Whom Shall I Send

But just like Moses, Isaiah was reassured. Moses had God’s explanations and miraculous signs. Isaiah had the seraph who purified him to make him acceptable in God’s presence.

In my eyes, the greatest difference in Moses and Isaiah comes in their replies to God. When God sent Moses, Moses said, “O please Lord, send someone else...”, but when God asked, “Whom shall I send?” Isaiah replied, “Here am I. Send me!”

Turn with me now to John chapter 3. We will read verses 16-18, some of the most read verses in the Bible.

John 3:16-18

16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

God sent Moses and he argued. Isaiah volunteered and said, “Here am I. Send me!” God sent Jesus, and Jesus obeyed in love. He loved the Father, and he loved you and me, so He obeyed.

Finally, turn with me to Matthew 28. We have so far looked all the way back to Moses, then forward to Isaiah and Jesus, and here we will read what is commonly known as the Great Commission.

Matthew 28:16-20

16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.

17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.

18 Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

When we talk about the Great Commission, I know that the word “commission” has as much to do with commitment as anything else, but in this situation, I like to think of the word as “Co-Mission”. This is a mission that we share. We share it with like-minded Christians who say, “Here am I. Send me!” And we share the mission with God. God has sent us, and just like Moses, Isaiah, and even Jesus in the flesh, we can count on God’s help in the mission.

God may be saying today, “Whom shall I send to speak to the prisoners?” Stacy said, “Here am I. Send Me!” But God may want more of us to go. God may be saying, “Whom shall I send to prepare and teach lessons for vacation bible school?” Several of you have already said, “Here am I. Send me!” But God may want more of us to join in. And God may have more places to send you. After God sent Moses to Egypt, He sent him to the desert and then within sight of the Promised Land. God may be saying,

• “Whom shall I send to speak to the kids at the Junior High?”

• “Whom shall I send to speak to the couple in that struggling marriage?”

• “Whom shall I send to encourage the single mother?”

• “Whom shall I send to hold the hand of the dying?”