Mission
- Jerry Witham
- May 8, 2008
- Series: The Church
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In the last few weeks, we have talked about the things that are essential to our faith. They are beliefs that we hold tight in one hand, while our eyes are focused on living a life that glorifies God, by loving Jesus, by loving people and seeing lives transformed to live for Jesus. So we have our focus, we have our foundation (Jesus) and now what do we do? We have one more hand. Do we keep it closed, being completely closed fisted to the culture and world we are in? Then all we are doing is contending and fighting, which in itself advances the gospel nowhere. No, we are to open the other hand. We are to live a life of mission, not some rigid life, with irrelevant orthoxdoxy. Living on mission is putting our focus into action. With our eyes on Jesus we are to live out a missional lifestyle.
Movement
Through out the complete counsel of God’s Word we see that the one who is called by God is to have faithful movement to his life. We are called to go, proclaim, tell, sing, ascribe, bring, give, worship, tremble, bless and witness (Psalm 96; Genesis 12.1-3; Matthew 28.18-20; Mark 16.15; Luke 24.47; John 20.21 and Acts 1.8). These are all words of movement and action. The life of the Christ-follower is to have action to it. In fact, James says, What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself (2.14-17). The one of faith is to have God-glorifying action to his life. You are not saved by works or by doing good deeds. Paul says, For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast (Ephesians 2.8-9). God has granted the believer faith not on any merit of the receiver, but by the mercy of God. The faith that is gifted by God has movement to it. It produces fruitful workmanship. Paul says, for we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them (Ephesians 2.10). You are saved for Christ-exalting movement. This is our responsibility, to go. This is non-negotiable for every follower of Jesus.
Context
Where is this mission to? The whole counsel of God’s Word is in agreement that we are to go into the world, the nations and the whole earth, sharing the gospel and making disciples. Every Christian is called to this global mission. You may not go to Africa or
Day to Day
Psalm 96.2 says, Proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day. This missional life is not seasonal. In fact, it is everyday. We are to intentionally, strategically, engage globally and locally simultaneously.
The BIG WHY
Why such a calling? In John 17.18, Jesus is praying to His Father in Heaven saying, As you have sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. Jesus is the greatest missionary who has ever lived. He was sent by the Father from Heaven to Earth to minister incarnationally to an earthly culture. He was sent at a specific time to a specific culture by God. Just as He has been sent He sends us to be missionaries in the world. In Acts 17.26 Paul speaks to the men of Athens saying, He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation. God has sent you to earth just like His Son to specific place, at a specific time and for a specific task.
The Big Roadblock
One of our Elders asked me recently the following question: What will keep us from living a missional life (living out our focus)? I love his simple answer: sin. He is right. This is a roadblock on the missional highway. Galatians 5.16-17 says, But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. When we walk by the Spirit we are not sinning. When we seek to gratify the flesh we are sinning and when we sin we are not on mission. So, to sin is to be off mission. We are seeking to gratify the flesh instead of living out God’s aim and focus in our life. So, how can we walk in the Spirit? Galatians 5.18 says, But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. We must be willing to be led. The biggest problem with many of us is the issue of leadership. We are not willing to be led. We want to call the shots instead of follow. When we are led by the Spirit, we walk in the Spirit, living a missional life.
Same Spirit
1 Corinthians 12.4-7 says, Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit, and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. You might not be called to
May you drink deep of the Spirit and spread a passion for Jesus in your sphere of influence.
