Introduction — The Question That Still Echoes
Jeremiah’s words come from a dark hour in Israel’s story. The city was surrounded, the king frightened, and the people restless. So Zedekiah sent a messenger to the prophet asking one desperate question: “Is there a word from the Lord?”
It’s the same question people still ask today. We ask it in sanctuaries and seminaries, in staff meetings and small groups, in moments when the headlines scream and our hearts tremble:
“Lord, is there a word for us today?”
And I believe there is — but it’s not a new word. It’s not a different word. It is the final word God has already spoken through His Son — and it remains unheeded by much of the Church in our generation.
Hebrews 1 opens with this thunderclap:
> “God, who at various times and in different ways spoke in times past to our fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son …”
God has spoken. He has not fallen silent. And the Father’s command in this hour is still the same as it was on the mountain that day: “Hear Him.”
But what exactly are we supposed to hear?
What is the final word from the Son that still waits for obedience?
It’s found in Matthew 28:18-20:
> “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Jesus’ last word is still His latest word. There’s no new revelation that cancels this command. The question is not whether God is speaking — but whether we’re listening.
---
1 — Power for the Task (“All Authority is Given to Me”)
Jesus begins the Great Commission with authority. Before He tells us to go, He declares who is sending us. “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.” That means there is no situation on earth where Christ’s power does not apply. There is no heart too hard, no demon too dark, no culture too cold for His reach.
Picture it: Jesus standing between heaven and earth, one pierced hand touching the throne of God, the other pointing toward the nations of the world, saying, “All authority is Mine — now go.”
It’s as if He were saying, “There is no power in heaven or on earth that can stop My purpose if you move under My authority.”
But here’s the piercing question:
How many of us really live and preach with that authority?
Many of us know what it means to be busy, tired, and well-read — but not anointed. We talk about power, but deep down some of us have forgotten how it feels to walk in it. The Church has become so careful not to offend that we’ve lost our holy boldness. We apologize for being the called of God.
If we truly believed that Christ’s authority covers every realm — physical, emotional, spiritual — we’d pray differently, preach differently, and stand differently.
a) Authority to Speak
When God calls a pastor or a teacher, He does not call them to be a celebrity or a therapist in the pulpit. He calls them to speak in His name. That doesn’t mean domineering authority — it means spiritual weight. When we speak truth bathed in love and powered by the Spirit, chains break. Lives change. People rise and walk and praise God.
That’s the authority Jesus meant. It’s not for ego. It’s for mission.
b) Authority to Stand
Paul did not flinch when heresy entered the church. He said, “I handed them over to Satan so they might learn not to blaspheme.” When immorality infected Corinth, he wrote, “Turn that person over to the devil for the destruction of the flesh, so the spirit may be saved.” Those are hard words — but they were spoken under divine authority.
The modern church has lost its nerve for discipline because we’ve lost our grip on authority. Pastors should never use authority to wound, but we must not be afraid to protect the flock. A pure church is a powerful church.
c) Authority Over the Enemy
Many today are uncomfortable talking about a personal devil. But Paul wasn’t. He wrote, “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers … against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Eph 6:12)
Every pastor and believer needs to remember: the battle is real, but the victory is secured. Our weapons are not carnal — they are mighty through God. When you stand under Christ’s authority, hell itself must step back. When you submit to God and resist the devil, he will flee.
Every demonic power that rose against Jesus was defeated. And that same authority is what He has placed in your hands. That is why He said Go — not because you’re enough, but because He is.
---
2 — Program for the Time (“Go … Make Disciples … Teach Them”)
Jesus not only gave us power for the task — He outlined the program for our time. He told us what to do until He returns: make disciples of all nations. That’s not a department of the church — it is the church.
Dr. Boyd Hunt once said that before the church can realize its destiny in the world, it must forget its current definition of “missions.” He was right. Too often we say, “Our church has four missions.” But you can have a hundred missions and still have no mission. We don’t need programs about missions — we need a people on mission.
Christ’s program is simple and supernatural: Go, baptize, teach. That’s the process by which the world is changed. Every believer is called to it; every church exists for it.
a) The Mission Continues Through Us
When Jesus left heaven and took on flesh, He came on a mission to seek and to save the lost. But He could not physically visit every village on earth in one lifetime. So He said, “It is better for you that I go away.” Why? Because by His Spirit, He could live in us — and go to every village through us.
The Church is not a building with a sign. It is Christ’s body on the move. Wherever you go — your office, your school, your neighborhood — He goes in you. “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
b) Baptism as Surrender
We’ve preached baptism for centuries but missed its deeper meaning. Baptism is not just a symbol of forgiveness; it’s a public surrender of mastery over your own body. It says, “I am no longer in charge — Christ is.” It’s an abdication of self-rule and an invitation for the Spirit to take over.
