Impossible Possible Mission

Impossible Possible Mission

Acts 1:3-8

Online Sermon: http://www.mckeesfamily.com/?page_id=3567

Impossible Mission

The Mission Impossible movies start off with an iconic decision that must be made by the leading operative of the IMF team, Tom Cruise. There is a taped message from headquarters contacting Cruise on a common everyday item such as a phone, sunglasses, camera, iPad, or other device that gives the details of the mission that is so fraught with danger and unbelievable challenges that no regular joe or highly trained person would ever stand a chance of surviving much less succeeding! At his point in the movie, you are sitting on the edge of your seat for you know after having watched Cruise in other missions that what is being asked will require him to enter a fully armed, state of the art video surveillance, impenetrable fortress undetected to secure some object or person and somehow escape without being captured or lose his very life! To make sure Cruise knows the severity of the danger he faces the person from headquarters calmly but curtly states “should any member of his team be killed or caught the secretary will disavow any knowledge of his/her actions.” The tape then warns Cruise that it will self destruct in 5 seconds. The opening of the movie is done masterfully for it invites the viewer to ponder the question: would they ever consider saying YES to such an impossible, dangerous mission or would their involvement dissipate with the smoke of the self-destructing message?

The book of Acts outlines the mission of the church as being to witness to the world the Good News concerning the resurrected Christ. Without the aid of God this is an impossible and dangerous task! To convince those given over to their reprobate minds (Romans 1:28) that the cross is anything, but mere foolishness (1 Corinthians 1:18) is an exercise in futility especially considering that so many of them believe that truth is individually created and maintained in the figments of one’s own mind! Yes as Christ’s ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20) we can plant and water the seeds of truth in another’s heart but without the Spirit of God to convict and convert them our efforts are mere “dust building upon dust” (1 Corinthians 3:6-7). Who of the lost would ever accept with pure joy even the suggestion that they aught to dethrone the god of self and submit to their Creator when their heart’s desire is to indulge in the sinful cravings of their own hearts (James 1:14)? And even if one were to let one’s Light shine (Matthew 5:16) does this not invite hatred towards oneself from those hate having our Light expose their evil deeds (John 3:20)? While it is somewhat frightening and painful to be persecuted for righteousness’s sake by flesh and blood, the moment we chose to witness to the world do we not enter the worldly arena in which our struggle also becomes against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms? Whom of us could ever stand against demons without the Spirit and the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6)? After reading the book of Acts the reader is left to ponder the question: would one say YES to such an impossible, dangerous mission of spreading the Good News to the lost of this world or would one choose to hide one’s light under a bushel (Matthew 5:15)?

The Fields are Ripe but Few Workers

Before you answer this life defining question let me remind us of the urgency of the mission call in the book of Acts. The current world population in 2021 is approximately 7.9 billion people. Each person has been given but one life to live (Genesis 3:19) and the freewill to either choose or reject God’s gracious gift of salvation. Those who believe in His Son’s atoning sacrifice (1 John 2:2) are born again (John 3:1-21), adopted into His family (Romans 8:14-26), sealed by His Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14), and will spend an eternity in heaven (John 3:16) whereas those who reject God will be forever separated from Him and sentenced to a lake of fire to eternally experience wailing and gnashing of their teeth (Matthew 13:40-43)! And yet despite the severe contrast of rewards verses punishments for this life altering decision only 30 percent of population state they are Christian. Even if one assumes they are truly believers, which is unlikely for many who say “Lord, Lord” do not have a relationship with Him (Matthew 7:22-23), this still leaves a staggering 5.5 billion souls living with a reprobate mind that will earn them eternity in hell unless someone boldly, bravely and Spirit led tells them about Jesus! With such urgency and ripe fields surely the workers must be plentiful (Matthew 9:37-38)? And yet the Joshua Project estimates about 7,400 people groups or about 42 % of the world’s population has less than a 2 % Christian witness available to tell the Gospel message and Lifeway Research found that over 55 % of believers never tell a single lost soul about Jesus! Are you telling the lost about Jesus?