Go Wider: The Local Church on Global Mission

Acts 1:6-8

Acts 1:6–8 ESV

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. 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.”

Introduction:

Amazon is always looking for ways to improve their service and get products into the hands of their customers. They have tried alternatives to UPS and FEDEX over the years. They worked on delivering packages via drones in the air. Ten years ago in November of 2014, they began testing out cab drivers for deliveries in some of the larger cities in the states. What can Christians learn from this dedication to getting their deliveries out? We are trying to make the greatest delivery of all time, the gospel. Are we doing what we can and looking for ways in which we can be actively involved in taking or sending the gospel to the places where it is most needed? Paul had no bounds on preaching the good news and neither should we.

According to the International Mission Board, 59% of the world today is considered unreached. That means that Jesus is largely unknown among 4.6 billion people.

We have been walking through our Pathway of Hope where we explained the mission of Hope Church in this progression of Gather together, grow deeper, and go wider.

SHOW GRAPHIC

Jesus had been crucified and risen from the dead and appeared to His followers. In the verses previous to this He had promised them the coming of the Holy Spirit. His disciples had been keen to see the kingdom come because they wanted the restored Israel as an independent nation but they had also been interested in the possibility of them having positions of authority. (Mark 10:35 and Luke 22:24)

Luke 22:24 ESV

A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest.

So when they hear about the Holy Spirit coming, they wonder if this is the moment when the kingdom will be restored to Israel. Is it finally time for this?

Ironically, they desire political power but will be the recipients of a power much greater and far more noble than mere political power.

I. God knows the time. Our responsibility is to do work. (V. 6-7)

In Calvin's commentary on Acts, he remarks that Jesus "gave the apostles a brief telling off for asking this question." They were prying at things that their master did not want them to know. A disciple should keep pace with the teaching of their master. My friend Jim Reynolds for years has told people to "walk with Jesus." _He says it's safer than running ahead and better than falling behind.

_

Obviously, Jesus is talking about times and dates. People today seem to be obsessed with putting times and dates on what God will do and when Jesus will return. We can apply this principle to other things as well. We should be content with God's revelation of Himself as we have it. God has given us everything we need for life and godliness. He has given us all we need to know Him and serve Him and we should be content with His revelation. Many have wondered into scary places because God's revelation wasn't enough for them and they wanted more than what was for us to know.

REWORK ALL OF THIS SECTION.......

Calvin had a lot to say about this. He said

" Nothing stops us from being slack in our work as much as excessive questioning about the future, for we always insist on basing our decision on the outcome of future events."

We should not set to task doing that which is God's alone to do.

They wanted the restoration of the kingdom to Israel right then but there was much work and suffering to come to accomplish the mission Christ was setting them to.

Key word: Urgency

Specifically: Urgency for the mission of the Great Commission.

II. The power for mission comes from the Holy Spirit. (V. 8)

Key word: Reliant

When we lack trust in Christ, the outgrowth of that is idleness. We want to know more and more like the disciples above about the future outcomes

When we lack trust, we begin to question. Lack of trust is cured by spending time meditating on the promises that God has made.

Jesus had told them to wait for the promise of God and then they were to go about doing the very thing that God had called them to.

It's as if He was telling them to not run ahead but wait till the promised power, the Holy Spirit, came upon them and then they would be His witnesses. Let's not forget, they were eye witnesses. We don't have that personally but we do have their written eyewitness accounts of what happened.

There was suffering to come and they would need the Holy Spirit to do the work because He is the source of the power for the work. You don't want to go out and try and accomplish the mission on your own. It will wear you out. It's like trying to cut down a tree with a chainsaw without any gas in the chainsaw. You're just hacking away with a dead chainsaw.

2 Timothy 2:11 ESV

The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him;

III. Be witnesses in four areas of mission. (V. 8)

Key word: Targeted

As one person wrote, from the place where they were to where they were not. It's taking the gospel from where Christians are to where they are not.

1. Jerusalem

2. Judea

Jerusalem and Judea - Jesus including these would have pointed to the hardship coming. The apostles would have known that both of these were filled with enemies of the deadly variety. Hearing about these as their targeted mission areas would show them that the finish line was farther away than they hoped.

