(Mrk) 16:15-16, 20 CJB “Then he said to them, “As you go throughout the world, proclaim the Good News to all creation. Whoever trusts and is immersed will be saved; whoever does not trust will be condemned. And they went out and proclaimed everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the message by the accompanying signs.”
The Christian mission is the Great Commission. Jesus left His disciples on earth with an assignment: go throughout the world and proclaim the Good News. We remain here to make Christ known so that others might repent, believe in Jesus, follow Him, and receive eternal life.
That’s not merely the pastor’s assignment.
It’s not just for missionaries.
It’s not reserved for evangelists.
Every disciple of Jesus has been commissioned to help make disciples of Jesus.
Simple.
Clear.
Yet too often ignored.
The Christian Mission Is to Make Christ Known
Jesus says: “As you go throughout the world, proclaim the Good News…”
Notice the expectation.
As you go.
Wherever God has placed you, you have people around you who need Jesus.
Your family.
Your workplace.
Your neighborhood.
Your golf course.
Your business relationships.
Your friends.
Your community.
The question isn’t simply, “Am I living a good Christian life?”
It’s also:
“Who am I intentionally helping to know Jesus?”
We can become so focused on avoiding sin, attending church, studying theology, and improving ourselves that we forget why Jesus left His church in the world.
Jesus gave us a mission.
Make Him known.
Baptism Identifies Us With Jesus
Unfortunately, we sometimes turn passages like this into arguments about baptism instead of obeying the command Jesus actually gives us.
Jesus says: “Whoever trusts and is immersed will be saved; whoever does not trust will be condemned.”
Baptism matters.
Jesus commands it.
The early church practiced it.
A believer should gladly identify publicly with Jesus through baptism.
However, baptism doesn’t earn salvation.
Notice what Jesus identifies as the reason for condemnation: “Whoever does not trust will be condemned.”
He doesn’t say, “Whoever isn’t baptized will be condemned.”
Throughout the New Testament, salvation comes by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Baptism then serves as the believer’s public identification with Christ and His people.
It says:
Jesus is my Savior.
Jesus is my Lord.
I belong to Him.
Therefore, baptism should never become a substitute for the living faith it represents.
A man can get wet and remain unchanged.
The question is whether he has truly entrusted himself to Jesus Christ.
Calling Jesus Lord Means Following Him
This is where things become uncomfortable.
It’s possible to profess Jesus with our mouths while living as though we still belong to ourselves.
Yet Jesus doesn’t merely call us to believe certain facts about Him.
He calls us to follow Him.
That doesn’t mean Christians obey perfectly. We still sin, stumble, confess, repent, and depend entirely upon God’s grace.
However, true salvation changes your life.
A settled life of indifference toward Christ’s commands contradicts the claim that He is Lord.
Jesus said:
Go.
Proclaim.
Make disciples.
Therefore, ignoring the Christian mission isn’t a minor issue. We’re neglecting an assignment given to us by our King.
Love People Toward Jesus
We often talk about loving people.
Good.
But what is the most loving thing we can ultimately desire for another human being?
That they know God and live forever with Him.
If God defines love, then Christian love cannot remain silent about Jesus.
Certainly, we serve people.
We meet needs.
We demonstrate compassion.
We build relationships.
We suffer with people.
But ultimately, we want people reconciled to God through Jesus Christ.
We love people toward the Kingdom of God.
Not by manipulation.
Not by coercion.
Not by winning arguments.
We love them, serve them, tell them the truth, proclaim Christ, and trust God’s Spirit to accomplish what we cannot.
Character, Commitment, and Commission
Following Jesus requires all three.
Character: We increasingly live like Jesus.
Commitment: We increasingly surrender ourselves to Jesus.
Commission: We increasingly participate in the mission of Jesus.
Leave out commission and something important is missing from our discipleship.
Jesus didn’t merely say:
“Become better people until I return.”
He sent us into the world.
Therefore, as we know God better, we should love God more.
As we love God more, we should obey God more.
And one of the clearest commands Jesus gave us is:
Go and make Him known.
God Works Through Obedient Disciples
I love how Mark ends: “They went out and proclaimed everywhere, the Lord working with them…”
Jesus commanded.
They went.
They proclaimed.
The Lord worked.
There’s something important there.
The disciples couldn’t save anyone.
Neither can we.
We can’t regenerate a heart. We can’t produce repentance. We can’t make someone believe.
God does what only God can do.
But He sends us to do what He has commanded us to do.
We proclaim.
We disciple.
We serve.
We love.
We endure.
And God works through His people to accomplish His purposes.
God’s Spirit uses God’s Word through God’s people to bring people to God’s Son.
Then that same Spirit uses God’s Word to increasingly make God’s children look like God’s Son.
That’s the Christian life.
And that’s the Christian mission.
Run Today’s Play
Ask, who in your life are you intentionally helping to know and follow Jesus?
Then write down the name of one person who needs Christ and begin praying specifically for that person today.
Finally, take one intentional step toward them—start a conversation, invite them to meet, share what Jesus has done for you, or open God’s Word together.
Men, don’t spend your Christian life sitting on the sidelines waiting for Jesus to return.
You’ve been saved by grace, called to obedience, and sent on mission.
Know God.
Love God.
Obey God.
Then make Him known.
