Mission Possible

“Mission Possible”

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When I was a little boy I loved to watch the TV show; “Mission impossible”.

The 1966-1973 Mission Impossible TV shows, were awesome to me as a boy. The leader of mission impossible, received his instructions from a tape recorder that self-destructed after he heard the mission, and then the mission began.

You don’t have to be a secret agent to have a mission; if you are a Christian this morning you have a mission! The mission that we have been given doesn’t come from a tape recorder that self-destructs; he comes from a book that is indestructible!

What mission does God have for you and me? God has a great mission for you and me. And just like in the mission impossible TV show it takes teamwork to accomplish God’s mission. It takes each one of us to be engaged in carrying out the great mission that has been given to us by the Lord Jesus!

Our mission is not Mission impossible… It is mission possible; because Jesus himself gave us this mission, and He promised to empower us to carry out this mission!

Our Mission is… the Great Commission; to share the gospel with the whole world!

The reason evangelism and missions must be at the heart of our church is because it is the heart of Jesus.

Crossway Baptist Church exist to win the world to Jesus Christ! That is our mission! The last words Jesus spoke before ascending to heaven were:

-“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth”.

I know what some you are thinking; sharing the gospel with people is the job of the pastor, staff, and evangelist, it is not for ordinary Christians like me.

But we learn from this passage of Scripture that sharing the good news of Jesus death, burial and resurrection was not just for the 12 apostles, are the pastor, evangelist, missionary. It is for every believer; every believer is to share the gospel; and seek to lead people to Jesus!

In these verses we see Jesus choosing 70 ordinary believers, and sending them out to share Him with everyone they came in contact with. Jesus is calling every believer to be a part of the mission possible team, to go and share the gospel with others.

The instructions Jesus gave them, is the same instructions he gives us today.

Mission possible when you:

1. Pray for God’s Blessings.

V:1-2.

Jesus had previously sent the 12 apostles out to cast out demons, and heal, and preach the gospel. Now he sending out a larger group to multiply the ministry of sharing the gospel. It is not just for a small group of elite Christians to share the gospel; it is the responsibility of every born-again child of God to share the gospel.

For their own encouragement and accountability Jesus sent them out two-by-two.

We’re not given the names of the 70 that were sent out to preach; were told, V:1- they were sent out before his face…We don’t know their names; but Jesus knows their names and their faces. Jesus is watching who goes, who shares, who witnesses for him; and your name and your face is known by the Lord Jesus!

Jesus sent them, V:1-“into every city and place, where he himself would come”. Jesus decided their itinerary; if Jesus is the Lord of my life, then I must be willing to go anywhere he sends me.

V:2-Read Jesus used the imagery of agriculture; to talk about sowing the seed of the gospel, and reaping the harvest of lost souls. Jesus used this imagery many times.

Jesus calls us laborers, a farmer is a laborer, and no farmer gathers a harvest while sitting in the porch swing sipping iced tea. Neither should we expect to win souls for Jesus without getting on our knees and praying, and standing on our feet and going and sharing the gospel.

Jesus talks about the harvest, he says the harvest is great; there is a great harvest; God is planning on gathering a great harvest of lost souls from every time-period in history, and from every tribe and tongue and from every nation on this earth. And Jesus is planning on using us, laborers, to be a part of seeing souls saved, and the harvest gathered.

We should be burdened, bothered, and pray and witnessing to see people saved. But Jesus said the harvest is plentiful! God is still bringing people to salvation every day around the world!

Jesus sent the 70 out to be his witnesses, and He gave them specific instructions, the first thing he told them to do was to pray for God’s blessings!

Prayer must be a priority in the life of those who are sharing the gospel. Harvesting is hard work, even when there are many people helping you, but these men were sent into a large field with a very few workers to help them reap a great harvest.

Instead of praying for an easier job, they were to pray for more laborers to join them, and we need to pray that same prayer.

Please note that it is laborers, not spectators, who pray for more laborers! Too many Christians are praying for somebody else to do a job they are unwilling to do themselves. The harvest of lost souls is as plentiful today as it’s ever been. They’re open doors of opportunity to share the gospel all around us!

We are to hear and believe the words of the Lord Jesus; the harvest is great, in Springfield, Greene County, Missouri, America, and the world. Jesus mentions the great potential for the harvest; then he mentions a problem concerning the harvest.

V:1-“The harvest is great, but the laborers are few…

Compared to the size of the harvest, the laborers are too few.

