Sent

Text: John 20:11-18

"As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you."

Fear, anger, and fighting. Most of us feel one of these emotions when threatened. And these times we live in can be threatening to Christians and our traditional values. Every cultural experience we have had up to this point has been created or partially influenced by Christianity. But that is changing. We feel it. Culture is changing. And it's becoming more and more dangerous to stand for Biblical Christianity. 

In our text, the disciples were huddled in fear behind locked doors. Things were changing. But Jesus had prepared them for this moment. John devoted four chapters (nearly 20%) of his gospel to Jesus' farewell discourse, His in-depth teaching to His disciples to prepare them for all that was about to happen. But they were living in fear. Jesus told them they were going to do greater works than Him (14:12). The Helper was coming to empower them (14:26). And Jesus told them He was going to the Father (14:28) but encouraged them they could have peace despite His absence and the tribulation they would face: "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” But rather than having peace, they were hiding in fear (John 16:33).

Jesus has given us a mission: go and make disciples. And He has prepared us for this mission through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the Word of God, our union with Him, and our adoption in God's family. Yes, Christianity has lost power in our culture. But the gospel has not! It is the power of God for salvation to anyone who believes (Romans 1:16)! 

I feel we have an incredible opportunity for the gospel in this post-Christian culture if we will lovingly point people to the Truth! I love how Peter words the potential impact of our mission in 1 Peter 2:12 (NLT): "Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world."

Fear, anger, and fighting will not draw people to Jesus. Holiness, love, and humility will draw people to Jesus. Let's live this way among our unbelieving neighbors and watch God receive glory!