2 Corinthians 2-5 Fresh Vision For Missions Model Missionary
A model missionary
2 Corinthians
Pictures of missionaries
Lottie Moon
To China
Her converts numbered in the hundreds. Prolific writing campaign, Moon's letters and articles poignantly described the life of a missionary and pleaded the "desperate need" for more missionaries. She encouraged Southern Baptist women to organize mission societies in the local churches to help support additional missionary candidates, and to consider coming themselves. In 1887, Moon wrote to the Foreign Mission Journal and proposed that the week before Christmas be established as a time of giving to foreign missions.
William Carey
To India
"Shoemaker by trade, but scholar, linguist and missionary by God's training,"
"If it be the duty of all men to believe the Gospel ... then it be the duty of those who are entrusted with the Gospel to endeavor to make it known among all nations."
"EXPECT GREAT THINGS FROM GOD. ATTEMPT GREAT THINGS FOR GOD."
(no Indian convert for seven years), the Scriptures translated and printed into forty languages,
Father of the modern mission movement – mission boards
David Branierd
To American Indians in NY
First trip – ready to preach to the Indians the next day. A party had been sent out to kill him.
But when the braves drew closer to Brainerd's tent, they saw the paleface on his knees. And as he prayed, suddenly a rattlesnake slipped to his side, lifted up its ugly head to strike, flicked its forked tongue almost in his face, and then without any apparent reason, glided swiftly away into the brushwood. "The Great Spirit is with the paleface!" the Indians said; and thus they accorded him a prophet's welcome.
Died at 29 from tuberculosis – well known journal – Known for his intercessory praying
Hudson Taylor
To China
Known for his trust of God by faith
"He must move men through God -- by prayer,"
Created China inland mission – at his death
205 stations with 849 missionaries, and 125,000 Chinese Christians in the China Inland Mission.
What does it take to be a model missionary?
These can be great missionaries too.
I. Representing Christ
A. Driven by love
(NKJV) 2 Corinthians 5 14 For the love of Christ compels us,
B. Not selling but sincere
2 Corinthians 2:17 For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.
C. Reconciling others to God
(NKJV) 2 Corinthians 5 18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
D. Pleading on behalf of Christ
(NKJV) 2 Corinthians 5 20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.
E. Giving the message from God
(NKJV) 2 Corinthians 5 21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
II. To people who cannot see
A. People perishing
(NKJV) 2 Corinthians 4 3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,
1. Are dying
B. People Blinded
(NKJV) 2 Corinthians 4 4 it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
1. Can’t see the truth
2. A spiritual issue
3. Expect a spiritual battle
C. People needing God’s light
(NKJV) 2 Corinthians 4 5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
1. Through the message
2. Exposes the truth
III. Enabled by God Himself
A. Sufficiency in Him
(NKJV) 2 Corinthians 3 4 And we have such trust through Christ toward God. 5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, 6 who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
1. Trusting Him
2. Insufficient in ourselves
3. Sufficiency comes from Him
4. Sufficient as ministers
B. Triumphant in sharing
(NKJV) 2 Corinthians 2 12 Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened to me by the Lord,
14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. 15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.
1. Opened doors
2. Always triumphant in sharing
3. Diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge
C. The final choice is theirs
(NKJV) 2 Corinthians 2 16 To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life.