Know the Mission

Know what the Mission is NOT!

CHANGING people’s social status

Making FRIENDS

Convincing people to do GOOD WORKS

Know what the Mission IS!

We DO KNOW why Jesus came!

To SEEK

What if we were as concerned about others spiritual conditions as Jesus is about ours?

The intensity of this Greek word is seen in a passage that we have looked at over the last few weeks.

Matthew 2:13 NASB95

Now when they had gone, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up! Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the Child to destroy Him.”

It is the desperation in the heart of the merchant seeking fine pearls in .

It is the shepherd leaving the 99 in

It is the heart behind the solemn mission of the women to prepare His body after the crucifixion in

It is what drives people to leave house, home and family and move around the world to share Jesus with other cultures.

It is why people leave behind riches, comforts and conveniences to live in unspeakable poverty as Lottie Moon did so that others may have hope.

It is what compelled Jesus to leave the glories of Heaven, the continuous recipient of uncorrupted worship of the heavenly beings, the honor of all those who had gone before in righteous faith to suffer the humility of birth as a human, the ridicule and abuse of life as one who was rejected by His own, the mockery of a trial, the pain of the crucifixion and the abandonment of His followers.

He set aside the glory of Heaven, restrained the righteous wrath that could have been poured out on mankind, rightfully so, did not allow the angels to come to his defense and carried His own cross to SEEK you and I out!

Our half-hearted, only when it is convenient, don’t offend anyone efforts at seeking are an embarrassment compared to His willingness to go all of the way to seek us.

In light of the example of Jesus, WHAT EXACTLY are we seeking?

To SAVE

Rescue the Perishing - Fanny Crosby

1 Rescue the perishing,   Care for the dying, Snatch them in pity from sin and the grave;   Weep o’er the erring one,   Lift up the fallen, Tell them of Jesus the mighty to save.

Rescue the perishing,   Care for the dying; Jesus is merciful,     Jesus will save.

2

Though they are slighting Him,   Still He is waiting, Waiting the penitent child to receive;   Plead with them earnestly,   Plead with them gently; He will forgive if they only believe.

3

Down in the human heart,   Crushed by the tempter, Feelings lie buried that grace can restore;   Touched by a loving heart,   Wakened by kindness, Chords that are broken will vibrate once more.

4

Rescue the perishing,   Duty demands it; Strength for thy labor the Lord will provide;   Back to the narrow way,   Patiently win them; Tell the poor wand’rer a Savior has died.

Dear friends, the heart of Jesus’ mission, the heart of our mission is NOT to condemn the safe, but to point to the hope of Salvation of those who are already doomed!

We Have Heard the Joyful Sound - Priscilla Owens

1

We have heard the joyful sound:   Jesus saves! Jesus saves! Spread the tidings all around:   Jesus saves! Jesus saves! Bear the news to every land, Climb the steeps and cross the waves; Onward!—’tis our Lord’s command;   Jesus saves! Jesus saves!

2

Waft it on the rolling tide,   Jesus saves, Jesus saves; Tell to sinners far and wide,   Jesus saves, Jesus saves; Sing, ye islands of the sea, Echo back, ye ocean caves; Earth shall keep her jubilee,   Jesus saves, Jesus saves.

3

Sing above the battle’s strife,   Jesus saves, Jesus saves; By His death and endless life,   Jesus saves, Jesus saves; Sing it softly thru the gloom, When the heart for mercy craves, Sing in triumph o’er the tomb,   Jesus saves, Jesus saves.

4

Give the winds a mighty voice,   Jesus saves, Jesus saves; Let the nations now rejoice.   Jesus saves, Jesus saves; Shout salvation full and free, Highest hills and deepest caves, This our song of victory,   Jesus saves, Jesus saves.

The LOST

Do we remember what it is like to be without hope?

One of the rules of survival in the wilderness when lost is to stay where you are. Often people get in worse scenarios because they keep wandering when they are already lost.

The most dangerous part of being lost, is you often don’t realize it until it is too late.

Lostness is not just a panic that sets in when you realize it. It is the pointless wandering in circles without anything changing.

Lostness is the empty reality of life apart from a relationship with Jesus.

It is the approaching and unescapable doom of one’s isolation from the source of life.

CLARITY reminds us that WE HAVE THE ANSWER!