People on Mission

Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you” (John 20:21)

Christians are people on mission. This particular mission by the way is foreordained in the pattern of how Jesus has served God His Father. Let us find out more about who we are as missionaries here on earth.

Jesus said to them (the disciples) again

1. This is Jesus addressing His disciples
2. This is of course the second time Jesus is saying to them that peace be with them (John 20:19,20)
3. None of the disciples must be mistaken about who actually pronounces peace; it is none other than the Lord Jesus who would actually effect what He definitely pronounces

Peace be with you

1. This pronouncement of peace is significant in more ways than one
   1. Only after having risen from the dead, Jesus pronounces peace
   2. This “peace” therefore is more of divine message
2. The peace Jesus pronounces upon His disciples intimates to us of
   1. Reconciliation God has effected in Christ Jesus (2 Cor.5:18-21)
   2. Redemption God has wrought about in Christ Jesus (Eph.1:1-21)
3. This peace after all is Jesus Himself when judged in the light of Isaiah 9:6
   1. Jesus is God’s peace in person (Eph. 2:14)
   2. He then is the ontology of peace, so to speak.
4. Sharing in such divine prerogative rights of giving peace upon others, we too can do the same without necessarily implying that we have the power to effect what we utter.

As the Father has sent me…

1. Let us recall how the Father has sent Jesus into the world
2. God the Father has sent Jesus His Son
   1. With the authority (John 17:2)
   2. For the work (John 17:4)
   3. With the words (John 17:8)
   4. For the people chosen (John 17:9)
   5. With the suffering foreordained (John 18:11)
   6. And above all, in the power of the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 11:2)
3. This is the patter in which we too are missionaries.

Let us be thankful that we are people on mission backed up by God Himself!