Missional Perspective Part 2: We Are In This Together

Introduction

Mission Impossible is a series of American action spy films based on the television series of the same name created by Bruce Geller. The movies begin in 1996 and follow the IMFs central field team's missions under the leadership of Mr. Hunt, who is forced to take over after the unit is betrayed from within during the first film[1].

One of the most memorable parts of these movies is how the lead character receives his next mission. It is usually in some mysterious way, and the recorded message starts with the phrase “your mission should you choose to accept it[2]…” and then goes into a brief and concise explanation of what Mr. Hunt is asked to accomplish[3].”

Just like Mr. Hunt in the Mission Impossible movies, I can hear the words, “your mission should you choose to accept it[4]…” is to remain faithful, be the church, and be the people God is calling us to be.

A little over a week ago, I read an article in The Wall Street Journal that speaks to our context in a real way. In the article, the writer was interviewing an Intensive-care nurse near Henderson, Nevada. The nurse had been shaken by the sheer number of Covid-19 deaths she has witnessed in recent months, as the hospital's ICU has been filled for weeks. In response to her experience, the nurse is quoted as saying, “If you weren’t religious, you probably are now[5].”

In these words, I hear a person searching for answers that science and rationality can’t give. I hear her asking questions that go beyond merely looking for a cause and effect relationship. I hear someone looking for answers that will provide meaning and purpose to a situation that her years of school and textbook left her unprepared to answer. I hear someone grappling with the fact that the world in front of us is nothing like the world behind us[6].

The challenge is that our missional context is changing, and we as a church are in unchartered territory. Therefore, advancing unprecedented ministry within an unprecedented context; is the mission presented to us, should we choose to accept it.

Last week we began a new series called Missional Perspective. This series is birth out of the fact that we, as believers in Christ, are being called and commissioned to do unprecedented ministry amid chaotic and unprecedented circumstances, for we are simultaneously facing three pandemics. There is a healthcare pandemic, an economic pandemic, and a racial pandemic going on right now.

At both the individual and corporate levels, as a church, we are forced to wrestle with our context's implications to understand who we need to be and how we respond to this moment. As we move into our second installment in this series, I want to go back to a quote from Tod Bolsinger, the author of the book Canoeing the Mountains, makes a statement that I am using to frame our conversation.

“The mission or “sentness” of a congregation is its true and authentic organizing principle: Missional church is a community of God’s people that defines itself and organizes its life around its real purpose of being an agent of God’s mission to the world[7].”

(Go with me to the Gospel of Matthew 10:16.)

Matthew 10:16 (NASB) 16 "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.

(As we continue in our series Missional Perspective, I would like to use as my subject the thought: We Are In This Together.)

I. Our Missional Identity: “as sheep…”.

Last week our focus was on the first four words of this passage Behold, I send you. In doing that, we were taking a deep look at this text's personal tone and how it implies that he has assessed the situation both at the time of this text and with consideration of the future that awaited his disciples in the coming generations. Consequently, as a result of that assessment, Jesus said Behold, I send you.

Furthermore, this approach to the scripture set the foundation for the missional perspective that we will continue to unpack in today’s message. Now there is a shift within the text, and the focus is no longer on Jesus sending us, but the focus is on our identity as a result of Jesus sending us. Along with the environment, we are sent into. You can notice this in the words “out as sheep.”

Here we see Jesus transition into his traditional metaphorical theology, as we witness one of the many instances Jesus likens us to sheep.

It is no accident that God has chosen to call us sheep. The behavior of sheep and human beings is similar in many ways. Our mass mind (or mob instincts), our fear and fearfulness, our stubbornness and stupidity, our perverse habits are all parallels of profound importance.”[8]

Additionally, sheep are prone to wander and get lost. Sheep have poor depth perception, and therefore they have to rely heavily on being able to hear danger and the Shepherd's voice. Sheep are timid and easily panicked. If one sheep is startled, a dozen others will bolt with blind fear without waiting to see what frightened them.

If there is the slightest danger from dogs, coyotes, cougars, bears, or other enemies, the sheep stand upright, ready to flee for their lives. Because sheep have no means of natural defense, their only recourse is to run. Two dogs have been known to kill as many as 292 sheep in a single night of slaughter. Ewes, heavy with lamb, will lose their lambs when chased by enemies.

Right away, those of us who are familiar with church or have matriculated through Sunday School also understand the term sheep also has a relational aspect that we need to take into consideration. From this perspective, we know that the word sheep refers to those who are members of the household of faith. Sheep is referring to those who have come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. The word sheep is referring to those who are seeking to live lives that are according to the shepherd's will.

(Let’s move from our mission identity to our missional environment.)

