Sent -- August 18, 2009

Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”
John 20:21

The words Jesus spoke to his first disciples in their representative capacity still apply to us today. The universal church, and therefore every local congregation and every Christian in it, is sent into the world to fulfill a definite, defined task. Jesus, the church’s Lord, has issued marching orders. Individually and corporately, all God’s people are now in the world on the King’s business.


The appointed task is twofold. First and fundamentally, it is the work of worldwide witness, disciple-making, and church-planting (Matt. 24:14, Luke 24:47-48). Jesus Christ is to be proclaimed everywhere as God incarnate, Lord, and Savior; and God’s authoritative invitation to find life through turning to Christ in repentance and faith (Matt. 22:1-10; Luke 14:16-24) is to be delivered to all mankind. The ministry of church-planter Paul, the evangelist (so far as strength and circumstances allowed) to the whole world (Rom. 1:14, Col. 1:28-29), models this primary commitment.

Second, all Christians, and therefore every congregation of the church on earth, are called to practice deeds of mercy and compassion, a neighbor-love that responds graciously to all forms of human need as they present themselves (Luke 10:25-27; Rom. 12:20-21). Compassion was the inward aspect of the neighbor-love that led Jesus to heal the sick, feed the hungry, and teach the ignorant (Matt. 9:36), and those who are new creatures in Christ must be similarly compassionate. They keep the second great commandment and also give credibility to their proclamation of a Savior who makes sinners into lovers of God and of their fellow human beings. If the bringers of this message do not display its power in their own lives, credibility is destroyed. If they do, credibility is enhanced. This was Jesus’ point when he demonstrated examples of the good works of his witnesses leading people to glorify the Father (Matt. 5:16). Good works should be visible to back up good words.

Sent,

Pastor Jason