 The title of our sermon this morning is Take Up Your Charge. Take up your charge. And we are in John chapter 20 now, verses 19 through 23. Take up your charge. If you profess to be a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ, then does your life reflect the mission that you've been given? If you profess to be a Christian, you say I'm a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, does your life reflect the mission that you've been given as a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ? Jesus said come and follow me and I will make you fishers of men. You've been given marching orders. You profess to be a member of his body, a member of the church. As such, you've been given a charge. You've been given a great commission. Is your life, is your practice consistent with carrying out and accomplishing your charge? What is your mission? What is that charge? Have you ever thought about that before? If you remember this church you have, if you've been around us for any length of time, we praise God by the grace of God. This is an evangelistic church, but there are many among us that are confused, deceived, self-justifying, evading their charge. What is it that you and I, as members of the Lord's church, have been sent into the world to accomplish? Why are we still here? Why is it that when a Christian is saved, the Lord doesn't immediately convey them into the presence of God in heaven? For some, they believe that mission, they believe that cause is to save the planet, right? Save a whale, save a tree. Feed the hungry, heal the sick, save the babies. The Lord himself fed the hungry, right? The Lord himself healed the sick. And as much as the Lord was compassionate to the sick, compassionate to the poor, compassionate to the hungry, was that what he came to do? To fulfill temporal needs, satisfy temporal needs. What is the mission of the church? What charge have we been given? Having lived immorally before you professed Christ is now your charge. The cause to which you've been called is now your charge simply to live more morally, pursue a holy life, now that you've come to Christ. These things are all good. These things are all things that we should be doing. But what is our mission? What have we been called to? What's our charge? Maybe you were a lousy father before Christ. Now you're striving to be a good father since you've come to Christ. Maybe you were a lousy wife prior to coming to Christ. Now you're trying to be a good godly wife now that you've come to Christ. You knew nothing about theology, now you're striving to learn theology. All these things are good. These are good and necessary pursuits if we're to live for the glory of God. But does that constitute your mission as a member of the Lord's body, the Lord's church? What is our charge? If a stranger were to come, right, come along next to you, take a look at your life, take a look at your priorities, how you spend your time, what you think about, pray about, what you do. And then they were to attempt to write your mission statement based on what they saw. What would they write? What would they write? What is it that you're supposed to be doing here? What is it that we're supposed to be all about? Some came here to the church, came to the Lord's church as a spectator. As some of you are spectators still, what is it that you are supposed to be doing? What is it that I'm supposed to be doing? What is the charge that we've been given? Our text this morning, John chapter 20, verses 19 through 23, gives us our charge. Our text addresses that question, subject to our head, submissive to our head, what is the job of the church? What is the job of God's people on the planet? What has He charged us to do? With all authority, the Lord Jesus Christ equips and empowers and sends His disciples into the world to preach the gospel and to make disciples. That's our charge. It can't be stated any more clearly in Scripture. With all authority, all authority given to Him by the Father, the Lord Jesus Christ equips, empowers, enables, and sends His disciples into this lost world to preach the gospel to lost people and to make disciples. A brother, sister, listen, it's sin not to fulfill our charge. It's sin to be silent when people are dying. So our point this morning, our focus is taking up our charge, take up your charge. This is a great commission text. This is a text that calls us to mission, calls us to follow the Lord Jesus Christ in His ministry of seeking and saving that which was lost. Charles Spurgeon called the preaching of the gospel the life business of the Christian. Listen to Jay Gresham Machen. Machen said, the responsibility of the church in the new age is the same as its responsibility in every age. It is to testify that this world is lost in sin, that the span of human life, no, all the length of human history is an infinitesimal island in the awful depths of eternity, that there is a mysterious holy living God, the creator of all, upholder of all, infinitely beyond all, and that He has revealed Himself to us in His Word and offered us communion with Himself through Jesus Christ the Lord, that there is no other salvation for individuals or for nations save this, but that this salvation is full and free and that whoever possesses it has for himself and for all others to whom he may be the instrument of bringing it, a treasure compared with which all the kingdoms of the earth know all the wonders of the starry heavens are as the dust of the street, an unpopular message it is, an impractical message we are told, but it is the message of the Christian church. Neglect it and you will have destruction, heed it and you will have life. Amen. Now through our text this morning, that understanding is to make its way from our head to our heart down into our feet and out of our mouths. Take up your charge. Let's begin and first consider the setting then given for our text in John chapter 20 verse 19, the setting for our text. Verse 19, the Bible reads, then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst and said to them peace be with you, peace be with you. Now verse 19 informs us it's the first day of the week, it's Sunday and it's evening, evening on the day that the Lord Jesus Christ was raised from the dead. What began as a day of mourning is coming to an end as a great day of rejoicing, right? It's a day of worship, a day of praise. John later writing in Revelation chapter 1 verse 10 would call it the Lord's day. It's the Lord's day, it's the day that he rose from the dead. Now that day, the Lord's day, that Sunday began early with Mary Magdalene at the empty tomb. It was still dark when she headed out and she is the first witness