The Great Commission

Date: Thursday, August 6, 2026

Today in Church History: On August 6, 1504, William Tyndale was born in Gloucestershire, England; the man who would ultimately be executed for translating the New Testament into English, giving common people access to Scripture in their own language for the first time. His final words as he was burned at the stake was an audible prayer that God would open the King of England's eyes. Within just a few years, King Henry VIII authorized and ordered English Bibles to be placed in every pew in every church in England.

Readings: Matthew 28 | Psalm 33

Matthew 28 is the "now what" moment for all Christians: the stone is rolled away, the tomb is empty, and death itself has been defeated. Jesus walks out with a resurrected, glorified body. Then, almost casually, He hands His disciples a global assignment: go, make disciples of every nation. The resurrection was both absolute vindication and the launch of the Great Commission for all believers.

Chuck Colson was once a feared politician in Washington; a key figure in the Watergate scandal who eventually served prison time for his role in it. His dramatic conversion behind bars led him to start Prison Fellowship, a ministry now reaching prisoners in dozens of countries. A man once defined by scandal became redefined by resurrection victory, and a new life with a new mission. This is the resurrection pattern Jesus started, still playing out today.

Devotional Prompts:

• What would it look like to live today as someone commissioned, not just saved?
• Where might God be calling you to participate in the Great Commission?

Prayer: Risen Lord, thank You for a resurrection that rewrites everything. Send us out with the same authority You gave the first disciples, and give us new songs to sing along the way. Amen.