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WHAT IS MISSIONS ALL ABOUT?
MATTHEW 28:19-20; MARK 16:15; ACTS 1:8; ACTS 13:1-5
Introduction
Matthew 28:18-20–“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
Mark 16:15–“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”
Acts 1:8–“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
Charles Malik, who was at one time the Lebanese ambassador to the United Nations, asked in a speech: "What has been the greatest American contribution to the rest of the world? Has it been money? Has it been food? Has it been medical skill? Has it been military might? Has it been industrial know-how?" Then he answered, "The greatest thing to come out of America has been the American missionary effort: The quiet, selfless men and women who have left the comfort and security of their homeland to bring the gospel of Christianity to less favored nations."
We hear about Churches that are said to be "missions-minded." We claim to be “missions-minded” because we have a Faith Promise Missions program. However, Churches are not just to have a mission’s program— We are TO BE a mission’s program! Everything about this Church and every Church for that matter should be about fulfilling the Great Commission–Every service, every ministry, every single thing that is done should be centered around the Great Commission. It is the very purpose of our existence.
We all know that Coca-Cola is everywhere. Even in some remote places where the Gospel has never been, you’ll find Coca-Cola. But how did it get there? There is a motto that is posted in the company's headquarters that explains it. It says, “THINK GLOBALLY, BUT ACT LOCALLY.” What this slogan is to Coke, the Great Commission is to the Church.
“What is missions all about?” that’s what I want us to look at in the time that we have:
I. MISSIONS IS ABOUT A CONVICTION!
The Conviction That All Who Are Without Christ Are Lost!
Romans 3:9-11–“. . . we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; 10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.”
Romans 3:23–“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”
Romans 6:23–“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Not just physical death, but the second death spoken of in Revelation 20:14-15.
Revelation 20:14-15–“And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
A. Don’t you think we should be at least as mission-minded as those who are in Hell? Remember how the rich man in Luke 16 did not want his five brethren to join him in hell.
B. Don’t you think we should be at least as mission-minded as God?
John 3:16–“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
C. Don’t you think that we should be at least as mission-minded as Christ?
God had only one son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and He was a missionary!
Luke 19:10–“For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
2 Corinthians 5:14–“For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: 15And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.”
D. Don’t you think that we should be at least as mission-minded as the early Church?
There were many who surrendered their lives to carry the Gospel to the lost.
There were many who sacrificed to financially support those who carried the Gospel.
There were many who offered prayers daily for both the lost and those who placed themselves in harms way to preach the Gospel.
E. Don’t you think that we should be at least as mission-minded as those who reached us?
What if the person who shared the Gospel with you or invited you to a Church service where you heard the Gospel had been as mission-minded as you are?
Would you be saved right now?
You may have been raised up in a Christian family like me or maybe even for generations your family has been made up of believers. Suppose the folks who first reached your family with the Gospel–your father, grandfather, great grandfather or ever how far back it goes–suppose they had been as mission-minded as you? Would they have come to know the Lord? Would you have come to know the Lord?
MISSIONS IS ABOUT A CONVICTION!
The Conviction That All Who Are Without Christ Are Lost!
II. MISSIONS IS ABOUT A CURE!
Only The Gospel Can Save Those Who Are Lost!
A. How Can You Cure A Sick Man Who Has The Ultimate Sickness–
(i.e He’s A Dead Man?)
Death is the ultimate sickness!
A dead man doesn’t need resuscitation, he needs a resurrection!
You can give a dead man shelter, food to eat, the finest clothes to wear or anything else you want to give him. But it won’t meet his greatest need!
He needs life!
Jesus said in Matthew 9:12-13, “. . .They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.
13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
Jesus spoke these words to the religious Pharisees who were in need of the Gospel as much as anyone else! They were more religious than most folks in Churches today!
They went to God’s House! They tithed! They gave to those who were in need! They were men of the Book! They were men of prayer! But they had a very big problem! They were spiritually blind and spiritually dead!
The Pharisees viewed themselves as righteous, not sinners!
They viewed themselves as whole, not sick!
They viewed themselves as alive, not dead!
They viewed themselves as Godly, not godless!
