In Matthew 28:16-20, often referred to as “The Great Commission,” Jesus officially charges his disciples with tasks of teaching, discipling, and baptizing people of all nations and groupings. An assigned task or mission is the classic sense of the word commission. But what if we also considered Jesus’ charge to his disciples a co-mission—a mission together?
In John’s gospel, Jesus speaks plainly to the disciples about participating in, continuing, and even expanding upon Jesus’ work. Here in Matthew’s gospel, the resurrected Jesus declares his cosmic authority, having triumphed over even death, and then he immediately turns around to share that authority with the disciples. Their mission is Jesus’ mission: to build an inclusive community of compassion, mercy, and healing.
The work of Christ is shared work. We share it with one another, and we share it with Christ himself. The call to discipleship is always a community endeavor. In the liturgy for baptism, the gathered assembly affirms the newly baptized, saying, “We welcome you into the body of Christ and into the mission we share: join us in giving thanks and praise to God and bearing God’s creative and redeeming word to all the world” (ELW, p. 231).
Not one of us is tasked with saving the world by ourselves. Only Jesus could and would bear that responsibility, and even he chose to invite others into the work. It is by grace that we are counted among Jesus’ disciples. And it is within the community of grace that we continue to proclaim and manifest God’s kingdom on earth, as it is in heaven. We look to our community of faith for support, assurance, assistance, and solidarity as we partner with Christ and one another to bring God’s good news to the world.
Devotional message based on the readings for May 31, 2026 reprinted from
sundaysandseasons.com.
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