The same assignment

2026-02-08 - 01:38

To be a legitimate resident on earth, one must be alive. After dying, an individual is not expected to be around eating, barbecuing, or conversing with friends. For 40 days after his resurrection, Jesus functioned in this capacity, being the first to have been eternally raised from the dead. Others, like Lazarus, who had been raised from the dead before, died after a fulfilled earthly life, but Jesus, the Son of God, abides forever. His first task was to assure his disciples that he was indeed risen from the dead. To Thomas, he said: “Put your finger here and look at my hands; then stretch your hand and put it in my side. Stop doubting and believe!” A then totally convinced Thomas, finally declared: “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:27-28). Secondly, he entrusted his followers with the assignment of continuing his work of reconciliation on the earth. God did not send his Son into the world as its judge, but as its Saviour. Jesus told them, “As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you” (John 20:21). The same assignment requires the same resources to succeed, and it begins with a divine relationship. Throughout his ministry, Jesus repeatedly stated: “The Son can do nothing of himself; he does only what he sees his Father doing” (John 5 :19). Also, an understanding of his identity and role was very important to Jesus. He declared himself to be the light of the world in John 9:3 upon seeing the man who was born blind: “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” He bestowed the same description – ‘light of the world’ – upon his followers in John 5:18, which confirmed that their assignment on earth replicated his. As the time drew near for his ascension, Jesus appeared unto his disciples and taught them about the kingdom of God. He ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the gift he had promised them – the baptism of the Holy Spirit. He explained that when this happened, they would be filled with power to be his witnesses throughout the earth. The promise was kept, and the expectant disciples were all filled with the Holy Spirit and immediately began to boldly preach about Jesus’ triumph over death and his reconciliation of all men. His departure was to their advantage. Now it was not just Jesus, the Messiah, with them, but the Spirit of Christ in them executing God’s divine purpose. Signs and wonders followed, and the enemies of Christ, who thought they had gotten rid of a problem when they crucified Jesus, now had a rapidly expanding army of his disciples proclaiming the same message and doing the same miracles that he did. There is one body, one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all (Ephesians 4:4-6). Thankfully, in his church, Jesus found a body through which he continues the same assignment on earth.