Back To The Basics - Missions Series

Back to the Basics - Missions

July 22, 2012 Morning Service

Immanuel Baptist Church, Wagoner, OK

Rick Boyne

Message Point: All believers are called to participate in missions.

Focus Passage: Acts 17:16-34

Supplemental Passage: "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." (Matthew 28:19-20 NASB)

Introduction:

97% of the world has heard of Coca-cola

72% of the world has seen a can of Coca-cola

51% of the world has tasted a can of Coca-cola

Coke has only been around 126 years (2012).

If God had given the task of world evangelization to the Coke company it would probably be done by now.

Source Unknown. (http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/m/missions_evangelism_witnessing.htm)

I. Praying for Missions

a. Basic expectation of all believers

b. Pray for missionaries

i. and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. (Ephesians 6:19-20 NASB)

ii. Boldness

iii. Language

iv. Opportunities

v. Cultural Learning

vi. Health

vii. Safety

c. Pray for laborers in the harvest

i. And He was saying to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. (Luke 10:2 NASB)

d. Pray for hearts and minds to be opened

II. Giving to Missions

a. Basic expectation of all believers

b. Give money to missionaries or missionary boards

i. You yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel, after I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone; for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs. (Philippians 4:15-16 NASB)

ii. Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also. On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come. (1 Corinthians 16:1-2 NASB)

c. Give opportunities for missionaries to report

i. When they had arrived and gathered the church together, they began to report all things that God had done with them and how He had opened a door of faith to the Gentiles. And they spent a long time with the disciples. (Acts 14:27-28 NASB)

III. Going on Missions

a. "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." (Matthew 28:19-20 NASB)

b. 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." (Acts 1:8 NASB)

Invitation: When Hudson Taylor was director of the China Inland Mission, he often interviewed candidates for the mission field. On one occasion, he met with a group of applicants to determine their motivations for service. "And why do you wish to go as a foreign missionary?" he asked one. "I want to go because Christ has commanded us to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature," was the reply. Another said, "I want to go because millions are perishing without Christ." Others gave different answers. Then Hudson Taylor said, "All of these motives, however good, will fail you in times of testings, trials, tribulations, and possible death. There is but one motive that will sustain you in trial and testing; namely, the love of Christ."

Source Unknown. (http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/m/missions_evangelism_witnessing.htm)