of the empty tomb and then the first to encounter the risen Lord. Evening then thought of as late afternoon, that time between late afternoon and nightfall. So it's late in the day, late afternoon, evening just before nightfall on the first day of the week Sunday, the Lord's day. The disciples have assembled themselves together, right? Judas is dead. From verse 24, we know that Thomas is not among them for some reason. And so this is likely just a small group of the remaining 10 disciples gathered together. The text says in verse 19 that the doors are shut, but not merely shut. They are clayo, clayo is the word. It means locked, barred. Carries the sense of keeping someone out, the intent of keeping people out. Now the reason given for this in verse 19 is that the disciples, these 10 huddled together in this room, are huddled together in fear of the Jews. They're in fear of the Jews. That's not entirely unexpected at this point, is it? The Jews had come, hundreds of men, a Roman cohort, to arrest the Lord Jesus Christ in the garden. Hundreds of men, temple guards, weapons, torches. Next, and without cause, the Jews had led Jesus away to be tried, mocked trials. They had successfully carried out their wicked plot to kill him. They murdered him by crucifying the Lord. And for all these men knew, these 10 men, for all they knew, they were next. There was a certain expectation that they could die there in Jerusalem at the hands of the Jews. If you remember from John 11, right? When the Lord Jesus Christ told the disciples that they were going to head back to Jerusalem to wake Lazarus, what did Thomas say? Thomas essentially said, well, let's go with him. We'll die there with him, too, right? There was a certain expectation, certain thought that they could die there in Jerusalem at the hands of the Jews. The disciples were gripped with fear. Luke describes them as troubled with doubts, plaguing their hearts. So John depicts a scene here in verse 19, depicts a scene that's not unlike the scene of Mary Magdalene at the empty tomb weeping as one who has no hope. These are despairing, discouraged, fearful disciples. At the emphasis, at the outset, the emphasis is their weak faith, the weak faith of the Lord's desire, the disciples prior to their understanding of the resurrection. In Mark chapter 16, verse 14, the Lord lovingly rebukes all of this as unbelief and hardness of heart. That's the reality. That's the reality. They're huddled in a room fearful. Let's keep this in perspective, right? Many times, often, you and I've been fearful walking up to a stranger in the mall, haven't we? They're in fear for their lives. There's a very real possibility they could die. Now, fast forward a period of time and they do die. They're martyred for their faith. They're in fear now for their lives. We claim to believe in the resurrection of Lord Jesus Christ. We live on this side of that reality, right? They're fearful, huddled in this room on this side of that reality. You and I have revelation. We understand the resurrection. We understand that Jesus Christ has been raised from the dead. So in Mark 16, if the Lord lovingly rebukes all of this as unbelief on their part, hardness of heart on their part, then what does the Lord do for us by way of application in our fear of man, right? The Lord lovingly rebukes our unbelief, lovingly rebukes our hardness of heart. We have to, for the Lord's sake, take up his charge. Fear the Lord, not fear man. He lovingly rebukes our unbelief, lovingly rebukes our hardness of heart. We understand the Lord Jesus Christ has been raised from the dead. That should empower the spirit of God, good doctrine, the truth of God, the promises of God should fuel our preaching. We shouldn't fear their faces. He lovingly rebukes them. Do we deserve it? Do we deserve the rebuke? Yes, the Lord knows often we deserve it, right? Do we need the rebuke? Yes, the Lord knows often we need it. Humble yourself under it. I need it. You need it. However, think with me now. Make the connection. It's in the middle of this. They're fearful, afraid of the Jews, these same disciples who would later go out and preach the Lord to their deaths. These men are huddled in a room, afraid, and it's in this scene that the Lord Jesus Christ comes to them. It's in their fear, in their weakness, in their unbelief. Does he come to them in that scene, in their fear, in their weakness, in their unbelief for the purpose, the ultimate purpose of rebuking them? No. Right? They're huddled in the room together, and the Lord Jesus Christ is standing outside angry. Don't make me come in there, right? You start crying. I'm going to give you something to cry about. No. He comes to them with the ultimate purpose, the ultimate intent of blessing them, of comforting them, of building their faith to what the resurrection does here. Verse 19 continues, Jesus came and stood in the midst and said to them, peace be with you. Shalom, Elohim, peace, brothers. Right? Just like when they were fearful in John chapter 14 verse one, let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. John 14, 27, peace. If you remember those disciples in the upper room, fearful of what was going to happen, they knew the Jews were after Christ. They were waiting to seize him. There was a plot to kill him. He had said to them, he would depart from them. In John 14, 27, the Lord said, peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives, do I give. Let not your heart be troubled. Neither let it be afraid. This is peace with God. Right? A peace in communion with the Lord Jesus Christ. A peace that's assured of the promises of God. A peace now in the light of the resurrection. Peace and assurance of his promises. He doesn't come with the ultimate purpose here for buking their faith. He comes to them with the ultimate purpose of building their faith, growing their faith. The Lord knows their faith is weak. Listen, brother, sister, he knows your faith is weak. He knows my faith is weak. He knows we need strength and he knows we need maturity. He knows we need growth. He knows we need faith. He knows that if you have faith as a mustard seed, you can throw mountains around. He knows that. His intent, his purpose, his loving design here is to build and grow their faith. When you're in trial, when you face difficulty, when you're scared to knock on the door, walk up to that person in the mall, when you face your charge and you think to yourself, I can't do it. The Lord comes alongside in your weak faith, in your despair, in your discouragement, in your weakness, in your need. The Lord comes in your need and says, peace, brother, peace, sister, listen, let your heart be troubled. Don't