Point of Grace Worship 5.18.25 Sermon Notes – “Come and See, Go and Tell – Sent Ones”
“Come and See – Go and Tell”
John 20:19-23 19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
“As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”
The Resurrected Jesus is magnifying an essential part of their identity as His followers. They are no longer just disciples (followers, apprentices, students) they are also “Sent Ones”! As a disciple, I am also a Sent One!
· “Sents Ones” stay in intimate relationship with the Sender (apo-stello- apostle – sent from ones)
“I mentioned at the outset that the word “mission” comes from the Latin “mission” which means “to send”.
The Biblical words for “sent” (both in Hebrew and Greek) carry a deep and indelible relationship with the “one who sends”. “Sent” not only links the sender and the recipient but also unites the sender with the one who is sent.
In other words, “sent” is not a mechanical transmission. This would be like postal workers. They simply deliver letters or packages. There is no substantive connection between the mail carrier and the sender. They don’t know who sent you junk mail. They don’t know Aunt Betty who sent you a Christmas card. They are just messengers.
By contrast, a Biblical use of “sent” implies that a piece of the “sender” goes with the one who is “sent”. Its like an ambassador sent to represent the sender “in person”. The ambassador’s handshake, words and message would be as if the sender were there. The sender and the one sent are tied to one another.”
“Loved and Sent” by Jeff Cloeter
No matter where we are going, and who we are with we are “Sent Ones” from Jesus.
This gives all of life Purpose!
· “Sent Ones” receive Jesus’ peace “Peace be with you!” and His Presence, “Receive the Holy Spirit” which are vital for life as a “Sent One”!
· “Sent Ones” are authorized to give away the gifts of the Kingdom of Heaven that are so desperately needed by everyone on earth. “If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven” John 20
2 Corinthians 5:17-20 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.
The gifts from King Jesus that we get to give away as authorized “Sent Ones” are beyond beautiful.
As Sent Ones, we go by Faith, with a message of Hope in the Love of the One who sends us.
We get to give His gifts away to people we know and people we don’t know.
And we are Sent to people we know who do not yet know and trust Jesus.
We get to BLESS them as “Sent Ones” from Jesus!
B – Begin with Prayer
L – Listen
E – Eat
S – Serve
S - Share your Jesus Story