Imperfect People, Bold Mission: Devotion for September 29

There is a quiet power in this painting by Duccio titled Jesus Sending Out the Eleven Apostles. Painted more than 700 years ago, it still has the ability to stop us, to make us pause, and to remind us of who we are as followers of Christ.

The risen Jesus stands before his disciples, his hand raised in both blessing and sending. The apostles gather close, their faces turned toward him, listening with a mixture of wonder, uncertainty, and awe. The background is simple, almost empty—because the focus is not on where they are, but on what they are called to do.

What makes this scene so moving is the timing. These disciples are not flawless heroes. They are the very ones who had scattered in fear, who had denied even knowing Jesus, who had doubted his resurrection. And yet here they stand, chosen again, entrusted with the greatest mission the world has ever known: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.”

Duccio captures that reality. You can almost feel the tension—disciples still unsure of themselves, yet clinging to the one who calls them. It’s a reminder that Jesus doesn’t wait until we are perfect to send us. He sends us as we are, with all our weaknesses, because it is his strength and his Spirit that make the difference. 

This painting is not just about them. It’s about us. 

At Messiah, we are launching into a new sermon series called, “Church Hurt.” We will tackle some of the tougher questions around faith and theology. This is a perfect opportunity to invite someone to come to church with you—someone who perhaps been hurt by the church or turned off of God by confusing theology.

These are the questions we will be tackling:

• “Is There Really Only One Way to God?” (Sunday, 9/28 and Wednesday, 10/1)

• “How Could a Good God Allow Suffering?” (Sunday, 10/5 and Wednesday 10/8)

• “Hasn’t Science Disproved God?” (Sunday, 10-12 and Wednesday, 10/15)

• “When the Church Gets it Wrong” (Sunday, 10-19 and Wednesday, 10/22)

• “How Can a Loving God Send People to Hell?” (Sunday, 10/26 and Wednesday, 10/29)

Like the invitation of Jesus to his followers: come and see—and invite others to join you. You can watch in-person, online, or on-air. 

Duccio’s brushstrokes remind us of something eternal: the risen Christ still calls, still sends, still empowers. And the mission he gave on that Galilean hillside is the mission that carries us forward today.

Featured art: Jesus sending out the Eleven Apostles by Duccio di Buoninsegna, 1308-11, © Opera della Metropolitana, Siena, Italy