B. Only The Gospel Can Cure Man’s Sin Sickness!
Romans 1:16–“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
1. The Gospel Has The Power To Change A Life!
It changed the Apostles from a bunch of rag tag cowards into one of the most courageous bunch of preachers that have ever lived.
It changed the Apostle Paul from a religious zealot who murdered for his faith, (much like the Islamic extremists of our day) into a great Christian.
There is a story told of an agnostic college professor who visited the Fiji Islands. He remarked to an elderly chief, "You're a great leader, but it's a pity you've been taken in by those Christian missionaries. No one believes the Bible anymore. People are tired of the story of Christ dying on a cross for the sins of mankind. They know better now. I'm sorry you've been so foolish as to accept their story."
The old chief's eyes flashed as he answered, "See that great rock over there? On it we smashed the heads of our victims. Notice the furnace next to it? In that oven we used to roast the bodies of our enemies. If it wasn’t for those missionaries and the Gospel of Christ that changed us from cannibals into Christians, you'd be our next supper!”
2. The Gospel Is What People Really Need!
I’m not against humanitarian relief work, but it is not enough!
It does not reach down to man’s greatest need.
If you support humanitarian relief, you should do it with someone who is going to give them the Gospel at the same time!
3. The Gospel Is What We Must Be About! (1 Corinthians 9:16-18)
How wrong would it be for me to hold the cure to cancer or some other deadly disease and not share it with those who are dying from it?
How much more wrong is it not to carry the Gospel to a lost and dying world.
MISSIONS IS ABOUT A CONVICTION!
The Conviction That All Who Are Without Christ Are Lost!
MISSIONS IS ABOUT A CURE!
Only The Gospel Can Save Those Who Are Lost!
III. MISSIONS IS ABOUT A COMPASSION!
It Is About Having The Compassion Of Christ!
A. The Bible Shows That Christ Was Full Of Compassion. (Matthew 9:36-38)
B. The Bible Says That Our God Is A God Who Is Full Of Compassion.
Psalms 86:15–“But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.”
The closest thing to the heart of God is winning the lost to Christ.
C. The Bible Says That We Should Be Full Of Compassion.
1 John 3:17-18–“But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? 18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.”
If that be true with regard to this world’s goods which are temporal, how much more is it true about the Gospel which is eternal!
Jude 1:22–“And of some have compassion, making a difference:”
He who has a little heart for the lost has little heart for the Saviour.
IV. MISSIONS IS ABOUT A COMMAND! (Acts 1:8)
Every Christian Is Responsible To Take The Gospel To The Lost. (Acts 8:1, 4).
A. You Are Either A Missionary Or A Mission Field.
B. It Is Not Just The Preacher’s Job.
C. It Is Not An Optional thing.
You may say, "But, it’s against my nature!" Yes, and it’s against mine too!
V. MISSIONS IS ABOUT A COMPLIANCE!
Making Ourselves Available To Go After The Lost.
Isaiah 6:8–“Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.”
A. We Need To Go With Our Person!
1. We Need People To Become Involved Here.
2. We Need People To Become Involved There.
You may say where there? Everywhere there!
The Gospel has never been where someone hasn’t taken it.
Many people think that God can't use them where they are.
But it is certain that God can't use them where they ain’t.
B. We Need To Go With Our Prayers!
Paul said, "Brethren, pray for us…"
C. We Need To Go With Our Pocketbook! (2 Corinthians 10:15-16)
1. The tithe is OBEDIENT giving! (It is commanded!)
2. The offering is LOVE giving! (We prove the sincerity of our love!)
3. Faith promise mission giving is FAITH giving! (Trusting God to give through you!
Conclusion
Are you part of the problem or the solution?
Are you willing to help get the Gospel to some area of the world where Christ has not been preached? How about in your own hometown?
Missions Is All About
A CONVICTION–The Conviction That All Who Are Without Christ Are Lost!
A CURE–Only The Gospel Can Save Those Who Are Lost!
A COMPASSION–It Is About Having The Compassion Of Christ!
A COMMAND–Every Christian Is Responsible To Take The Gospel To The Lost!
A COMPLIANCE–Making Ourselves Available To Go After The Lost!
Home Page Contact Us Service Times Sermons Are You Going To Heaven?
NOTICE: THESE SERMONS ARE FREE TO BE USED BUT ARE NOT TO BE SOLD!