Commitment to a Biblical Mandate

God's purpose in creation, well determined before time, was intrinsically united with and graphically defined by the statement of the Apostle Paul in the book of Ephesians. "God created all things to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in the heavenly places might be made known through the church the manifold wisdom of God." His "intent," reflected in the "eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord," was to accomplish the eternal salvation of fallen humanity. Amazing as was the "purpose", so was the amazing simplicity with which His plan was to be achieved. He would "build his church" (Matthew 16:18), and then commission it to "make all men see what is the dispensation of the mystery which for ages hath been hid in God" (Ephesians 3:9-11). In that "plan of the ages" (here called "the mystery') God would employ redeemed humanity to herald Christ's redemptive story to the unredeemed. Special personnel had to be God chosen, God called, God assigned, God trained in their message and then God authenticated in their mission.

Old Testament Background

Even in Old Testament times God consistently selected his spokesmen and then arranged for their special preparation. Each messenger of God was inspired by the Spirit of God. In Numbers 11 Moses found the task of governing Israel too burdensome, so God arranged for the "seventy elders" to assist him. The Spirit that was upon Moses (vs. 17) then "rested upon" the seventy, and "they prophesied" (vs.25). Frequent mention is made in the Old Testament about God calling his prophets and then inspiring them with their message. As select messengers of God they were called: "men of God", "servants of Jehovah", "men of the Spirit", "messengers of Jehovah." Sometimes prophets were identified as "seers."

In the times of the Judges of Israel, there seemed to have been originated what has been called "schools of the prophets." The "students" in those schools seemed to be apprentice prophets. They were called "sons of the prophets," not necessarily implying that they were literal children of the prophets. It may more appropriately indicate that they were disciples of older prophets. They seemed to have a common dwelling place, which would facilitate the nature of the school in which they were enrolled (II Kings 6:1).

I Samuel 10:5-6 speaks of a "band of prophets...and they will be prophesying" because the "Spirit of Jehovah came mightily upon them." I Samuel 19:20 again mentions the "company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as head over them." Though he was called the "head over them," Samuel did not initiate their message. Their message to Israel was given by the Holy Spirit. Samuel probably modeled before them his prophetic life-style and impressed upon them the urgency of their mission. Thus John the Baptist later came "in the spirit and power of Elijah" (Luke 1:17).

In the days of Elijah the prophetic ministry seemed to have been revived in Israel. The prophet Obadiah led a group of one hundred prophets, whom King Ahab was determined to destroy. Obadiah hid the prophets, by fifties, in caves to protect them from Ahab. When Obadiah met Elijah, he "he fell on his face, and said, Is it thou, my Lord Elijah" (I Kings 18:4-7). His use of the term "Lord" expressed his respect for his more eminent counterpart.

By God's command Elijah passed the mantle of his prophetic office to Elisha. In I Kings 19:16 he is instructed that"Elisha the son of Shaphat shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room." These "bands of prophets" were not writing messengers. Their mission was to promote devotion to the Lord, educate Israel's moral and family structure, and warn God's people of impending judgments because of their waywardness. With the rise of the writings of both the major and minor prophets little further information is given about the "company of the prophets." Yet Jeremiah 7:25 records: "Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day, I have sent unto you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them." Hebrews 1:1 summarized that past history with the words: "God, having of old time spoken unto the fathers in the prophets by divers portions and divers manners, hath at the end of these days spoken unto us in his Son." Peter affirmed that in ages past "men spake from God, being moved by the Holy Spirit" (II Peter 1:21).

In ages past God did not "leave himself without witness" (Acts 14:17). In like manner, from the beginning of time until its end God has not left himself without his chosen spokesmen! God wanted his prophets to be respected and even feared by the people. They were privy to God's purposes and spoke accordingly. "Surely the Lord Jehovah will do nothing, except he reveal his secret unto his servants the prophets. The lion hath roared; who will not fear? The Lord Jehovah hath spoken; who can but prophesy?" (Amos 3:7-8). Some of God's spokesmen were "killed, crucified, scourged and persecuted" (Matthew 23:34). The history of Jeremiah is a classic example of the abuse the prophets endured. Such things were done to the prophets in spite of God's warnings to the contrary: "Touch not mine anointed ones, and do my prophets no harm" (I Chronicles 16:22; Psalms 105:15).

