The Unfailing Mission of God
On May 1st 2003, President Bush landed on the USS Abraham Lincoln on a Navy S-3B Viking. The words “Mission Accomplished” hung on a banner behind him. He then announced to the world that “major combat operations in Iraq have ended.” President Bush did not say that the war was over, but nevertheless the banner overshadowed his words. This is what President Bush said about the banner,
They had a sign that said 'Mission Accomplished.' It was a sign aimed at the sailors on the ship, but it conveyed a broader knowledge. To some it said, well, Bush thinks the war in Iraq is over, when I didn't think that. But nonetheless, it conveyed the wrong message.” President George W. Bush
President Bush would later admit that the message the banner conveyed was one of the biggest regrets of his presidency. The media no doubt pounced all over the banner and the substance of what the President had to say was lost. The war was from from over and there was still much work for our military to do. As a result, the phrase “Mission Accomplished” has had political undertones and will for generations to come. What does “Mission Accomplished” aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln have to do with this article?
After Jesus had fed the 5,000 men and their families (roughly 20,000 people), he gave the invitation for them to come to him (John 6:35). For Jesus “coming to him” is equal with believing in him. Unfortunately, these crowds came to Jesus, but it was not for a saving faith. It was evident for quickly that they had no desire to feast on him as the Living Bread of Life. They came to Jesus only because Jesus was their new meal ticket. Sadly, by the end of this chapter, after Jesus says some very difficult things, many walked away from him. How could that be? How could a person who sees the Christ and witness his miracles and healings just walk away? Was there something wrong with Jesus? Did Jesus not do a good enough job? Could Jesus have been more articulate? Should Jesus have gone to seminary to learn how not to offend a crowd? If a pastor today lost 20,000 people in 24 hours, as Jesus did here in John 6, many churches would fire that pastor immediately. That pastor would be the poster child of church failure. So what are we to think about Jesus?
In John 6, Jesus delivered a promise of a future more certain and faithful “Mission Accomplished.” He said to them, “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
All that the Father gives will come to me... **not might come**
I should lose nothing of all that he has given me... **not I might lose some**
I will raise him up on the last day... **not I hope to raise him up on the last day**
Jesus, unlike any other King or President, can always declare victory without any possibility of failure. Although the banner on the USS Abraham Lincoln conveyed the “wrong message,” Jesus cannot do the same. These are not well wishes from Jesus hoping that one day he would be successful — it was a promise of his success. Jesus could say this, although he knew that in just a matter of moments, that many would turn from him. Jesus has the unfailing mission of God the Father and he will prevail without any hint of failure. This does not change even when people walk away. Jesus gave a promise in this chapter that God’s redemption of man will succeed.
The unfailing mission of God is also a part of his name. This is what the angel said to Joseph when the command came to name Jesus. “She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." - (Matthew 1:21) Again this is not what the angel wishes to be true but what he knows to be true. You will call his name Jesus (which means, “The Lord is Salvation”) because he WILL save his people. How can he have this name unless he actually saves? But why does Jesus have so much promise in His success?
Notice that in both of these verses it is said that Jesus has a people. Who are these people? Who is it that comes to and believes in Jesus? “All that the Father gives me,” says Jesus. Matthew says it is “his people.” These people (whom the Father has given) are a treasured possession — a special reward. (see 1 Peter 2:9-10) He knows that the Father will give him a people and this is based on an eternal covenant that cannot be broken. Paul wrote about this confidence in his epistle to Titus, “Paul...for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, ... in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began.” Titus 1:2. Yes, God has promised to save his elect, and they will know the truth, and they will be given to Christ.
This should give every preacher, or rather, every Christian a great confidence in their preaching or evangelism. Our success in preaching or evangelism is not based on our performance, eloquence, or personality. Ultimately, if the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is proclaimed, then God will use that truth to draw a people to Himself to give to the Son as an eternal inheritance. We can preach the gospel faithfully and boldly knowing that God the Father is giving a people to his Son. It is this truth that motivated the Apostle Paul forward in his mission. Paul wrote, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” (Romans 1:16) The gospel is the power of God not Paul or me or you — what a relief. We must trust God and his gospel to do the work for it is only in this gospel that “Mission Accomplished” is a reality. Mission Accomplished could be conveyed from the mouth of Jesus without worry of possibility of failure for it is based on the eternal will of God.
One day, we will be with the Lord, and with all the other ones that the Father gave the Son, and we will rejoice. We will see the fruits of a faithful Savior. We will see the grace of God as evidenced by a multitude of people from every tribe and language. John saw the reality of the success of the gospel in Revelation 7. One day, at the end of human history, the words of the true “Mission Accomplished” will be shouted from across the new heavens and the new earth. Then we will all know that our King was successful to save all those who came and believed in him. The eternal covenant that the Father has with the Son cannot be thwarted.
“After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb! And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen." - Revelation 7:9-12
