This title seems appropriate for this column - not a military column but this particular Sunday Scenes column. This will the last column as it has appeared. Two weeks ago I didn't know if the next command would be, "March in place" or "Discharged." Now, after wisdom from a group of friends in North Carolina, I realize it will be, "Move to blog!"

During Holy Week I was part of a writing class at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, North Carolina. A sharp group they were! The teacher and members of the class recommended proceeding with a twist that I had never really considered - a blog. After more help from them and some research, I have opened a blog. Its title is "Paul the Missionary" and the web site is - you guessed it - www.PaultheMissionary.blogspot.com. www.Tadpole.blogspot.com was taken.

Don't bother going there yet, but do stay tuned. I'll have information here next week. And cut me some slack in the design of it. The colors, shapes, and design will have a strictly amateurish look for a long time - until some savvy friends lend a hand.

The Purpose of this column

The single purpose these columns over these three years has been to elevate the mission theme in Scripture. Often that emphasis has been overlooked, or a lesser theme preferred. In any case the missions theme is missed. I remain convinced, however, that the dominant theme of Scripture is God's intention to reconcile Himself to all the nations of the world, to have His name established in every nation, and to have some from every nation brought into His Kingdom. He expects the church to be His instrument.

John 20:19-31 The Great Commission of John

The lessons for this coming Sunday give an example of the missions theme obscured by a lesser theme. The text contains the declaration of Thomas, "My Lord and my God." That statement seems to culminate what John has been leading to. Full stop; look no further. However if we do look at the larger context we see John is up to much more. He is giving the Great Commission, and that with a twist.

Robert Browning has rightly caught this in his poem, "A Death in the Desert." The Apostle John was speaking to his friends. He expressed the deep anxiety and urgency he felt about his imminent death:

"So when they scatter, there is none left on earth
No one alive who knew (consider this!);
How will it be when none more saith, "I saw?"

Browning saw that John wanted to leave the missionary commission to the church, but he also wanted to make clear the new responsibility of those who come after him.

Perhaps this was, as Browning wrote, because John was the last living eyewitness. Perhaps it was also because of where John was when he wrote - in deepest, darkest Turkey. He was surrounded by people who not only didn't believe but hadn't seen Jesus either.

That would be the case for all people from that time on. These people - and all after them - would be in the new category of those who would not see. After Thomas' cry of faith, Jesus points this out. "Yes, Thomas, you have believed because you have been with me and seen me risen from the dead. But after you, it will be different. When you all die, those who believe will not have your advantage of seeing in order to believe."

That is the anxiety, the urgency that John brought out in his rationale for the Gospel. His concluding comments hearken back to the Prologue, which has given the essential themes of the Gospel. He picked up these themes at the conclusion of chapter 20. A paraphrase will help make the connection.

"These stories herein are written so that you may believe that the Word was made flesh in Jesus Christ. Christ was with God from the beginning and was God. He came that all who believe in his name may life." The themes of the Prologue culminate in the missionary commission concluding the Gospel.
We who share the faith of the Apostle Thomas, who know Jesus as "My Lord and my God" have a commission. Those who were in that room knew Jesus and believed because they saw Him and were with Him in His ministry. All who come after have not seen him. For them to believe, we are their witnesses to the living Lord.