The apostolic church
The apostolic church
John 20:19-23 (p. 1686) September 24, 2017
Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you!
As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”
John 20:21
Intro: 1) change to the lower-case “a” because of the problems with the modern use of “Apostolic”
— used to reflect authority of the Apostles, a Pentecostal connection to Acts church, legalism
2) Again” refers to the shalom and to the John 17:18 prayer of Jesus for our sanctification
A theology of “sent-ness”
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go with us?
And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” He said, “Go and tell this people . . . .”
Isaiah 6:8 (p. 1068)
- Sent-ness is from the HEART OF GOD à Isaiah 6 and the sending of the prophet
- Sent-ness is PARTICIPATORY à INVITATION TO THE MISSIO DEI
- Sent-ness brings authority to SPEAK FOR GOD = the work of the herald, the kerygma
Sent the way Jesus was sent
And he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven,
if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
John 20:22-23 (p. 1686)
- We are sent SPIRIT-FILLED (this is where the authority to forgive comes from!)
- We are sent INCARNATIONALLY (not tenting v. dwelling, but the identification with the world)
- We are sent to join the PILGRIMAGE –> not alone (like the Camino) but as a community (Psalm 84)
- We are sent to GATHER (see Luke 14, “that my house may be filled”, CRHM book by de Boer)
More resources for studying the church in John
Earl Palmer’s The Intimate Gospel (Word Books, 1978).
F.F. Bruce’s The Gospel of John (Eerdmans, 1983), p. 392.
William Hendricksen’s New Testament Commentary: John (Baker, 1953).
Ligon Duncan’s message “The Confession of the Kingdom” at http://www.fpcjackson.org/resource-library/sermons
Harry R. Boer’s That My House May Be Filled (Eerdmans, 1957).
Bob Deffinbaugh’s “Seeing is Believing” at https://bible.org
/seriespage/seeing-and-believing-john-2010-31
“Our World Belongs to God”, Articles 37-43.
“Belgic Confession”, Articles 27, 28.
OWBTG #41, The Mission of God’s People
- Joining the mission of God,
the church is sent
with the gospel of the kingdom
to call everyone to know and follow Christ
and to proclaim to all
the assurance that in the name of Jesus
there is forgiveness of sin
and new life for all who repent and believe.
The Spirit calls all members
to embrace God’s mission
in their neighborhoods and in the world:
to feed the hungry, bring water to the thirsty,
welcome the stranger, clothe the naked,
care for the sick, and free the prisoner.
We repent of leaving this work to a few,
for this mission is central to our being.
On our part in God’s mission, see Matthew 28:18-20, Luke 24:45-49, and John 17:18; on seeing our mission beyond our local community, Matthew 24:14 and Acts 13:1-3; on meeting the needs of people, Matthew 25:31-46 and Luke 4:18-19; and on the centrality of mission to our being, John 20:21.