God's Call To Missions

GOD’S CALL TO MISSIONS

A. “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”- Matthew 28:19-20.

1. This is what is known as the GREAT COMMISSION, a commission not only for the original disciples but for the church today.

2. The third line of our PURPOSE STATEMENT

is: “Planting the gospel seed at home and abroad.”

COMMENT:

Supporting Corey and his family’s MINISTRY in Japan is only one way that we are trying to fulfill our PURPOSE—the GREAT COMMISSION that God has given to us.

3. It is AMAZING to learn how God uses people to CARRY on His MISSION.

ILLUSTRATION:

Lamak was born into a wealthy, powerful Muslim family in South Asia. His family’s reputation put pressure on him to live like a Muslim. Everything changed when Lamak turned his life over to Jesus Christ while working in Singapore.

When he returned home four years later, he accepted the risks of living out his faith. Despite the danger, Lamak shared Jesus with his family.

His father-in-law reacted violently. He strapped Lamak to a chair and pumped volts of electricity into his arms. He tried to force Lamak to denounce his faith in Christ. Lamak refused.

Though scars remain on Lamak’s arms as a result of this torture, he uses his wounds to share his testimony with others. He now works with short-term MISSION WORKERS and has helped plant 32 churches and has baptized 500 Muslim believers.

COMMENT:

But Lamak would never have had the opportunity to do so much for Christ had he never HEARD the Gospel and TURNED his LIFE over to Jesus Christ.

B. Romans 10:8-15 (READ)

COMMENT:

In these verses Paul asks a series of RHETORICAL QUESTIONS to EMPHASIZE to his readers their RESPONSIBILITY in getting the GOSPEL MESSAGE to people whom have not heard of Jesus. Let’s CONSIDER these questions.

MESSAGE:

I. HOW CAN THEY BELIEVE?

A. Paul asks, “How can people turn to Jesus for salvation if they don’t BELIEVE?”

1. John 3:16- “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever BELIEVES in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

COMMENT:

This verse reveals to us how much God LOVES the PEOPLE on this earth. He sent His only Son to die a CRUEL death upon the CROSS so that every human being can LIVE with Him forever. A SINNER may go to hell UNSAVED, but he will not go to hell UNLOVED.

2. God PLEADS for man-kind to BELIEVE in His Son so they can be SAVED.

a. Yet, we have already seen pictures this morning of people steeped in a RELIGION without Jesus Christ.

ILLUSTRATION:

This is why Corey and his team of MISSIONARIES are in Japan. These are people whom God LOVES, as he does all MAN-KIND. He sent His Son to DIE for them. Yet, the people of Japan can tell you all about Buddha, but the majority knows hardly anything about Jesus Christ.

b. This is true of many people in FOREIGN NATIONS today.

3. What’s even more STARTLING, there are many CHILDREN growing up in this COUNTRY who really do not know who Jesus is.

ILLUSTRATION:

Although I didn’t see this MOVIE, I was told that in the recent movie called “Super-Size Me”, which is about the FAST-FOOD INDUSTRY, a random group of children were shown a picture of MICKEY MOUSE. MOST of them were able to recognize the most prominent of

Walt Disney’s cartoon characters.

Then they were shown a picture of RONALD MCDONALD. ALL the children knew who he was.

Last, they were shown the typical picture of “JESUS” that hangs in most Sunday school rooms across the country. NONE of them RECOGNIZED who that PICTURE represented.

COMMENT:

Friends, a SILLY CLOWN advertising HAMBURGERS and a CARTOON MOUSE are not going to SAVE US—they are not going to SAVE our KIDS. Jesus is the ANSWER.

Your KIDS know all about Mickey Mouse and Ronald McDonald. What do they KNOW about Jesus? What does your GRANDCHILDREN know about Jesus?

B. Believing in Jesus is much more than just merely recognizing an ARTIST’S depiction of him.

1. However, I think you will be SADDENED to realize how many people you know personally who do not have a CLEAR understanding of who Jesus is.

COMMENT:

Oh, people can tell you that there is a CONNECTION with Jesus and Christmas. They can tell you about the BABY born in a MANGER, but they know very little about the MAN who HUNG on the CROSS.

2. So Paul asks, “How then can they call on the One they have not believed in?”

II. HOW CAN THEY HEAR?

A. They can’t if we don’t SPEAK UP!