God's Global Purpose
(Matthew 28:18-20; Genesis 12:1-3)
The Great Commission — Jesus’ command to His disciples to go into the world, make disciples, baptize, and teach — appears five times in Scripture…
Here are the five passages where the Great Commission is recorded:
Matthew 28:18-20 (NLT) Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Genesis is the promise, the Great Commission is the fulfillment.
Genesis 12:1-3 (nlt) The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. 3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”
Promise: “I will bless you… and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you.”
In the Old Testament, this promise unfolds through Israel’s history — God revealing Himself so the nations would see His glory (Psalm 67, Isaiah 49:6). But Israel often saw this blessing as something to keep rather than share.
The prophets kept reminding them: the “end goal” is that all nations know the Lord.
Revelation 7:9-10 (nlt) After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. 10 And they were shouting with a great roar, “Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!”
Galatians 3:16 (NLT) God gave the promises to Abraham and his child. And notice that the Scripture doesn’t say “to his children,” as if it meant many descendants. Rather, it says “to his child”—and that, of course, means Christ.
Jesus is the offspring of Abraham— the promised seed through whom the blessing comes. After His death and resurrection, Jesus tells His disciples: Now is the time to carry this blessing to all nations.
The Great Commission is God saying, “That promise I made to Abraham? Now go fulfill it.”
From the very beginning, God’s heart was for all peoples.
In the Great Commission, Jesus hands that mission to His Church — the blessing is no longer just promised, it’s ready to be proclaimed.
1. God's Mission Began with a Promise
Genesis 12:2–3 (nlt) “I will bless you … and you will be a blessing to others. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”
2. God’s Heart Has Always Been for the Nations
Psalm 67:1–2 (nlt) “May God be merciful and bless us. … May your ways be known throughout the earth, your saving power among people everywhere.”
3. We Are Now Part of God’s Ongoing Global Plan
Galatians 3:29 (nlt) “And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God's promise to Abraham belongs to you.”
TAKE-AWAY:
Here are the five passages where the Great Commission is recorded:
- Matthew 28:18–20 – The most well-known version: “Go and make disciples of all the nations…”
- Mark 16:15–16 – “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.”
- Luke 24:46–49 – Jesus commands preaching repentance and forgiveness to all nations.
- John 20:21 – “As the Father has sent Me, so I am sending you.”
- Acts 1:8 – “You will be My witnesses… to the ends of the earth.”
Matthew 28:18-20 (NLT) Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Genesis is the promise, the Great Commission is the fulfillment.
Genesis 12:1-3 (nlt) The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. 3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”
Promise: “I will bless you… and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you.”
In the Old Testament, this promise unfolds through Israel’s history — God revealing Himself so the nations would see His glory (Psalm 67, Isaiah 49:6). But Israel often saw this blessing as something to keep rather than share.
The prophets kept reminding them: the “end goal” is that all nations know the Lord.
Revelation 7:9-10 (nlt) After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. 10 And they were shouting with a great roar, “Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!”
Galatians 3:16 (NLT) God gave the promises to Abraham and his child. And notice that the Scripture doesn’t say “to his children,” as if it meant many descendants. Rather, it says “to his child”—and that, of course, means Christ.
Jesus is the offspring of Abraham— the promised seed through whom the blessing comes. After His death and resurrection, Jesus tells His disciples: Now is the time to carry this blessing to all nations.
The Great Commission is God saying, “That promise I made to Abraham? Now go fulfill it.”
From the very beginning, God’s heart was for all peoples.
In the Great Commission, Jesus hands that mission to His Church — the blessing is no longer just promised, it’s ready to be proclaimed.
1. God's Mission Began with a Promise
Genesis 12:2–3 (nlt) “I will bless you … and you will be a blessing to others. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”
2. God’s Heart Has Always Been for the Nations
Psalm 67:1–2 (nlt) “May God be merciful and bless us. … May your ways be known throughout the earth, your saving power among people everywhere.”
3. We Are Now Part of God’s Ongoing Global Plan
Galatians 3:29 (nlt) “And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God's promise to Abraham belongs to you.”
TAKE-AWAY:
- Start praying for unreached people groups (use the World Outreach Guide).
- Evaluate how you and your family can be more involved in God’s global strategy.
- Commit to educating yourself on how God is moving around the world.
- As a family, start praying now about your World Missions Offering – 31 August
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