When Jesus Began His Ministry

Mark records that early in His ministry, Jesus "appointed twelve, that they might be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach" (Mark 3:14). To "be with him" would be vital in their preparation to go 'forth and preach." From him they learned the glory of his mission, and later of theirs. He modeled before them his sacrificial commitment to a heavenly assignment, and then motivated them to imitate his fervor. "For their sakes I sanctify myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth" (John 17:19). He taught them that their salvation was more important to him than his own survival on earth. They were challenged with that same devotion as they considered the salvation of others more important than their survival! Jesus told them "the hour cometh, that whosoever killeth you shall think that he offereth service unto God" (John 16:2). He privately explained to them in simple parables the dynamics of their kingdom building assignment. From His baptism in the Jordan River until His resurrection and ascension from the Mount of Olives, they were His constant "disciples" in training for their own future redemptive mission (Acts 1:21-22). They were witnesses of "all that Jesus began both to do and to teach" (Acts 1:1).

Whether or not they were aware of his plans for them in the future kingdom, Jesus was actively schooling the apostles in the mission methods and philosophy they would follow. He shared with them a common mission from God. In Matthew 10 he sent the twelve apostles, two by two, on the limited commission. "Go not into any city of the Samaritans; but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (vs.5). Their message was simple but exciting. "As you go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand" (vs.7). They were assured that their message was so compelling that it would generate its own support base for their needs. "Get you no gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses; no wallet for your journey, neither two coats, nor shoes, nor staff for the laborer is worthy of his food" (vs.9-10). God would be their providence! Just before his ascension he asked them: "When I sent you forth without purse, and wallet, and shoes, lacked ye anything? And they said, Nothing." (Luke 22:35). They learned that their Master/Teacher was faithful and could be trusted to keep them safe until their mission was accomplished.

He later commissioned another group of seventy-two, again by twos, giving them the same assurances of providential care (Luke 10:1- 9). He taught both the twelve and the seventy-two to look for receptive fields and to avoid wasting time on resistant communities (Matthew 10:11-14; Luke 10:8-11). Anyone who offered hospitality to one of Christ's apprentice missionaries would receive equal honor and credit as the twelve earned. "He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward,. And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only, in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you he shall in no wise lose his reward" (Matthew 10:40-42). Today's evangelists and missionaries are equally classed with the "prophets, righteous men, little ones and disciples" of this context.

Jesus' Program For The Church

Just before his ascension Jesus commissioned the apostles with a world wide evangelistic assignment. "Go ye therefore and make disciples of all the nations" (Matthew 28:19). A "disciple" was a believer who was enrolled as an apprentice in the school of the Master/Teacher to learn the art of their Instructor's business. Since his "business" was redemptive, "to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10), then the "disciple's" mission was by analogy, redemptive. Jesus wanted "disciples" that make "disciples." He wanted them to plant churches that planted churches. The dynamic of the coming kingdom would be built around a grass-roots movement where every believer would involve himself in a common mission. God would "call" lost men to salvation "through the gospel" (II Thessalonians 3:14), and that automatically placed them under a common assignment with the apostles. "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you" apostles (Matthew 28:20) created the basis of unity in mission.

Apostolic Practice

To keep the church from being a one generation phenomenon the great commission was faithfully transmitted to each new disciple. From the beginning of the early church the apostles focused their attention on the training of the next generation of spokesmen for God. The next generation  in any movement is always essential to the survival of the movement. Even in Old Testament times the next generation  of believers was crucial to the continuity of God's purpose. "A seed shall serve him; it shall be told of the Lord unto the next generation. They shall come and shall declare his righteousness unto a people what shall be born, that he hath done it" (Psalms 22:30-31). "Yea, even when Jam old and gray-headed, O God, forsake me not, until I have declared thy strength unto the next generation, thy might to everyone that is to come" (Psalms 71:18). "Great is Jehovah, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable One generation shall laud thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts" (Psalms 145:3-4).

