sent | a God who sends
Author: Joe Marquez
A God Who Sends
Most Christians understand the first half of the gospel pretty well:
Jesus came for me | Jesus died for me | Jesus forgave me | Jesus saved me.
And every bit of that is true. But sometimes our understanding of Christianity stops there.
We begin to think the goal of Christianity is Jesus saves me | Jesus helps my marriage | Jesus helps me raise my kids | Jesus gives me community | Jesus helps me through difficult seasons | Jesus gives me purpose | And eventually, Jesus takes me to heaven.
Now, Jesus absolutely transforms every part of our lives. But when we get to John 20, the resurrected Jesus tells His disciples that salvation is leading somewhere.
Jesus walks into a room filled with frightened disciples and says:
“Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”
Christianity isn’t only Come to Jesus, Christianity is also go with Jesus.
That is the heartbeat of this entire series. We are calling this series SENT because following Jesus means recognizing that God has placed His people in the world with purpose.
What if some of the places we keep thinking are simply parts of our ordinary lives are actually places Jesus has sent us?
Your neighborhood | Your workplace | Your kid’s soccer field | Your classroom | Your gym | Your favorite coffee shop | Your dinner table | Your friendships | Your routines.
As Emil Brunner famously said, “The church exists by mission, just as a fire exists by burning.” Mission isn’t an optional department of the church. Mission is part of what it means to be the church.
JESUS WAS SENT TO US
Before Jesus ever talks about our mission, He reminds us of His mission:
“As the Father has sent me…”
That matters because mission does not begin with us. Mission does not begin with a church program | Mission does not begin with an outreach strategy | Mission does not begin with a missionary getting on an airplane | Mission begins in the heart of God.
The Father sends the Son. John 3:16–17 tells us that God sent His Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.
Christian mission exists because we worship a sending God.
Throughout John’s Gospel, Jesus repeatedly describes Himself as the One sent by the Father. Jesus enters our world | He moves toward sinners | He eats with outsiders | He touches people others avoid | He enters suffering | He crosses cultural boundaries | He welcomes children | He confronts religious pride | He speaks good news | Ultimately, He gives His life.
The gospel is the story of a God who moved toward people who were not moving toward Him, and that changes how we understand mission.
Before mission is something we do, mission reveals something about who God is: God moves toward people.
And when we follow Jesus, we begin learning to move toward people too.
JESUS SENDS US
Jesus continues:
“As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”
Jesus connects His sending with ours.
Obviously, we are not Jesus. We don't accomplish redemption | We don't die for the sins of the world | We don't save anyone.
But the posture of Jesus’ life now becomes the posture of Jesus’ people.
Jesus moved toward people | So do we.
Jesus entered people’s lives | So do we.
Jesus crossed barriers | So do we.
Jesus served others | So do we.
Jesus spoke good news | So do we.
Jesus lived sacrificially | So do we.
Every follower of Jesus is sent.
Mission cannot belong only to pastors | It cannot belong only to missionaries | It cannot belong only to the people who are naturally outgoing | It cannot belong only to the people who know how to answer every theological question.
Every follower of Jesus is sent.
You are not waiting until you travel somewhere to be on mission. You’re already somewhere. And God has placed people all around you.
Think about your normal Monday. You wake up | You make coffee | You get the kids ready | You walk out the front door | You see a neighbor | You go through school drop-off | You arrive at work | You have a meeting | You eat lunch | You go to the gym | You stop at the grocery store | You go to practice | You come home | You eat dinner | You do it again Tuesday.
We call that normal life.
Jesus might call it the place where I sent you.
Maybe mission isn't primarily about adding more things to your life. Maybe it starts by seeing the life you already have differently.
You don't have to go somewhere extraordinary to live on mission.
You need to recognize that, Jesus has already sent you somewhere.
WE ARE SENT AS PEOPLE OF PEACE
Go back to the context of John 20. The disciples have locked the doors because they are afraid. Jesus has been crucified | Their world has fallen apart | They don’t know what comes next.
Then Jesus appears in the room.
And before He says, “I am sending you…” He says:
“Peace be with you.”
Don't miss the order:
PEACE → THEN SENDING
Jesus does not send frantic people into the world trying to earn God's approval.
Jesus sends people who have first received His peace.
Mission isn't how we earn God's love | Mission is the overflow of having already received God's love | Mission isn't paying Jesus back | Mission is participating in the life Jesus has already given us.