fear, don't be afraid. You believe in God, believe also in me. When you're doubting, right? He comes to build you up, not tear you down. He's not the whip cracking task master, right? Trust the Lord, trust the Lord. When you trust the Lord, then you turn from sinful disobedience. When you trust the Lord, you venture in in the power of the Spirit where you would not have ventured before. You get off your couch, you put your feet on the ground, you walk out the door in the cause of Christ, right? You follow the Lord, turn from sinful cowardice and obey him, trust him, trust him. The Lord says in John chapter 14, right? He says, I'll not leave you orphans, I'm not going to leave you orphans, I will come to you. You can trust him. Our help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth, amen? They're going to need it. They're going to need a matured faith. You think about their context, right? They're going to need it. They're going to need a persevering, strong, enduring, lasting, trusting, growing, thriving, healthy faith. Why? Because in this text, the Lord is going to send them on a mission. We saw it, didn't we? In John chapter 15, we saw it in John chapter 16. The world is going to hate you. It hated me first. So you know that when it hates you, you know it hated me first. Remember that I told you these things so that when it happens, your faith will be built. When it comes to pass, you know that I told you, the world hates me, it's going to hate you too. If the world persecutes me, it's going to persecute you too. They're going to need a strengthened faith. They're going to have to preach the gospel in the face of hostility, preach the gospel in the same city that crucify the Lord Jesus Christ. They're going to need faith, a strengthened faith. He's going to send them on a mission. As he sends them on a mission, bear in mind, he sends us after them. We'll talk about that. In his appearance to the disciples just prior to his ascension, the right hand of God, he gives, the Lord Jesus Christ gives to the gathered disciples and all disciples who will believe in him through their word, he gives them a clear charge. You and I have a clear charge. His redeemed people purchased with his blood, living in union with him, union with their head. His redeemed people are to carry out that charge under the power and operation of the spirit of God as long as they are on the earth. We have a charge, that task, that charge, that commission will require faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It will require enablement, empowerment by the Holy Spirit. As the world hated him, Jesus warned it will hate you too. Jesus said to them, didn't he, go your way, behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves. Regarding the charge then in John chapter 20 verse 21, I want you to see three primary perspectives on our charge. First, I want you to see the authority that compels our charge, the authority that compels our charge in verse 20. Secondly, we'll look at the standard that informs our charge in verse 21. And lastly, we'll consider the grace that fuels our charge in verses 22 and 23. The authority that compels our charge, the standard that informs our charge. Lastly, the grace that fuels our charge. First, the authority that compels our charge beginning in verse 20. Verse 20 says this. When he had said this, when the Lord Jesus Christ said, peace be with you, right? He showed them his hands, he showed them his side, and then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. I want you to see two aspects of the Lord's authority that's being communicated prior to their charge here in verse 20. One, his authority is absolute. It is absolute. Secondly, his authority is gracious. First, his authority is absolute. In verse 20, upon entering the room comforting the disciples with words of peace, the Lord Jesus Christ showed them his hands, he showed them his side. Luke adds that he showed them his feet, right? He showed them the evident wounds, the evident scars of his suffering, his finished work on the cross, so to speak. The nail pierced hands, the nail pierced feet, the side gashed wound of the Lord Jesus Christ are the credentials of his everlasting authority as the head of his purchased possession, the church. We will forever see the Lord Jesus Christ and the marks of his sacrifice, the marks of his love, the marks of his authority over his body, the church. The Lord Jesus Christ in his suffering purchased his bride with his own blood, Acts 20, right? He is our atoning sacrifice, and these are reminders, his wounded hands, his wounded side, reminders that we weren't redeemed with corruptible things like silver and gold. We were redeemed with the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ as of a land without blemish and without spot. John chapter 17 verse 5, in eternity past, God the Father granted God the Son authority over all flesh. It says there that he should give eternal life to as many as God the Father had given him. The Lord Jesus Christ comes with all authority. In Philippians chapter 2 verse 7, the Lord Jesus Christ, making himself of no reputation, taking the form of a slave, he came in the likeness of men and being found in appearance as a man he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore, verse 9, God has also highly exalted him, giving him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow of those in heaven and of those on earth and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. That's authority. Lord Jesus Christ has been given all authority. He is authoritative over his body of the church. He is her head and she is subject to him. Ephesians chapter 1 verse 22, God put all things under his feet and gave him to be head over all things to the church which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. That's why when the Lord Jesus Christ comes with these great commissioned texts, he reminds us of the authority that he has. He reminds us of who he is, and then he lovingly commands us. It's the delight of his people, the delight of his people to obey. He lovingly reminds us in Matthew chapter 28, verse 18, the Lord says, all authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations. All authority has been given to me. Now go make disciples. He commands from a position of authority. Jesus Christ purchased the church with his own blood. John chapter 5 verse 27 also says this, consider the other side of his authority. John chapter 5 verse 27, God has given him authority to execute judgment also because he is the son of man. What does all this mean? What does all this mean? It means that no one, no one is outside the scope of his authority. Just as