You are Sent

There's something profoundly countercultural about the way Jesus sends His followers into the world. In a society that values self-sufficiency, credentials, and power, the biblical model of being "sent ones" turns everything upside down. We don't go in our own strength. We don't rely on our own authority. And we certainly don't craft our own message.

Instead, we go as messengers—imperfect people carrying a perfect message to other imperfect people.

The Question We All Ask
If we're honest, most of us have wondered at some point: Who am I to share the gospel with others?

It's a valid question. We know our own failures. We're aware of our inconsistencies. We understand that we're broken people trying to tell other broken people about Jesus. It can feel presumptuous, even arrogant, to boldly proclaim that others need to repent and believe.

But here's the liberating truth: we don't go because we're worthy; we go because Jesus is worthy. We don't speak with authority because of who we are, but because of who He is and what He has accomplished.

When Jesus sent out the twelve disciples in Mark 6, He gave them His authority over unclean spirits. He equipped them with His power. They weren't going out as self-appointed messengers; they were sent by the King of Kings with His message, His authority, and His power backing them up.

The same is true for us today. Jesus declared in Matthew 28:18, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me." And then, based on that reality, He commands us to "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations."

We can proclaim the gospel with bold assurance not because we're confident in ourselves, but because we're confident in the One who sends us.

Messengers, Not Soldiers
There's another crucial aspect to how Jesus sends His people that we cannot overlook. Look at the instructions He gave the twelve: take no food, no bag, no money, no extra clothes. Just a walking stick—and not even the kind you'd use for protection.

These traveling pairs were the least threatening duos imaginable. They had nothing to sustain themselves and nothing with which to be aggressive. Why would Jesus send them out so vulnerable?

Because the gospel isn't advanced through force. It's not spread through cultural domination or political power. The kingdom of God doesn't come through winning arguments or defeating opponents.

The gospel is a message of peace and reconciliation. It's the good news that sinners can be made right with a holy God through Jesus Christ. Those who were once enemies can become children. Those who were condemned can be forgiven. Those who were separated can be brought near.

Second Corinthians 5 tells us that God has given us "the ministry of reconciliation" and made us "ambassadors for Christ." We don't go as judges, but as witnesses. Not as the righteous condemning the unrighteous, but as sinners who have received abundant grace offering that same grace to others.

This distinction matters enormously in our current cultural moment. It's tempting to view gospel proclamation as a culture war to be won, a battle to be fought with political power and social pressure. But that's not the model Jesus gives us.

We go with peacemaking urgency—urgent because the gospel has immediate and eternal effects, but peacemaking because the message itself is one of reconciliation between God and humanity.

The Urgency We Cannot Ignore
Speaking of urgency, consider the timing of Jesus' instructions in Mark 6. Just before this passage, Jesus had been in His hometown where people tried to throw Him off a cliff. From a human perspective, this would be the moment to lay low, to let things cool down, to reconsider the strategy.

Instead, Jesus multiplies His efforts. He sends out the twelve in pairs to proclaim the same message that just provoked such violent rejection.

Why? Because the message is too important to delay. The gospel has immediate and eternal implications. Through Jesus, people can know and enjoy God now and forever. Through Jesus, people can be forgiven of all their sin—forgiveness that begins now and never stops. Through the gospel, people are given hope for today that will be fully realized in the fullness of Christ's kingdom to come.

If Jesus is who He claims to be—and He is—and if the gospel is as good as Jesus claims—and it is—then anything less than urgency quietly communicates that we don't actually believe it.

The Reality We Must Speak
Here's where things get uncomfortable for many of us. Jesus also told the twelve that if a place wouldn't receive them or listen to their message, they should shake the dust off their feet as a testimony against that place. This was a symbolic act declaring that eternal judgment awaits those who reject Christ and His gospel.

Some might ask: Are Christians out of line for declaring with certainty the eternal impact of rejecting Jesus?

But we need to reframe the question: Is Jesus out of line for declaring the eternal impact of rejecting Him and His gospel? Obviously not. Jesus is Savior, King, and one day will be the eternal Judge.

Here's the tension we must hold: We should testify clearly to the reality of eternal judgment for those who reject Christ. To avoid this truth isn't loving—it's actually unkind. If God did not judge good and evil eternally, He would not be good Himself.

But—and this is crucial—we never testify to this reality with glee. We don't look at "those sinners" with self-righteous satisfaction, eagerly anticipating their judgment. That's not the heart of Christ, and it shouldn't be ours.

We testify to eternal judgment humbly, knowing that only by the work of Christ in our own lives are we not in danger of the same judgment. We testify with hope, knowing that Christ still saves everyone who calls on Him. We testify with broken hearts, desperately wanting our family, neighbors, and coworkers to experience the peace and reconciliation with God that we have.

Living as Sent People
So what does this mean for us practically? It means we go into our daily lives—our workplaces, neighborhoods, schools, and communities—as sent people. Not in our own strength or with our own message, but with the authority and power of Jesus backing us up.

We go with bold assurance because God and the message He sends us with is true, good, authoritative, and powerful. We don't apologize for the gospel or water it down to make it more palatable.

We go with peacemaking urgency, longing for others to experience the reconciliation with God that we've received through Christ. We're not trying to win culture wars; we're announcing the victory Christ has already won.

We go with eternal certainty, understanding the weight of what's at stake while maintaining hope that in Christ, the wrath of God is satisfied for all who call on His name.

The kingdom of God is at hand. This is the message we've been given. This is the mission we've been sent to accomplish. Not in our power, but in His. Not with our authority, but with His. Not for our glory, but for His fame.

In the power of the Spirit, we are sent. The question is: will we go?