There are not enough people willing to do the hard labor of sowing the gospel seed, sharing the good news, seeking to lead people to Jesus Christ. We are not nearly as fruitful in our evangelism as we ought to be. We do not have nearly as many missionaries as we need; we don’t have nearly enough money to send the missionaries that are willing to go.

Wycliffe Bible translation, estimated that an additional 2000 workers were needed to translate the Bible for the more than 3000 people groups that still do not have the Bible in their own language.

Where will we get the missionaries we need?

Where will we get boldness, courage, and workers to share the gospel here at home, and around the world?

The answer is not better recruiting, although this is necessary in the church. The answer is not more conferences although conferences are important in presenting us with the priority of the great commission. The answer is not better seminaries, although seminary education prepares you to be sharp in your service for Jesus. Jesus says the answer is persistent prayer; prayer to God that he himself would raise up new workers for the great harvest.

Jesus said pray to the Lord of the harvest… Ask God to send out laborers into his harvest.

Even as the 70 went out to preach, they were to pray, they were to pray for more laborers to join them in the harvest. And they were to pray that the Lord of the harvest would give them a harvest.

In other words we are to pray for more laborers; and pray for the existing laborers to reach souls with the gospel.

The work of evangelism and missions must be a regular part of our prayer life. Every one of us are called to labor, witness, that a harvest of souls might be saved. For this to happen we must pray as we go, and pray asking the Lord to provide preachers, evangelists, Bible translators, church planters, pastors and other Christian workers to reach the unreached around the world.

As we pray we must tell God that we are willing to be a part of the answer to our own prayers: we will witness and labor in the gospel field right where we are and wherever he sends us. Nobody is saved, no ministry is blessed; no church makes an impact in their community for Jesus; without first of all making prayer a priority!

Jesus tells us mission possible when you;

1. Pray for God’s blessings.

Secondly Jesus tells us mission possible when you:

2. Go at His Command.

V:3-4.

Jesus tells them to pray; make prayer a priority; then he tells them to go, V:3-“Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves”.

Three times in these opening verses Jesus identifies himself as the Lord of the harvest, and sends His workers to labor in His field. To go and share the gospel! The go is a command!

They were to go confidentially because Jesus was sending them. They were to go realistically, because Jesus was sending them as lambs among wolves.

Representing Jesus, and sharing the gospel was contrary to the culture they lived in.

For them to declare that Jesus Christ was the Messiah, the Savior of the world; and that only through him could you have a relationship with God, was dangerous business!

Jesus told them and us, we are going to be like lambs among wolves. Wolves devour lambs; wolves destroy lambs, wolves eat lambs.

When Jesus sent them out to preach the gospel; especially where the gospel had never been preached, they were as vulnerable to attack as a lamb facing hungry wolves. Spiritual enemies would be waiting to tear them to pieces with angry words and violent assaults. This was certainly true in the early church, when the enemies of Christ made murderous threats against Peter, James and John. James the pastor of the first Baptist Church of Jerusalem had his head cut off for preaching the resurrected Christ. Almost all the apostles became martyrs. It was also true in the pioneer days of African missions; when missionaries pack their possessions in a coffin. They expected to return home in that coffin.

The danger is still present today; when you and I declare that Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven. And the Bible is the manual for life, marriage, human sexuality, and any other subject. When we declare it, and live it, we will experience opposition and persecution. Ministries and churches that seek to be on the cutting edge of confronting the powers of darkness, and snatching people from the fires of hell will experience fierce attacks from Satan!

You want a life of extreme adventure, a life of miracles, then step out by faith and declare the gospel; reach out to people who are living in the darkness of sin with the light of the gospel. Jesus warns us so we will know what to expect, when we go in Jesus name and share the gospel; we need to be prepared for the attacks of the wolves of hell! We will go as lambs among wolves, but we have a shepherd who has promised to walk with us all the way, even though the valley of the shadow of death. The presence of spiritual danger, opposition, ridicule and persecution does not drive us to fear, but to a deeper trust in our great Shepherd! Warren Wiersbe said: “Any man who takes Jesus Christ seriously becomes the target of the devil,”

Vance Havner said. “Most church members do not give Satan enough trouble to arouse his opposition.”

· We have his protection!

· We have his provision!

V:4-“Carry neither moneybag, knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road.”

