Daily Devotion for June 21, 2025

Devotion:

For an audio version of this devotion, click here.

Read Matthew 28:16-20.

I guess you could make the argument that this assignment was given only to those apostles and not to anyone else. But all down through the history of the Church, Jesus’ commission here at the end of Matthew’s Gospel has been viewed as given to anyone and everyone who claims him as their Lord and seeks to represent him to the world.  

I see this mission as having two meanings or points of focus. First, it is about bringing new people to faith in Jesus Christ. It’s about “fishing for people” as Jesus put it when calling his first disciples. It’s about sharing his gospel message in both words and deeds so that people are drawn to Christ and want to follow him and learn to live his way.  

Second, it’s about growing followers of Jesus into committed disciples. As John Wesley put it to his preachers, this is about “going on to perfection” in the love of Christ. It’s the process of sanctification, constantly learning and growing in becoming more like Christ. It is a daily journey of going deeper in your love for God and love for other people, even enemies.  

Go make disciples. Bring new people to Jesus. Help his followers increase their commitment to him. Amen? Amen!   

Personal Worship Option:

Here are two verses of the hymn Leon Adkins wrote about this mission:

“Go, make of all disciples.” We hear the call, O Lord, that comes from thee, our Father, in thy eternal Word. Inspire our ways of learning through earnest, fervent prayer, and let our daily living reveal thee everywhere.

“Go, make of all disciples.” We at thy feet would stay until each life’s vocation accents thy holy way. We cultivate the nature God plants in every heart, revealing in our witness the master teacher’s art.