“Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.'” (John 20:21 ESV)
The Apostle John recorded that on the evening of His resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples while they were gathered behind locked doors in fear. Before commissioning them, Jesus spoke peace to them. He did not send them out as fearful fugitives but as people who had received peace from the risen Lord. Jesus deliberately linked the disciples’ mission to His own mission. Just as the Father had sent the Son into the world, the Son was now sending His followers into the world. The mission of Christ did not end with His resurrection. It continued through those who believed in Him. Jesus first calmed their fears and then commissioned them. Their service would be rooted in His peace. The emphasis was not only on what they were to do, but on who they were. They were a sent people.
We often think of missions as something reserved for a few believers, but Jesus reminds us that every follower has been sent. Before He calls us to go, He gives us His peace. We do not serve out of fear, guilt, or striving. We serve as those who have been reconciled to God through Christ. Whether at home, at work, in our neighborhoods, or around the world, we are Christ’s representatives. The church exists not only to gather around the risen Savior but also to go into the world bearing witness to Him. As we remember that our identity is rooted in Christ, we can live with purpose and confidence. We are not merely people who have a mission. We are people who have been sent. You are sent.
PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for giving us peace through the death and resurrection of Your Son. Help us to live confidently as Your sent people. Give us courage to represent Christ wherever You place us. Let our words and actions point others to the Savior. Remind us that our identity is found in being sent by You. In Jesus’ name, amen.