What does “missional” mean?
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” John 20:21
They probably thought that we had lost our minds. I guess it was partly true. Maybe not lost, but certainly a seismic change was happening in our lives, and it could not remain hidden. What could our families think as we were buying dozens of Luther’s Small Catechism with Explanation, and with excitement beaming from our faces, handing them out to our extended family and friends? What has happened to this couple?!
That was our first experience of partaking in the Great Commission as that well known fisherman John recorded for us: “As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” (John 20:21, see also Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24 and Acts 1). At that time, we didn’t even know much about the Great Commission, we didn’t know that we were called and sent to proclaim repentance and forgiveness, to make disciples, or to be witnesses of Jesus Christ. But we had just heard the Gospel, the Good News, the amazing news. Something that was turning our lives and world upside down.
We had been found and embraced by this God, whom we were now privileged to address as our Father in Heaven, and this God-man Jesus Christ, who had become one of us, suffered, died and risen again for us [!] and by God the Holy Spirit who now dwelt in us and had begun His transforming work with us.
We were overflowing with joy. Finally the truth about this world and about ourselves was revealed to us, and it was so much more beautiful than we could have ever dreamed about. We were created by the Maker of the Universe - yes, fallen and mortal, but so loved that this God hadn’t spared His own life to rescue us from sin, death and devil and to bring us back into divine fellowship with Himself. We simply couldn’t keep this to ourselves, we had to share it with everyone we knew, shout it from the rooftops! We wanted everyone to experience the same joy and love and grace that we had just received.
As you can imagine, not everyone got as excited as we were. Truth to be told, no one got excited at all. Not at that time anyway. Instead, our family members and friends gradually distanced themselves from us. However, the joy that flew from being known by the Triune God and being brought into His family washed away whatever sadness there might have been.
This is in no way a unique account. You could hear similar stories from many whom the Holy Lord has joined to Himself later in their life. However, not everyone undergoes the great discovery of God’s goodness or experiences the transforming power of the Gospel as adults. Many are blessed to be born in Christian families and raised in the Church and don’t necessarily have such radical conversion experiences with all that is involved.
What if your life isn’t turned upside down? What if you have been a faithful and quiet member of Christ’s family since your early years? The so-called Great Commission of making disciples of all nations is not just a description of the joy new converts to Christianity may experience. And it is not addressed only to those who were present as Jesus ascended back to the Father. With these words, “as the Father has sent me so I am sending you” and “go and make disciples,” our speaking God launches and empowers the greatest rescue mission in the history of the universe, as He sends His disciples, His brothers and sisters, to bring forth and expand His everlasting Kingdom. He has given us the words of eternal life. As we speak the Gospel message to others, our words accompanied with the Holy Spirit, if received, will create a new life, eternal life. This is an incredible task and privilege that the Lord of the Church has entrusted us and commanded us to carry on.
We are the body of Christ; we participate in His mission. In one body, there are different members with different gifts and functions. Some are outgoing, some not. Some are eloquent, some not. Some are sharp thinkers, some not so. Some are fluent in prayer, others generous in giving. We all are different, but we all have received the same Great Commission – “make disciples!”. That is not optional, that is not only for some members, but for all. The Triune God wants to use us all, He wants to bless us all by allowing us to take part in what He does, in how He gathers His Bride, the Church.
Sure, our participation in this Great Commission will look different for each one of us as we all are unique, we have unique experiences, we have unique access to people in our lives. But as long as we respond to God’s undeserved and abundant grace with, “Here I am, send me!”, He Himself will guide and accompany us in His mission.
He may lead us to pray; to pray for our loved ones to be open to the voice of the Spirit, to reveal who we shall approach, for the presence of the Holy Spirit in the midst of our congregations, for being enlightened by the Word, for those who are particularly gifted and called to proclaim the Good News.
He may lead us into fellowship of saints to discuss, share, pool our God-given wisdom and consider how to articulate our message for different people in different situations. He may lead us to study more, or to support those who bring the Good News to people who sit in darkness. He may stir us up to be radically generous for the sake of God’s mission, and so on and on.
But as we respond to the Lord Jesus, those missional activities will have one thing in common. Joy. Yes, divine joy - for being on mission with the Triune God, for praying together with the Holy Spirit, for delving deeper in the Word for the sake of others, for speaking the words of grace and forgiveness that have the power to create new life. To be missional, is to be Christian. Called, forgiven, blessed, restored and sent. To serve with the Lord. Joyfully.
I pray that our Father who is in heaven, and who has chosen you in Christ before the foundation of the world, bless you richly as He allows and invites you to partake in His great mission, and may you experience His joy abundantly and, the Lord willing, may you see the fruits of the Lord’s work through you!
Pastor Guntars Baikovs
We thank God for Pastor Guntars and ask the Lord’s blessing on him and his wife Jana, as they depart for Canada, where Pastor Guntars will serve the Oshawa congregation.