January 17, 2026 

In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus sends His disciples into the world with a clear mission and a steady promise. They are called to make disciples, baptizing and teaching, not on their own strength, but with the assurance that Jesus will be with them always, to the very end of the age.

Devotional: Being sent can feel intimidating. It sounds like responsibility, expectation, and risk. We hear Jesus’ words and immediately think about what we lack, not what we’ve been given. We wonder if we know enough, believe enough, or are ready enough to do what He asks.

That reaction is understandable. But it’s also incomplete.

Jesus doesn’t send His disciples out empty-handed. He sends them grounded in relationship and promise. The same Jesus who stood in the waters of the Jordan, named and claimed by God, now speaks words of purpose to His followers. Their mission grows out of identity, not pressure.

Matthew 28 comes after everything. After the failures. After the fear. After the resurrection. These disciples have stumbled more than once. They’ve doubted, fled, and misunderstood. Yet Jesus doesn’t reopen old wounds or rehearse their shortcomings. He entrusts them with the work of carrying the story forward.

That tells us something important about how God sees us.

Being sent doesn’t mean we’ve arrived. It means we’re loved enough to be trusted. Baptism reminds us that before we are sent, we are claimed. Before we are called to speak or serve, we are named as God’s children. The mission isn’t about proving ourselves. It’s about participating in what God is already doing.

Jesus’ command to baptize is especially significant. Baptism is the sign of belonging, the marker of God’s promise, the reminder that identity comes before instruction. Teaching follows baptism, not the other way around. People are welcomed into grace before they are shaped by learning and growth.

That same pattern applies to our lives. God doesn’t wait for us to be fully formed before calling us to live faithfully. We grow as we go. We learn through obedience. We discover strength we didn’t know we had because God meets us in the movement.

The promise at the end of this passage matters just as much as the command. “I am with you always.” Not just when things go well. Not just when we feel confident. Always. God’s presence doesn’t depend on our performance or success. It’s steady and sure.

Living as people who are sent doesn’t require boldness we have to manufacture. It grows out of trust. Trust that we are not alone. Trust that God’s Spirit goes ahead of us. Trust that the love that claimed us in baptism still holds us as we step into the world.

You may not feel particularly equipped today. You may feel tired, uncertain, or stretched thin. But being sent doesn’t mean you have everything figured out. It means God believes you are enough, because God is with you.

Wherever today takes you, remember this. You go as someone claimed by grace. You go as God’s child. And you never go alone.

Action: As you move through today, ask God to help you notice one small way you can reflect His love right where you are.

Prayer: Faithful God, thank You for trusting us with Your work. When we feel uncertain or unprepared, remind us that You go with us. Give us courage to live faithfully, not because we are strong, but because You are present. We place our steps in Your care, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Thought for the Day: We are sent, but never alone.

Jesus sends His disciples not because they are perfect, but because they are loved and never alone. Matthew 28 reminds us that God’s mission grows out of grace, not pressure. This devotional encourages us to step forward with trust, knowing God goes with us.