Does Jesus have more than one mission?

This is an important question. 

So often, it seems, churches and mission organizations are pulling in different directions in the way they go about engaging in mission. If leaders are apparently confused by what mission they’re on, then what is the average Christian supposed to think? However, if Jesus has one mission, then there are important implications for our conduct as mission agencies, local churches, and as believers.

For clarity, we can confirm that God intended his people to do something. In John 20:21 Jesus says, “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” We can deduce from this and other passages that Jesus intended his mission to continue. We should also be clear that he intended the mission to continue in a particular way – through complete reliance on the Father. Ross Hastings says that “Just as Christ is sent as the Son in union with the Father, so now they (mine: the disciples and seedling Church) were sent ones because of their union with Christ, by the Spirit he was about to breathe into them.” (Hastings, Missional God, Missional Church) 

But what is the mission, and is there more than one?

At first glance it seems that the Father’s mission for Jesus was to set right the effects of sin. Practically, this looks like reconciliation to God and his purposes. The apostle Paul says if we believe in Jesus, we are reconciled to God through Christ and have been given the ministry of reconciliation (Colossians 1:23).

But why reconciliation? (It’s always important to ask why?)  

The “why” of reconciliation is revealed in the great commandment. Jesus says that “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and strength…” is the chief commandment. Loving God is the point of reconciliation. This is the ultimate mission.  When we experience God’s love and put our faith in Jesus we enter into a relationship with God that begins to shape all our actions. Out of all creation only people have been given this opportunity. It’s not a casual relationship either. It’s deep – sustaining us, and intimate – like no other love. We’re told by Jesus that we are “in” Jesus as Jesus is “in” the Father – like a vine and a branch (John 14, 15, 17). This is a special union, an amazing privilege, that we can’t fully understand. And, like any relationship, it’s something we grow in. 

How do we grow in this union? Apparently, the evidence of our love for God is our obedience. “If you love me, keep my commandments … He who has my commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves me … If anyone loves me, he will keep my word; and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make Our home with him.” (John 14:15-24) If we turn this into a mission statement it might read something like – Our mission is to be a people who know and love God completely and obey his commands, until we can be fully united with him. As people who love God with our entire being, our interests will be his interests. Everything Jesus did on earth advanced this end. Likewise, everything we do should too. 

If we believe that loving God is our chief mission it helps us understand the importance of discipleship and disciple-making. It’s an expression of God’s love for us that we should introduce others to Jesus and teach them to obey everything he commanded..  

Here are some implications of participating in God’s one mission?

• The mission is not ours – it’s God’s. His grace abounds to accomplish what he desires.
• Holiness matters. 
• The way that we love other believers matters. You can’t hate your brother or sister and love God.
• How we proceed on the mission is not up to us – our actions must be subject to Gods’ will, God’s way, God’s time. 
• The mission parameters have been set by God.  Jesus’ ministry of reconciliation (2 Cor 5:18) applies to all creation. As stewards we have a responsibility to create conditions for shalom to be manifest.
• The organizations we build (and that includes local churches) must support the accomplishment of God’s mission. 
• Successful participation in God’s mission produces fruit. Fruitfulness matters. It’s something God measures.

Finally, and most importantly, love is an action that needs an object to focus on. You can’t love abstractly. You have to love specifically. So, ask yourself. How am I loving God – practically? Jesus says that those who obey his commands love him. What commands are you obeying? And, maybe more importantly, what commands are you not obeying?

Stay tuned for articles on gifts and callings and how they allow for diverse expressions of Jesus’ mission.