II. Missional Environment: “in the midst of wolves.”

Our Missional environment is seen in the next few words, “in the midst of wolves.” What about the wolves? Who is the Bible referring to in the word wolves? From a natural perspective, wolves are intelligent animals that tend to live and hunt in packs. There are very tough and resilient animals that have developed the ability to survive in the most inhospitable environments. Wolves can be found everywhere from the northern arctic to the desert damp swap habitat of the Gulf Coast.

Along with that, wolves will eat any kind of animal, rather large or small. Wolves are sneaky when they hunt; they approach their prey downwind so that their sent isn’t detected. Another aspect of their sneakiness is that when hunting a herd of animals like deer, they will only go after the sick, injured, and most vulnerable animals in the herd[9].

The wolves are described in verses 17-22 of this chapter, where it talks about men who will hand the Lord's sheep over to be beaten in the synagogues. The wolves are people who will attempt to bring the weight of the political machine down on the Lord’s sheep for seeking to live according to the commandment of love. The wolves are members of sheep’s family who will betray them because the sheep are more loyal to Jesus than to maintaining the status quo.

To bring this closer to home, the wolves are people who function with the same imperialistic mindset that stole land from the Native Americans, enslaved African Americans, and continue to treat women along with black and brown members of society as less than.

Wolves are those who find every reason to justify placing the economy over the value of human lives. Wolves are those who put the values of their political party above their confessed loyalty to Jesus. Wolves are those who would rather declare war on poor people instead of a war on poverty. Wolves are those who believe they are paid to hunt and kill black men instead of being paid to serve and protect. Wolves are those who took an oath to “administer justice without respect to persons[10]” and intentionally fail to honor that oath.

Wolves participate in the victimization, objectification, and oppression of their own people for financial gain or political capital. At the same time, I would be remiss not to point out that our mission will often place us in dangerous positions.

Our mission will put us in environments that are unstable and filled with ambiguity. When we are on the mission that Jesus has given us, at times, we will feel like we are at risk of losing everything near and dear to us.

There will be times when our missional environment will put us within the strange tension of obedience to our mission, will look the very things that will cause us to sacrifice our mission. I mean that there is a personal vulnerability that we can’t escape when we are on a mission for God.

The nature of our unprecedented context requires us to relinquish our faith; this is risk-averse. There is risk on both sides of this relationship. Remember, God knows us and still has made the decision to send us. Remember what Paul said; God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise.

Being on a mission for Jesus is not about branding and popularity. It is not about becoming a Christian celebrity. But it is about willingly being in the vulnerable and seemingly helpless position as these sheep among wolves.

Let me push this a little further; this text shows us that our mission is to the wolves of our society! It is here that we really must pay close attention to the details of this familiar passage.

For Jesus said, I send you as sheep in the middle of wolves, which means that the sheep’s mission from Jesus is to the wolves of society.! There is a calling on the disciples of Jesus to bring the love of Jesus to the wolves. Furthermore, this means that we have a mission to speak the truth to power and to friends and family members who are wolves. Jesus is telling us that wolves are our mission and need to be the target of our love and ministry.

I can’t help but think this might be why a seemingly perfect storm of unrest in every spear of our society. I can’t help but think that connected to this is how the events of this past year have exposed the sickness of American exceptionalism.

This is why I love sitting under the ministry of Bishop Johnson. He told us almost a year ago about how the voices rising against these issues are coming from outside the church. He was letting us know then that our place in what is going on will not be from the comfort of our sanctuary. It will not be from the security of our couch.

Herein is why at Leader’s Meeting, we are discussing prioritizing connecting over gathering through radical hospitality that we may reproduce resilient relationships. Which is what is needed from the church in this age of individualism and selfish ambition.

But this harsh reality of being on a mission begs that we ask a very relevant question of our text, how do we stay on the mission when surrounded by danger and ambiguity?

(The answer to this relevant question is also in our text.)

III. Missional Perspective: We Are In This Together.

I love how no matter how long you study the word of God and no matter how many times you look at a passage, if there is a divine-human encounter that takes place, God will reveal more of who he is by showing me another aspect of a passage of scripture.

Also answer to our relevant questions is also our source of hope that is implied in the text. Jesus is not looking to scare his sheep further. At the same time, Jesus wants us not to be disillusioned about the reality that will surround us. Jesus is looking to comfort his sheep, encourage his sheep, and empower his sheep!

The only defense of the sheep is the Shepherd. Keller writes in his book A Shepherds Look at Psalms 23, “In the course of time I came to realize that nothing so quieted and reassured the sheep as to see me in the field. The presence of their master and owner and protector put them at ease as nothing else could do, and this applied day and night.”[11] We are comforted by God’s presence! This also means We Are In This Together!

Just because we are being sent out does not mean that we should assume that we are being sent out alone. Remember that Jesus is not sending us as sheep among wolves while he watches from afar to see how we handle the situation. Jesus is not sending us out as someone who is emotionally detached and not personally vested in what happens to us. The very fact that Jesus is referring to us as sheep implies the nature of our relationship with Jesus and that we have The Good Shepherd is going with us!

