MVBC Conference (11/09/2023) #2

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A Vision worth Engaging

Many times when we are trying to wrap our minds around something we are supposed to do, it is helpful to start out by seeing the end goal… or the end product and then working through the process of figuring out how to get there.

Lego has done a good job with this

Why does this help us? it’s easier to comprehend the vision… when we can see a picture of what the end goal of that vision could look like

So that is what we are going to try and do today.

I serve as one of the Directors of IBMGlobal (International missions agency)...

So, just like a set of legos… we see the vision for the end result on the box before we try to assemble all 7541 pieces!!! As we start today we’re going to step back and see if we can embrace the the vision that God has cast for missions… and then dive into the details.

(Vision: God given picture of desired future outcomes)

When we think about missions (evangelism/ discipleship in general) what is our end goal?

(to see people saved: Why? so they won’t go to hell? — that’s humanism. I want people to be saved so they won’t suffer.) — That is man-centered thinking and philosophy.

To truly understand missions.... we have to embrace God’s vision (big picture of future results) for missions!

Let’s look at Revelation 7:9 together for just a moment and see what a God-centered vision looks like. (end result once accomplished)

Revelation 7:9–10 ESV

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

Let the magnitude of that vision sink in…

A great multitude that no one could number… from every nation… from all tribes… and people… and languages.... standing before the throne… and before the Lamb.... praising Christ… and glorifying God forever!!!

That is why we do missions… this is why we engage with people in our community… this is why we share the gospel with people… to see God’s vision accomplished!

Each of us are called to engage in missions (participate in what God is doing) to see the mission accomplished..... to see this vision realized!

With that vision of God’s end goal in mind…Would you join me by opening your Bibles to Acts 1?

There are 5 Great Commission passages in the NT. (Matt, Mark, Luke, John & Acts)

What I do hope to do is to help you to continue to cultivate a passion for the vision God has provided for how He wants us to be engaged in His mission to reach the nations!

As we look at Acts 1 today, I hope that the Word of God will encourage you to take some steps towards whole heartedly grasping the truth that God’s mission is a Vision that is totally worth engaging!

Acts 1:1–3 ESV

In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

We are told here that Jesus’ post resurrection ministry lasted for 40 days.... and he spent that time with his disciples.... teaching them and speaking about the Kingdom of God!

Acts 1:4–7 ESV

And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.

Towards the end of Jesus’ 40 day post resurrection ministry he asks his disciples to meet him at the Mount of Olives....

We were just told in verse 3 that Jesus spent 40 days with the disciples talking about the Kingdom of God… and now in verse 6 as the disciples arrive at the Mount of Olives, they ask him about restoring the kingdom to Israel. Why were they asking him that?

Rabbi’s had said that the restoration of Israel’s political fortunes would be marked by the revived activity of God’s Spirit. So, when they heard that they would be baptized with the Holy Spirit in just a few days.... their minds starting running… and they started to get excited!

Unfortunately, at this point they are excited about a human kingdom… and not God’s kingdom.... but they are learning… and Jesus is patient with them!

Then, we come to verse 8…

Acts 1:8–9 ESV

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.

Wow!

Imagine how amazing that would have been… they hear Jesus give his last command.... and then he simply floats up into the sky.

I’m not sure what I would do with that…

What if… one day Pastor _____________ preaches a powerful message… and then just floated up into heaven?

We’d probably be like the disciples… standing there in shock... ummm.. where is he going.... when is he coming back.... should we wait?

As we begin thinking through the Great Commission today, we are going to zero in on two main aspects to help guide our thoughts and hopefully bring some clarity: The Mission and The Focus.

I. The Mission: You have been called! (1:8)

Let’s start by discerning the difference between two words: Mission and Missions.

God’s Mission is: The work of God in reconciling sinful human beings to Himself.

God is the power behind the mission

God demonstrates sovereignty in His mission (He will accomplish it)

God is the source of the mission (it is not our mission… it is His!!!!!)

Missions is:

Practical implications of the mission of God.

Because the mission flows from the nature and character of God it cannot be ignored by the church.

Since the mission is of God, He will equip people for the task.

Helps us understand we are under the sovereignty of God - for the glory of God and not self (Phil. 2:3, John 7:18 )

Implies sacrifice - It is worth dying for

The mission of God will succeed because it is God’s mission.

I hope you see the difference between mission and missions. They are different. One is done to accomplish the other.

Of the 4 different versions of the Great Commission recorded in the NT, Matthew and Acts are probably two of the best known passages.

Matthew records the command of Jesus saying: Go and make disciples of all nations… (what we are to do)

Here in Acts, Luke records Jesus’ words.... Be my witnesses! (who we are to be!)

- We often struggle with the difference between vocation and identity…

(vocation: pastor — Identity: Witness of Christ (who I am in Christ and because of Him)

—> No matter your vocation.... remember who you are to be as a born again believer in Christ!

