The Missionary Imperative

MEMORY VERSE: “As thou hest sent Me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.” —John 17:18

LUKE 24:45-49

IN THIS section of today’s lesson we have Luke’s account of Jesus’ instructions to his disciples to be his witnesses unto all nations. This command was given by Jesus on the occasion of one of his last appearances to his disciples following his resurrection and before he returned to the heavenly courts.

However, they were not to begin their missionary work immediately, but were to tarry at Jerusalem until they were “endued with power from on high” This was the power of the Holy Spirit which came upon the waiting disciples at Pentecost, the power that enabled some of them—probably the apostles at the time—to speak in foreign languages, and this enabled them to give a witness concerning Jesus to the Jews who had come to Jerusalem for their annual feast from all the various countries where they lived.

It was on this occasion—probably the next to the last of Jesus’ appearances—that he opened the understanding of his apostles, at least to some extent, for he explained to them that according to the Scriptures it was necessary for Jesus to suffer and die and to be raised from the dead. This is the foundation even today of Christian witnessing. It was Jesus’ death that provided redemption from sin and death.

JOHN 17:18-21

In this passage we have Jesus’ prayer in which he petitions his Heavenly Father for the oneness of the church—that same oneness which had always existed between him and the Heavenly Father—“That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that Thou has sent me.”

One of the fundamental ways in which these share the oneness of the Father and the Son is in the fact that just as the Father had sent Jesus into the world, so he also sent his disciples into the world to bear witness to the truth. Nothing can make one more godlike and Christlike than faithfulness in bearing witness to the Gospel of Christ, which is the power of God unto salvation.—Rom. 1:16

Jesus indicates in his prayer that the ultimate purpose of the oneness of his people is “that the world may believe that Thou hast sent me.” While some in the world throughout the age have believed this, the complete answer to this part of Jesus’ prayer will not come until in his kingdom the knowledge of the Lord fills the earth as the waters cover the sea.

ACTS 13:1-3

Next to Jerusalem, the church at Antioch was perhaps one of the largest in the vicinity, at least in the early days. This congregation was well supplied with “prophets and teachers.” Luke lists them, but the only two whose names became historically well-known are Barnabas and Saul, or Paul, the latter being brought to Antioch by Barnabas from his native city of Tarsus.

All the servants listed apparently were faithful in their ministry, and “as they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.”

Just how the Holy Spirit communicated this information to the church at Antioch we may not know. We know that throughout the Old Testament the Holy Spirit, speaking through the prophets, revealed that the followers of the Messiah would be made his ministers throughout the earth. (See Isa. 61:1-3) But prophecies of this sort did not indicate the details of the selection of a certain two to become traveling missionaries. Perhaps this was done by a vote of the congregation. In any case, the matter was made clear, and the brethren were satisfied that the right choice was made.

They “laid their hands on them, and sent them away.” There is nothing here to indicate that only the leaders of the congregation laid their hands on Barnabas and Saul to give them the authority of the Holy Spirit through the church. The entire congregation could have joined in this.

QUESTIONS

What is the great fundamental of the Gospel of Christ?

What is one of the main purposes of our oneness in Christ?

How was Christian missionary work expanded by the church at Antioch?

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