We aren't desperately trying to prove that we are good Christians. We are living out of the security of knowing we belong to Jesus.
GOSPEL LANDING
Jesus is the ultimate Sent One.
We weren’t searching for God | God came searching for us.
Jesus didn't remain at a safe distance from the brokenness of humanity. He came near. He took on flesh | He entered our world | He experienced hunger | Weariness | Grief | Rejection | Temptation | Pain | He walked among sinners | He touched the unclean | He welcomed outsiders | He carried our sin | He died our death | And He rose again.
Jesus did not shout salvation at humanity from a safe distance, He came near.
And now the resurrected Jesus stands in front of the people He rescued and says:
“As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”
NOW YOU GO NEAR.
Go toward the lonely | Go toward your neighbor | Go toward your coworker | Go toward the skeptic | Go toward the hurting | Go toward the person who thinks differently than you | Go toward the person who may never walk through the doors of our Church.
Why?
Because that's what Jesus did for us.
We don't go into the world hoping to bring Jesus somewhere He isn't. We go into the world believing Jesus is already at work and inviting us to join Him.
RHYTHMS FOR THE WEEK
RHYTHM 1 | PRAY
Every morning this week, pray:
“Jesus, where are you sending me today?”
Instead of only, God, make today go well | God, keep my family safe | God, help my meeting | God, fix this problem…
Begin adding:
“Jesus, who have You placed around me today?”
“Who do you want me to notice?” | “Where are you already working?”
RHYTHM 2 | NOTICE
Slow down enough to notice people.
Who lives around you? Who sits near you? Who works with you? Who serves you coffee? Who coaches beside you? Who stands beside you at the soccer field every week? Who keeps appearing in the rhythms of your life?
Sometimes we keep asking God for opportunities while walking past the opportunities He's already given us.
Mission begins with attention
RHYTHM 3 | NAME THREE PEOPLE
This week, write down the names of three people God has already placed in your life | Three people who don't know Jesus | Three people who are spiritually disconnected | Three people who simply need to experience the love of Jesus through you.
And over these next twelve weeks…
Pray for them | Listen to them | Serve them | Eat with them | Invite them into your life | Love them authentically
And when God opens the door, Tell them about Jesus.
A God Who Sends
Most Christians understand the first half of the gospel pretty well:
Jesus came for me | Jesus died for me | Jesus forgave me | Jesus saved me.
And every bit of that is true. But sometimes our understanding of Christianity stops there.
We begin to think the goal of Christianity is Jesus saves me | Jesus helps my marriage | Jesus helps me raise my kids | Jesus gives me community | Jesus helps me through difficult seasons | Jesus gives me purpose | And eventually, Jesus takes me to heaven.
Now, Jesus absolutely transforms every part of our lives. But when we get to John 20, the resurrected Jesus tells His disciples that salvation is leading somewhere.
Jesus walks into a room filled with frightened disciples and says:
“Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”
Christianity isn’t only Come to Jesus, Christianity is also go with Jesus.
That is the heartbeat of this entire series. We are calling this series SENT because following Jesus means recognizing that God has placed His people in the world with purpose.
What if some of the places we keep thinking are simply parts of our ordinary lives are actually places Jesus has sent us?
Your neighborhood | Your workplace | Your kid’s soccer field | Your classroom | Your gym | Your favorite coffee shop | Your dinner table | Your friendships | Your routines.
As Emil Brunner famously said, “The church exists by mission, just as a fire exists by burning.” Mission isn’t an optional department of the church. Mission is part of what it means to be the church.
JESUS WAS SENT TO US
Before Jesus ever talks about our mission, He reminds us of His mission:
“As the Father has sent me…”
That matters because mission does not begin with us. Mission does not begin with a church program | Mission does not begin with an outreach strategy | Mission does not begin with a missionary getting on an airplane | Mission begins in the heart of God.
The Father sends the Son. John 3:16–17 tells us that God sent His Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.
Christian mission exists because we worship a sending God.
Throughout John’s Gospel, Jesus repeatedly describes Himself as the One sent by the Father. Jesus enters our world | He moves toward sinners | He eats with outsiders | He touches people others avoid | He enters suffering | He crosses cultural boundaries | He welcomes children | He confronts religious pride | He speaks good news | Ultimately, He gives His life.
The gospel is the story of a God who moved toward people who were not moving toward Him, and that changes how we understand mission.