Acts 1:8 (ESV)

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Verse 8, is the key verse of the entire book of Acts. It gives us a road map for the rest of the book. If you were to study through the book you would see that chapters 1-7 tell us of the witness in “Jerusalem”. Chapters 8-11 tell us about the witness in “all Judea and Samaria”. Then, chapters 12-28 tell us about the witness to the “ends of the earth”.

And one of the most amazing things about this commission… is that it didn’t end with the last chapter of the book of Acts.... it is still going on… and you and I are part of the story.... you and I are part of the commission......

Don’t let that point slip past you.... If you are a born again believer this morning.... then you have been called by God to participate in what God is doing around the world!

A Call is not some super mystical experience that only super spiritual missionary people have…

(vocational call vs the call that every believer receives)

When you responded to faith in Christ… you also accepted His call to be on mission for Him...

God is at work around the world.... You have been called to actively engage in the mission of God!

Let’s look at verse 8 again and see a few observations related to reality that we are all called...

As Jesus lays out this Great Commission to His disciples… and to each of us.... He clearly states that this mission of being called to engage in the mission of God can only be done in the power of the Holy Spirit!

A. The Holy Spirit enables us to engage in the Mission!

Acts 1:8 ESV

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

In ten days… the Holy Spirit would come upon the apostles.... Acts 2:1-4 tells us that a mighty wind came… and tongues of fire appeared over them and … they spoke in other languages.... they would have true spiritual power come upon them… in and through them....

What was the result of that spiritual power?

Acts 2:41 ESV

So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

3000+ souls were saved....

It’s always amazing to me that Jesus uses the most unlikely people to become His fountains of power!

When the Holy Spirit comes upon followers of Christ.... we are enabled to do great and amazing things according to God’s sovereign plans.... and for His supreme glory!

You are not only called by Christ to be involved in what He is doing in the world.... you are empowered by His Spirit to be successful in seeing His mission accomplished!

What is our mission: To be witnesses (multiply disciples)! What power enables and drives our mission? The Holy Spirit!

Once Jesus states that the Holy Spirit is the divine enabling power of His commission, He further clarifies this reality: the missions is Jesus’… not ours.

B. It is Jesus’ mission, not ours!

Verse 8 says that you will be my witnesses...

That word “witnesses” occurs at least 39 times throughout the book of Acts.

The word means, One who testifies (usually in the context of legal matters), it can also mean one who affirms or attests.... or one who bears testimony about a divine message.

I think we see all three of those in Jesus’ Command.

Christian… you are to be Christ’s witness… you are to bear His testimony… as if you were standing before the court and your life depended on it..... you are to affirm the truths of Scripture to all the people you meet (NOT POPULAR! - personal experience).... you are to bear witness to the truths of Scripture as the divine message from the Lord!

You are to be His witnesses… You are bearing testimony about Jesus!

We are witnesses of Jesus’ Kingdom… not our own.

Sometimes, this area becomes confused… not intentionally… it is just so easy to get distracted…

If you are engaged in any outreach/ missions activity and your mission is anything other than God’s mission… then you are not doing missions…

Remember… It is Jesus’ mission… not yours!

— Remember the vision God has given us of the end result of His mission? People from every tongue, tribe and nation standing around the throne… praising and glorifying Him forever!!!!

Jesus has called you to be part of accomplishing that....

Jesus has equipped you with the power of His living and eternal Spirit...

We are merely telling His message, through His power… for the purpose of building up His kingdom…

Let’s make sure that never gets confused…

Many times in our world the witness for Christ is confused & counterfeited.... but it is never duplicated.

Have you ever answered your door and found a few nicely dressed young men standing there asking if you’d like to have a friendly conversation that starts with the phrase, “Wouldn’t it be nice if we had prophets today?”.... “wouldn’t it be nice if there was a plan that promoted you to the Terrestrial, Celestial, and finally Telestial Heavens!”

.... If you’ve had that conversation then you know that those individuals say that they are the witnesses for Christ’s latter-day church.... but the reality is that the message they are proclaiming is the complete reversal of the good news of Christ’s grace!

We are to be Christ’s witnesses!!! Empowered and Enabled by His Spirit.... to bring a message that is a marvel of simplicity: Jesus Christ is God come in the flesh; he died to pay for our sins; he was resurrected; now he is exalted in Heaven; he calls us to believe in him and so received forgiveness of sins.

This is good news! A personal invitation to receive Him and His gift of eternal life.

If we are going to be effective witnesses we have to be engaged....

Our lives must display the inner reality of what we externally proclaim! We have to live out what we say we believe!

Once this commission was given in Acts… once the Holy Spirit was given.... the gospel flamed across Asia! The Apostles walked their talk.

That’s why Paul was able to reach the Praetorian guards while under arrest in Philippi (Phil. 1:13).

The apostles were effective witnesses for Christ…

they understood that they were called.... empowered by the Spirit… to accomplish Jesus’ mission!