If we understood that, our churches would look different. We would not be full of spiritually infant believers crying for attention and approval. We’d be filled with resurrected men and women walking in newness of life.
c) Teaching to Obey
Jesus didn’t say, “Teach them to know.” He said, “Teach them to obey.” Knowledge without obedience produces arrogance, but obedience produces revival. We must teach people what is supposed to happen between the new birth and the Lord’s return: transformation, surrender, and Spirit-filled living.
When church members grasp this, prayer meetings ignite, witnessing comes alive, and generosity stops being a burden and becomes a joy. That’s how spectators become servants, and grandstands turn into mission fields.
---
Every calling God gives includes His presence. When Jesus said “Go,” He didn’t send us alone. He wrapped the command in a promise — “I am with you always.” The task may seem impossible, but the companionship is guaranteed.
If you’ve ever served long enough, you’ve known that lonely moment when you look around and realize: not everyone who started with you is still standing beside you. Paul knew it. He wrote from prison, “All forsook me; nevertheless, the Lord stood by me and strengthened me.” (2 Timothy 4:17)
That verse is oxygen for every weary pastor, every faithful lay worker who sometimes wonders, Does it still matter? Does anyone notice?
And the Lord’s answer is: Yes, I am still here. I see. I know. And I am not going anywhere.
---
1. The Presence That Strengthens
We used to sing, “If Jesus goes with me, I’ll go anywhere.” That’s not sentimental—it’s strategic. The presence of Christ is the power supply of every believer. When He said, “I am with you always,” He meant always—not just in revival meetings or moments of success, but in hospital rooms, committee conflicts, and silent disappointments.
His presence steadies the trembling preacher before the sermon. It whispers courage to the missionary boarding the plane. It surrounds the teacher walking back into a classroom after another hard week.
When you go in His name, you never go alone.
The Holy Spirit is not a consultant to be invited occasionally; He is the living presence of Christ in every moment. Without Him, we can’t even love our enemies, much less change our world.
---
2. The Presence That Empowers
It’s one thing to know God is with you. It’s another to realize He intends to work through you. Jesus didn’t promise presence as comfort only—He promised presence as empowerment.
When the Spirit fell at Pentecost, the disciples didn’t just feel encouraged; they became courageous. Peter, who had once denied Christ, stood up to preach with fire and authority. The difference wasn’t a new seminar or a motivational talk. The difference was the indwelling Christ.
The same Jesus who healed the sick and calmed the storm is now living His life through His people. We are the continuation of His ministry on earth—His eyes, His voice, His hands, His feet.
So when He said, “Go,” He wasn’t sending us on an errand. He was extending His own incarnation through us.
That means when you walk into your city with the gospel, Jesus just walked into your city.
When you open your home to the lonely, Jesus just opened His home.
When you kneel beside a broken life and whisper hope, Jesus Himself is whispering through you.
That’s the miracle of the Great Commission. It’s not only His authority that sends us—it’s His presence that sustains us.
---
3. The Presence That Keeps Its Promise
God has never asked His people to walk a road He refused to travel. Every time He says, “Go,” He goes first.
Moses learned it when he said, “If Your presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.” God answered, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” (Exodus 33:15–14)
That promise has never expired.
Our mission may feel overwhelming—sin seems louder, hearts seem harder—but Christ’s final word stands firm: “I am with you always.”
When you step into a pulpit or a prayer meeting, into a hospital corridor or a prison ministry, remember who walks in beside you. The One who holds galaxies together has promised to be personally present with you until the end of the age.
---
Illustration — Go Tell the Dead
Years ago, an old story was told about a heathen king who lay dying on the battlefield. With his last breath he called his servant and said, “Servant, go tell the dead I come.”
Without hesitation, the servant drew his sword, plunged it into his own heart, and fell beside his king—ready to carry that message to the dead.
Two thousand years ago, our King said to us: “Go tell the dead in trespasses and sins, I am coming to save them—and I am coming again to judge.”
That’s our message. That’s our mission. Go tell the dead—He is coming.
---
4. The Call to Obedience
Brothers and sisters, the Church today doesn’t need a new word; we need to finally obey the one we’ve been given.
Stop waiting for the next conference, the next strategy, the next revelation. The next move of God begins when the people of God move in obedience to the word He already gave.
Jesus said, “Go.”
Go with His power.
Go under His authority.
Go in His presence.
And as you go, teach, baptize, and love with holy boldness. Live so that your very life declares, “Christ in me, the hope of glory.”
---
Conclusion — A Word Still Speaking
So, is there a word from the Lord today?
Yes—there always has been.
It’s the word that still rings from a hillside in Galilee.
It’s the word that still calls timid disciples to bold obedience.
It’s the word that can still shake nations, heal churches, and awaken hearts.
God has spoken by His Son.
The message is clear: Go.
And when you go, go knowing this — the One who sends you also walks beside you, empowers you, and will never leave you until the work is done.
