciples out, He told them they need not worry about what to say when they were brought before authorities. In that moment, what they needed would be given to them. They would speak yet not speak alone. The Spirit of their Father would speak through them (Matthew 10:19–20).
This reveals something vital. The King who commands His people to go also gives them divine help. The Holy Spirit upholds their mission. The disciples are not left to invent strategies to make their words effective. The Holy Spirit Himself enables their witness. False confidence is emptied; God supplies what is needed.
When Jesus later commands baptism in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, He makes this truth unmistakable. The mission is rooted in the life of God. The Spirit’s work is not an optional influence but God’s gracious provision. He strengthens, guides, and gives courage to fearful hearts so that they may bear witness with truth and love.
The King sends, and the Spirit enables.
Why This Matters
Matthew teaches that discipleship is not private. The risen King does not call His people into a quiet corner to reflect privately on what He has done. He sends them into the world to make disciples — beginning in their homes and cities and stretching to every land.
This outward movement is not driven by guilt or pressure, but by the authority of Jesus and the enabling power of the Spirit. The One who commands is the One who remains. His rule is not distant; His presence is active.
This matters because it aligns us with God’s purpose. From the opening chapters, Matthew has shown that Jesus came to save. Now, at the end, Jesus sends His followers to share that salvation. The church’s mission arises not from human creativity but from the King Himself.
Discipleship touches every part of life. To be baptised is to belong to God. To be taught to obey is to live under the King. Jesus’ commands are not burdensome; they reveal the way of life we were made for. Discipleship is not simply learning about Jesus but learning to walk with Him.
This mission also matters because it is global. The Gospel carries dignity across cultures. It does not erase them but welcomes them into the Kingdom. Every person is invited; no nation is too distant.
The promise of Jesus’ presence gives unshakable hope. He does not send His people alone. He walks with them, opening hearts as they speak. Their confidence does not rest on what they can accomplish but on who He is. Even when opposition arises, the Spirit of the Father speaks through His people. He enables what He commands.
This truth frees us from self-reliance. The mission is not carried by human charisma, planning, or strength. It is carried by the King and empowered by His Spirit. Our role is obedience; His presence gives power.
Hope and Challenge
The Great Commission lifts our eyes beyond ourselves. For believers, it brings dignity and clarity. Whether speaking to a neighbour, encouraging another believer, or quietly serving, every act offered to Christ participates in this mission. Nothing is wasted.
The challenge is real. Some feel hesitant or fearful. Yet Matthew records that even among those who bowed in worship, some doubted. Jesus sent them anyway — and promised to be with them. Our frailty does not cancel His calling.
For seekers, this is an invitation. The King who sends His people is the same King who invites all to follow Him. To become a disciple is to receive forgiveness, to learn His ways, and to walk with Him. The Spirit does not simply help those already strong; He strengthens those who come weak.
The mission is vast, but no one is sent alone. The King goes with His people. The Spirit speaks through them. The Father holds them fast.
Conclusion
Matthew does not end with a farewell. He ends with a command and a promise. The risen Jesus, with all authority, sends His followers to make disciples among all nations, baptising in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to live under His gracious instruction.
The church is therefore not merely gathered — it is sent. Its mission is not rooted in human cleverness but in the authority of the King. Its power does not rise from within but from the Spirit of the Father who speaks through His people. Its hope does not rest on circumstance but on the promise of Jesus’ unshakeable presence.
The mission is global.
The power is divine.
The King is with His people — always.
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