The (co)mission that follows resurrection …

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The reason for Jesus coming to the Earth He created was concisely stated by the Lord Himself: “For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost,” Luke 19:10.

There was a crucial element to His mission that only He could achieve — paying the debt for sin, and defeating death. That was a cost and a feat only He could pay and accomplish.

But following His crucifixion, and after His resurrection, His primary mission wasn’t complete. While the work necessary for salvation was completed by Christ, the work of making disciples of all the nations was yet to done.

Thus, the (co)mission. That’s when Jesus didn’t hand off the baton of His ministry to his followers, but shared it. God Himself continues in the work of calling humanity to Himself, but He now shares that mission with His disciples. He “shares the baton” of making disciples in His commission to the church:

“Jesus came and told his disciples, ‘I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age,’” Matthew 28:18-20.

The Apostle Paul breaks down this (co)mission in detail for us in 2 Corinthians 5:18-20:

“And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, ‘Come back to God!’”

First came the mission that only God could accomplish through Christ:

  • “And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ …”
  • “… For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them …”

    • Then came handing off to US the ongoing work in Jesus’ mission of seeking the lost so they may be saved:

  • “… And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him …”
  • “… And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation …”
  • “… So we are Christ’s ambassadors …”
  • “… God is making his appeal through us …”
  • “… We speak for Christ when we plead, ‘Come back to God!’”

    • Yesterday, Christians around the world expressed great joy as they celebrated the resurrection of Christ. We have great reason to keep that excitement and enthusiasm going, as carrying on the mission of Jesus has now been shared with US! We have been made ambassadors for Christ, and given the Gospel (“… this wonderful message of reconciliation …”) so that God may make His appeal for reconciliation through us!

    Are you participating in the (co)mission that follows the resurrection?

    Scotty