Paul stated that Christ "committed unto us the word of reconciliation" (II Corinthians 5:19). The word "committed" implies entrusting a precious object into the hands of another for safe keeping. Then Paul charged Timothy to "guard that which is committed unto thee" (I Timothy 6:20). Timothy in turn was told: "And the things which thou hast heard from me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also" "(II Timothy 2:2). There are five successive generations of "disciples making disciples" in these verses. Christ had "committed" the message to Paul; he "committed" it to Timothy. Then Timothy was commanded to "commit" the same message to 'faithful men" who would then "commit it to others also." If there had been a breakdown in the process of transmission there would have been no "others also!"

In Paul's mission enterprise he gathered around himself a sizable company of fellow missionaries. He imitated the format Jesus had set during his personal ministry. From his first mission journey his fellow travelers were Barnabas and John Mark. During his second journey his entourage included Sopater, Aristarchus, Secundus, Gaius, Timothy, Tychicus, Trophimus and Luke (Acts 20:4). Evidently he was training them in the process of church planting, of role-modeling the faith and proclaiming the gospel message in diverse cultures. His mission ethics were pure and wholesome. "For ye remember, brethren, our labor and travail: working night and day, that we might not burden any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and righteously and unblamably we behaved ourselves toward you that believe" (I Thessalonians 2:9-10).

Paul and his companions lived out of common treasury which the churches provided and he earned making tents. "Ye yourselves know that these hands ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me" "Acts 20:34). He recommended that his colleagues be sustained by the churches, for they were equally worthy of support. "Now if Timothy come, see that he be with you without fear: for he worketh the work of the Lord, as I also do" (I Corinthians 16:10). Peter recommended "Silvanus, our faithful brother, as I account him" (I Peter 5:12). John recommended to Gaius, a 'foreign brother" named "Demetrius" who "has the witness of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, we also bear witness; and thou knowest that our witness is true" (III John 12). Thus they maintained the urgency of preaching the gospel to the next generation. 

No Token Partnership

Even when Satan caused Eve to sin, God dignified her with the promise that her seed would bring about the downfall of Satan. Though "by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead" (I Corinthians 15:21). Great honor and nobility was reserved by God for fallen, but now redeemed humanity. That exalted respect was conferred when God made the church his partner in redemption.

Such a worthy assignment required that God and saved humanity become full scale colleagues in the Divine obsession for man's salvation. Jesus exposed to the apostles their place in his redemptive purpose when he prayed to the Father: "As thou didst send me into the world, even so sent I them into the world" (John 17:18). Later when Jesus commissioned the apostles in their share in God's plan, he reminded them that: "As the Father hath sent me, even so send I you" (John 20:21). Such a partnership between unequals demanded that God make his lesser companions in mission adequate for their assignment. The lesser must humbly acknowledge that they "are not sufficient of themselves" but that their "sufficiency is from God" (II Corinthians 3:5).

To make his "share-holders" in mission competent to handle their assignment, Jesus made them participants with him in the identify and blessings the Father had shared with him. In his prayer on their behalf Jesus asked God to endow them with all the grace they would need to fulfill their task. In John 17 Jesus asked that they be given "eternal life" (vs.3). He "manifested the Father's name" to them (vs.6). He gave them the same message he had received: "The words which thou gayest me I have given unto them" (vs.8). He unified them "in the name which thou hast given me" (vs.!!). He shared with them his elation in being involved in such a heavenly cause, so "they may have my joy made full in themselves" (vs.13). He lifted them up to a heavenly station, therefore "they are not of the world, even as Jam not of the world" (vs.14, 16). As cited above in verse 18, he made them partners in his mission. They needed a model of consecration to follow, so "for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth" (vs.19). Even "the glory which thou hast given me I have given them" (vs.22). He made them subjects of the Father's love "even as thou lovedst me" (vs.23). Ultimately he longed for their eternal presence with him. "I desire that they also whom thou hast given me given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory, which hast given me" (vs.24). Without doubt the most amazing part of Jesus' prayer was in its primary application to the apostles and then to its extension 'for them also that believe on me through their word" (vs.21). That last statement has wonderful implications for us today. For Jesus here embraced the future church in every blessing already conferred upon the apostles.

Christ desired that the same unity of purpose and mission he gave the apostles should be the forever possession of the church. The vertical unity between Jesus and the Father became the expressed petition for the church "that they be one" (vs.21). The intensity of oneness he asked for the church is the same vertical union between himself and the Father: "that they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us" (vs.21. With more graphic detail, Jesus amplified the details of the desired unity of his people: "I in them, and thou in me, that they may be perfected into one, that the world may know that thou clic& send me" (vs.23). Of course paternal/filial  union between the Father and his people creates the fraternal union between members of the church.

