Marks Of The True Church: Mission Series

“As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.”

“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age” [MATTHEW 28:19-20 CSB]. This is the charge we who follow the Risen Saviour have received; and this charge was delivered with the promise of Christ’s presence for each one who would follow the Master. This charge, known to us as the “Great Commission,” ensures that we Christians are sent on mission with Christ the Lord; and as we are on mission with Him we are assured that He is always with us.

The presence of the Risen Lord Who has given us this charge, promising that He would be with us always, was given so that we would know that His power is continually revealed through our labours as we serve Him. The Risen Saviour promised that He would be with His children so that they would be assured that whenever they do what He commanded they could know that they would succeed in the work they performed. Christ’s presence is promised to the people of God individually—you, as one who is born from above, can be assured that the Son of God is with you in every endeavour. And His presence is assuredly promised to His people gathered into congregations. Each time we meet in assembly, we can be certain that the Spirit of Christ is in our midst. Even now, as we gather to sing praises, to pray, to hear His Word read, and to receive the teaching of the Word, Christ is in our midst observing us. This charge was not kept in reserve until after the resurrection of the Saviour, it was integral to discipleship from earliest days.

As was true for the twelve, the responsibility of each Christian in this Age of Grace is to be on mission with the Saviour. And this responsibility is not incidental to the Faith—it is integral to the Faith. Being on mission with the Christ is not optional for His follower; being on mission with the Christ is mandatory. Nor should anyone imagine that being on mission with the Master is a tedious, dreary labour that drains us of all joy. Christ Himself is with us, guiding us in our labours and empowering us to fulfil His command. Surely, this is the promise we who follow Christ have received when we read, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me” [PHILIPPIANS 4:13].

The message in this hour is encouragement for all who name the Name of Christ to receive the call to mission. I am not using the term “mission” to mean that we must each travel to distant lands or that we must learn a new language to communicate the message of life; I am using this term to remind each follower of Christ that she or he is now working in concert with the Risen Saviour to fulfil the command of Jesus. Each of us is now on mission with Jesus. We are now equipped and prepared to tell our family of the salvation we have received through faith in Christ as Master over our life. We are now prepared to speak with colleagues, giving the reason for the hope that is within us. We are now appointed and responsible to tell others of the life that is ours in Christ Jesus.

THE FATHER SENT THE SON — “As you sent me into the world…” [JOHN 17:18a]. Just before He prayed this high priestly prayer we are studying in this hour, the Lord attested, “I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father” [JOHN 16:28]. After He had been raised from the dead, Jesus appeared to His disciples on multiple occasions. On one of those occasions the Risen Saviour iterated the truth that He did not come to earth on His own initiative. At that time Jesus testified, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you” [JOHN 20:21]. Jesus consistently testified that He was sent by the Father.

Focus on the fact that Jesus came from the Father. Throughout His days in the flesh, Jesus repeatedly spoke of the closeness He had enjoyed with the Father. As He spoke, it was indicative that this was not mere bluster, but that He had enjoyed this relationship even before His birth to Mary. For instance, we witness Luke telling of a prayer Jesus offered on one occasion, when He said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him” [LUKE 10:21-22].