much as those wounds in his hands, those wounds in his feet that wound in his side are the credentials of his authority over his purchased possession of the church is as much an expression of his ultimate authority over those who will not bow the knee in this life, who will reject and rebel against him in this life. It's authority, his authority over all flesh. God having given that authority to him to execute judgment also because he is the son of man. No one is outside the scope of his authority. All are bound to answer to him. Paul says every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. That's willingly, joyfully, delighting to do that or unwillingly. Jesus says, do not marvel at this. The hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear his voice and come forth. Those who have done good, right? Those who have done works in the power of his spirit. Those who have done works as a fruit of the righteousness imputed to them. Those who have done righteous works in Christ to the resurrection of life. And those who have done evil, those evil deeds done in the flesh, all those evil things done outside of Christ, those who have not turned to bow the knee to Christ, those who have not repented, those who are not trusting Christ, their deeds being evil, they are raised to the resurrection of condemnation. The Lord Jesus Christ is absolutely authoritative. His authority is absolute. But secondly, his authority is gracious. His authority is gracious. Verse 20 continues and he says, then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. They were glad, they rejoiced. It wasn't like an oppressive tyrant entering the room. They were glad when they saw the Lord. They rejoiced to see the Lord. It's interesting the word Lord there, the end of verse 20 carries a bit of a different ring, doesn't it, after the resurrection? That word can be used in the text as meaning sir or might be an address to a master or a teacher. Here after the resurrection, it has a theological ring to it, a little bit of a deeper theological significance. The Lord now is raised from the dead and they were glad when they saw the Lord. I will see Thomas's confession next week with my Lord and my God. The Lord has been raised from the dead. All authority has been given to him. Now, the fact that he wields unlimited and absolute authority over all flesh does not mean that he is an oppressive tyrant. It doesn't mean that the disciples in the room that night shrink back in fear. The disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. And that, you understand, right, when it says there that they were glad, that's an understatement. That is an understatement. They were overwhelmed with joy. Their sorrow turned to rejoicing. He shows up in a locked room, a bar room, if you notice how frequently John mentions that the doors are locked, that's to emphasize the Lord Jesus Christ appeared among them. He didn't come through the door, right? He appears among them and they are filled with indescribable joy. They thought he was dead and gone. And now he shows up. They are no doubt just overwhelmed, just like Mary at the empty tomb, right? Clung to his feet out of joy at seeing the Lord. Their joy is fueled by their deep love for the Lord Jesus Christ. They love the Lord. He's no harsh, severe dictator to them. They love the Lord. So in verse 21 now, he calms them down again. Jesus said to them again, verse 21, listen, settle down guys, right? Peace to you. Peace to you. We've got something to consider. We've got an urgent work before us. As the Father has sent me, I also send you. Jesus says to them effectively, you're well aware of my mission. You know why I came. You're well aware of the persecution. You know that I faced death and was killed, was suffering at the hands of sinners. You've seen the scars in my hands, my feet, my side. You know the price now that I've paid to redeem you. So here's your charge men. As the Father has sent me, I also send you. I can't imagine under the circumstances as difficult as that charge is, right? When you consider their circumstances as difficult as that charge is, I can't imagine one guy in that room that rolled his eyes. Can you or rebuffed him? I don't know. Not me, Lord. Not me, Lord. It's like that. The one saint in heaven on the edge of the crystal sea singing another verse of that hymn and rolling their eyes. Never going to happen. Never going to happen. They didn't roll their eyes at him. They didn't gripe. They didn't complain at the giving of their mission. There's no begrudging, yielding, forced, coerced obedience. Is there? The joy and delight of their heart was to join him in that work and see his cause on this earth fulfilled and accomplished. That was the joy, the delight of their heart. Now, why is that? Why is that? There are a couple of reasons we could talk about. One, if you think about Peter's confession in Matthew chapter 16, when he confessed that Jesus is the Christ, the son of the living God, the Lord said to him, Peter, flesh and blood didn't reveal this to you, but who? His father who was in heaven revealed that to him. That's right. The joy and delight of their heart. Why? The spirit of God had done a work on them. These were genuinely converted people and that joy, that delight in the cause of Christ is a mark of genuine conversion. It's an evidence that their hearts have been transformed. If that joy, that delight is in you, it's an evidence that your heart has been transformed. Now, can a Christian wax cold in that joy? Yes, to our shame we can. Can we wax indifferent sometimes to the cause? Yes. The Lord Jesus Christ rebuked the church for having lost its first love in Revelation chapter two. You can lose your first love. The Lord Jesus says, repent and be zealous. Go back and do the first works, right? It was their joy. It was their delight. His authority is a gracious authority. I want to give you an example of this from the book of Acts and the example of Paul. Turn with me to Acts chapter 20. Acts chapter 20. Look at this in the context of Paul's ministry. It's interesting that as difficult as the adversity was, as sometimes harrowing as the mission can be, there's still this settled, resolved joy in the Lord that attends the work that the Lord has given us to do. It is a gracious authority. He's given us a gracious commission. Should be our joy and delight to see it done. Acts chapter 20, drop down to verse 17. Verse 17. So Paul now from Miletus, he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church. When the elders had come to him, he said to them, you know from the first day that I came to Asia, what manner I always lived among you. Serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews. Now think about this for a minute, the context that Paul is serving in. Many tears, many trials, the plotting of the Jews. But verse 20, what did Paul do? How I kept back nothing that was helpful, but I proclaimed it to you and taught you publicly from house to house. He's witnessing, preaching the gospel, testifying verse 21 to Jews and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. In the context of that ministry, preaching the gospel to lost Jews, to lost Greeks, house to house, person to person, not holding anything back, preaching the whole counsel of God. What was the context of Paul's ministry? Look at verse 22. See now, I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem. I've got to go, not knowing the things that will happen to me there. I don't know what's going to happen except this verse 23, that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city saying that chains and tribulations await me. It's a fearful ministry, isn't it? Isn't it? Verse 24, but none of these things move me. Paul is resolved in his mission. He's resolved in the great commission. His charge, he has taken up his charge and he is resolved in the Lord to see it through, right? See it through. What's the condition of his heart? Verse 24, nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy. In the midst of that difficulty, Paul is talking about finishing his race with joy, conducting his ministry, executing his charge, discharging that commission the Lord had given him in joy, despite his circumstances, despite the fact that it's hard, despite the fact that there's persecution in trials, despite the fact that Paul pled day and night, he said, with tears warning them. The concern Paul said, they came on him for all the churches. Paul is discharging his duty here with delight, with joy. I may finish my race with joy in the ministry which I receive from the Lord Jesus to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. Listen, that same ministry you and I have been given. You and I have the same charge to testify of the Lord Jesus Christ, to be a witness for the Lord Jesus Christ. We are given the same charge, and that charge comes to us in part here in John chapter 20, verses 19 through 23. Flip back with me to Acts chapter 13, another example. Acts chapter 13, the disciples are being arrested, they're being persecuted, already had Stephen stoned, look at verse 49, and the word of the Lord was being spread throughout all the region. Why? Why? One, because it was their delight, it was their joy. Two, because it was their charge, it was their commission. The Lord commanded that they should go and make disciples of all the nations. The Lord had commanded as the Father sent me, so now I'm also sending you, right? So they go out with their charge, delighting as they go, verse 50, persecution comes. But the Jews stirred up the devout and prominent women and the chief men of the city, raised up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, expelled them from their region. What did Paul do? Verse 51, they shook off the dust from their feet against them, and came to Iconium, and the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. Paul is about to be stoned and left for dead in Lystra, and he talks about fulfilling his ministry with joy. Why? Because of Paul's love for the Lord, Paul's delight in the Lord, Paul's delight to obey the Lord, Paul's delight in his mission. The Lord's commands are gracious and they are good, they are holy and they are right, and it's the heart of every genuine Christian to delight in obeying the Lord, to delight in following the Lord. Listen, don't be deceived, don't be deceived. If that's not your heart, if it never has been, you are not a Christian, you need a new heart, one that delights in the law of God, that sees it as holy, just and good. Do you understand? But brother or sister, if that was your experience, you delighted in the law of the Lord, you loved serving him and you've grown cold, you've waxed and waned in your zeal and your fervency and your faithfulness, the Lord lovingly, lovingly, lovingly rebukes your unbelief, your hardness of heart, and he calls you to repentance. Follow me, he says, follow me, trust me, peace be with you. His authority is gracious. That authority, that authority being absolute, that authority being gracious, that authority then is the basis for our charge that we see in the great commission given in verse 21. In verse 21, John chapter 20 verse 21, as the Father has sent me, I also send you. I want to draw two applications from our examples. I want you to think about these with me. One application is this, your response to the Lord's commands will be in direct proportion to your respect for his authority. Your response to the Lord's commands will be in direct proportion to your respect for his authority. In other words, if you rebel and rebel and rebel, you have little, little, little respect for his authority. It makes sense? If you fear the Lord, you respect the Lord, you revere the Lord. If the Lord is hallowed in your eyes and you will be diligent in your pursuit of obedience to his commands, you'll be diligent in your pursuit of hungry and thirsting for righteousness, living for him, living a holy life, obeying his commission. Second application is this, your joy and your delight in obedience to the Lord's commands will be in direct proportion to your love for and delight in him. Your joy, your delight in obedience to the Lord's commands will be in direct proportion to your love for and delight in him. If you love him, if you delight in him, then it is your delight to follow after him. That's one of the reasons, if you think about that connection, right? That's one of the reasons that the Scripture gives us such good, rich, soul-exalting theology and doctrine in part of a book followed by commands and practical application in another part of the book, right? When we understand, when we know him, his perfections, his excellencies, when we know God, when we know the Lord Jesus Christ, when we delight in him, when we take joy, we rejoice in him, then when those commands come, it is our joy and our delight to obey him, to follow him. That good theology supports the demands of the Christian life. Indicatives, which are statements of truth, support imperatives, which are commands. Indicatives support imperatives. We see that throughout Scripture. Glorious Christ-exalting truth followed by practical application. The Lord's absolute and gracious authority compels us, then, to take up our charge and obey the Lord in preaching the gospel, and it is the delight of the genuine Christian to do so, right? So, point two