What does it mean to be missional? Should Christians be missional?

We need to he reminded, in days like the present, that every child of God, every member of the body of Christ, whatever be his position or sphere of action, has a mission to fulfil — a work to do for Christ. He may not be called to be an evangelist, a pastor, or a teacher: but he is called to live Christ — to represent Him — to be a channel of communication between His loving heart and every form of need, in this poor dark, cold, selfish world. This is the Christian's mission: may every Christian seek to fulfil it!]

In Christianity every man should be a missionary.

The disciples having been with the Lord from the beginning were very special witnesses. They had heard with their ears, and seen with their eyes, and with their hands had handled the Word of life, they bore witness to what they had heard and seen, the Holy Ghost being the power by which they did it. We may thank God for their witness, for we now can have fellowship in those things that they heard and saw, and have recorded for us. But we are not excluded from this witnessing, for we may keep our Lord's company and speak of that that we learn experimentally with Him. A witness may preach, but not every preacher is a witness. A witness is one who has been impressed by what He has seen and heard as he has kept company with the Lord. 2 Corinthians 3:18 explains it, "We all beholding the glory of the Lord … are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord;" and Stephen was the outstanding example of it, not when he exposed the obdurate hearts of the Jews, but when he prayed, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge, " when they were battering him with stones in their murderous hatred.

But the Lord "saith to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me even so send I you. And when He had said this He breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost." That is precisely what has taken place. Our Lord has sent down the Holy Ghost from heaven, and has baptized us into one body. He has put us into this place of common blessing and privilege; yet even when He is going to show, in a figure, the assembly which He has now formed by the Holy Ghost, He first establishes their souls individually. We are ever to remember this. We begin with peace, and we are to be the messengers of the peace to others that we know ourselves. This is the meaning of the two-fold message of peace. The Lord said it, first, for their own souls' fresh enjoyment; and, the second time, for the mission which they have in this world. Now let us put this question to our own hearts: — Do we bethink ourselves that we are thus sent of Christ? The Lord is not speaking here about apostles only. I maintain that every Christian has got a mission, and that our Lord shows that it is true of every saint of God in this very passage. For they were not the apostles only that were assembled here, but "the disciples" generally, whether men or women. Indeed, we know that one of the apostles was not there on this occasion — Thomas. It is not said, "Then were the apostles," but "Then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord." The apostles, of course, had their part in it; and I am far from denying their peculiar privileges, authority, and responsibility, as revealed elsewhere. But in this case it is obviously not so. This I believe to be the key to the whole passage. Mark its importance. Christ risen now confers a positive personal mission upon every saint of His. With what dignity, then, it becomes us to bear ourselves! How important to bear in mind that we have this holy trust from our Lord, that we cannot be "disciples" now — cannot be Christians — without being distinctly sent of Him into the world! And how? We are only sent in as His saints, by being, if I may so say, first called out. The Lord takes us out of the world by His death and sends us into it by His resurrection; but this is as new men, heavenly men, who know the love of God as we never saw it before; who know the holiness, the righteousness, the perfect grace of God in a totally new way. "As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you." And then there is the power, or, at least, the witness of it. "He breathed on them, and said unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost." That breath of Christ was the breath of resurrection-life; and every Christian, no matter where he is, Churchman or Dissenter, or even a poor deluded Popish priest — if you conceive such a thing as a man being a real Christian and yet offering up mass — still, I say, are you to deny Christ sent that man? If he love Christ, if he belong to Him, assuredly he has the spirit of Christ, and a mission from Him, however much it may be obscured and misunderstood. And it is on this very ground I should appeal to him, and say, You a Christian! You a man that Christ has sent into the world to be the messenger of life, peace in Him! You to whom Christ showed His hands and side, the witness that the sacrifice was finished, and yet you offering a sacrifice over again! What a frightful contradiction! I would appeal to him solemnly, as God would give me power, and use the true mission to expel the false mission, and press on his conscience the work Christ gave him, so that he might flee from the office the devil gave him, as from the face of a serpent.

As His Father has sent Him, so He sends them (v. 21). He had come into an adverse world in lowly grace, taking no official place, but in beautiful moral reality representing His Father. This is to be the character of the assembly, not of this world, but sent into it to represent the Lord Jesus.

"Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be to you: as my Father has sent me, even so send I you." This is not needless repetition; He was giving them a commission now. His Father had sent Him into the world for His glory, and to bear witness to the truth. His work was done, and He was about to resume His place at the Father's right hand. But He never leaves Himself without a witness; therefore the disciples must take His place in this scene. Mark carefully their place and ours. Taken out of the world, heavenly persons because associated with Christ, sent into the world to bear witness for Him. Such is our place and business here: would that all our hearts realised it more! In connection with the commission, then, the Lord says, "Peace be to you." Amid all the disturbances and trials of this hostile scene, we are privileged to enjoy, not only peace with God as to our sins, but the peace of Christ filling our hearts (John 14:27; Col. 3:15)

We read also that God will have all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. Christians are the only people in this dark and sinful world who are qualified to proclaim the Gospel of the grace of God worldwide. This earnest exhortation should make every Christian wish to spread the Gospel, the opportunities for which are boundless. Christians are left in this world for a purpose. Do we fulfil it?

“To every man his work” (Mark 13:34), affords a decisive answer. Every Christian is not a distinct gift, as evangelist, pastor or teacher, but all are saved to serve, as Romans 12:3 shows. After speaking of the measure of faith which God has dealt to every man (i.e. every Christian), the chapter, under the figure of “one body in Christ,” deals with different kinds of service. The very figure used shows that every member is called upon to serve.

Yet in many ways the teaching of the New Testament has been degraded to something merely earthly and social. Instead of repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus, only charity is preached, and this often with a political flavour. This, however, is not the meaning of the “Sermon on the Mount” or the gospel of the grace of God! On the other hand it is no testimony to the grace and mercy of our God if one thinks that preaching the gospel is the only task of a Christian with regard to the world. As our Lord Himself helped those in their different needs to whom He presented the good tidings, we too can tell our neighbours of Him and at the same time show them the power and blessing of our faith practically.

The divine plan for this dispensation may then be stated in few words. God is sending forth the gospel amongst all nations, to gather out of all a people for the name of Christ, i.e. "the church."

But what about the process by which this end is to be reached? This is simplicity itself. Amongst all nations, said the Lord, "ye shall be witnesses to Me." No elaborate arrangements were made. No cumbrous machinery was instituted. Christ and all that He stands for is to be the subject of testimony, and every disciple according to his or her measure is to be a witness-bearer. In thus way the plan will be put into execution.