The word apostle derives from a greek word simply meaning ’sent out person’. In the first century Roman world it meant more than being a messenger, it connoted authority. An apostle was someone who spoke and acted on behalf of someone with power. As Christians we are all sent out, but those with an apostolic calling are those who tend to spend their lives breaking new ground, or planting churches, or starting fresh initiatives. They are the entrepreneurs of the church. Jesus was the archetypal sent one. His mission, as emphatically displayed at his Transfiguration, was to bring heaven and earth together. This is the mission of every apostle following Jesus. No less, no more. No less because the Christian faith is not about patiently waiting to escape this world and get to heaven. No more, because it is not about forcibly imposing God’s rule on the world. It is about continuing Jesus' mission to heal the sick, set the oppressed free, and proclaim the age of God’s goodness. To do this we need conviction - this comes from the assurance of our Father, our friends, and the Holy Spirit. In his power we can carry on, in part, the apostolic work of Jesus and see heaven come to earth.