on your notes, then. We see the standard that informs our charge in beginning in verse 21, the standard that informs our charge. Now, this is referring to the standard of the Lord Jesus Christ himself. The Lord Jesus Christ is our standard bearer in this ministry, verse 21. So, Jesus said to them again, peace to you, as the Father has sent me, I also send you. That little word, as, at the beginning there, very important. Just as, in the same way as, just like the Father has sent me, I now am sending you. And with that, again, Christ becomes our standard bearer in our charge, in our commission. As the Father sent me, Jesus said, I'm sending you. Christ then is our model. He becomes our model for great commission ministry. The words send there, very important. He's not sending you to the grocery store, right? He's not sending you on a fool's errand. Inherent in the word send is mission. He's sending you on a mission. And it's present active indicative. In other words, it's a present reality. You are being sent. Even now, we are the sent ones of the Lord Jesus Christ. In that sense, we don't replace Christ. We're not finishing the work that he couldn't finish himself, right? His current mission is our mission. The work that he is currently accomplishing in the world, he's accomplishing through his people and the work of the Spirit. His work being carried out, carried on in the work of his disciples. There are so many ways, verse 21, in which people strive to evade the text, the plain meaning of the text. What about you at the end of verse 21? Many will say, well, that's obviously only the 11. But this text builds on the Lord's prayer in John chapter 17. Flip back to John chapter 17 quickly. In verse 14, Lord Jesus Christ prays. He says, I've given them your word. The world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that you should take them out of the world, but that you should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by your truth, your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes, I sanctify myself that they also may be sanctified by the truth. Verse 20. I don't pray for these alone, the 11 here, but also for all those who will believe in me through their word, that we all may be one, just as he says, you father are in me and I in you, that they also may be one in us. In other words, this charge not just to hear the 10 or the 11, this is to all the Lord's disciples, those that would believe in him through their word. What about the work to be done? A way that many try to evade the text. Jesus did good for people, right? He healed them. He fed them. He taught them. He ministered to them. So that's what we're going to do. You know, my work at the soup kitchen accomplishes my commission, right? My work with the homeless, my work at the prison, my conversations at work with the guys about Calvinism, right? My work at home with the kids. Are all those things good things? Yes, but is that satisfying the demands of the great commission? Maybe, maybe not. You got to preach the gospel. You got to preach the gospel. The Lord has not left these questions unanswered in his word, right? With great clarity, the Lord has given us several texts that give the great commission, that give us context for John chapter 20 verse 21, and other texts in the New Testament. Turn with me to Matthew chapter 28. We're going to go through these quickly. Matthew chapter 28. If John chapter 20 verse 21 shows us that Jesus Christ is our model for great commission ministry, then Matthew chapter 28, beginning in verse 16, shows us our mission, clarifies our mission. Look at verse 16. Then the 11 disciples went away into Galilee to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw him, they worshiped him, but some doubted. Jesus came and spoke to them, verse 18, saying, all authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Now that authority is based on who he is, right? He is the Son of Man, the Son of God, the Christ, the Son of the living God. And we have a responsibility to obey. This is absolute authority. And remember, our response to his charge, his commands, will be in direct proportion to our respect for his person, our respect for his authority. He says in verse 19, go therefore and make disciples. The main command, the main verb is make disciples. It's an imperative. The go is a participle. It's going. So going therefore, command, make disciples of all the nations. Now how do you make a disciple? You evangelize a lost person. And when the Lord saves that person, he becomes a disciple. Make disciples means evangelizing a lost person, sharing the gospel with them. When the Lord saves them, they become a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. They are at that point, a learning follower, an apprentice, right? They're submitting all of their life, all of their desires, all of their effort, all of themselves. They're submitting themselves in conformity to Christ's commands, Christ's teachings, Christ's cause. That's a disciple, a learning follower. But then what do we do with those disciples? When a disciple is made, what do you do with that disciple? Two things, two participles again, baptizing. Baptizing puts them in the community of the church. It forms the community of the church out of God's people. It's what puts us in community together, baptizing them into the church and then teaching those disciples, teaching, baptizing the disciples, not baptizing babies, baptizing disciples, and then teaching them to observe, teaching those disciples to obey. He says in verse 20, teaching them to observe all things that I've commanded you. And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Now, are the 11 disciples going to make it to the end of the age? No, they've died already. So who is this referring to? This is carried forward by all those, back to John chapter 17, all those that would believe in him through their word, right? This is carried forward by his disciples. So now John gives us the model for great commission ministry. Matthew lays out our mission. Mark gives us the method. Look at Mark chapter 16. Mark chapter 16. This is our method for great commission ministry, given to us by Mark in chapter 16, beginning in verse 14. In verse 14, later Jesus appeared to the 11 as they sat at the table. He rebuked their unbelief, their hardness of heart because they did not believe those who had seen him after he had risen. And he said to them, verse 15, go into all the world. Into all the world. Now that go is a command. You're to go, go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. So what's our method here? Our method is preaching. It's not hugs in Jesus' name. It's not passing out