THE FOUR CALLINGS: OUR CALL TO MISSIONS

MORNING CALL TO WORSHIP: JOSHUA 24:24

CHILDREN’S TIME: Matthew 4:18-23 use the fishing game to have a little fun with the kids before diving into the passage.

Over the past several weeks, we have looked at what it means for us as a church to follow the Lord. Through the lens of the Great Commission, we have talked about a four fold calling of the church. Oftentimes, churches may jump on various church trends and ideas. There are pastors who forecast what they think will be the big church trends over the course of the year. These are things that they have looked at and saw how culture is moving and predict how the church can connect in order to maintain relevance and growth. If you do a google search, you will see a ton of blogs, social media posts, products for sale, and YouTube videos that all point to what those folks would say are the next big thing. And while there may be good intent behind their efforts, following the way culture goes is not always a good thing. I have seen churches that have done this - focus on programs and methods for growth. And the results are great in the short term, but are not sustainable.

However, churches that grow in a healthy, sustainable way do so because of their focus on the fourfold vision of the church:

Evangelism

Discipleship

Missions

Worship

We first began talking about getting back to the basics by focusing in on our calling as a church to evangelism. I shared how for many churches, evangelism is a struggle, yet it is necessary for growth in any church. You and I who are followers of Christ are called to be a witness. We are called to share our faith with the world that so desperately needs it. When we evangelize, we are proclaiming the power that is not ours but is that of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. As we go and share the love of Jesus we can do so knowing that we can trust the Holy Spirit to guide and lead us as we share, and that sharing the Gospel is more than just doing so with our words, it is also through our actions. You and I as followers of Christ are called to say and do things that point people to Jesus.

Last week we dove into the importance of discipleship and how discipleship is essential for those who are new to the faith as well as for seasoned followers of Christ. Discipleship is a lifelong process that is commissioned by Christ for the church to follow through on and participate in. We learned together how discipleship is more than just a class, but is an engagement of community with each other as a church where we equip, encourage, and hold each other accountable.

When my family and I came to South Side, something that stood out to us was the drive and desire to go on mission. First to Montana and then to Michigan. We took students to our state’s mission day where we would go and help with block parties. And then Covid came and things died off. And while during Covid, it was understandable to not travel and do things. However, those days are gone. So what happened?

Perhaps some of this was an unwillingness to engage in our community. Perhaps we just got too comfortable with the “new normal” after covid, and designating funds for missions seemed like that would be enough. Just like with evangelism, just like with discipleship, we for whatever reason stopped looking out and began to focus inward. That’s not okay and it is time to change that. It is time for us to get back to the basics and respond to our call to missions.

If you don’t get anything else today, grab hold of this: The Church is called to be an agent of change in the world, reflecting the love of Christ through outreach and support, education, and compassion, encouraging believers to live out their faith through action. The Church exists not only for its members but as a light to the world, fulfilling the Great Commission through acts of service, community care, and outreach, embodying the love of Christ in all interactions.

Today, we are going to look three truths as to what we are to do in responding to the call of missions for the church:

Three Truths To Missions:

Proclaiming Powerfully: The Call

Supporting Selflessly: The Method

Living Lovingly: The Witness

Let’s pray.

I can’t think of any better place to explore the church’s call to missions than the book of Acts. And while we are going to go on a walk through the book of Acts this morning, I want to give you some information about this book. Acts was written by Luke to a friend of his named Theophilus. We don’t know who this is or how he is connected to Luke. This is what the The Lexham Bible Dictionary shares about what is known about “Theophilus:”

Although Theophilus’ Greek name indicates that he was a Gentile, he likely had some acquaintance with Judaism and the geography of Israel. Luke 1:4 suggests that Theophilus might have sought details that would enhance his limited knowledge of Jesus’ life and the early church. A direct inquiry could have prompted Luke to write his Gospel and Acts, in the hopes of influencing Theophilus toward Christianity. The honorific “most excellent” (Luke 1:3) might indicate a measure of power or wealth. This expression is used elsewhere to describe Roman government officials (Acts 23:26; 24:3; 26:25), which suggests that Theophilus could have been one himself.

Regardless of who Theophilus is, Luke says that he writes to tell of what happened after his previous letter to Theophilus - which is what we know as the Gospel of Luke. Luke starts off with Jesus and His disciples gathered and Jesus giving final directives. It is here where Jesus reveals the power of our call to proclaim who He is.

1. Proclaiming Powerfully: The Call

Acts 1:8 CSB

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

Here we have Jesus commanding His disciples to be a witness in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. You ever wonder why Jesus said it this way? Why not say that we are to be His witnesses to the world. That encompasses everyone, right? I think the Lord said this because it tends to be that when we think of Missions, we think of somewhere else super far away. We think of Africa, China, the Middle East, Europe, the Fiji Islands (have some fun with this, like talk about how hard it would be for me who loves the beach to live on a beautiful beach island with beautiful weather...).