Before mission is something we do, mission reveals something about who God is: God moves toward people.
And when we follow Jesus, we begin learning to move toward people too.
JESUS SENDS US
Jesus continues:
“As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”
Jesus connects His sending with ours.
Obviously, we are not Jesus. We don't accomplish redemption | We don't die for the sins of the world | We don't save anyone.
But the posture of Jesus’ life now becomes the posture of Jesus’ people.
Jesus moved toward people | So do we.
Jesus entered people’s lives | So do we.
Jesus crossed barriers | So do we.
Jesus served others | So do we.
Jesus spoke good news | So do we.
Jesus lived sacrificially | So do we.
Every follower of Jesus is sent.
Mission cannot belong only to pastors | It cannot belong only to missionaries | It cannot belong only to the people who are naturally outgoing | It cannot belong only to the people who know how to answer every theological question.
Every follower of Jesus is sent.
You are not waiting until you travel somewhere to be on mission. You’re already somewhere. And God has placed people all around you.
Think about your normal Monday. You wake up | You make coffee | You get the kids ready | You walk out the front door | You see a neighbor | You go through school drop-off | You arrive at work | You have a meeting | You eat lunch | You go to the gym | You stop at the grocery store | You go to practice | You come home | You eat dinner | You do it again Tuesday.
We call that normal life.
Jesus might call it the place where I sent you.
Maybe mission isn't primarily about adding more things to your life. Maybe it starts by seeing the life you already have differently.
You don't have to go somewhere extraordinary to live on mission.
You need to recognize that, Jesus has already sent you somewhere.
WE ARE SENT AS PEOPLE OF PEACE
Go back to the context of John 20. The disciples have locked the doors because they are afraid. Jesus has been crucified | Their world has fallen apart | They don’t know what comes next.
Then Jesus appears in the room.
And before He says, “I am sending you…” He says:
“Peace be with you.”
Don't miss the order:
PEACE → THEN SENDING
Jesus does not send frantic people into the world trying to earn God's approval.
Jesus sends people who have first received His peace.
Mission isn't how we earn God's love | Mission is the overflow of having already received God's love | Mission isn't paying Jesus back | Mission is participating in the life Jesus has already given us.
We aren't desperately trying to prove that we are good Christians. We are living out of the security of knowing we belong to Jesus.
GOSPEL LANDING
Jesus is the ultimate Sent One.
We weren’t searching for God | God came searching for us.
Jesus didn't remain at a safe distance from the brokenness of humanity. He came near. He took on flesh | He entered our world | He experienced hunger | Weariness | Grief | Rejection | Temptation | Pain | He walked among sinners | He touched the unclean | He welcomed outsiders | He carried our sin | He died our death | And He rose again.
Jesus did not shout salvation at humanity from a safe distance, He came near.
And now the resurrected Jesus stands in front of the people He rescued and says:
“As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”
NOW YOU GO NEAR.
Go toward the lonely | Go toward your neighbor | Go toward your coworker | Go toward the skeptic | Go toward the hurting | Go toward the person who thinks differently than you | Go toward the person who may never walk through the doors of our Church.
Why?
Because that's what Jesus did for us.
We don't go into the world hoping to bring Jesus somewhere He isn't. We go into the world believing Jesus is already at work and inviting us to join Him.
RHYTHMS FOR THE WEEK
RHYTHM 1 | PRAY
Every morning this week, pray:
“Jesus, where are you sending me today?”
Instead of only, God, make today go well | God, keep my family safe | God, help my meeting | God, fix this problem…
Begin adding:
“Jesus, who have You placed around me today?”
“Who do you want me to notice?” | “Where are you already working?”
RHYTHM 2 | NOTICE
Slow down enough to notice people.
Who lives around you? Who sits near you? Who works with you? Who serves you coffee? Who coaches beside you? Who stands beside you at the soccer field every week? Who keeps appearing in the rhythms of your life?
Sometimes we keep asking God for opportunities while walking past the opportunities He's already given us.
Mission begins with attention
RHYTHM 3 | NAME THREE PEOPLE
This week, write down the names of three people God has already placed in your life | Three people who don't know Jesus | Three people who are spiritually disconnected | Three people who simply need to experience the love of Jesus through you.
And over these next twelve weeks…
Pray for them | Listen to them | Serve them | Eat with them | Invite them into your life | Love them authentically
And when God opens the door, Tell them about Jesus.
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