“From now on I am telling you before it comes to pass, so that when it does occur, you may believe that I am He. 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.” (John 13:19-20)
I have always been intrigued by John 13-16. In Jesus final earthly hours before the arrest, brutal treatment, and ultimate crucifixion, He spent time with His disciples celebrating the Passover, teaching, and praying. With full awareness of what was about to transpire, Jesus seems to methodically work through those final hours with intentionality and precision.
When I am anticipating something uncomfortable, I find it hard to concentrate on the most routine of tasks. Jesus had the presence of mind to not only focus, but to be centered on the needs of His disciples, and to keep the larger picture in view. He addresses their immediate needs and prepares them for the crucifixion, and the forthcoming ascension.
At the start of that evening are the events of John 13. There is the washing of feet, the discussion of betrayal, and Judas going off to seal his fate as God’s son of perdition. Jesus takes the moment and teaches His disciples about service, sacrifice, and love. What is so unimaginable to me, is that in Christ we have the Spirit of God to allow us to have this same mind of clarity and purpose in the midst of the most challenging of circumstances. Oh, that we would more often tap into that resource of our Savior.
After Jesus washes the disciples’ feet. Jesus makes the statement referenced above. A promise is made that, “…he who receives whomever I send receives Me; …” Jesus is going to send. Suddenly this relationship, which had primarily been about following, has a new dimension. Jesus’ disciples do not just follow and learn, the primary definitions of a disciple, but they are also sent. The word carries the idea of coming forward with Jesus’ command and Jesus’ authority. It is not just sent on an errand but sent with dispatched authority.
Disciples are sent out to make more disciples. They are sent with authority. And sent with a promise. The promise of His presence and the promise of His work. Too often we view our own discipleship as what we can learn and about how we are to live in our private lives. But we are thrust (another definition of the word ‘sent’ from John 13) into a world that needs to receive Jesus. So, go in the name and authority of Jesus, and see who receives you. If they do, they are receiving Jesus, and the One who sent Him. That is how disciples are made.
By His Grace and For His Glory,
Pastor Mark