bottles of water. Listen, the method isn't to feed the homeless, to clothe the homeless or to, those are good things. But those things, apart from the gospel, merely satisfy a temporal need, does nothing for them eternally. And what is Jesus concerned with here? The state, the condition of their eternal soul that they might be saved. So you're going to open a soup kitchen, praise the Lord, preach the gospel while you're doling out the soup, right? Here's a scoop of chicken noodle and I'm going to give you the gospel. Preach the gospel, right? All the world, every creature. What's the scope in which that method is to be exercised? All the world, every creature. All the world, every creature. Why? What's at stake? What's at stake? Verse 16. Here's what's at stake. He who believes and is baptized will be saved. But he who does not believe will be condemned. They will perish in hell forever. That's what's at stake. We're talking about heaven and hell and eternally, right? J. Gresham Machen, this life is an infinitesimally small little island. It's a little speck in the grand sea, ocean of eternity. We're talking about eternal things here. John explains our model. Matthew lays out our mission. Mark describes our method. Luke outlines our message. Turn to Luke chapter 24. Luke chapter 24. Jesus appears to his disciples in Luke chapter 24. In verse 45, he opens their understanding so they might comprehend the scriptures. That's the grace of God to do that. You need to cry out for that to be the case that the Lord would open our understanding, to understand that we might comprehend the scriptures. Then in verse 46, the Lord Jesus Christ said to them, Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary, for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name to all nations beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things. This is doctrinal content, right? This is the content of revealed truth contained in gospel preaching. Jesus says, listen, you're to preach my cross. You're to preach my empty tomb. You're to preach my resurrection. And in the work that only I can do and have done, you're to preach the forgiveness of sins. Now there are other texts that we could consider. The Lord is gracious to leave us with clear and pressing directives for our charge here. Back in John chapter 20 verse 21. Jesus said to them again, John chapter 20 verse 21, peace to you. As the Father has sent me, I also send you. So with Jesus sent, was Jesus sent to Washington to drain the swamp? No. Was Jesus sent to gain political power, right? Run for office. We're going to take over Congress. No, no. Was Jesus sent to exert influence? No. Was he to champion social issues? No. As the Father gave to Jesus Christ all authority, he gave him all authority to go into the world to save sinners. Now doing good for them along the way, drawing sinners to himself in grace and in mercy. But that was his cause to save that which is lost. The Lord then sends us out with his authority. It now becomes a delegated authority. And we go out with his authority to preach the gospel in his stead on his behalf to call sinners to repentance and faith. Second Corinthians chapter 5 verse 20. Paul says now then, you and I brothers and sisters, we are ambassadors for Christ as though God were pleading through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf be reconciled to God. Why? Why is it such an important message? What's at stake? Because he made him who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in him. We might be saved. We might have communion with God. We might go to heaven when we die and not hell. We might flee the wrath of God. We might have our sins forgiven. We might be cleansed, washed, sanctified, justified and one day glorified. All that comes through the gospel, the preaching of the gospel. Point one, the authority that compels our charge. Point two, the standard that informs our charge. Finally the grace that fuels our charge. The grace that fuels our charge. Verse 22. When the Lord had said this, he breathed on them. There's no direct object in that statement. The on them is supplied. It literally says that he breathed. Literally he expelled a deep breath. When he had said this, verse 22, he expelled a deep breath and he said to them, receive the Holy Spirit. Receive their command. It's imperative. Verse 23. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them. If you retain the sins of any, they are retained. First, I want you to see the grace of glorious power. The grace of glorious power. The word there for breathe. Only time used in the New Testament is right here. The Septuagint uses it one time in Genesis chapter two when it says that God breathed into Adam the breath of life, uses this word. Ezekiel 37 in the valley of dry bones. It says that God breathed life into those dry bones. Here John chapter 20, he breathed. He expelled a deep breath and he said to them, receive command imperative. Receive the Holy Spirit. The text has caused some difficulty and most of the difficulty arises because of what we know about the giving of the Spirit of God at Pentecost in Acts chapter two. What we can't do is you can't hold this text hostage to Acts chapter two in Pentecost. Some say it's the same event. What we see here in John chapter 20 is the same as the Acts two event. Our context clearly says otherwise. Others say it's merely symbolic that this is an acted parable. Jesus Christ is acting here. He breathes and says receive the Holy Spirit and he's pointing them forward to when they will fully receive the Spirit of God in Acts chapter two. I don't believe that just does justice to the text. There's no contextual reason here for thinking that this is merely symbolic. We can't be certain dogmatic about these things. We want to do as much justice to the text as we can here. Some believe that this is the Lord actually saving them that he's breathing into them eternal life like God did with those dry bones in Ezekiel 37. But these men are already saved. God told them in the upper room didn't he that you're already clean because of the word which I've spoken to. But here's what we know. Here's what we know. This giving in verse 22 is tied to associated with their sending because in the same context here the Spirit of God is intended to empower them for mission. The giving is giving in some measure intended to help them until the ultimate giving of the Spirit at Pentecost in Acts chapter two. It's different from Acts chapter two but here enabling them, empowering them, helping them, pointing them forward then and sustaining them until Acts chapter two. Same Spirit different gifts but here this giving is to help them. He tells