“He [Jesus] told his disciples, ‘I have been given all authority in heaven and earth. Therefore go and make disciples in all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and then teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you; and be sure of this - that I am with you always, even to the end of the world.’” Matthew 28:18-20 TLB
Christians call this the “Great Commission” and understand it is a command of Jesus to be obeyed. Because He is the crucified and risen Christ, He has the authority to give his followers this command.
Believers in the risen Christ are to share the Good News that Jesus died to save all with everyone they encounter. For some, this may mean a simple walk next door or across the street. For others, it may mean leaving home to travel around the world to work with people groups in other nations. Jesus challenges all Christians to spread His love with all people and then teach or disciple them in the ways of Jesus.
And Jesus promises believers that He is with us from the beginning to the end - the end of the age. He will be with us in our good and bad days, days of joy and sorrow, and days when we experience victory and defeat.
“Where we can go, we are to bear our personal witness. Where we cannot go, we are to send those whom God calls to work in specified missionary areas. We are to go through them in the form of missionary [praying and] giving.”
--Herschel H. Hobbs