Being an authentic witness demands that we have an open, tender heart that is always growing in the experience of the gospel that we proclaim. Meaning… we have to embrace, live out, be changed by.. and cling to the Word of God.... the gospel.

The apostles were passionate for Christ. Just look at Peter at Pentecost, Stephen at his stoning, Paul as he stood before Felix.

They fervently promoted their faith.... they were a group of passionate believers who turned the entire world upside-down!

In Verse 8, Jesus lays out the Mission: You have been called! (never forget that… if you are a born again believer today… you have been called and there is a mission that you have been charged to engage!)

Now, in verse 8 Jesus also gives us the focus of the mission.

II. The Focus: Ends of the Earth (v. 8)

Acts 1:8–9 ESV

Hearing where Jesus was commanding them to be witnesses must have been a shock to the disciples.

Hold on.... you want us to go where?

Jerusalem: Jesus, that is where they crucified you!

Judea: They rejected you there too!

Samaria: Jesus, are you sure we are to really go and minister to those kind of people that aren’t like us? I mean that are a mixed ethnic group… that we really just don’t like.

The focus Jesus lays out in His great Commission was not only spiritually revolutionary… it were socially and ethnically unheard of!

As the dust from the radical focus of His Commission settles… the principle we can learn is this:

The mission of the gospel must start at home… and then radiate outward to the ends of the earth!

Jesus’ command was carried out by the disciples to the letter.

Jerusalem was filled with the preaching of the gospel..... over 3,000 were saved in one day!

Philip broke all of the cultural taboos of Judea and crossed over into Samaria with the gospel! Social Revolution!

Eventually, Paul would tell us in Philippians 4:22 that the gospel had even made it into the household of Caesar himself!

The message of the gospel was to radiate out from Jerusalem… ultimately impacting the people of every ethnic group… around the globe! To the ends of the earth!

Because Jesus’ command was obeyed by the apostles..... that ministry has radiated outward around the globe and through the centuries… until it reached us! We are “the ends of the earth”!

All because the witness of Christ were passionate about obeying Jesus’ command and fulfilling their part of the Great Commission.

What is our part?

Go and be Jesus’ witnesses in (This city) (downtown and in the suburbs)...

Go and be Jesus’ witnesses in the areas of town where it may be socially and ethnically uncomfortable… extending to the far reaches of (this State)

Go and be Jesus’ witnesses to the ends of the earth! — Having a global impact for Christ locally, regionally… and globally.

“There can be no burden for distant unreached peoples without a burden for unreached neighbors” (Hughes).

[We look for this… and see it in our new missionary candidates…]

A burden for global missions must start with a passionate burden for the local mission!

As amazing as it is to go on mission trips and see God work in far away places.... it doesn’t mean much if we don’t have a passionate burden for those who live in our own town.... in our own neighborhoods…

What an amazing call we have!

We have been called! To participate in Christ’s mission! Empowered by His Spirit! Spreading His message to the ends of the Earth!

Application:

We started today by looking at the vision (picture of desired future outcomes) God has given us in Scripture of what the end goal of being on mission for Him looks like (Rev. 7:9-10).

Now before we are finished this morning, I want you to consider one last question:

Why? Why should we engage in God’s mission to see His vision accomplished?

Romans 1:1–6 ESV

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,

Verse 5 gives us the answer to our closing question:

Why should we engage in seeing Christ’s Vision accomplished!

For the sake of His name among all the nations!!!!!

Because God’s glory… and holiness… is worthy of our love and obedience..... so that His name might be glorified among all the nations!!!

Paul had a clear understanding of this… Why do we engage in missions, evangelism, discipleship...?!?!? —> (v. 5) For the sake of His name!!!!!!!! For His glory!!!!!

We are called to engage in missions to see the mission accomplished… and the vision realized.

For the sake of His name!!!!!!!! For His glory!!!!!

Have you caught that vision? Have you truly embraced the vision for God’s mission?

Some of us get all excited about the Great Commission in church… but then after an hour of watching TV it all vanishes.

Or maybe you have family issues… are struggling financially… and feel like you are unable to think about anything except your limited funds and uncertain future…

… our life situation and circumstances do not exempt us from being witnesses for Christ and following Him.

Regardless of the particular difficulties facing us… if you are a born again child of God today.... you are called to be His witness!

(motivated by love and desiring to be obedient to the One who loved you first)

God is at work in the world.... He has called us.... gifted us… and placed us where we are.... so that His mission in your area and community… will be accomplished!

I’d like you to think through this question this week...

Have I truly embraced God’s vision for seeing His mission accomplished? (here in ________… and around the world?)

Christ has commanded. How will you respond?

Our Response:

As you answer that question, you could respond in a few ways…

I hope you respond by committing to:

Live it out! Live out the gospel with your mouth and your movements!

Engage others! Engage those around you with the gospel (word, actions, life, not simply inviting them to church (just coming to church won’t save anyone)… but inviting them to Christ! …)