So I am Sending You (John 20:19-21)

Preacher: Pastor Brad Hillman

Summary

We are all on a mission, but is it our own or God's? This message contrasts the world's temporary, circumstantial peace with the perfect, eternal peace found only through Jesus Christ. Once we have this peace, we are called to our ultimate mission: to proclaim the gospel to a lost and dying world. Discover how to prioritize, prepare for, pray for, and push through for this mission in the everyday places God has sovereignly placed you.

Key Points

• Everyone is on a Mission: The sermon begins by establishing that every human being lives for a mission of some kind. The crucial question is not if we are on a mission, but what mission we are on—our own, or God's.
• The Christian Mission is to Proclaim the Gospel: For believers, the mission given by God is to proclaim the gospel—the good news that peace with God is possible—to a lost and dying world.
• Peace with God is the Prerequisite for the Mission: Before one can effectively be on mission for God, they must first have personal peace with God. This true, eternal peace is only attainable through repenting of sin and placing faith in Jesus Christ, not through the temporary and circumstantial "peace" the world offers (e.g., financial security, safety measures).
• We Are Sent as Jesus Was Sent: Using John 20:21 as a key text ("As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you"), the sermon explains that our mission is an extension of Christ's mission, which was to seek and save the lost.
• We Must Intentionally Live Out the Mission: The sermon provides four practical ways for believers to engage in God's mission in their daily lives:
  • Prioritize the mission by leveraging the specific times, places, and relationships God has given us (our jobs, homes, hobbies, communities) as opportunities for the gospel.
  • Prepare for the mission by deeply understanding the gospel ourselves and by equipping those under our care (especially our families) to live on mission.
  • Pray for the mission, asking the Holy Spirit for guidance and asking God the Father to do what only He can do: save people.
  • Push Through the inevitable difficulties and persecution that come with living a godly life, finding strength in the hope we have in the living God.

Reflect & Discuss

1. Do you have true, lasting peace with God through Jesus, or are you seeking peace in temporary, worldly things?
2. What worldly missions (e.g., career, social media status, gaming) might be distracting you from God's mission?
3. How can you intentionally use the places God has put you (your job, neighborhood, gym) to share the gospel this week?

Main Passage: John 20:19−21

Supporting Passages:

• Luke 19:10
• John 14:27
• Acts 17:26
• 2 Corinthians 4:3−6
• 1 Timothy 4:10
• Ephesians 5