Spirit 40 2022 – WEEK 1
SPIRIT 40 – WEEK 1 MARCH 2-5, 2022
“Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you”. (Jn. 20:21)
The verse above indicates that the disciples were commissioned to carry on the work of Christ. It was a call for world evangelism to spread word of His redemption to all nations. This mission would engage not only His disciples, but all believers.
This is confirmed by the following verses:
“But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Gospel, even so, we speak, not as pleasing me, but God who tests our hearts” 1 Thes. 2:4.
“And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also” 2Tim. 2:2.
Clearly, it is the Father who sent Jesus, and now Jesus in the same way, entrusts us with this great responsibility and sends us forth as His holy relay team.
To understand what it means to be sent by Christ, we must understand what it meant for Christ to have been sent by the Father. How was Christ sent? What was His relationship with His Sender?
Christ was sent by His Father. He was sent not to do His own will, but the will of the Sender, (John. 4:34, 5:30, 6:38). This is what He hungered for more than anything else. Even so, we ought to be able to say, “Not my will, but Christ’s will be done”.
Christ was sent into the world to represent the invisible God, (Jn 5:38).
Even so, we’ve been sent into the world to represent the invisible Christ, (2 Cor. 5:20) It is the Church that will declare Him and make Him known (1 Tim. 3:15-16).
Christ was not sent to please Himself, but to please His Sender, (Jn. 8:29).
Even so, may we be able to say, “For I do only the things that please Christ”, (2Cor. 5:9-11, Eph. 5:10, Phil. 3:7-8).
Christ was not sent to seek His own glory, but the glory of His Father, (Jn. 7:18). He did not want recognition, praise, or attention for Himself. He wanted His Father to get the attention. He was His Father’s witness- pointing clearly and consistently to the One Who sent Him. Even so, our lives should seek to draw attention to the beauty of our Lord Jesus Who sent us, (Jn. 3:30)
Christ was not alone, His Sender was with Him, (Jn. 8:16, 29). Even so, we have the promise of the One who has sent us, (Matt. 28:20, Heb. (13:5)
Christ was sent into the world not with His own Words, but with the doctrine and Words of His Sender, (Jn. 3:34, 7:16, 12:49-50). Even so, Christ has sent us into the world not with our own message, but with the gospel of Christ. The message comes from God. He said it, we just deliver it.
Believers have been sent by Christ to share in His mission to spread the word of His redemption throughout the world. We are charged to do it accurately and clearly. We must also endeavor to communicate the Word in ways that make it clear to our own culture, however, we do not have the freedom to alter the message to make it more palatable. It is His message, not ours.