Missions is not necessarily going to a far off place, living in a hut in the middle of nowhere where people speak a language that you don’t understand. Sometimes missions is right here. Jesus calls us to not only be a witness in the far off places, and if you read the book of Acts you will see how the disciples begin in Jerusalem and by the end of the book the Gospel has spread. The call of all Christians is to be a witness and that begins right here.

This passage sets the foundation for our calling to Missions. At the heart of Missions is the call to be a witness. In that everything we say and everything we do we are to glorify God in it. As a church we need to proclaim powerfully the call of missions. And in this passage Jesus gives us the promise of the Holy Spirit. He says that the Holy Spirit will give us the ability to be His witness. As individuals, we do not do missions alone. We don’t have to worry about what to do or what to say. As a church, we do not do missions alone either. The Spirit goes with us. Not with the idea that we are taking God to the people, but that we are going where God has already been doing the work.

We are to proclaim powerfully the call of Missions to be a witness, trusting the Holy Spirit to guide and lead us. Answering the call of Missions also means that we are to do so selflessly in the way we do it.

2. Supporting Selflessly: The Method

Acts 20:32–35 CSB

32 “And now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all who are sanctified. 33 I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. 34 You yourselves know that I worked with my own hands to support myself and those who are with me. 35 In every way I’ve shown you that it is necessary to help the weak by laboring like this and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, because he said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

In this passage we see Paul’s heart. His heart is not for people to see him, but to see the Lord. Everything he did was not to bring him attention, but to point people to the Lord and to help them grow in their faith. Paul lived a life that was focused outward to those who needed to know the Lord and to grow. He was not focused on his own desires or personal gain.

Missions is not about what you want. It isn’t about who you are or what your desires are. Missions is not about your abilities or talents. Missions is not even about the church. As believers and as a church, everything we say and everything we do are to be for the glory of God. While it may not require us to go overseas, it requires us as believers and as a church to not be selfish, and instead to be selfless. So many churches do things for their glory and for their honor. They focus in on themselves and do things not out of the calling of God to be on mission, but so that they can be bigger and wealthier.

As a church, our goal is to see people come to know the Lord and to see lives changed — NOT to add to our number. If our endgame is to increase in number, then we are missing out on what it means to be called to missions. Jesus doesn't tell us to go and be South Side Baptist Church's witness. He doesn't tell us to go into all the world and teach everything about South Side Baptist Church. Or about how great any of us as individuals are. Being on mission as South Side Baptist Church is a to be all about the Lord. Pure and simple. It is about how the Lord desires to see all come to know Him. If we as a church grow because of that, then praise the Lord. Growth in our own walk with Christ, and growth in number as a church, are natural by-products of being on mission.

Being on mission is not just to go off to a far off place or to stand on the street corner, it is to do things and to act in ways that brings glory to God. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10:31:

1 Corinthians 10:31 CSB

31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.

And again in Colossians 3:17

Colossians 3:17 CSB

17 And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Missions is not about us or our comfort or what we want to do - it is for His glory and our good. It is all about the Lord loving and caring for those who have no hope. You and I are INVITED to the work that God is doing and wants for us to do.

Stop and hold on to that thought —

GOD INVITES THIS CHURCH TO THE WORK THAT HE IS DOING.

3. Living Lovingly: The Witness

Acts 2:44–45 CSB

44 Now all the believers were together and held all things in common. 45 They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as any had need.

The early church cared for each other, providing for anyone who had need, and living together. And the world around them noticed. I've shared last week about how the how we act and treat each other noticed by the community around us.

The church in Acts wasn't perfect and they had issues that they had to work through. Yet through their love for each other and their community towards unity in the faith, they worked through those issues. And what was said about them? If you read a little further in verse 47, it states that they had found favor with all the people. And the result was that the church grew. This happens when we as a community of believers are willing to lay aside our differences and seek unity in the faith with each other. When we don't look towards ourselves and our own ideas and agendas and seek to look to the interests of others. Our call to missions is a call outward that reflects the inward commitment to unity.

And in order for that to happen, it is going to take all of us. The call to missions is a call not just for the pastor, or a committee or a team. It isn't just for those called to a life as a missionary. It is a call for every follower of Christ who is a part of this church. The mission field is not in these four walls - it is outside of this building. At the school, in the community, and beyond. It is a call that you and I get to answer together being guided by the Holy Spirit.

It has been far too long for us as a church since we have answered the call of missions. It is time we get back to the basics and envision how we can answer the call of missions as a church.

Go down for invitation.