This Mission Is Redemptive

This is no token partnership! Christ's redemptive mission becomes the church's redemptive mission. Insisting on the urgency of the apostle's mission Jesus said: "whose soever sins ye forgive, they are forgiven unto them; whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained" (John 20:23). Sins are 'forgiven" or "retained" through the conditions laid down in the great commission according to Mark 16:16. "He that believes and is baptized shall be saved," his sins are remitted. "He that disbelieveth shall be condemned," his sins are retained. From that day forward all who are under the commission and thus fulfill their assigned role are intimately involved in soul saving activity. "He that converts a sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from in and coy a multitude of sins" (James 5:19).

Paul confidently affirmed that the apostles were "God's fellow-  workers" (I Corinthians 3:9). He also expanded the concept of mission partnership to involve the church. "And working together with Him (God) we entreat also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain" (II Corinthians 6:1). Paul then added this element of urgency to the church's mission by saying: "Now is the acceptable time, now is the day of salvation" (vs.2). The announcement of the "acceptable time" was not made to the world, but to the church. God is willing to save the lost, so "today" the church must faithfully fulfill its mission to the lost. God originated the plan for human redemption, Christ died to empower the plan, the citizens of his kingdom are made participants in the extension of the plan. His mission has become our mission!

The Cost Of The Mission

Our heavenly Partner not only initiated this sacred mission, he also paid in personal sacrifice the awesome price to accomplish it. Salvation costs! Perdition costs! The cost of salvation demanded of Christ that he "empty himself" of all the privileges and prerogatives of his deity. Such "emptying" extracted from Jesus a measure of sacrifice which we will never understand here. That was required to make it possible for him to become a man. Then as a man he "humbled himself; becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross" (Philippians 2:5-8). Our redemption is rooted in the sacrifice of our God/man companion of mission. It will require no less sacrifice of us who are called into the mission of rescuing fallen humanity.

Having shared with his followers his redemptive mission, Jesus proceeded to give them a share in the suffering to promote it. God made a marvelous concession to the redeemed, by making them partners in sacrifice. Perhaps the most significant grant that heaven made to earth is found in Mark 10:35-39). There James and John had asked for positions of authority in the coming kingdom. Jesus asked if they were willing to pay the price for such a privilege. "Are ye able to drink the cup that I drink? or to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" This was the "cup" he prayed three times to the Father to remove when he was in the Garden of Gethsemane. It was a "cup" of suffering and a "baptism" in death! James and John glibly replied: "We are able." Here are the words of heaven's concession to earth: "The cup that I drink  ye shall drink; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall  ye be baptized" They did not then understand what they will later perceive and even accomplish. Thus Jesus gave the disciples the greatest of all privileges, that of sharing in the "cup of suffering and death" for the salvation of others. Their sacrifice was not the source of man's salvation, only Jesus blood could accomplish that. Yet their sacrifice was a necessary corollary to the sacrificial death of Jesus.

The Apostle Paul personally identified with the challenge and dignity of suffering for such a holy cause. He wanted "to know Jesus, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed unto his death" (Philippians 3:10). He yearned to know the boundless love that motivated Jesus. He wanted to understand Jesus' unwavering devotion to human redemption. Paul wanted "fellowship in Christ's suffering." He wanted to hurt for the same cause for which Christ suffered. He wanted his own death to promote the came cause for which Christ died. He was determined to "fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake" (Colossians 1:24). Perhaps he felt that Christ was not hurting enough in his life. He was so united with the mind of God sacrificial commitment that one might ask: "Is that Paul hurting for human redemption? or is that God hurting in Paul?" At any rate Paul had the audacity to look at the Cross and ask Jesus to pass me the gm so that I may drink my share of its bitter dregs!

