To the Ends of the Earth

The Mission of the Gospel

Introduction: Zambia Presentation

Today is going to be the kick off to a series that we’ll actually go through in August. We are going to be looking at missions. What is missions and what is not? What is the purpose of missions? How can we engage in missions locally as well as globally? We are going to dispel the myth / misunderstanding that “everything is missions”… and “every Christian is a missionary”. But, for today… we’re going to quickly walk through a few verses in Acts chapter 1 to introduce missions.... as Jesus gives a commission that is so Great.... that we are to still actively still living out His commands… His Commission today.... here in Alliance… and to the ends of the Earth!

Acts 1:1–3 ESV

In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

We are told here that Jesus’ post resurrection ministry lasted for 40 days.... and he spent that time with his disciples.... teaching them and speaking about the Kingdom of God!

Acts 1:4–7 ESV

And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.

Towards the end of Jesus’ 40 day post resurrection ministry he asks his disciples to meet him at the Mount of Olives....

We were just told in verse 3 that Jesus spent 40 days with the disciples talking about the Kingdom of God… and now in verse 6 as the disciples arrive at the Mount of Olives, they ask him about restoring the kingdom to Israel. Why were they asking him that?

Rabbi’s had said that the restoration of Israel’s political fortunes would be marked by the revived activity of God’s Spirit. So, when they heard that they would be baptized with the Holy Spirit in just a few days.... their minds starting running… and they started to get excited!

Unfortunately, at this point they are excited about a human kingdom… and not God’s kingdom.... but they are learning… and Jesus is patient with them!

Then, we come to verse 8… to the main verse we’ll look at today.... where Jesus lays out the Mission and the Focus.

Let’s first look at the Mission: Be Witnesses!

I. The Mission: Be Witnesses! (1:8)

Acts 1:8 ESV

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

There is a version of the Great Commission is recorded in several NT books… Matthew and Acts are probably two of the best known passages....

Matthew records the command of Jesus saying: Go and make disciples of all nations…

Here in Acts, Luke records Jesus’ words.... Be my witnesses!

Verse 8, is the key verse of the entire book of Acts. It gives us a road map for the rest of the book. If you were to study through the book you would see that chapters 1-7 tell us of the witness in “Jerusalem”. Chapters 8-11 tell us about the witness in “all Judea and Samaria”. Then, chapters 12-28 tell us about the witness to the “ends of the earth”.

And one of the most amazing things about this commission… is that it didn’t end with the last chapter of the book of Acts.... it is still going on… and you and I are part of the story.... you and I are part of the commission......

As Jesus lays out this Great Commission to His disciples… and to each of us.... He clearly states that this mission of being His witnesses can only be done in the power of the Holy Spirit!

A. The mission of the gospel can only be done in the power of the Holy Spirit!

In ten days… the Holy Spirit would come upon the apostles.... they would have tongues of fire… they would speak other languages.... they would have true spiritual power come upon them… in and through them....

It’s always amazing to me that Jesus uses the most unlikely people to become His fountains of power!

When the Holy Spirit comes upon followers of Christ.... we are enabled to do great and amazing things according to God’s sovereign plans.... and for His supreme glory!

What is our mission: To be witnesses! What power enables and drives our mission? The Holy Spirit!

Once Jesus states that the Holy Spirit is the divine enabling power of His commission, Jesus further clarifies the mission and shares that the missions is Jesus’… not ours.

B. The mission of the gospel is Jesus’ mission (not ours)!

Verse 8 says that you will be my witnesses...

That word “witnesses” occurs no less that 39 times throughout the book of Acts.

The word means, One who testifies (usually in the context of legal matters), it can also mean one who affirms or attests.... or one who bears testimony about a divine message.

I think we see all three of those in Jesus’ Command.

Christian… you are to be Christ’s witness… you are to bear testimony… as if you were standing before the court and your life depended on it..... you are to affirm the truths of Scripture to all the people you meet.... you are to bear witness to the truths of Scripture as the divine message from the Lord!

You are to be His witnesses… You are bearing testimony about Jesus!

We are witnesses of Jesus’ Kingdom… not our own.

Many times in our world the witness for Christ is counterfeited.... but it is never duplicated.

Have you ever answered your door and found a few nicely dressed young men standing there asking if you’d like to have a friendly conversation that starts with the phrase, “Wouldn’t it be nice if we had prophets today?”.... “wouldn’t it be nice if there was a plan that promoted you to the Terrestrial, Celestial, and finally Telestial Heavens!”.... If you’ve had that conversation then you know that those individuals say that they are the witnesses for Christ’s latter-day church.... but the reality is that the message they are proclaiming is the complete reversal of the good news of Christ’s grace!

We are to be Christ’s witnesses!!! Empowered and Enabled by His Spirit.... to bring a message that is a marvel of simplicity: Jesus Christ is God come in the flesh; he died to pay for our sins; he was resurrected; now he is exalted in Heaven; he calls us to believe in him and so received forgiveness of sins.

