Missions or Madness
God brought order out of chaos and calls us to do the same. It is called missions!
Missions as Gardening
Creating and Ordering is Divine, but also a calling and mandate.
2 “I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing. i
3 I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.”
5 The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.
46 This day the LORD will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”
As soon as God runs out of ambassadors, chaos ensues:
6 In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit.
12 There is a way that appears to be right,
but in the end it leads to death.
4 My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.
No God=No Morality
4 They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you.
Jesus came to usher in the kingdom of God and to create a new kind of humanity.
His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
No Other Name!
12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
No Other Provision!
13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” p
14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” q
No Other Method!
We need missionaries to...
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Do Transgenerational Discipleship
Transgenerational
2 And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.
Go to those who haven’t heard!
20 It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation.
no greater empowerment!
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”