The Church Is Called To Suffer

Jesus comforted his disciples when they suffered for his cause. "Blessed are ye when men shall reproach you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake" (Matthew 5:11). He then added: "Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven" (vs. 12). The early church "rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the Name" (Acts 5:42). They "endured a great conflict of suffering; partly, being made a gazingstock both by reproaches and affliction; and partly, becoming partakers with them that were so used For ye both had compassion on them that were in bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your possessions, knowing that ye have for yourselves a better possession and an abiding one" (Hebrews 10:32- 34). They expected to "endure grief, suffering wrongly" (I Peter 2:19). In fact, "hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow his steps" (vs.21). Paul informed the Philippian church that a heavenly gift had been made on their behalf: "to you it hath been granted in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer in his behalf; having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me" (Philippians 1:29-30).

The Church And The Missionary

The vertical partnership in missions between God and the church becomes horizontal when the sending church is matched with the going missionary. It is worthy of note that when the Holy Spirit was ready to launch the church beyond "Jerusalem, and all Judea and Samaria" into its final frontier defined by "the uttermost parts of the earth" (Acts 1:8) that the sending church was simultaneously chosen together with the goin2 missionaries. The church in Antioch of Syria was chosen by the prophets there to become the sponsor of Paul and his mission team during their first missionary journey (Acts 13:1-4). When Paul left Asia the newly established European church in Philippi assumed the onus of support for his team. When Paul's mission took him to Philippi, his mission immediately became their mission. Paul thanked God for the shared mission commitment the brethren there made in Paul's regard. Thanks were given "for your fellowship in furtherance of the gospel from the first day until now" (Philippians 1:3-5). Paul was confident that "he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ" (vs.6). The "good work" was Philippi's support of Paul's mission. That mission fellowship continued when he left Philippi. "Even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my needs. And ye yourselves also know, ye Philippians, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church had fellowship with me in the matter of giving and receiving, but ye only" (Philippians 4:15-16).

New Testament churches were charged with the task of being prime movers of mission expansion. The apostles did not use our most common term for our assignment, i.e., the great commission. They seemed to prefer the analogous term: the great propelling. The Greek word "propempo" is variously translated as sending, supporting and providing for the needs of itinerant preachers. We get our word propel from that Greek term. Note how churches are encouraged to propel missionaries forward on their journey. The Roman church was requested to "propel him on his journey to Spain" (Romans 16:24). He asked the Corinthian church to "propel him forward on his journey" (I Corinthians 16:6) and in the same context he insisted they also "propel Timothy on his journey in peace." Titus was to instruct the church in Crete see to it that "Zanus the lawyer and Apollos be propelled on their journey diligently (speedily) that nothing be wanting unto them" (Titus 3:13). He then imperatively insisted that "our people also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses" (Titus 3:14). The "good work" that needed to be "maintained" was the fellowship between the going missionaries and the sending churches. John called the support brother Gaius supplied to evangelists "a faithful work", a work he believed in. Gaius was encouraged to "propel them forward on their journey worthily of God, because that for the sake of the name they went forth taking nothing of the Gentiles" (III John 5-8).

Sharing In The Fruit And In The Glory

The early church was taught that mission work was a shared assignment. Even the suffering required to promote kingdom building was a shared privilege. They were taught that they shared in the fruit that was borne from their participation with the evangelists. Paul wrote the Philippian church that he appreciated their support, not only for his own well being, but also that "fruit may increase to your account" (Philippians 4:17). God credited the supporters of missionaries with the same rewards of the missionary (Matthew 10:40-42).

Concerning the glory of mission accomplishment, recall that after Christ "emptied himself" as to his deity, and "humbled himself in death on the cross" as to his humanity, therefore "God highly exalted him" (Philippians 2:5-10). Exaltation follows humiliation. Jesus explained to Cleopas and his friend on the road to Emmaus how Messiah had to "suffer these things and to enter into his glory" (Luke 24:26). Suffering is crowned with glory. Paul confirms the same rewards to Christians even today, saying: "if we are children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified with him" (Romans 8:17).

Application To The Church Today

The twenty-first century church is the beneficiary of the legacy handed down from the prophets of ages past, from Jesus, from the apostles and from the first century church. What greater challenge could we face than to become colleagues with the God of heaven and earth in the most sacred task ever assigned to mankind! To then share in the glory of personal sacrifice to expand the horizons of the kingdom is exhilarating in its consequences. To be credited as a congregation with common fruits enjoyed by the missionary is to partake of honors reserved for the fruitful. Ultimately to share in the glory of human redemption, ah! this is heaven!