3. Samaria

4. The ends of the Earth

The gospel was preached everywhere so it could come to us and it came to us so it could go to the next person. I've quoted a famous preacher before that said, "the gospel came to you because it was on its way to someone else."

Conclusion

All are in the game. No fans. Only players.

But it's not a game. It's life and death.

So how do we as a local church engage in this global mission of God to reach the unreached?

The mission was assigned to the local church.

Luke 24:33–48 ESV

And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread. As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate before them. Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.

He first called his church to mission and not individuals separately.

Andy Johnson writes,

"_Who is responsible to carry out the mission of global salvation? To whom did Christ give his Great Commission in Matthew 28?_

That's a more complicated question than merely asking who was there when Jesus spoke the words recorded in [Matthew 28:18--20](https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Matt%2028.18%E2%80%9320).

In one sense the commission to missions was given to every individual Christian. But in another sense it was given primarily to local churches.

Why would I say that?

Each of us individually is called to obey Christ's command to make disciples who know and obey his Word. But how does he intend us to do that? His Word is clear: normally we're to pursue obedience, [build up disciples](https://www.imb.org/2016/09/07/church-planting-not-jesus-great-command/), and plant other churches through the local church.

- The local church makes clear who is and who is not a disciple through [baptism] and [membership in the body]

- The local church is where most discipling naturally takes place ([Heb. 10:24-25]

- The local church sends out missionaries ([Acts 13:3]and cares for missionaries after they're sent ([Phil. 4:15--16]; [3 John 1--8]

- And healthy, reproducing local churches are normally the aim and end of our missionary effort ([Acts 15:41][Titus 1:5]

Johnson says, the local church is the engine of world missions.

Missions can start right here...(a lot of these practical ideas come out of the ministry at Capitol Hill Baptist Church in DC but they are real and helpful as we attempt to live on mission where we are in missional lives as well as globally)

**Are we so busy with everything that we fail to see the spiritual and physical needs of those around us**?

1. Immigrants - We may soon experience an even greater influx of those who are not from our country. Whatever your political beliefs about this are, one thing we can agree on is that we want those who don't know Jesus to know Jesus. So, how can you have a global impact even right here in IL? The world may be dropped on your doorstep.

2. Consider places you go or are willing to go and develop a regular routine of being in those same places. (NORM!)

- 2. Same grocery store and connect with the same worker.. B2. Same grocery store and connect with the same worker.

- 3. Same waitress or barista at the same place you make yourself a regular. Go to this same place to meet with someone who you are discipling.

- 4. This makes evangelism and the idea of it a normal part of your weekly routine.

- Not every engagement will be a full on gospel rich conversation. Lower those expectations and be available to what God will do with your willingness.

- Be real... be transparent.

- Listen to other people and ask questions about their lives and culture.

- Be open with your faith in Jesus. Don't be scared to share about Jesus. Talk about Him. You say He is your friend so talk about Him as you would a friend, albeit the best and greatest friend a person could have.

- Pray that those you interact with would be saved.

WAYS YOU CAN PREPARE FOR MISSION

Know the Gospel.

Have a vision for the nations in mind as you go about. Revelation 7:9

Revelation 7:9 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,

Read about international news and events to know how to pray and how to minister to those who may be of a different culture.

SUPPORT HOPE Cross Cultural Workers in other countries

T and R

Brian and Kassie P.

Gabby R. With FCA

APEX

REACH GLOBAL EFCA Missions Arm

Short term missions trips and long term partnerships

If you physically can't go you can financially support those who are able to go.

How should we feel or think about mission sending agencies that are separate from a local church?

Again, Cap Hill has thought this through well.

1. These are an optional, but permissible, means of organized cooperation between churches.

2. The only authority they have is that which is delegated to them by local churches.

3. They are useful for strategic coordination, humility, and field oversight.

4. They are servants of the local churches.

The end goal of missions is to see God worshipped. This is accomplished through he planting of local churches in the nations.

My hope for Hope of Dixon is that we would be a "Neighborhood church for the nations." I heard that from a church in Florida years ago and I liked it so much I had it printed on those green pens we give away. Let us never get so complacent in our comfortable city that we forget the mission of the church is to see God glorified among all peoples.

Let's pray.

PRAY