Jesus has entrusted his followers with the duty to go. We are not to horde our knowledge of the saving gospel, but share it. Salvation has been revealed to us and we are to take it to others. This solemn and joyous directive is still in effect. It is the duty of every disciple of Jesus to take this truth to others.

As Jesus proclaimed the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) he provided four very simple yet significant words of instructions for all Christians. He closed out his earthly ministry with these instructions for taking his gospel to the world. The Great Commission is the charge that calls all believers to evangelism and missions. But, do we understand it? Do we follow our calling as we were instructed?

This article is Part One of a four parts. In these four articles I will explore separately each of the four words of instructions in the Great Commission: “Go,” “Make Disciples,“ “Baptize Them” and “Teach Them.”

The first part of the Great Commission, “go,” is likely the simplest of the points to understand. The concept is easy. It is hard to go someplace while you are still sitting on the couch. The act of going requires departure from one location and a purposeful movement in another direction. For us to go, we must create motion.

But, what about the biblical call to “go?” What did Jesus intend for us?

Who Should Go?

At the time he spoke the words of the Great Commission Jesus was talking to the 11 remaining disciples. Some interpret this to mean only those disciples were called to go, and the Christians to follow were not called to engage in missions. The Prince of Preachers, Charles Spurgeon, disagrees with this notion, “Every Christian is either a missionary or an impostor.” Jesus’ statement to go was a call with general application to all of his followers. This commission belongs to Christians today just as it did to the disciples when it was first spoken.

Jesus has entrusted his followers with the duty to go. We are not to horde our knowledge of the saving gospel, but share it. Salvation has been revealed to us and we are to take it to others. This solemn and joyous directive is still in effect. It is the duty of every disciple of Jesus to take this truth to others. Where is our mercy for the lost if we neglect these calls?

What part of “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” sounds optional or like it was intended for only a select few to obey? Late Christian singer Keith Green said, “That’s right – you are called! In fact, if you don’t go, you need a specific calling from God to stay home.” The same God who created hundreds of billions of galaxies has told us to go. You’d think we wouldn’t assume he was being theoretical. It is our obligation to go into the nations and share Christ’s love, because when we were rebellious God pursued us.

Go Where?

Mark’s telling of the Great Commission (Mark 16:15) removes any ambiguity out of the question of our destination. Mark’s gospel tells us to, “Go into all the world.” The Great Commission was delivered under Jesus’ kingly authority. Since his authority includes the entire world, the gospel must be disseminated to the entire globe. The language in The Great Commission seems to allude to Daniel 7:14, where we read that all dominion has been given him, “that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him.”

This is not confusing, but admittedly it is daunting. Over 100 billion people have ever lived on earth. Currently almost seven billion people occupy 7.5 million square miles on our globe. And, yes, God has called us to go to all of them. Where do we start? To begin with we should simply obey what we are called to do. We should first go, and let God worry about the details as to where and to whom. The Joshua Project tells us that there are over 16 thousand distinct people groups in the world, and over 40% are unreached. Just go. God’s message of truth is needed everywhere. Late theologian and author John Stott said, “His authority on earth allows us to dare to go to all the nations. His authority in heaven gives us our only hope of success.”

Why Go?

Jesus has commissioned all of his followers, like Moses, and Abraham and Jonah before us, to preach the gospel on his behalf. God’s sovereignty does not make our calling futile, it makes it mandatory. Salvation is God’s doing, but God delights in using his sinful followers to accomplish the saving of the lost.

Go forward in confidence. God selected you to do his great work and he knew your flaws and limitations before he selected you. Don’t worry about your possessions, finances or danger. Simply go. Leaving your physical home to go on the mission field is much easier when you acknowledge there is nothing permanent about your current home. If you think you can’t raise the money to go on the mission field you’ve already made your first mistake. God will raise the money, not you. John Piper stated, “It is better to lose your life than to waste it.” If God selected you for his work he will provide you with all you need. Go forward knowing our Father has prepared you for victory.

The lost of the world are perishing and destined for hell. For the sake of the lost of the world the call to go must be obeyed. We are the means God has elected to use to share his merciful message of grace. Francis Chan exclaims, “God Almighty, the Creator, said, ‘Go, make disciples.’ So I don’t want to sit and make excuses.”

This commission is a continuous mandate for the Church and its members. Our calling to go is fulfilled under the authority of Christ and gives us the ability to accomplish it and the assurance of its success.

Mike Pettengill is a full-time missionary serving in La Ceiba, Honduras, with Mission to the World. Mike is the team leader of a 12-person mission team. To learn more about the Pettengill’s work in Honduras visit Pettengill Missionaries.