Apostolos: Sent with the Mission of Christ

The word apostolos comes from the Greek language and means “one who is sent” or “a messenger.” The English word apostle comes from this term. Its meaning directs our attention beyond a position or title. It describes someone who has been sent with a purpose.

In the New Testament Jesus chose twelve of His disciples and called them apostles. They were personally appointed to remain with Him and witness His ministry. After His resurrection they were sent to testify about what they had seen and proclaim that salvation had come through Jesus Christ.

The apostles did not create their own message or choose their own mission. They were sent by Christ and carried the Gospel that He had entrusted to them. Their authority did not come from personal importance. It came from the One who called and sent them.

Jesus expressed this clearly when He told His disciples: “As the Father has sent me even so I am sending you” (John 20:21). Jesus Himself had been sent into the world by the Father. He came to reveal God and give His life for the salvation of sinners. After completing His work He sent His disciples to continue proclaiming this message.

This reveals an important truth about mission. Christian mission begins with God. It is not a human project created by the Church. The Father sent the Son. The Son sent His disciples. The Gospel has continued moving from one generation to the next through believers who faithfully receive God’s Word and carry it to others.

The mission behind apostolos requires both calling and obedience. The one who is sent cannot remain only where life is familiar or comfortable. There must be a willingness to go wherever God leads and speak to those who have not yet heard. This may mean crossing national borders. It may also mean reaching a university campus or another community nearby.

The apostles faced rejection and persecution during their mission. Yet they continued because they understood that they had been sent by Christ. Their mission did not depend upon comfortable circumstances. It depended upon their faithfulness to the calling they had received.

The Book of Acts shows how the Gospel began in Jerusalem and spread into other regions and nations. The disciples received power through the Holy Spirit and became witnesses of Christ. Their obedience allowed the message of salvation to move beyond its original location and reach people from many different backgrounds.

The apostles held a unique place as witnesses of the risen Christ and as part of the foundation of the early Church. Not every believer holds the office of an apostle. However every believer shares in the responsibility to make Christ known. The Church remains a sent people who must carry the Gospel into the world.

To be sent also means representing the heart of the Sender. Believers cannot proclaim Christ faithfully while ignoring His compassion for the lost. Mission must flow from love for God and love for people. Those who are sent should carry the truth with humility and serve with a sincere desire to lead others toward eternal life.

The meaning of apostolos therefore challenges the Church to remember its purpose. Believers are not called only to gather and receive grace for themselves. They are also called to go outward. The Gospel must be shared and disciples must be raised so that the work of Christ can continue in every generation.

May the Church always remember that it has been sent by Christ. May believers carry His Word with courage and humility. May the Gospel continue moving through cities and campuses and nations until people throughout the world come to know Jesus Christ.