We are to be confident, the Lord Jesus is sending us; we are to be realistic, were being sent like lambs among wolves. And we are to be serious, we are to travel light, and stay focused on the task of sharing the gospel. That is what V:4 is telling us.

Jesus sent the 70 on this particular mission, to go with urgency, and prepare the villages and towns for his arrival. The 70 were to trust God to provide for their needs, and he did. As they went some people welcomed them into their homes, and fed them and gave them a place to stay.

Jesus was not telling them to be rude, and unsociable, when he told them not to greet anyone along the road. In the near East formal greetings could take hours and hours on end. These men were not out to make a social visit, but to preach the gospel without distraction and without delay.

The principle is don’t live a distracted life.

They were to be pushed forward by the urgency of their mission. We need to apply this principle in our own witnessing and service to the Lord.

The people who make the biggest difference for Jesus and the gospel are people who keep their focus on the work that God is called them to do, whether at home, at church, on their job, or overseas. If the mission that the Lord Jesus has given us is going to be fulfilled; we must go…

V:3-“Go your ways…

This is a command we must obey: obedience to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is critical for our Christian life. The mission is possible, only as we go…

Third, mission possible when you:

3. Share the Good News.

V:5-9.

These men were the king’s messengers, with the king’s message. Everything was at stake for the people who heard this message. The way they responded to the message would determine what kind of relationship they had with the king.

Their message was, the message of the gospel of peace, V:5-“first say peace be to this house.

There would be peace for those who welcome the message of peace, but judgment for those who reject the gospel of peace. Hearing the message of the gospel, demands a decision!

You cannot be neutral when you hear the gospel of the peace of God through Jesus Christ.

V:16-“He that hears you hears me; and he that despises you despises me; and he that despises me despises him that sent me.

These men may not have seemed very impressive, all they had was the gospel. Yet the gospel came from the king, the Lord Jesus himself; offering them the true way of salvation through Jesus.

Those messengers were there in the name of the King. Therefore the way the people responded to their message would determine their eternal destiny! Jesus told them that some would respond:

· In saving faith.

V:5-6-Read.

A son of peace is someone who welcomes the gospel of peace. They welcomed both the messenger and the message. A person who welcomes the good news of the gospel is a person who will enjoy the peace of God in their life.

Anyone who will receive the good news of Jesus death and burial and resurrection by faith, will experience peace with God. -“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Jesus was born to bring salvation, he died on the cross to pay the price for your sin and he rose from the dead to give you the free gift of salvation. That message may not seem very impressive to you.

But if you receive that message by faith, trusting in Jesus Christ for salvation you will experience the peace of God that passes all understanding!

The King of Kings is calling you to salvation, through me his messenger; and if you will welcome this message and trust in Jesus Christ, you can leave this place with peace, salvation, eternal life.

In these few verses Jesus gives us:

“The how of sharing the good news”:

· With our lips.

V:5-“Speak Peace…

The famous saying, “preach the gospel with your life, and use words if necessary”.

Yes we must live the Christian life if are going to share the gospel. But no amount of living the Christian life will substitute for sharing the gospel. People are not saved by the life that you live; but by the death that Jesus died! And the only way they are going to know about the death that Jesus died; is for someone to tell them!

· With our life.

V:7-8-Read.

As ambassadors with the message of peace, we must live lives of contentment. The apostle Paul, the great missionary, evangelist; said that in whatever state I find myself, I am content.

And that having food and clothes let us be content.

Godliness with Contentment is great gain.

As Christians in this materialistic world; we need to maintain a deep and constant contentment with the provisions God has given to us. Resist the temptation to always want more; it will take your eyes off the main purpose for your life. Be thankful for everything you have, not longing for more. Be easily please and grateful for what God and others give you.

We must guard against living divided and distracted lives. Rushing from one thing to the next without ever taking the time to make sure that what we are doing is the best way to fulfill our commitment to Christ.

Jesus told these messengers, they were to stay in the same home that welcomed them, not looking around, or moving around for a better place to stay. They were to be content with the provisions that God gave them. They were not to demand nicer accommodations or better food. They were to eat V:7,8-“such things” as they were given.

Remember there being sent into some towns and villages on the Samaritans; not all the food place before them would be kosher, or the same foods they had on their Jewish diet. They were staying in Gentile homes; they were to eat what was set in front of them.

I think I have eaten some of these “such things” on mission trips.

They were to pray the missionary prayer; “Lord I will get it down, if you will help me keep it down”.

