“As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” John 20:21 (ESV)
These words from Jesus changed everything for the disciples, and they’ve shaped the entire trajectory of my life.
“As the Father has sent me…” How did the Father send Jesus? Not to a palace, but to a manger. Not to be served, but to serve. Not to comfort, but to sacrifice. Not to stay safe, but to lay down His life. Jesus was sent into hostile territory, among people who often rejected Him, sustained only by His Father’s presence and provision.
“…even so I am sending you.”
The same pattern. The same cost. The same call.
When I began missionary work in Guyana nearly thirty years ago, I didn’t fully grasp what being “sent” would require. I thought discipleship was about learning, and it is. But deeper still, discipleship is about being deployed. It’s not just sitting at the Master’s feet; it’s going where the Master sends.
Albania sent me into a nation still recovering from decades of communist atheism. Twenty-one years of being “sent” meant learning a difficult language, navigating an unfamiliar culture, and trusting God when nothing made sense. Finland sent me into one of the most secular societies on earth, where faith is often met with polite indifference, and where living costs test every ounce of trust I possess.
Each sending has stretched me beyond my comfort, my competence, and my natural ability. That’s the point.
The heart of discipleship isn’t just following Jesus, it’s being sent by Jesus. And being sent always means leaving something behind: security, familiarity, control, predictability.
But here’s what I’ve learned through three decades of being sent: Jesus never sends you where He hasn’t already gone. He walked foreign roads before you. He faced rejection before you. He trusted the Father’s provision before you. You’re not pioneering an unknown path, you’re following in His footsteps.
Discipleship that stays comfortable isn’t discipleship at all. True disciples are sent ones – people who hear the Master’s voice and go, even when the destination seems impossible.
The Father sent Jesus into a broken world to bring redemption. Now Jesus sends us into workplaces, neighborhoods, and nations to continue that mission. The question isn’t whether you’re called. You are. The question is: will you go?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You for sending me just as the Father sent You. Forgive me for the times I’ve resisted being sent because the cost seemed too high. Give me a disciple’s heart, one that listens, obeys, and goes wherever You lead. Use my life as an extension of Your mission. Send me, Lord, and go with me, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Read: Isaiah 6:8; Romans 10:15
Bible Reading Guide: Proverbs 16:28-33; Proverbs 17:1-4; Acts 28:17-31; 2 Kings 21; 2 Kings 22