Repetition. It’s the great megaphone in Scripture. It emphasizes what heaven wants emphasized when it’s found within a few verses concerning a specific point. But it shouts out the eternal truths heaven wants to shout out when it is found within an entire book. The reverberating rhythm of an often-mentioned reality is laying down something the Spirit wants us to pick up on. This morning I’m chewing on the wonder of the Father being the Great Sender.

As He was teaching in the temple, Jesus cried out,”You know Me and you know where I am from. Yet I have not come on My own, but the One who sent Me is true. You don’t know Him; I know Him because I am from Him, and He sent me.” . . . “I am only with you for a short time. Then I’m going to the One who sent Me.”

(John 7:28-29, 33 CSB)

Sent Me . . . Sent Me . . . Sent Me. Three times in my reading this morning it, He sent Me echoes the truth that God the Father is the Great Sender.

Not just found in these few verses, but encountered 14 times so far in John’s gospel. To be encountered another 20 times before John is done writing his telling of the good news so that “you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name” (Jn. 20:31).

By way of comparison, “sent me” is found once in Matthew, once in Mark, and only three times in the detailed, historic account of Jesus’ life provided by Luke. Each of those gospel writers were inspired to emphasize other things. John, however, would make sure we understood something of Messiah’s deity, that He is God in heaven. But beyond that, because a God in heaven is not what the earth needed, John would be led of God the Spirit to make sure we knew that, because of our sin, God the Father sent God the Son. That’s just part of what the Father does best — “He sent Me.”

For God loved the world in this way: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.

(John 3:16-17 CSB)

God gave His Son. God sent His Son. That’s one distinguishing act that makes the Father the Father. That’s one of the unique roles He plays within the dynamics of a Triune God — the Father is the eternal Sender. While the Son is eternally begotten, the Father is forever the Giver. He is the Great Sender.

Thank you, oh my Father
For giving us Your Son
And leaving Your Spirit
‘Til the work on Earth is done

(Melody Green, There is A Redeemer)

The Great Sender. Oh, what an act of amazing grace!

The Great Sender. To God be all the glory!

Amen?