Boldly Going #2 Series

BOLDLY GOING

ACTS 1:8

LAST WEEK, WE TALKED ABOUT THE WHO AND WHY OF MISSIONS.

WE LEARNED THAT ALL OF US ARE MISSIONARIES AND THAT WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE TASK OF BEING ON MISSION FOR CHRIST.

THIS MORNING, I WANT US TO LEARN ABOUT THE “WHERE OF MISSIONS.

TAKE YOUR COPY OF GOD’S WORD AND TURN WITH ME TO THE BOOK OF ACTS, CHAPTER 1. LET’S HONOR GOD’S WORD BY STANDING AS WE READ VERSES 6 THROUGH 8.

STAND – READ - PRAY

THAT MISSION HAS BEEN DEFINED FOR US IN II CORINTHIANS 5:18-20 - 18 NOW EVERYTHING IS FROM GOD, WHO RECONCILED US TO HIMSELF THROUGH CHRIST AND GAVE US THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION: 19 THAT IS, IN CHRIST, GOD WAS RECONCILING THE WORLD TO HIMSELF, NOT COUNTING THEIR TRESPASSES AGAINST THEM, AND HE HAS COMMITTED THE MESSAGE OF RECONCILIATION TO US. 20 THEREFORE, WE ARE AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST; CERTAIN THAT GOD IS APPEALING THROUGH US, WE PLEAD ON CHRIST’S BEHALF, “BE RECONCILED TO GOD.”

THE LAST COMMAND HE EVER GAVE ON THIS EARTH WAS THE GREAT COMMISSION.

THE LAST WORDS JESUS EVER UTTERED WHILE HE WAS ON THIS EARTH WERE THESE: "TO THE END OF THE EARTH." WHEN JESUS LEFT THIS EARTH HE HAD MISSIONS ON HIS MIND.

JESUS CAME AS A MISSIONARY FROM HEAVEN THAT HE MIGHT MAKE US MISSIONARIES FOR HEAVEN.

GOD HAS GIVEN CHRISTIANS THE JOB OF TELLING THE WORLD ABOUT HIM AND THAT JOB IS GETTING BIGGER EVERY YEAR.

ONLY 8% OF THE WORLD’S POPULATION ARE CHRISTIANS 92% ARE NOT.

I WANT OUR CHURCH TO BE INSPIRED TO HEAR GOD CALLING US TO MISSIONS BECAUSE I BELIEVE WITH ALL OF OUR HEARTS THAT PEOPLE WITHOUT JESUS CHRIST ARE L-O-S-T.

WHEN HUDSON TAYLOR WAS ON HIS WAY TO CHINA HE WAS CONFRONTED ONE DAY BY THE SHIP’S CAPTAIN. HE SAID, "TAYLOR, DO YOU THINK THE HEATHEN WILL BE LOST IF YOU DON’T GO TO CHINA?" TAYLOR REPLIED, "I THINK THE HEATHEN ARE LOST, THAT’S WHY I AM GOING TO CHINA."

NOW GOD HAS NOT LEFT OUR MISSION ENTERPRISE TO CHANCE OR TRIAL AND ERROR. GOD HAS TOLD US PERFECTLY HOW WE ARE TO CARRY OUT THE WORK OF MISSIONS, AND HAS ALREADY GIVEN US ALL THE TOOLS WE NEED TO DO IT.

I. CAPTURE GOD’S PASSION

THIS IS THE FIRST STEP AND IT IS THE MOST CRITICAL. BEFORE A PERSON GETS CONCERNED ABOUT REACHING OTHERS FOR CHRIST THEY MUST UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH GOD CARES ABOUT IT.

THE VERSES WE HAVE ALREADY READ ARE JUST A FEW OF THE WINDOWS INTO GOD’S HEART OF CONCERN FOR THE LOST.

1 PETER 3:9 - GOD IS NOT WILLING THAT ANY SHOULD PERISH, BUT THAT ALL COME TO REPENTANCE.

THAT’S GOD’S PASSION, AND IT SHOULD BE OUR PASSION.

2. TAP INTO GOD’S POWER

HERE IN ACTS 1:8 - JESUS LEAVES US WITH ONE OF THE GREATEST PROMISES HE EVER GAVE, "BUT YOU WILL RECEIVE POWER WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS COME UPON YOU."

GOD HAS GIVEN TO EACH ONE OF US SUPERNATURAL RESOURCES TO CARRY OUT THE WORK OF MISSIONS.

THE FOUNDATION OF MISSIONS IS NOT MONEY, NOR MANPOWER, NOR METHODOLOGY. IT IS THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

THAT’S WHY EVERYBODY CAN BE A MISSIONARY RIGHT WHERE THEY LIVE.

YOU SEE, WITNESSING IS NOT DEPENDENT UPON YOUR PERSONALITY. IT’S NOT DEPENDENT UPON YOUR PERSUASIVENESS. IT’S NOT DEPENDENT UPON YOUR POSITION.

IT IS DEPENDENT UPON THE POWER OF GOD AND EVERY CHRISTIAN HAS AVAILABLE TO HIM THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

AND IF YOU HAVE THE POWER OF GOD YOU DON’T NEED ANYTHING ELSE.

GOD WILL SUPPLY THE REST.

SO WE NEED TO TAP INTO THE POWER.

3. COMMIT TO GOD’S PLAN

NOW NOTICE THE PURPOSE OF THIS POWER. POWER IS GIVEN SO THAT "YOU WILL BE MY WITNESSES."

THE HOLY SPIRIT IS NEVER GIVEN FOR OUR ENJOYMENT. HE IS GIVEN FOR OUR EMPLOYMENT.

THE REASON WHY GOD GIVES TO EACH ONE OF US THE PERSON, PRESENCE, AND POWER OF HIS HOLY SPIRIT IS SO THAT WE MIGHT BE A WITNESS FOR THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.

"THE GOAL OF THE SPIRIT-FILLED LIFE IS TO BE SO VITALLY CONNECTED TO CHRIST THAT YOU CAN’T STOP TALKING ABOUT HIM."

JESUS IS THE PERSON OF MISSIONS.

THE SPIRIT IS THE POWER OF MISSIONS.

WITNESSING IS THE PLAN OF MISSIONS

WE ARE THE PEOPLE OF MISSIONS.

GOD’S PLAN IS TO USE US. GOD HAS CHOSEN NOT WIN THIS WORLD TO HIMSELF WITHOUT US.

I WANT TO SAY TO YOU THIS MORNING IF YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW GOD INTENDS TO REACH A LOST WORLD FOR JESUS CHRIST, GO HOME AND LOOK IN THE MIRROR. THERE IS NO PLAN B. IF WE DO NOT DO IT IN THE POWER OF GOD’S SPIRIT, IT WILL NOT BE DONE.

NOTICE CAREFULLY THAT GOD HAS CALLED US TO BE WITNESSES.