The Will of Him Who Sent Me.
By Dr. Oeystein Sandtorv

“My food”, Jesus once said, “is to do the will of Him who sent me.” John 4; 34.
And we know who sent Him, - it was God, our heavenly Father.

In this article I like to share something that for a long time has become like a heavy burden on me.
It is not meant as criticism, but as a call to wake up.

Too often I get a strong impression that many Christians look at the people outside
of their limited circles with a kind of fear. They are afraid to be involved with them,
and “infected” by their ideas and thoughts. So, in order to keep their own path clean, - they keep distance.
Instead of socializing and trying to win them, they stick to their friends in the Church.
And when Sundays come, they gather with the same people in their church-buildings,
close the doors and pull the curtains. Here in their safe and secure environment, they sing,
pray, teach and preach, and have fellowship with one another.
This is how thousands of Churches around the world are operating week after week,
month after month, -and even year after year….
Let me tell you what this is?
This is a recipe on how to turn your Church into a sect.

The world around us, -the people out there-, good or bad, are not our enemies. They are our “harvest”.
Even they that are saying bad things about us, even they that might be persecuting us,
-remember Saul from Tarsus-. They are our harvest!

Satan and his demons, they are our enemies. But they are defeated! And we are on the winning-team,
together with Jesus. So why should we be afraid?!
But the people out there are our harvest. And in order for us to reap them for The Kingdom of God,
we have to be where they are! But not become what they are! And in the victorious power of Jesus,
we will, by His Spirit, reap them for His Kingdom.

Have you ever seen a farmer reaping his field from his barn? No, - he is out there on the fields
in the midst of his crop. He loves his crop. His crop is his hope and future.
And therefore he is working hard, wiping sweat off his face bringing the crop in.

But too many of our days servants of the Lord seems to love their pulpits and indoor activities in
the Church more than the people. And they wonder: “Why do we not see any result in our ministry?”
To me the answer is obvious!

A farmer has to be out on his fields in order to reap his crop. He can not reap them from his barn.
But from the fields he brings his crop in to the barn. The same with a fisherman.
He has to throw his net where the fish is. And when he has got a catch, he brings the fish in to the harbour.
This is obvious in the natural world. But why is it so difficult for us in the churches to grasp this simple truth?!

Jesus once said to his disciples: “As the Father has sent me, I also send you”. John 20; 21.

Most all his time, Jesus was out there among the people, -in the streets and on the dusty roads.
That´s where he met the people, -and that´s where he shared the Good News of The Kingdom of God,
healed the sick and set the demon-possessed free.

As he was out there, - what was he doing? He was doing “The will of He who sent him.” (Read John 4; 34-35.)
So how does our ministry today correspond to this, - as Jesus said: “As the Father has sent me, I also send you.”?
Does our ministry correspond to “The will of the Father”?
If not, it is time to dear to re-examine what we are doing, and change our course. If not, I am afraid we are giving
room for continued sectarian growth in stead of giving growth to the Church of Jesus Christ.
The church of Jesus Christ can only be built through us as we do the will of the Father.
“…lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for the harvest!” John 4¸35b.
It is time, brothers and sisters, to go back to the fields and reap them in the name of Jesus Christ.
It is time to do the will of the one who has sent us!