“…As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”

I would love to have been there as a fly on the wall.  The room had been filled with talk that was confusing and inconclusive.  A few had seen Jesus alive again.  Others had only been to the empty tomb and seen the undisturbed grave clothes.  Some just couldn’t bring themselves to believe the impossible.  The youngest disciple, John, definitely had believed (20:8) but not seen the Savior for himself.  But now was the time.  With his mission accomplished and his return to the Father (20:17) behind him, Jesus was now ready to return to his men, the very ones who had fled upon his arrest in the Garden four days earlier.

“Peace be with you!” (v. 19).  I can’t help but see Jesus grinning from ear to ear.  “Peace!” he boldly declared.  What a statement of forgiveness and healing for them!  After the initial shock of seeing him, it quickly began to dawn on them that it was really him…back…alive!  “After he said this, he showed them his hands and side.”  Yes, it was truly him.  But how could it be?  The body appeared to be the same, still bearing the scars of crucifixion.  But he was alive…alive!  “The disciples were overjoyed” (v. 20) and excitedly rejoicing.  There was no shortage of the commotion and happy howling.  Thus verse 21:  “Again Jesus said, ‘Peace be with you!’ ”

But now comes the purpose for his whole coming to earth and all that he did, and it couldn’t be any clearer or simpler:  “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”  Jesus came to earth as the sent representative of the Father.  He was on a mission.  Nothing could or would deter him from that mission. From day one since leaving heaven he was focused as a runner sees himself crossing the finish line first.

But how did the Father send him?  What was his plan?  The King of Kings first “made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant” (Phil. 2:7).  He came as a poor person in terms of the world’s goods and position and power.  He said he was “gentle and humble in heart” (Matthew 11:29).  He “did not come to be served, but to serve…” (Mark 10:45).  His food was “to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work” (John 4:34).  He did everything “in the power of the Spirit” (Matthew 4:14), and delighted to do God’s will (Heb. 10:7; Ps. 40:8).  He came as a student, “learn[ing] obedience from what he suffered…” (Heb. 5:8).  Regarding personal experience he was “ tempted in every way, just as we are — yet without sin” (Heb. 4:15).  He “endured such opposition from sinful men” (Heb. 12:3).  His whole earthly life was characterized as “doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him” (Acts 10:38).

Then, of course, came his death.  He told his disciples that he would “give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).  It was “for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty [death being the ultimate poverty] might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9).  He lived and died entirely for others — first for his Father, and secondly for us.

This focus is critically important because Jesus told his disciples — us — that as the Father sent him, he is sending us (see John 17:18).  He sends us in the same way.  As he was the extension of the Father in the world, so we are the extension of him in the world.  We cannot extend Christ if we do not know him or understand his character, choices, manner and ministry.  His ways, thinking and goals are to become ours.  Instead of us feeling crushed under the weight of such responsibility, remember that Jesus lived as we are commanded to live — by the power of the Spirit (John 20:22).  Ours is not the responsibility to pay for the sins of the world, but to live as a witness of Christ by the same means that was available to him.  He is the one we are to imitate.

Look again at the New Testament.  Have you taken inventory lately of how Christlike you are becoming?  It is a process that the Lord works in conjunction with his “good purposes” and our choices to obey (Phil. 2:12-13).  We honor our Sender when he is the hand of the glove giving life and direction and animation to all that we do.  He died to send you.  How well are you being his apostle [sent one]?