18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.
There is a coordination between how Jesus ministered and how His followers would minister. As the Father sent Jesus into the world, He sent His followers into the same arena to continue His ministry after He returned to the Father.
18 As You sent Me [emphatic] into the world,
The Father sent Jesus into the world on a mission to the world. He was a model of someone sent on a mission from God.
I [emphatic] also have sent them [the apostles] into the world.
Jesus sent His followers on a mission just like He was sent on a mission. The Father sent the Son and the Son sent the apostles (Jn 17:20). The Greek word for “sent” means to be sent with a purpose. We obtain the word “apostle” from this term; an apostle is a sent one.
The sphere of ministry for the apostles was the “world”—unregenerate humanity.
PRINCIPLE:
Our task is to discharge our mission as Jesus did His.
APPLICATION:
Jesus is the model or pattern for all mission activities. The mission of Christ forms the pattern for subsequent missions of His followers.
Jesus was willing to confront false belief and lies that the world tells itself. He approached the world as an alien. He infiltrated the unregenerate world system with a belief system that was polar opposite to the prevailing beliefs that most people held at that time. His entire orientation was different from human viewpoint. The world was hostile to Him because of this. Since it was hostile to Him, it will be hostile to His followers.
Followers of Christ are not to be inwardly focused but to consecrate themselves to others. This is our charge from Jesus.