As they went to share the gospel among these people; the people they were sharing with needed to see that Jesus gave His followers a sense of peace, and contentment in this world. We share the gospel with our lips, and with our lives. A third way we share the good news is:

· With our Love.

V:9-Read.

The miracle powers, to cast out demons, and heal the sick people serve to authenticate their message as it did the apostles, in the time before the completion of the New Testament.

For us today, our acts of mercy and love open the door for us to share the gospel with people. As a church and as Christian people, we must continue to give and serve in ministries that reach people who are hurting, hungry, and homeless.

We do social ministry, to open doors to share the gospel of the Lord Jesus!

Jesus tells the 70, and us that we are to share the good news with our lips, our lives, and our love.

Jesus told them that some would respond with saving faith.

Fourth, mission possible when you:

4. Understand Judgement is Coming.

V:10-16.

Jesus told the 70 that not everyone would accept the message of the gospel of peace. Some would reject them and the message they preached. Jesus told them when they were rejected they were to go out in the street, and brush the dust from that city off their clothes and shoes. It was a spiritual object lesson; saying that as they had rejected the message of the gospel; God had rejected them. It was the People’s response to the message that dictated God’s rejection of them!

As messengers of the King, we need to understand our message is not a take it or leave it message! The message of the gospel divides men eternally.

Those who receive the gospel message, experience peace, salvation and eternal life.

Those who reject the gospel message, will experience judgment, and eternal damnation. To faithfully preach the Bible, and present the gospel will include not only the promise of heaven, but the reality of judgment and hell! V:12-15-Read.

While all who reject the gospel and refuse to repent of their sins will face eternal punishment in hell, the degree of their punishment will depend on the amount of knowledge they had rejected.

The severest punishment belongs to those who had the most knowledge of the truth. The writer of Hebrews expressed that principle when he wrote:

-“How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?”

V:12-“That day…Is the day of judgment.

Jesus gives illustrations of three wicked cities:

Sodom, Tyre, Sidon.. The Jewish people would be appalled at the sin and wickedness of these three cities. These cities were known for horrible sins; could any city, or group of people be more deserving of God’s judgment than those cities and those people? Jesus said yes!

Jesus said on that Day of Judgment God will go easier on those cities that he will, Chorazim, Bethsaida, and Capernaum. WHY would Jesus say that? Because Jesus himself had preached in those three cities, and Capernaum was his home away from home. In Chorazin, Bethsaida, Capernaum Jesus had performed mighty miracles. The people in these cities have every chance to trust in Jesus for salvation. They had seen Jesus in the flesh; they witnessed his divine power and heard the words of salvation from his lips.

Yet they remained unrepentant, sadly they did not receive Jesus by faith, as a result they were under the judgment of God.

V:15-“And you Capernaum which are exalted to heaven, shall be thrust down to hell”.

This is the loving son of God warning people who have been exposed to the gospel over and over not to miss their opportunity to respond to the gospel!

You say Pastor Eddie, what city could be worse off than Sodom? Sodom was so wicked, and immoral that God destroyed it by fire.

You want to know what city is worse than Sodom to die from, Springfield Missouri. According to the Bible, the answer is any city that has heard the gospel but still rejects Jesus.

This is a sober warning for anyone who hears the gospel of Jesus death burial and resurrection week after week but refuses to receive him as their Savior and Lord! God will hold you responsible for what you know about Jesus, and what you do with Jesus!

Once you’ve heard that salvation comes only through Jesus Christ, you can never claim ignorance again. You will face the consequences of your response to Jesus and the gospel. There will be no excuses! What is your response to the gospel today?

The Day of Judgment will be horrible for all people who do not know Jesus, but it seems it will be the worst for people who worship in Bible teaching, gospel preaching churches but never enter the kingdom of God by faith in Jesus Christ!

Jesus cannot make it any clearer than he does in this passage! There are only two destinations:

Heaven the place of peace for those who have receive Jesus by faith.

Hell the place of punishment for those who reject Jesus. Once we have been saved, we are to be on mission to share the gospel with others. This mission is possible when you:

1. Pray for God’s blessings. (Prayer)

2. Go at his command. (Obedience)

3. Share the good news. (Gospel)

4. Understand judgment is coming. (Compassion)

People are dying and going to hell every day. What will you do with the message you have received from the king? Will you take the mission seriously, and become a labor in the harvest of lost souls, sharing the gospel with you lost family, friends, and co-workers.