them in Acts chapter one turn quickly you're virtually on that page already. Acts chapter one and look at verse four. He says being assembled together with them he commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem but to wait for the promise of the Father which he said you have heard from me for John truly baptized with water you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now. They're going to be blessed with this gift of the Spirit this pouring out of the Spirit in Acts chapter two not many days from now. So whatever that gift is in Acts chapter two this is not it in the same way in John chapter 20. Therefore verse six when they come together they ask him saying Lord will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel. He said to them it's not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father has put in his own authority but you shall receive power. He's telling this to the disciples you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you shall be listen you will be it's what that's saying when you receive the Holy Spirit you receive power you will be the Lord's witness. He says you will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem and in Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth. So if Matthew gives our mission mark our method Luke our message John our model then Acts reveals in whose might we are sent it's in the power of the Spirit of God. Now Bear's repeating Peter's understanding of the resurrection and the power of the Spirit greatly fuels his preaching. We see Peter huddled in fear we don't have time to go there but I invite you to look at Acts chapter 12 one example of Peter then preaching despite Herod breathing out threats despite Herod having already killed James Peter now in boldness and in great courage and the power of the Spirit preaching Christ in Jerusalem and arrested Herod had set his mind to seize Peter and kill him also. So what's Peter's response then knowing that Herod was after his life was it to cower in fear I'm gonna head over into the cattle now no Peter's boldly preaching boldly preaching the gospel. We see the grace of glorious power secondly the grace of glorious purpose verse 23 if you forgive the sins of any they are forgiven them if you retain the sins of any they are retained. These are similar words to those we find in Matthew chapter 16 Matthew chapter 18 related to the doctrine of the keys if you're familiar with that but here this is a different context this is in the context not a church discipline but of preaching the gospel they are forgiven they are retained verse 23 those two clauses are both passive they are forgiven they are retained who's the one doing the forgiving who's the one doing the retaining if it's passive God is God's the one forgiving God is the one who's retaining God is the one who is working behind the preaching in the gospel verbal aspect here means that they're standing in a state of forgiveness or they're standing in a state of unforgiveness and that's based upon their response to the preached word that sounds a little stark to our western ears here but this is essentially what the Lord is communicating when you preach the gospel the Lord says when you preach my cross you preach my empty tomb my resurrection you preach the forgiveness of sins and you call sinners to repent you call sinners to believe in the power of the spirit of God so that in the power of the spirit I am essentially the one preaching through you right Paul second Corinthians chapter 5 we implore you on Christ's behalf in his stead be reconciled to God when you do that Christ is saying here if anyone believes your word I'm going to forgive them if anyone does not believe your word I do not forgive them they remain in their sins because you're my messenger you're my mouthpiece I speak as though you are forgiving and retaining that makes sense men will repent at the preaching of the gospel at which point their sins will be forgiven or men will rebel men will reject the preaching of the gospel at which point their sins will be retained based upon their response our responsibility to communicate when that's clear either way you're rejecting the Lord Jesus Christ you will die in your sin you will die in your sin you will perish in your sin you will stand before the judge of all the universe you'll give an account for what you've done in the flesh you'll give an account before that holy God who will take you by the scruff of your neck and throw you into hell or turn to Christ and have life turn to Christ and have life have your sins forgiven all this means verse 23 essentially means that right now right now right now how you respond to this human messenger i'm a fallible weak often despairing discourage strengthless powerless faithless human being but how you respond to this human messenger of the Lord Jesus Christ will determine whether or not your sins are forgiven or not forgiven how you respond to the preaching of God's word how you respond to the preaching of the gospel God will either forgive your sins when you turn from your when you turn from your sin you put your faith and trust in him or your sins will be retained and you'll not be forgiven how will you respond is all this a bunch of nonsense you're going to walk out of here and go back to i gotta go get lunch i don't want to be last in line of the buffet or do you see the weight of what we're talking about the weight of your own sin the glories of the Lord Jesus Christ the indescribable gift of God's mercy and God's grace to sinners that despite their sin against him they can be cleansed and forgiven and made right with a holy God and have communion with God in eternity forever their sins forgiven them justified robed in the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ praising and worshiping him forever that is what that's what we're talking about heaven and hell these are eternal things i implore you on christ's behalf be reconciled to god why will you die turn to christ and be saved i implore you listen to me teenager listen to me young person listen to me little girl little boy listen to me old man old woman maybe you've been caught in formalism all your christian life maybe you've been going through the motions maybe you've never turned your life fully over to christ i implore you on christ's behalf and in his stead be reconciled to god and if you will turn from your sin if you'll put your faith in him he says i will forgive you of your sin what glory what blessing right what blessing what blessing be converted that your sins may be blotted out all glory honor praise and worship be to the one who through the preaching of the gospel saves the sinners amen