The Resurrection and the Mission of the Church: Why the Risen Christ Sends His People

Author: Dave Jenkins

Introduction: The Resurrection Is Not the End of the Story

For many, the resurrection of Jesus is treated as the conclusion of the gospel story. Christ died, He rose, and the work is finished. While it is true that Christ’s atoning work is complete, the resurrection is not the end of the story. It is the beginning of something new.

The New Testament presents the resurrection not only as vindication, but as commissioning. The risen Christ does not simply reveal Himself to His disciples. He sends them. The empty tomb is not merely proof of life. It is the foundation of mission.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ establishes His authority, defines the message of the church, and compels His people to go into the world as witnesses. The church exists because Christ is risen, and the church is sent because Christ reigns.

The Risen Christ Has All Authority

After His resurrection, Jesus declared:

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” (Matthew 28:18)

This statement is not abstract or symbolic. It is the direct result of His finished work and His triumph over death. The resurrection is God’s public declaration that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Because Christ is risen, He is not merely a teacher from the past. He is the reigning King. His authority extends over all creation, over every nation, and over every person.

This matters because the mission of the church is grounded in His authority. The church does not go into the world based on its own strength, creativity, or influence. It goes under the command of the risen Christ.

The Resurrection Creates a Sending People

The resurrection does not produce passive observers. It creates a sent people.

Jesus tells His disciples in John 20:21:

“As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”

This language of sending is central to the identity of the church. Just as the Son was sent into the world to accomplish redemption, so now His people are sent to proclaim that redemption.

In Acts 1:8, Jesus further explains the scope of this mission:

“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

The resurrection leads directly to witness. The risen Christ gathers His people, equips them by His Spirit, and sends them into the world. There is no category in the New Testament for a believer who is not, in some sense, sent.

The Message We Proclaim: Christ Crucified and Risen

The mission of the church is not undefined. It is centered on a specific message.

In 1 Corinthians 15:3–4, the Apostle Paul summarizes the gospel:

“Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.”

The message of the church is not moral improvement, cultural engagement, or personal fulfillment. It is the proclamation of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

This message calls sinners to repentance and faith. It announces forgiveness of sins through Christ’s finished work. It declares that Jesus is alive and that He reigns.

To remove the resurrection from the message is to empty the gospel of its power. A dead Savior cannot save. But the risen Christ brings life, forgiveness, and hope.

Resurrection Power and Bold Witness

The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is at work in His people.

The early church did not operate in fear or uncertainty. They proclaimed Christ boldly, even in the face of opposition, suffering, and persecution. Why? Because they were convinced that Jesus was alive.

The resurrection changes everything about how the church lives and speaks. It produces confidence, not in ourselves, but in the message we carry. It produces boldness, not because the world is receptive, but because Christ is reigning.

The apostles did not preach ideas. They bore witness to a living Person. Their message was not speculation. It was grounded in the reality of the risen Christ.

Why This Matters Today

There is a strong temptation in our time to reduce Christianity to something private and personal. Faith is often treated as something to be kept quiet, confined to individual experience, and separated from public life.

The resurrection confronts that mindset directly.

If Jesus Christ is risen, then He is Lord over all. If He is Lord, then His gospel must be proclaimed. The church is not called to retreat, but to bear faithful witness in a world that desperately needs the truth.

The mission of the church is not optional. It is not reserved for a select group of believers. It is the calling of all who belong to Christ.

This does not mean every believer will stand behind a pulpit or travel across the world. But it does mean every believer is called to live and speak as a witness to the risen Christ, wherever God has placed them.

Conclusion: The Risen Christ Sends You

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is not only something to believe. It is something that defines how we live.

The risen Christ has all authority. He has accomplished redemption. And He now sends His people into the world to proclaim His gospel.

The church exists because Christ is risen. The church is sent because Christ reigns.

To belong to Christ is to be part of His mission. Not perfectly, not fearlessly, but faithfully.

The tomb is empty. The King is alive. And He sends His people.

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