Developing A Mind For Missions

Title: Developing a Mindset for Missions Scripture: Mt. 28:16-20

Type: Topical/Expository Where: GNBC 4-21-14

Intro: “Charlie Brown always had a crush on the little red- haired girl. He would follow her home at a distance and want to talk to her, but he never did. Linus once asked Charlie B if the little red haired girl liked him and he said that he did not know because he never asked her. Too often, we follow Jesus from afar and maybe have a crush on Him, but we do not sense His love or the message He would have us give the Lost because we do not spend time with Him and don’t know His will. We need to spend time with Him because He will give us courage and insight. Charlie Brown didn’t have courage to talk to the little red haired girl. The disciples were scared and full of doubts. We fear telling the lost about Christ. When we spend time with Him we’ll begin to experience the truth of all power is given unto Him in heaven and in earth.” (Dr. Ronald Shultz) Spending time with Christ and realizing what His Word says, will help us to develop a mind for missions.

Prop: In Mt. 28:16-20 we’ll notice 5 essentials necessary to develop a mind for missions.

BG: 1. What do I mean by “missions”? Concern for the lost and spiritually separated from Christ.

2. Mt. 28:16-20 is commonly referred to as “The Great Commission”. Christ calls His disciples to

3.Given by Christ to disciples before He ascended to Father. What we are to be about.

Prop: Let’s look at Mt. 28:16ff to realize 5 essentials necessary in developing a mind for missions.

I. A Mind for Missions Requires a Personal Faith in the Deity of Jesus Christ. vv.16-17

A. This Passage Highlights a Curious Phenomenon Amongst the followers of Christ.

1. It would appear that even after the resurrection some of Christ’s disciples believed in and worshipped Christ, whereas some did not. Now, certainly we know that for a week that was the case with Thomas as he struggled between the goalposts of faith and unbelief. I find it interesting that in all of the Gospels and in Acts the Great Commission is preceded by a reference to the fears or doubts of the disciples regarding the Lord’s resurrection. This was not an overly confident group at this moment in time. They still had doubt and fears. And yet it is only Matthew who chooses to stress the authority of our Lord as an introduction to the Great Commission.

2. The follower of Christ who even begins to consider missions must make a distinction between Worship and Doubt. Most of the disciples were at the place of worship, but obviously, even here, at the end of the post-resurrection appearances of Christ, some still struggled. Strugglers aren’t going to go to the ends of the earth. Committed will.

B. To Begin to Develop a Mind for Missions One Must Be Fully Convinced of the Deity of Christ.

1. Personal Faith in the Deity of Christ will lead one to Worship Christ!

a. Illust – John Piper once said the following: “Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more.” (p.11 “Let the Nations…) This paragraph profoundly changed what I viewed as the goal of missions. Ultimately missions isn’t about church planting, Bible translation, evangelism, education… Piper pointed me to something bigger: the goal of missions is nothing less than the worship of God.

b. If you aren’t saved and don’t know Christ, you could care less about the teeming millions lost without Christ because you are one of those very lost and dying souls!

2. Worship is in Fact the Fuel of Missions: Again, to quote Piper: “Worship is the fuel of missions. Passion for God in worship precedes the offer of God in preaching. You can’t commend what you don’t cherish. Missionaries will never call out “Let the nations be glad!”, who cannot say from the heart, “I rejoice in the Lord… I will be glad and exult in Thee” Missions begins and ends in worship!” (p.11)

C. Applic: Missions flows from a heart that seeks to worship Christ. If you don’t worship Christ, Missions will be the furthest thing from your mind.

II. A Mind for Missions Requires Confidence in the Authority of Christ. v. 18

A. Christ Commends His Authority as a Foundational Element of Missions.

1. What is authority and why is it important to my involvement in missions?

a. Illust: What is authority? the power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience. (It is different from physical strength or power. Illust – 120lb policewoman with upraised hand can stop an 18 wheeler loaded up to 80K lbs. Strength? No! Authority!) Missions is the authority of Christ extending and overcoming territory once held captive by the devil.