Our Missions Program

Introduction

Last Sunday morning we concluded our missions conference for 2023. We were blessed to have missionaries from across the nation and the world to whom we support prayerfully & financially visit us & report on what God is doing with their missions.

Today at the conclusion of the service, we will be collecting our Faith-Promise Missions commitments for this year. But before we commit, I wanted to take this opportunity to highlight our missions program & explain why we do what we do with it.

That being said, let’s look first at the Reasons for Missions

I. The Reasons for Missions

The Command of Christ

We see multiple accounts listed in Scripture after the Resurrection of Jesus that are of great import to the church today.

Mat. 28:18-20 “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

Mar. 16:15 “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”

Act. 1:8 “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

Jesus had a mission: He stated in Zacchaeus’ house: Luk. 19:10 “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

He said unto His apostles: Mat. 20:27-28 “And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

Jesus had a purpose. He was born of the virgin - God living among men in the form thereof. The Bible tells us that He was ‘...in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.’ (Heb. 4:15)

He Taught & Preached

He performed miracles

He was taken by the hands of sinful men, tortured then crucified.

He laid in a grave for 3 days & 3 nights

He then RAISED from the grave IN VICTORIOUS FASHION!

Then afterwards, before He ascended unto the Father to make intercession for you and I, He gave His followers this instruction. HE COMPLETED HIS MISSION - NOW HAS CHARGED US WITH ONE.

Now we can ‘go into all the world’ one of three ways: The First way I spoke of on Saturday night. We can follow the Command of Christ to Go Physically. We can surrender our lives and go to the United Kingdom, or to South Carolina - or (in my case) to West Virginia. One thing that I want you to understand that God could (and may very well be) calling YOU to serve on the mission field.

But church one way or another, this body of believers if we’re to follow the commission and command of our LORD, we must be involved in ‘Going into all the World’. Any church that ignores that or minimizes that doesn’t care one bit about the LORD.

We have a Missions Program because of the Command of Christ

The Condemnation of Sin

We have a missions program because of the Condemnation of Sin

The Bible tells us that all are sinners:

Rom. 3:10-12 “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”

This means souls in Belmont, St. Marys, Ohio, California, Africa, Guatemala, the Philippines - ALL are under the condemnation of sin!

The Bible also speaks of a Judgment:

Heb. 9:27 “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:”

Death is not the end of man. There’s something that happens AFTER death - and that is that man will stand before a HOLY and JUST God and give account of themselves unto Him.

The Bible also tells us:

Joh. 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

So the Bible tells us:

All have sinned - there’s none righteous

They all will stand before God and be Judged

And Jesus is their only hope

This truth is not limited to Western Civilization!

I am so glad that I live in America. American colonies were formed and founded over 400 years ago by English settlers coming to a new land to worship the God of the Bible in Spirit and in Truth. And while our country is anything but close to God right now, we have been blessed by having a country founded on Christianity. But understand this church: Most countries don’t have that! To many places in this world, the name of Jesus is foreign to them! Yet they’re still condemned by their sin!

We have a missions program because sinners around the world are condemned by sin!

The Corruption of Satan

Next we have a missions program because of the Corruption of Satan

As we look through Scripture, we can glean some information concerning Satan:

He Distorts & Deny’s God’s Word

Gen. 3:1-5

He Seeks to Devour

1Pet. 5:8 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”

He’s a Liar

Joh. 8:44 “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”

He’s Determined to Lead Others Astray

Mat. 4

This being said, Satan is very good at what he does. And one of the great lies that he’s perpetrated upon the world is actually three-fold:

There is no God

There are Many Paths to God

You have Time for God… Later

There’s multitudes of people here and abroad that believe these lies!

Some trust that there is no consequence

Some trust in Allah, Buddha, Joseph Smith, their works, their giving

Some trust that they have more time

We must send those who are willing to tell them the truth! The truth that There IS a God! He came to this earth 2,000 years ago and paid your sin debt! If they’re trusting in something besides that, then they are on their way to Hell - and TODAY IS THE DAY OF SALVATION!

We have a missions program because of the Corruption of Satan

The Capability of the Cross

And we have a missions program because of the Capability of the Cross

Jesus is able!

He’s able to bring bring light into the darkness

He’s able to wash & make clean

He’s able to save to the uttermost

He’s able to give sight to the blind & raise the dead

He’s able to make the difference that nothing else can

Jesus is able!

We believe that! We believe that there’s power in the blood of the Lamb! This is why we have a missions program! This is why we send missionaries because Christ is ABLE to save all who will!

We have a mission program because of the Capability of the Cross

So this is WHY. Next I want to look at How. What is Required to have a Missions Program

II. The Requirement Necessary

Compassion

This is the great motivation behind a missions program. Having compassion upon those who have not Christ.

Heb. 13:3 “Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.”

Do you have compassion unto those who are bound by sin? Do you remember what it was like to be that way?

Do you understand the gravity of what will happen to them if we fail to tell them the Gospel?

Some will say ‘Pastor, how can we reach the world?’

We send as we are able. We are not responsible for the whole world, but we ARE responsible for our part of it. And there are a lot of churches who are failing to send, but we’re not going to answer for their failures, BUT WE WILL ANSWER FOR OURS!