This is good news! A personal invitation to receive Him and His gift of eternal life.

If we are going to be effective witnesses we have to be engaged.... we have to roll up our sleeves and pitch in!

Our lives must display the inner reality of that we externally proclaim! We have to live out what we say we believe!

Once this commission was given in Acts… once the Holy Spirit was given.... the gospel flamed across Asia! The Apostles walked their talk.

That’s why Paul was able to reach the Praetorian guards while under arrest in Philippi (Phil. 1:13).

Are you a witness like that? --- The apostles were effective witnesses for Christ.

How can we be effective like them?

Want to know what it takes to be a witness?

Being an authentic witness demands that we have an open, tender heart that is always growing in the experience of the gospel that we proclaim. Meaning… we have to embrace, live out, be changed by.. and cling to the Word of God.... the gospel.

To be a witness we must have Logos - the Word of Christ, Ethos - inner reality of what we proclaim… and Pathos - passion.

The apostles were passionate for Christ. Just look at Peter at Pentecost, Stephen at his stoning, Paul as he stood before Felix.

They fervently promoted their faith.... they were a group of passionate believers who turned the entire world upside-down!

In Verse 8, Jesus lays out the Mission: We are to boldly and passionately.... Be His Witnesses!

Now, in verse 8 He also gives us the focus of our mission.

II. The Focus: Ends of the Earth (v. 8)

Acts 1:8–9 ESV

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight.

Hearing where Jesus was commanding them to be witnesses must have been a shock to the disciples. Hold on.... you want us to go where?

Jerusalem: Jesus, that is where they crucified you!

Judea: They rejected you there too!

Samaria: Jesus, are you sure we are to really go and minister to those kind of people that aren’t like us? I mean that are a mixed ethnic group… that we really just don’t like.

The focus Jesus lays out in His great Commission were not only spiritually revolutionary… they were socially and ethnically unheard of!

As the dust from the radical focus of His Commission settles… Jesus is teaching us that as we go being His witnesses.... The mission of the gospel must start at home… and then radiate outward to the ends of the earth!

Jesus’ command was carried out by the disciples to the letter.

Jerusalem was filled with the preaching of the gospel..... over 3,000 were saved in one day!

Philip broke all of the cultural taboos of Judea and crossed over into Samaria with the gospel! Social Revolution!

Eventually, Paul would tell us in Philippians 4:22 that the gospel had even made it into the kitchen of Caesar himself!

The message of the gospel was to radiate out from Jerusalem… ultimately impacting the people of every ethnic group… around the globe! To the ends of the earth!

Do you realize that, this includes us? We are “the ends of the earth”!

Because Jesus’ command was obeyed by the apostles..... that ministry has radiated outward around the globe and through the centuries… until it reached us!

All because the witness of Christ were passionate about obeying Jesus’ command and fulfilling their part of the Great Commission, which they were given!

Man… if only we were just as passionate… and just as obedient today!

Go and be my witnesses in Jerusalem..... (In Alliance (downtown and in the suburbs)...

Go and be my witnesses in Judea and Samaria.... (In the areas of town where it may be socially and ethnically uncomfortable… extending to the far reaches of NE Ohio)

Go and be my witnesses to the ends of the earth! — Having a global impact for Christ locally, regionally… and globally.

That is our mission here at WellSpring: We are to multiply disciples… through the transformation of lives locally and globally!

A burden for global missions must start with a passionate burden for the local mission!

“There can be no burden for distant unreached peoples without a burden for unreached neighbors” (Hughes).

As amazing as it is to go on mission trips and see God work in far away places.... it doesn’t mean much if we don’t have a passionate burden for those who live in our own town.... in our own neighborhoods…

What an amazing call we have! We are to be personal witnesses of our Lord Jesus Christ!

Application:

Principles to Embrace:

1. Our commitment to God’s Word must be foundational and non-negotiable.

2. It is for the glory of Christ that I minister…. not for myself. (lived out in the life of the Apostles)

3. Multiplication is better than Addition (2 Tim. 2:2)

Challenge: Let’s close today by listening to the words recorded for us in Acts 1:10-11

Acts 1:10–11 ESV

And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

These verses are clearly meant for a church on mission!

Jesus is returning!.... so get busy!

The key is a genuine and passionate commitment to God’s plan.

Some of us get all excited about the Great Commission in church… but then after an hour of watching our favorite sports team… or tv show it all vanishes.

Or maybe you have family issues… are struggling financially… and feel like you are unable to think about anything except your limited funds and uncertain future… … our life situation and circumstances do not exempt us from being witnesses for Christ and following Him.

Regardless of the particular difficulties facing us… if you are a born again child of God today.... you are called to be His witness!

You want a fulfilling and meaningful life? Be Christ’s witness!

What should our response be?

Be Witnesses for Christ starting in our city.... and around the world.

What does it take to be a witness? A witness must fully embrace:

Logos: the Word of God

Ethos: the internal reality of the truth of God which we proclaim

Pathos: A passion for the gospel to be proclaimed and lived out!