Matthew 28:20 NASB Context
After his death and resurrection, Jesus appeared to his disciples many times over the course of forty days.
He taught them and ate and drank with them, but most importantly, he gave them a task —to preach the gospel to every person in every town and country in the world.
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This task is known as the Great Commission, and it’s something all Christians are called to do.
Matthew 28:20 NASB Meaning
God has always been in the business of telling humans the good news about himself.
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For thousands of years, God commissioned prophets, priests, and leaders to remind people of his love and kindness, and to warn them of the coming punishment should they continue in their evil and sinful ways.
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But humans are born evil—wanting to follow their own hearts and desires instead of God’s.
Over the years, many prophets, priests, and leaders who have come to declare God’s message to the world have been jeered at, scorned, and tortured.
Matthew 28:20 Meaning
Maimed, hated, driven from their homes, and disowned by their families. Some were even executed, sometimes in gruesomely creative ways.
Jesus’ disciples knew this history of persecution, and Jesus himself.
Nevertheless, God uses people to declare the good news about himself and the salvation all may receive through believing in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. And God isn’t going to change his tactics.
But Jesus also knew that these missionaries he was commissioned to spread the good news about him would face many horrible things—stonings.
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Being worshiped as “gods,” exile, execution—so he did not ascend into heaven without leaving them with comfort and a promise to cling to.
Wherever they would go, whatever wonderful and horrible things they would surely face, Jesus promised to be with them always, from that moment and into eternity.
Matthew 28:20 NASB Application
Just like the twelve disciples, Christians today are called to tell everybody about Jesus. And just like the Twelve, we will all experience some kind of persecution.
Some may lose their jobs, their families, or even their lives. Others may be slandered or hated by their neighbors. Even so, we have a sure foundation in Christ, and we have his promise to cling to.
As we proclaim the good news of Jesus to the world, he will never leave us or forsake us.
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He knows that following this commission is hard, and he will be with us every step of the way—from the moment we’re saved and throughout eternity.
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”