discovering missions - Southern Nazarene University

245187 Disc Missions ins 9/6/07 1:04 PM Page 32
32 The Heart of God
The 153 Fish
To most of us the number of “a hundred and fifty-three,” which was
the number of fish caught in the net along the shores of Galilee after
the resurrection (John 21:4-14), seems incredibly trifling. We might
be inclined to wonder why the writer had any interest in giving the
number. When, however, we realize that in ancient times the number
153 was given as the total number of all the tribes and nations
of the earth, it is no wonder that the early church interpreted this
passage as the assurance of success in fulfilling the Great Commission
to bear the Good News to all men everywhere. 13
—Eugene Nida, linguist and Bible translator
The Gospel of John repeatedly emphasizes how central mission is in the
heart of God. Throughout John’s Gospel, Jesus is referred to as being “sent” (see
sidebar “Sending”). Indeed, a strong rationale for the Church’s mission involvement
can be based on the sending of the Son by the Father. In the Gospels,
apostle or “sent one” always refers to one of Jesus’ followers. However, Hebrews
3:1 calls Jesus an “apostle” or “sent one.” The writer of Hebrews uses that language
because the Father sent the Son to all the world (John 3:16). The Son responded
to His own sending by saying to His followers: “As the Father has sent
me, I am sending you” (20:21). Scripture makes clear that this divine sending/
going has a soteriological purpose, the salvation of the world (3:17; 6:38, 57;
17:3, 21). Jesus tells His disciples that the Holy Spirit who has already been active
in their ministry will soon empower them in fresh ways for mission (14:26;
16:7). In Jesus’ high-priestly prayer for His followers the night before His crucifixion,
He said the disciples would be commissioned for a missionary task, that
is, they were being sent into the world (17:18).
Sending
Almost every page of the Gospel of John speaks of mission as sending,
with regard to Jesus and with regard to us as well. Jesus did not
come on His own, but His Father sent Him (John 8:42). He did not
speak His own words but the words of the Father who sent Him
(3:34; 7:16; 12:49). He did not do His own works but the works of
the Father who sent Him (5:36; 9:4). These works were His miracles.
He did not come to do His own will but the will of His Father who
sent Him (5:30; 6:38). Like Jesus, we must receive a supernatural
message, a supernatural ministry and a supernatural motivation to
enable us to fulfill our mission. 14
—Paul R. Orjala, missionary to Haiti