What Does It Mean to Be "Called and Sent" this Lent?

As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus set his face toward Jerusalem.

—Luke 9:51

This was the beginning of the end.

Jesus has just revealed his divine glory to Peter, James, and John. It's a moment that we often mark as the end of the season of Epiphany. This glorious revelation is sandwiched in between the revelation of Jesus’ divine mission, a mission that would climax in Jerusalem where the crowds would turn on him, the courts would convict him, and the cross would kill him. He knew this, and yet, he “set his face toward Jerusalem.”

As we enter the season of Lent, we walk with Jesus to Jerusalem, our faces set on going where he goes. Traditionally, this season is a time of fasting. Often, this takes the form of giving up things for Lent and focusing on our personal walk with God. But with Jesus, the journey to Jerusalem was more like a field general advancing a mission than it was a personal pilgrimage.

In fact, the very first thing Jesus does once his face is set toward Jerusalem is send out messengers with the good news that God’s kingdom is here. The rest of Luke 9-10 is the account of Jesus sending his disciples with the message, calling new disciples to follow, and sending them out to do the same. Called and sent—those are the movements of disciples on mission with Jesus.

As we get in step with Jesus this Lent, here are a few resources to help us follow these rhythms of being called and sent:  

• For a practical guide on hearing the call of Jesus to join him, sign up for Resonate’s Go Local Lenten Devotional.
• As we hear his call, let’s go where he sends us. For some of us that may mean joining a Resonate Witness Trip or even relocating our lives and become intercultural missionaries (see our new annual report for examples and stories).
• For all of us, joining Jesus and his mission will most often be right in our own neighborhoods. The five-session Witness Course is a simple tool to help us participate in Jesus' mission in our communities.  

Jesus’ face continues to be set on fulfilling his mission to restore all things through his kingdom. He says to you: “Come, follow me.” Those who follow, he sends out with the good news: “The kingdom of God has come near to you!”

Scott Stark is Resonate's Regional Mission Leader for the Great Lakes Region