The Church Sends Missionaries
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· 43 viewsMissions is a work of the Spirit of God through the people of God spreading the Word of God
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Introduction: What do you think of when you hear the word “Missions”? Missions is a work of the Spirit of God through the people of God spreading the Word of God
Note: the shifts happening in Acts. From Jerusalem, to Judea, and Samaria. Now from Peter to Paul as the witness of the church begins to go from Jews to Gentiles and continues it’s mission to the “uttermost parts of the earth”
but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”
The Word of God in Missions
The Word of God in Missions
Acts is the story of the birth and witness of the church. Witness to what? The Word of the Lord.
“word of the Lord” referenced over 30x in Acts. (Acts 12:24, 13:49)
What do we mean - the Word of the Lord?
And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.
“Word of the Lord” - The good news of Jesus as revealed in the NT - with all it’s history, commands, and implications - shared with a desire for the salvation of the hearers by faith - to the glory of God.
Authoritative Word: NT church was still getting New Revelation from God (v.1 - prophets like Agabus - fore-tellers and forth-tellers) to establish and equip the church
As these Apostles and their message was preached and taught, it was accompanied by signs that authenticated the message
With the writing of the NT, there is far less need for new/specific revelation from God, for prophets and there are no modern day Apostles. We have this written Word, to establish and equip - and even at times, reform the church.
While I’m not saying God cannot or will never give revelation through divine means to His people, I am saying that, just like in the days of old - it is very rare, and seems to be in areas where the gospel and the Bible are hard to come by.
Don’t call every strong feeling a “God told me” moment. Also, recognize that no revelation from God will ever contradict His Word. We look to scripture!
History - All of the Old Testament, story of creation, law, prophets, wisdom, etc.
Ex. Paul’s Sermon in Acts 13:15-41
as the Promised Messiah (v.15-22)
Confirmed by John the Baptist (v.24-25)
Rejected by their Jewish brothers and executed (v.26-29)
Raised from the dead and seen by many (v.30-31)
Re-affirming Jesus as the Davidic King and fulfillment of Promise to them (v.33-36), he calls them to believe (v.38-39) and warns them not to reject God’s work in Jesus (v.40-41)
We never want to neglect to study and understand the OT. It is the history of redemption! Let’s be careful not to mix up the history with the commands of Christ.
Commands and implications - Teaching of Jesus and His Apostles
First command - believe! Ephesians 2:8-9 then comes 10!
Ex. Many Jews and God-fearers followed them and were encouraged to continue in the grace of God. (v.42-43) - see also v.38-39
Freed from sin (penalty, power, presence)
Freed from the yoke of the Law - especially for gentiles, and as it pertains to salvation for all. (Stop trying to resurrect what is already fulfilled! You don’t flash your drivers permit once you have your license!)
Not freed from doing what is morally right, but free to do right to the glory of God. (Ex. Titus - teach them what accords with sound doctrine)
Gospel truth comes with implications! Each indicative comes with it’s imperative!
Implications to how we view and think about ourselves, others, and God
Implications on priorities, on morality, on choices we make
Implications on how we see the world around us, our current circumstances and even the future
And yet, it all finds it’s foundation in the historic death, burial, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ, our Savior and King. He is the point of our message and the core of this “Word of the Lord” that is to be shared. He’s the door, the fountain. Our message centers on Him, our freedom from sin and eternal life is found in Him!
Shared with a desire to see people saved - call to act , to believe, to repent and be saved. Invitation.
To the glory of God - this is to magnify the name and majesty of our God by showcasing His offer of loving mercy and grace to the people. Flows from a love of God and desire to shine light on Him. Never from a desire to grow our brand, or gain acclaim for self or organization.
Missions work, without the gospel of Jesus Christ and without the goal of spreading the Word of God (usually by establishing or supporting local churches) is not Biblical Missions.
Good works are good and we should do them! (Not downplaying service projects, but...)
Support of others who are working in missions is critical! (Ex. India, Alexanders to Mexico)
What we normally refer to “outreach” is not a bad thing, and can be a good witness or lead to good witness.
Yet we must remember the goal is to get the message of God’s Word to those who have not heard it. And then, when they do hear and believer, to gather into Bible-teaching churches who will “continue in the grace of God” and execute the mission God has given us in teaching and following His Word.
Let’s be Word people, doing Word work. That’s what missions is all about.
If the Word of the Lord according to the good news of Jesus Christ is the central element of missions, what (or who) is the driving force? Love? Nope: It’s bigger than that -The Holy Spirit.
The Spirit of God in Missions
The Spirit of God in Missions
Acts 13:2, 9, 48b, 52
Christian Mission started with the Spirit - Acts 1:8, is motivated by the Spirit v.2, and is fueled and accomplished through the Spirit v.9,48b, 52).
This wasn’t man’s idea! - This isn’t simply marketing an idea or product in order to grow an organization for influence, control or profit (sadly many of those so-called churches out there). This is a supernatural work by God for the eternal salvation of souls! It isn’t a pyramid scheme, but an act of love and sacrifice fueled by the Holy Spirit of God in and through His church!
What is the job of the Holy Spirit? Signs and wonders?
Strange tongues? He did in the early church and it authenticated this “new” work God was doing in history. Why?
To teach - John 14:26 - Advocate/Helper/Comforter - one who comes alongside. Teaches the Word of the Lord. 1 Corinthians 2:10 - reveals the truth of God to us. (illumination), John 15:26 - Testifies of Jesus. John 16:13 -14 - Guides us in truth, under the authority of Christ, and in some cases prophecy.
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.
For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.
“When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me,
“But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. “He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you.
To convict/convince:
“And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment;
How? Internal witness that bears external fruit! - John 14:16-17 (with and in you), Romans 8:9-11, 16 (gives spiritual life, bearing witness with our Spirit that we are children of God), not just inner voice but fruits! Galatians 5:22-23
“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.
However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
The Work of the Holy Spirit is primarily to promote the message of Jesus and produce fruit and witness in the life of the church! He convicts, He moves in, He drives the Word home into the hearts of believers, He produces the desire to follow Christ and obey His commands. He brings us to repentance when we fall and assures us of His presence (most often through ordinary means) when we get discouraged. He will never leave us. He is Christ’s gift to us. He calls to mission and to share the gospel with others! He fights with us and for us against evil, demonic influence (v.9)
Who’s driving missions? (Ex. Backseat driver? We don’t board an airplane and tell the pilot which way to go, or how to operate the aircraft) Advocate! Are we letting Him?
Seek and embrace the Spirit’s heart for Gospel mission
Be open to His leading through His Word!
Don’t program God out of it. Prayerfully organize and execute with an awareness of and dependence upon the Holy Spirit to empower and impact the work in the souls of those we will serve!
Missions is a work of the Spirit of God, by the spreading the Word of God - through the people of God - that’s us!
GCC-Dixon and Missions
GCC-Dixon and Missions
Pray, send, support, go
Pray - If missions is a work of the Spirit of God through the people of God spreading the Word of God, then it should start with, and be fueled by Holy Spirit enabled prayer.
Send/support
Our ultimate goal - to plant church in unreached or under-reached areas. To fund and support full time missionaries in that work.
HoS, Mission to Mexico, etc.
Go
Specially called individuals (i.e. Hannah Marchbank) You?
Short term missions to support the ministry (Ex. Alexanders)
Evangelistic outreach (i.e. VBS, etc.)
Personal evangelism (Ex. “spiritually intentional relationships”)