John 20:21

"Jesus therefore said to them again, Peace be unto you: as the Father hath sent me, even so send I you."

This is a little out of left field, I know. Justin Staller, the moderator on a study of John over at Christian Classics Ethereal Library wrote this and I thought it a good example of study. Deserves some thought, esp. in reflection upon one of our previous posts concerning the Great Commission.

"It can be easy to overlook the subtleties of this passage and let it fade in the vast calling of the Great Commission. But, in John’s Gospel, Jesus has spent a lot of time developing the relationship between the Son and the Father who sent him.

John 3.16-17 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God sent not the Son into the world to judge the world; but that the world should be saved through him.

John 3.34-36a For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for he giveth not the Spirit by measure. The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.

John 6.29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

John 6.39-40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that of all that which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that every one that beholdeth the Son, and believeth on him, should have eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

John 7.16-18 Jesus therefore answered them and said, My teaching is not mine, but his that sent me. If any man willeth to do his will, he shall know of the teaching, whether it is of God, or whether I speak from myself. He that speaketh from himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh the glory of him that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.

John 8,15-16 Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man. Yea and if I judge, my judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.

John 8.29 And he that sent me is with me; he hath not left me alone; for I do always the things that are pleasing to him.

John 9.7 and said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam (which is by interpretation, Sent). He went away therefore, and washed, and came seeing.

John 12.44 And Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me.

John 12.49 For I spake not from myself; but the Father that sent me, he hath given me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.

John 13.20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.

John 14.24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my words: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's who sent me.

John 17.3 And this is life eternal, that they should know thee the only true God, and him whom thou didst send, even Jesus Christ.

John 17.20-21 Neither for these only do I pray, but for them also that believe on me through their word; that they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us: that the world may believe that thou didst send me.

This isn’t a full and exhaustive list, but a few themes have already emerged. Jesus has been sent, not to glorify himself, but to glorify his Father. Jesus has been sent, but not to do his own will, or to teach his own doctrine. Jesus has been given “all authority,” but that authority has a specific purpose—he’s supposed to do the will of the Sender. And, because he was sent from God, believing on Jesus is believing on God, and thus having eternal life.

All these same ideas are transferred, in John’s Gospel, to the Body of Christ, specifically represented under the Twelve Apostles. The twelve are sent not to glorify themselves, but to glorify Jesus. The twelve have been sent, but not to do the things they would prefer or teach the doctrine they would rather enjoy.

Being a disciple of Jesus has little or nothing to do with personal blessing, with health, wealth, or prosperity; it has little or nothing to do with personal ecstatic experiences; it has little or nothing to do with propagating our personal systems of theology, soteriology, or eschatology. All those things have their places—but disciples are students learning to be friends of Jesus; friends of Jesus understand that the gospel is about glorifying God and His redeemed creation, glorifying the crucified and risen Lord—therein lies the doorway to heaven. "