As God sent Jesus, so Jesus sends us. We minister in the world under God's "say-so."

Comedians Dan Akroyd and the late John Belushi teamed up to create a host of memorably wacky characters. But few could top the absurdity of Jake and Elwood, the Blues Brothers. These two genially corrupt, amiably amoral bozos are sent out on an ill-fated fundraising mission for their old parochial school by a fierce old nun. As they blundered through a series of larcenous schemes and made movie-mayhem, Jake and Elwood established their credibility by quietly proclaiming to all their detractors, "We're on a mission from God."

In the face of ludicrous and often illegal fundraising attempts, Jake and Elwood's explanation for all their activities is totally absurd. Obviously these two morons are not on any "mission from God." They are two losers trying to run a successful series of scams.

It is easy for us to laugh at the prospect of such out-of-it dipsticks as Ackroyd's and Belushi's Jake and Elwood being on "a mission from God." The whole notion is hilarious. The problem is that when we consider the possibility of someone's really being on a genuine mission from God, we still tend to cringe and giggle. Is that excessively exalted language for the activities of someone we might actually know?

Is someone like that checkout clerk at the grocery store ... on a mission from God?

Is someone like that neighbor who feeds your cat when you are gone ... on a mission from God?

Is someone like that annoying PTA organizer who keeps calling ... on a mission from God?

Is someone like that 14-year-old daughter with her room filled with giggling girlfriends ... on a mission from God?

And is someone with bills to pay, kids to shuttle, dinner to cook, a garage to clean out, and 10 pounds to lose ... on a mission from God?

YES!

All these people may very well be on a mission from God just as we ourselves are.

How dare someone make such grandiose claims for others or for ourselves? One of the signs of "delusions of grandeur" on the psychological test called MMPI (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory) is a positive answer to the question "Do you believe you are a special agent of the Lord?"

We can answer that question "Yes," we can fill in that hole with our number 2 pencil, because we have God's "say-so."

When Jesus appeared to the fear-frozen disciples locked away in that secretive upper room, he did more than witness to the miracle of his resurrection. He came to proclaim his "peace." He came to impart the Holy Spirit. He came to pronounce that as the Father had sent him into the world, so he now sends his disciples out to the world.
Jesus announces this great commission to the disciples despite their obvious shortcomings, their evident self-absorption, their general cluelessness. All of Jesus' disciples all post-Easter people from this time forward and forevermore are sent out into the world credentialed by what we are calling a "say-so spirituality." We are called by Christ to go out and minister to all the world under no less an authority than God's "say-so."

When Jesus proclaims "As/so" to these Upper-Room disciples, he is promising to every bottom-floor generation that will experience Christ's peace and inhale the Holy Spirit that divine forces and energies are at work in all of us, even as they were in Jesus.

We are, indeed, on a mission from God. Because God, through Christ, has said so!

In the airhead hit movie "Clueless," which has now become a television series, the mind-free, meaningless world of a trio of teenage "valley girls" is paraded before us. One of the trademark comebacks of these girls' vacuous lingo is to offer an incredulous "As if!" in response to an apparently obvious statement.

"As if" they would ever be caught dead in Kmart.

"As if" they would give up an afternoon at the mall for an afternoon in the library.

"As if" they would get a ride home with someone in a Volkswagen.

Sometimes it seems that in our own "clueless" church culture, we have taken Jesus' powerful "As/so" declaration and allowed it to degenerate into a faithless, wimpy "As/if" disclaimer.

Instead of as Jesus went to the tax collectors and sinners, so we must make the poor and the rich, the very young and the very old, the unchurched and the overchurched, the street-scented and the cologne-scented feel welcome to join us in worship we have disclaimed "As if" when faced with the prospect of sitting next to someone in the pew who makes us the least bit uncomfortable.

Instead of as the Holy Spirit was breathed into the disciples by the resurrected Jesus, so we must blow that Spirit of life out upon others who are gasping for the fresh air of faith we have disclaimed "As if" at the prospect of letting the Holy Spirit go and work freely, without fetters, within us.

Instead of as the Father loved all creation, so God gave his only begotten Son for our sake and for our salvation we have disclaimed "As if" at the slightest prospect of sharing any of the wonderful excesses in wealth, natural resources, technology, beauty and freedom that we have been so graciously granted.

Church, let's claim the power of God's "say-so." Church, let's realize that as disciples of the risen Lord, we are on a mission from God. Church, let's admit it: Each one of us is a special agent of the Lord.

All Christ's disciples are called to a special mission of ministry to and for the world. God uses each of us not just according to our individual gifts and graces, not just according to our own strengths and endowments, but sometimes according to God's own good pleasure, to define what form our mission may take.

Being a disciple working under God's "say-so" is probably the first example of mission segmentation or niche ministry. Each of us has a mission a niche ministry that God has called us to.

What mission are you on today?

Are you a preacher, proclaiming with God's "say-so" power?

Are you a teacher, modeling with God's "say-so" power?

Are you a child, playing with God's "say-so" power?

Are you a parent, loving with God's "say-so" power?

As God sent Jesus, so Jesus sends you. Will you go in a say-so spirit?