On Mission - Part 2

On Mission

Our Mission: Reconciling the World to Christ through the Power of the Holy Spirit

Matthew 28:18–20 NKJV

18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

The Great Commission: Go

The word "commission" has multiple origins. It is partly a borrowing from French and partly a borrowing from Latin1. The earliest known use of the noun commission is in the Middle English period (1150—1500)1. The word "commission" comes from the Latin word "commissiō" which means "sending together"2. The word "commissiō" is formed from the prefix "com-" which means "with" and the noun of action "missiō" which means "sending"2.

We have confused our Mission with Missions.

Missions:

Some can go. Some can give (send).

Whether the church is going or giving to (foreign) missions, we are NOT relieved of our MISSION.

Our Mission:

Going

Giving

Sharing

Living

Going:

Going. Giving. Sharing. Living.

All 4 of the keys are in this Passage:

Acts 2:41–47 NKJV

41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. 42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43 Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. 44 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, 45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. 46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

The people in Acts 2, although Jewish, went beyond the Biblical command in the law to tithe. They went beyond the requirement to worship on the Sabbath. They gave all. They worshipped daily. As they went beyond the minimum requirement, God responded with miracles.

If we want to see the miraculous, our commitment must go beyond the minimum.

Romans 12:1–2 NKJV

1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Mark 12:30–31 NKJV

30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. 31 And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Matthew 22:37 NKJV

37 Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’

Matthew 22:38–40 NKJV

38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

Luke 18:18–23 ESV

18 And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’ ” 21 And he said, “All these I have kept from my youth.” 22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 23 But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich.

Jesus call:

Sell all.

Give.

Focus on the eternal.

Follow Jesus.

Giving:

Malachi 3:7–8 NKJV

7 Yet from the days of your fathers You have gone away from My ordinances And have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you,” Says the Lord of hosts. “But you said, ‘In what way shall we return?’ 8 “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings.

Malachi 3:9–11 NKJV

9 You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation. 10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the Lord of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it. 11 “And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,” Says the Lord of hosts;

The commandment to tithe comes with a challenge to test God.

Some say tithing is an Old Testament thing. It’s a part of the law of Moses. That’s true that it’s in the Law. But tithing was a response of worship before the law was given.

Tithing was a response of worship and obedience before the law was given.

Genesis 14:17–24 NKJV

17 And the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley), after his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him. 18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. 19 And he blessed him and said: “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; 20 And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” And he gave him a tithe of all. 21 Now the king of Sodom said to Abram, “Give me the persons, and take the goods for yourself.” 22 But Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have raised my hand to the Lord, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth, 23 that I will take nothing, from a thread to a sandal strap, and that I will not take anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich’— 24 except only what the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men who went with me: Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.”

The first explicit references to the tithe appear in Genesis 14, where Abraham tithes to Melchizedek, and in Genesis 28, where Jacob promises to give God “a full tenth.” But where did the idea to tithe come from? Many argue Abraham and Jacob were simply following the customs of the surrounding nations. But Scripture points in a different direction.

Genesis 26:5 NKJV

5 because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.”

In Genesis 26:5 , God says, “Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.”  This language is almost identical to later instructions regarding the Mosaic law. This passage implies that God gave his people laws in addition to those written in Genesis. - The Bible Commands Christians to Tithe (thegospelcoalition.org) by WILLIAM BARCLEY

Jesus Affirms Tithing

Luke 11:42 NKJV

42 “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.

Matthew 23:23 NKJV

23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.

Sharing:

Every believer needs to know how to share the message of salvation.

Pass out ABC’s

1 Peter 3:15 NIV

15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

1 Peter 3:16 NKJV

16 having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.

ABC’s of Salvation

Romans Road to Salvation

Romans 3:23 NKJV

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Romans 6:23 NKJV

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 5:8 NKJV

8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 10:9–10 NKJV

9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Romans 10:13 NKJV

13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Living:

Matthew 5:16 NKJV

16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.