The Hidden Work of The Great Commission
by: Hudson Hufham
May 7, 2025
“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 obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
What if the most Spirit-filled thing you did this week wasn’t loud, public, or miraculous? What if it looked more like showing up—quietly, faithfully—for someone who needs the love of Christ in a long, steady way?
When Jesus gave the Great Commission, he didn’t just say to preach. He said to make disciples—to walk with people, teach them, and teach them to obey. And he didn’t say this to just a few superstars. He gave this to his followers, with the promise that he would be with them. That includes us.
We often hear this passage and think of world-changing acts: overseas missions, dramatic altar calls, powerful gifts of the Spirit. And yes—those are real, beautiful parts of God’s Kingdom. But most of the Great Commission doesn’t happen in moments like those. It happens in kitchens, hospital rooms, phone calls, long commutes, and slow conversations.
Making disciples always begins with being a disciple yourself.
Before Jesus’ ministry, he spent thirty years in quiet faithfulness. After Paul’s dramatic conversion, he didn’t go straight to the mission field. Instead, he spent 11 years in his hometown of Tarsus, studying the Scriptures and trying to understand them in light of the revealed Jesus. Eleven years…
It’s clear that being a disciple takes patient learning, but this doesn’t mean you need to wait until you feel completely ready to live the Great Commission. Being a disciple and making disciples are not separate phases. They overlap. One of the best ways to share your faith is simply to share your faith—what Jesus has done for you. You don’t need to have all the answers. You don’t need to speak perfectly or know how to convince everyone. You just need to live honestly and speak truthfully – knowledge and formulas for prayer and miracles don’t work though.
Of course I want to see more miracles, but when I’m honest with myself sometimes I want a miracle because it’s easier than the long commitment to love that person. It is a lot easier to pray for a loved one who has a debilitating disease to be instantly healed than it is to cook their meals, clean their home, sit with them, and care for them day after day?
The truth is—both can be Spirit-filled. God can heal. And he often does. But just as often, he reveals his heart through someone who shows up without needing to be noticed, thanked, or rewarded. Someone who embodies the kind of steady, unrelenting love that reflects God himself.
That, too, is the Great Commission.
For some, obedience to the Great Commission looks like opening their home to someone in need. For others, it looks like taking their job seriously—not to climb the ladder for status, but to reach and serve people they’d never encounter otherwise. It looks like living differently: being generous with money, slow to speak, eager to serve, rooted in Scripture.
And often, no one sees it. But Jesus does.
The Great Commission doesn’t start on a stage. It often starts in secret places, small steps, faithful choices. Wherever you are, whoever you’re with—this call is for you. God is not asking you to change the world on your own. He’s asking you to follow him—and help others do the same. That’s what changes the world.
Worship: My Labour is not in Vain
Prayer
Father, help me see the people around me the way you do. Teach me to obey you in the small things. Give me the courage to live my faith faithfully—even when it’s unseen and interruptive to my plans—and to walk with others in love. Thank you for your presence with me as I follow you.
Further Study
James 1:27, Galatians 5:22–23, Luke 16:10, John 13:34–35, Colossians 3:17
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What if the most Spirit-filled thing you did this week wasn’t loud, public, or miraculous? What if it looked more like showing up—quietly, faithfully—for someone who needs the love of Christ in a long, steady way?