Church it really boils down to TWO THINGS:

Do you believe the Bible?

Because IF you believe the Bible, then you believe what it says: Rev. 20:12 “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.” Rev. 20:15 “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”

And you also believe: Rom. 10:13-15 “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!”

And, DO YOU CARE?

Do you care that people are dying and falling off into Hell - rapidly? (Ill. Demonstrate 1.8 deaths per second) - the majority of which are going to that awful place? Does it impact you at all?

Consider Pro. 24:11-12 “If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death, And those that are ready to be slain; If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; Doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? And he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? And shall not he render to every man according to his works?”

What is most required is Compassion - that’s seeing the problem and it impacting you. Secondly we see Commitment

Commitment

This is the next step. You have to see the need and have it impact you, then DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. And there are three ways to which one can ‘Go into all the world’. Most can do all, but all can do some.

The first we spoke of is Physically.

We can effect World missions by surrendering and going physically to another land.

We can effect local missions by surrendering and giving the Gospel to those we encounter here

So there’s a commitment physically, but what we are going to speak specifically on is our global outreach missions program and how we can effect that:

First off, it’s a commitment of Faith

Of Faith

‘Going into all the world - Spiritually’

As we speak about Reaching the World, we need to understand that there is no limit as to the power & placement of prayer.

I most likely will never go to Taiwan, but I can seek the face of God for bro. Andy Smith! I can call out unto God to bless & encourage that ministry!

I may never make it to the Philippines, but I can pray for bro. Eddie Ziss, or the Salvadors!

(Ill.) In Exodus 17, the Amalekites fought Israel in Rephidim. Moses stood at the top of the hill & raised his hands, and as long as his hands were raised Israel would prevail, but when his hands drooped, the Amalekites prevailed. Moses’ hands god heavy & Aaron & Hur stayed up his hands until the sun went down. Moses was the vessel, but Aaron & Hur supplied the power!

We need to do Spiritually what Aaron & Hur did physically! We must pray for our missionaries

Of Finances

‘Going into all the world - Financially’

All throughout Scripture, we see that the preachers of the Gospel were sent & supported by God’s people.

In the OT the Levites were solely dependent upon God’s people to give unto them and the ministry

God used a widow woman to supply Elijah

God used Abigail to supply David

We see it with Jesus Himself: Luk. 8:1-3 “And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him, And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils, And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.”

We see it with Paul: (Our Text Phil. 4:13-16)

Like it or not, part of supporting our missions program involves your money - or should I rather say ‘God’s money that he’s entrusting to you’. It takes physical means supplied so that missionaries have ability to provide the Spiritual needs of others. This is not a plea for money, this is simply stating fact. If we are to have a missions program and do what God has called us to do, part of that is committing ourselves financially to do it.

A Commitment financially is required

Free Will

Phil. 4:18 “But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.”

Free will in the sense that it is OVER AND ABOVE your tithes

The church in Philippi had it’s own expenses for the care and needs of the church. What they sent to Paul wasn’t in place of taking care of the elders, widows & the poor - it was in addition to it. Otherwise it wouldn’t have been ‘an odour of a sweet smell’ as the church is obligated unto those expenses as well.

Free will in that it’s Sacrificially giving

I have this question: If a gift is not sacrificial in nature, is it worth anything? It of course would mean something to the recipient, but are we giving to please men or God?

Remember, Jesus wasn’t impressed with the rich men casting in much, but rather the poor woman casting in two mites (Luk. 21:1-4)

Someone might ask me ‘How much should I give’, my answer would be ‘Whatever God lays on your heart’. But the caveat to that is this: God will not lay something on your heart that doesn’t mean anything to you. If it doesn’t mean anything to you, then it won’t to God either.

So we see the Free-Will aspect of our giving

So we’ve seen the Reason for Mission, the Requirement Necessary for the Missions Program, lastly, we see the Return on Investment

III. The Return on Investment

Two things that I want to note:

Often Invisible in the Present

When you give to the missions program, it goes into our mission account and then it is dispersed according to the missionaries that the church has agreed to support. They send video’s, letters & sometimes visit personally. We hear stories of those who the Gospel has touched. But rarely do we see true results of what our giving accomplishes.

They’re often Invisible in the Present, but I believe they are Truly Incalculable in the Future

Truly Incalculable in the Future

Paul said: Phil. 4:17 “Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.”

Paul was telling this church that they were partakers of the work that God had called him to do.

(Ill.) I can’t remember who it was (R.R. maybe) but a couple years ago we had a missionary here that spoke of how prayerfully because of our giving we would see many small brown men & women great you in Heaven and thanked you for giving to the LORD.

Church, there’s going to be a great day when our faith becomes sight. Not just our faith in Christ, but when we place our faith in God’s program of missions! That it will pay off one day!

Make no mistake - our missions program is Bible based and simply doing what God has prescribed. Faith Promise is simply a tool used to help others make a discernable decision to commit unto God’s plan.

Conclusion

For today’s invitation, this is what I ask. Ask God what would He have YOU to do for our missions program. Seek His face. And at the conclusion, make that commitment before God.