Henry Martin said “the Spirit of Christ is the Spirit of missions. The nearer we get to Him to more intensely missionary we become”
The God we worship is a missionary God. He is a God who not just sends but He himself went out to reach out those who were His own. And since we are the recipients of His missionary work we must be naturally people who are missionaries, inclined towards missions and the kingdom of God.
We always forget the fact that we believed in Christ because someone was sent. That someone came and preached the Word we heard it and God used that to call people like us who were dead in our sins to life.
Our study in the book of Ephesians has made it very clear that the Gospel is the most marvelous and amazing Truth that an individual would ever hear in his life. It is too glorious and too beautiful. So much so that the Triune God is involved in it.
Thus the question that comes to our mind is, since the Gospel is so marvelous what am I supposed to do with this great truth?
We are all excited by the fact that we are God’s chosen, His beloved, His elect, His people but then we forget a very important truth
Dietrich Bonheoffer said “When Christ calls a Man, he bids Him to come and die” Have we forgotten that with our great calling we also have the command to TAKE UP THE CROSS AND FOLLOW CHRIST IN HIS FOOTSTEPS Luke 14 : 27
In fact Jesus explained this thought by adding a commentary on what he said along with an illustration. He said “IF ANY OF YOU DOES NOT GIVE UP EVERYTHING HE HAS CANNOT BE MY DISCIPLE” v 33
WE CANNOT GET INVOLVED IN MISSIONS UNTIL WE REALIZE THAT WE ARE CALLED TO SUFFER
Paul had a very clear understanding for who he is and what his life purpose was
He wrote to Timothy and said I will suffer for the Gospel 2 Tim 1 : 12 and 2 Tim 2 : 9 but He did not stop there : He says JOIN WITH ME IN THE SUFFERING FOR THE GOSPEL
Why Could Paul say this so clearly and boldly?
He could say this because he knew that the reward for Missions was the opportunity to share the Glorious truths of God, nothing else
1 Cor 9 : 16 When I preach the Gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach, Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel
To begin with in spite of all the sufferings that He underwent for preaching the Gospel he makes it clear that he will not boast in his work
·The Gospel truth is so beautiful that he is compelled to preach it
How sorrowful I am if I do not preach this glorious truth.
Further he asks the question: What is my reward?
My reward is that I get to preach the Gospel
He is so captivated by it that here is what he says: I do all things for the sake of the Gospel WHAT IS IT THAT I HAVE DONE FOR THE SAKE OF THE GOSPEL
He could say this because this was the way set for Christ by the Father
Heb 2:10 In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering.
The author of our salvation Jesus (His human nature)was made perfect through suffering
There are many aspects to the suffering of Jesus : One of it is the truth that we have a High Priest who can identify with us
This was not chance but this was how God designed it to be : It was fitting for God
And the same was understood by Christ when he said “The Son of Man MUST suffer many things” Mark 8: 31
He could say this because Jesus clearly spoke and taught about it
We cannot domesticate the New Testament teaching on affliction and persecution just because our lives are very smooth. Nor because we are not witnessing it around us
One of the reasons that we have not known suffering is because we have not lived radically for the Gospel and the Kingdom of God. Therefore there are times we feel that we need to water down the radical demands of the Gospel
John 15:20 If they persecuted me they will also persecute you
Matt 10:25 If they have called the master of the House Beelzebul how much more will they malign those of His house hold
He could say this because he was ready to suffer for those chosen by God
2 Tim 2:10-11
For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory.
Yes God has elected His own unto salvation but then the means HE chose to call the elect unto Himself is the Gospel proclamation. In other words MISSIONS.
Usually the argument is since God has chosen why must I evangelize? Paul goes the other way. Since God has chosen why shouldn’t I.
Our going out into missions is the instrument that God chooses to help people receive eternal glory. We are impacting lives for eternal glory
Not just that He was ready to endure all things for the sake of the elect.
He knew this because He was crucified with Christ
I am wired by nature to love the same toys that the world loves. I start to fit in I start to love what others love. I start to call earth home. Before you know it I am calling luxuries as needs and start using my time, money and talents just the way unbelievers do. I begin to forget the war. I do not think much about those who are perishing every day. Missions and unreached people drop out of my mind. I stop dreaming about the kingdom I stop praying the words THY KINGDOM COME. I start sinking into the World
Church our flesh has been crucified with Christ and now we are a new creation. Gal 5:24 We have crucified the flesh with its PASSIONS AND DESIRES Col 3: 2, 3 and set our minds on the things above NOT ON THINGS THAT ARE ON EARTH
Do we have a new affection or are we busy with the toys of the world?
He knew this because he was ready to go out of the city gates
Heb 13:12-15
12 It's the same with Jesus. He was crucified outside the city gates — that is where he poured out the sacrificial blood that was brought to God's altar to cleanse his people. 13 So let's go outside, where Jesus is, where the action is — not trying to be privileged insiders, but taking our share in the abuse of Jesus. 14 This "insider world" is not our home. We have our eyes peeled for the City about to come. 15 Let's take our place outside with Jesus
I do not think it can be stated in much more clear and direct words. Church we have to be ready to go outside the gates of the city
It is here the unreached nations and people are. Getting to them will not be easy and it will require a great sacrifice. Paul says Let us go and bear the reproach he endured.
Paul also makes it clear that
For here we do not have a lasting city, This is not our permanent dwelling place and yet we are so much in love with it.
A Thought to end with
There are many things that keep us back from participating in Missions and the Mission field. But remember this Jesus reigns, God is in control. The enemy is defeated.
Luke 10:2-4
"The harvest is plentiful: He tells me that the chosen are out there
But the workers are few: He tells me the need
Ask the Lord of the harvest: He is the Lord of the harvest, means it is his harvest and he is in control
Go! I am sending you: He is sending us
out like lambs among wolves: He is sending us with a tough challenge
Are you ready to GO!!!!!!!