I am Commissioned

The call to be commissioned is more than a title; it’s a responsibility. As Christians, we are not just called to be followers of Christ—we are called to represent Him. Jesus healed many, and their first instinct was to go out and tell others about what He had done. They didn’t keep the miracle to themselves. They became instant evangelists, spreading the news of their healing and the power behind it.

In John 5:15, a man healed by Jesus went out immediately, telling everyone that he had been healed. Bartimaeus, too, after receiving his sight, glorified God openly. In Luke 17:15, one of the ten lepers returned to give thanks and glorify God after being healed. And in John 9:25, a man once blind and questioned about Jesus boldly declared, “I don’t know if He is a sinner or not, but one thing I do know: I was blind, but now I see.”

These stories remind us of one thing: healing leads to commissioning. Restoration isn’t the end of the journey; it’s the beginning of our mission.

The Facebook Story: Two Worlds, One Mistake

Let me share with you a modern parable that exposes a deep contradiction in our Christian witness.

A man once forgot to put his phone on silent before entering church. During the sermon, it rang loudly, disrupting the service. The pastor scolded him harshly. Worshippers around him shook their heads in disapproval. His wife lectured him all the way home. His friends and acquaintances condemned him with their expressions of shame and judgment. That man never stepped foot in a church again.

Later that evening, still burdened by shame, he went to a bar. Nervous and shaken, he accidentally spilled his drink. The bottle broke, splashing some nearby customers. He braced himself for insults, maybe even violence. But something different happened.

People rushed toward him—not to rebuke, but to check on him. The waiter apologized and handed him a napkin. The janitor calmly cleaned the mess. A kind female manager offered him a free drink and said, “Don’t worry, man. We all make mistakes.” She hugged him and reassured him that he was still welcome there.

And so, he did what came naturally: he kept going back to that bar. Not for the alcohol, but for the grace he was shown.

The Contrasting Realities

Let’s pause and reflect: Which environment displayed Christ?

In church, the man made a mistake, and he was scolded, judged, and cast out emotionally.

In the bar, he made a mistake, and he was embraced, helped, and welcomed.

One might argue that the bar, in that moment, showed more Christ-likeness than the church.

As believers, we often say, “Come as you are,” but do we really mean it?

Are we welcoming the broken, the embarrassed, and the imperfect? Or do our actions speak louder than our church slogans?

The Lesson

As followers of Christ, we are commissioned—not to condemn—but to lead souls to the Kingdom. Sometimes, our attitudes, not our sermons, are what push people away from Jesus. In our eagerness to protect what is holy, we must not forget to be holy ourselves. Jesus didn’t shun the sinner. He sat with them. He loved them. He forgave them.

The lesson here is crystal clear:

“Sometimes our attitudes as believers drive souls to hell—we drive them away from the Kingdom.”

This is not just a story. This is a mirror. How many people have we unknowingly driven away from church because of our lack of compassion, our rigid expectations, or our failure to extend grace?

The Commission

In Matthew 28:16–20, Jesus gave us the Great Commission—not to criticize, but to disciple. Not to condemn, but to baptize. Not to shame, but to teach.

You are commissioned to:

• Bring hope to the hopeless

• Speak life to the broken

• Show grace to those who stumble

• Embrace those who feel unworthy

Conclusion

Let us not become gatekeepers of heaven. We are called to open the door wide. Like Jesus, we must see the one who is ashamed and say, “You are still loved. You are still welcome. You can begin again.”

May this sermon be a reminder: Our greatest witness is not in the verses we quote, but in the love we show. Let us not be the reason someone stops going to church. Let us be the reason they come back.