If Jesus is my Shepherd, if Jesus is the one sending me out, and if Jesus is the Good Shepherd. Then I know with Jesus as our Shepherd, that indicates not only our dependence on him, it also describes his commitment to protect, tend, and guide us as his sheep.

As the Good Shepherd:

Jesus prepares a table for us in the presence of our enemies!

Jesus is my helper. I will not fear what man can do to me!

Jesus will never leave me helpless and unprotected.

Jesus will strengthen us and uphold us with His righteous right hand!

Jesus will cover me with compassion!

Jesus will seek me when I am lost!

Jesus lays down his life for his sheep!

A Missional Perspective understands that although we are outnumbered and surrounded by the wolves of life, as sheep in the fold of Jesus, we can still persevere in God’s Mission, for we are never alone. A Missional Perspective understands that We are in this together!

We are in this together as children of God!

We are in this together as members of the body of Christ!

We are in this together as members of the local church!

We are in this together as members of the human race!

We are in this together with the Holy Spirit as our comforter!

We are in this together with God as our Father!

We are in this together with Jesus as our savior!

Jesus said; I will not leave you as orphans because we are in this together!

Jesus said; I will never leave you or forsake you because we are in this together!

Jesus said I am with you always, even until the end of the days!

Having a Missional Perspective that understands We Are In This together will strengthen and encouraged us. For in the final evaluation of the wolves that surround us, we will find that ultimately, injustice won’t prevail, racism won’t prevail, prejudice won’t prevail, coronavirus won’t prevail, poverty won’t prevail! For Jesus said, upon this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of hades won’t prevail! Why? Because We Are In This Together!

Communion

Communion is one of two ordinances that Jesus Christ left for us to observe. Communion is one of the most sacred observances of the Christian church. The word sacred means set apart or sanctified; it does not mean solemn or like a funeral dirge because Jesus is no longer dead. Communion was always observed with the resurrection in mind.

Communion is a time of giving thanks for what Jesus did at Calvary. One of the names for communion is The Eucharist. The word “Eucharist” means thanksgiving.

Communion is a preachment, a visual sermon, an illustration of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Communion provides supernatural energy to those of us who are living the Christian life.

We thank God for sending His Son: Jesus Christ. We thank Jesus Christ for giving His body for us. We thank the Holy Spirit for making Christ’s gift of His body efficacious in our lives.

This represents the body of our Lord and Savior: Jesus Christ. Take and eat.

· His body was blessed and broken that we might be saved.

· His body was blessed and broken that we might have abundant Christian life.

· His body was blessed and broken that the borders of our habitation might be secured.

This represents the blood of our Lord and Savior: Jesus Christ. Take and drink.

· His blood was shed that we might be saved.

· His blood was shed that we might have abundant Christian life.

· His blood was shed that the borders of our families, our church, and our individual lives might be secured.

· His blood was shed to defeat and shut the mouth of Satan.

[1] Wikipidia, Mission: Impossible (film series), retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission:_Impossible_(film_series) on May 24, 2020.

[2] Quotes: the worlds largest resource for quotes and sayings, Mission Impossible II 2000. Retrieved from https://www.quotes.net/mquote/62927 on May 24, 2020.

[3] Quotes: the worlds largest resource for quotes and sayings, Mission Impossible II 2000. Retrieved from https://www.quotes.net/mquote/62927 on May 24, 2020.

[4] Quotes: the worlds largest resource for quotes and sayings, Mission Impossible II 2000. Retrieved from https://www.quotes.net/mquote/62927 on May 24, 2020

[5] Evans, Melanie. Covid-19 Surge Leaves Doctors, Nurses Reeling From Burnout: The pandemics’s longest and most deadly surge has posed risks to quality of care and left medical professionals exhausted. The Wall Street Journal January 25, 2021, 5:00 p.m. EST. Retrieved from Apple New.

[6] Bolsinger, Tod E. Canoeing the mountains: Christian leadership in uncharted territory. InverVarsity Press Downers, Grove, IL pg.15.

[7] Bolsinger, Tod E. Canoeing the mountains: Christian leadership in uncharted territory. InverVarsity Press Downers, Grove, IL pg. 30.

[8] W. Phillip Keller, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1970, p. 19.

[9] Animal Corner: Wolves ©2005-2020 retrieved from https://animalcorner.org/animals/wolves/ on June 1, 2020

[10] Law Writer® Ohio Laws and Rules. Ohio Revised Code: General Rules Provisions. Chapter 3 Officer; Oaths; Bonds Retrieved from http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/gp3 on June 1, 2020

[11] W. Phillip Keller, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1970, p. 34.