Jesus reads in His hometown synagogue, sits down, and everyone is staring at Him.
Read what He says the Spirit has anointed Him to do, and the sentence He says once He has rolled up the scroll.
Then read what He does with His breath in John, and what He says has been given to Him in Matthew.
Luke 4:14-21 | John 20:21-22 | Matthew 28:18-20 · NET
Tap a tool, then tap words. Highlight what gets your attention · underline what God is doing or saying · circle a repeated or unfamiliar word.
Read it aloud, then give everyone two minutes to mark it in silence.
Read the passages slowly. Notice what Jesus says He was anointed to do, what He says about today, what He does with His breath in John, and who He says has all authority in Matthew. What details stand out? What surprises you?
Luke 4:14-21: Jesus declares His mission to bring good news, healing, and freedom.
John 20:21-22: “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”
Matthew 28:18-20: The Great Commission: Jesus sends us to make disciples of all nations.
Mark it:
- Underline what God is doing or saying.
- Circle a word that repeats, or one you don’t understand.
- Highlight whatever gets your attention, even if you can’t say why.
Luke 4:14-21
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
John 20:21-22
21
22
Matthew 28:18-20
18
19
20
NET Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible® copyright ©1996, 2019 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. netbible.com
What stood out?
Go around the room. Each person reads one thing they marked. If you know why it stood out, say so. If you don’t, “it just stood out” is a complete answer. Nobody explains, nobody corrects.
Your markings are saved on this device and will be here when you come back.
Mission
Jesus had a message: “The Kingdom of God has come near.” (Mark 1:15) He had a ministry: healing the sick, feeding the hungry, forgiving the guilty, confronting injustice, and restoring what was broken. And He had a mission: to rescue people from the kingdom of darkness and bring them into life with God.
And Jesus never intended to carry that mission alone. From the very beginning, He raised up disciples, ordinary people, who would share in His message, His ministry, and His mission. After the resurrection, He said, “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you,” and breathed the Holy Spirit on them. (John 20:21-22)
This is our calling, too. We are not just followers of Jesus; we are participants in His mission. We bring the good news of the Kingdom into our daily lives: our homes, workplaces, schools, and friendships. Wherever we go, we carry His presence, love, wisdom, and power. We don’t get to choose just one part: message, ministry, or mission. We’re invited to step into all three, just like Jesus’ first disciples.
Jesus preached the Kingdom and made it visible through how He loved, healed, and lived.
His mission was to restore what sin had broken and to invite others into God’s rule and reign.
Jesus raised up disciples who would share in His life, His ministry, and His mission.
Today, we are filled with His Spirit and sent into our schools, homes, workplaces, neighborhoods, and friendships to live the same way.
Read this one out loud.
Discussion questions
- When you think about Jesus’ mission, what part feels most clear, or most challenging, for you to live out?
- Where do you sense God has placed you to be on mission, among your friends, coworkers, neighbors, or family?
- What keeps you from seeing yourself as someone who is “sent”? What would it look like to take one step toward that this week?
Write it out.
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Let’s pray together
Ask the Holy Spirit to give us clarity, courage, and compassion to carry Jesus’ mission.
Pray for one another:
Ask God to reveal where He’s already working and how we can join Him.
Pray for boldness, love, and spiritual sensitivity to respond well.
Share any names, places, or steps that come to mind.
Accountability: Share one small step you’ll take this week to live out Jesus’ mission. Check in with one another next time.
- Where do you sense God is ‘sending’ you?
- Is there someone you feel prompted to love, serve, or pray for?
Leave space for silence, listening, and Spirit-led prayer. If someone senses a word, a Scripture, or a picture for another, offer it gently and pray into it.
Let’s pray
Breakthrough is when God’s Kingdom breaks into your reality: His healing where there is pain, His freedom where there is bondage, His presence where there is loneliness. Jesus is King; His freedom, peace and purpose are available now. Pray from that Kingdom, not toward it.
Be still for a moment. Open your hands and simply pray: “Come, Holy Spirit.”
Ask the Holy Spirit for clarity, courage, and compassion to carry Jesus’ mission, then sit with his two questions and write down what comes: where you sense God is sending you, and who you feel prompted to love, serve, or pray for. Ask God to reveal where He’s already working and how you can join Him, and pray for boldness, love, and spiritual sensitivity to respond well. Write down the names, places or steps that come to mind, and the one small step you’ll take this week.
You can pray more than once. Stay present, and trust that God is at work. Take your time; there is no hurry.
Choose one. Say it out loud so someone else hears it.
Next time you gather, share what you practiced and how God used it, not for pressure but for encouragement.
The reminder downloads as a calendar event. Open it and it lands on your calendar for tomorrow morning.
Done.
As followers of Jesus empowered by the Holy Spirit, we are called to carry His mission into our world today.