Mission Possible

1. INTRODUCTION. IN 1966 THE AMERICAN ESPIONAGE TELEVISION SERIES KNOWN AS MISSION IMPOSSIBLE CAME INTO FRUITION, AND IT INITIALLY AIRED FROM SEPTEMBER OF 1966 UNTIL MARCH OF 1973. THIS MAJOR TELEVISION SERIES CAPTIVATED THE MIND OF ITS VIEWERS ON A WEEKLY BASIS. THE SHOW CHRONICLED THE EXPLOITS OF A SMALL COVERT TEAM OF SECRET GOVERNMENT AGENTS, KNOWN AS THE IMPOSSIBLE MISSIONS FORCE, AND THEIR SOPHISTICATED METHODS OF THWARTING HOSTILE IRON CURTAIN GOVERNMENTS, THIRD WORLD DICTATORS, CORRUPT INDUSTRIALISTS, AND CRIME LORDS, AMONG OTHERS. THE IDENTITY OF THE AGENCY THAT OVERSAW THE IMPOSSIBLE MISSION FORCE WAS NEVER REVEALED, BUT REFERRED ON RARE OCCASIONS. THEY RECEIVED THEIR ASSIGNMENTS BY CRYPTIC MEANS, USUALLY A RECORDED MESSAGE THAT WOULD SELF DESTRUCT AFTER THE MESSAGE CONCLUDED. THE IMPOSSIBLE MISSION FORCE HAD THE ARDUOUS TASK OF CARRYING OUT THEIR SEEMINGLY IMPOSSIBLE ASSIGNMENTS. WELL MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, AS BELIEVERS UNITED IN THE SERVICE OF CHRIST, WE ARE NOT A COVERT TEAM OPERATING UNDER THE CLOAK OF MYSTERY, AND WE DO NOT RECEIVE OUR ASSIGNMENTS FROM A CRYPTIC SOURCE, BUT FROM CHRIST HIMSELF. AND WE LIKE THE IMPOSSIBLE MISSION FORCE DO NOT SEE THE FACE OF HIM THAT GIVES US OUR ASSIGNMENTS, WE HEAR HIS WORDS BY MEANS OF HIS RECORDED WORD, THAT DOES NOT AND CANNOT SELF DESTRUCT. UNLIKE THE IMPOSSIBLE MISSION FORCE WHO DID NOT KNOW THE IDENTITY THAT OVERSAW THEM, WE KNOW THE IDENTITY OF WHO SENDS US. AND WE ALSO HAVE THE ARDUOUS TASK OF CARRYING OUT OUR MISSION. OUR ASSIGNMENT COMES FROM A HEAVENLY AND DIVINE AGENCY THAT IS OVERSEEN BY GOD, INSTRUCTED BY JESUS, AND EMPOWERED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT; THAT AIR MORE THAN TWO THOUSAND YEARS AGO. I COME TO TELL US TODAY AS WE RECOGNIZE MISSION SUNDAY, THAT WE HAVE A MISSION THAT IS POSSIBLE!

2. THE TEXT. VERSES 31-34 RELATE TO THE JUDGMENT AND REWARDS BY CHRIST WHERE HE WILL SEPARATE THE SHEEP FROM THE GOATS.

a) VERSES 35-40 RELATES TO THOSE WHO HAVE EFFECTIVELY AND FAITHFULLY CARRIED OUT THE CHARITABLE ACTS OF KINDNESS OF THOSE WHO ARE UNTIED TO CHRIST.

b) AS CHRISTIANS WE ARE CHARGED TO BE A BLESSING TO OTHERS.

c) WHEN WE DEMONSTRATE KINDNESS TO OTHERS, WE REFLECT THE ACTIONS OF OUR CHRIST, AND IT IS AS THOUGH WE ARE OFFERING KINDNESS UNTO HIM.

d) WHEN WE ARE A BLESSING TO OTHERS, CHRIST HAS ARRANGED THAT WE WILL BE BLESSED IN RETURN, GAL. 6:7, “BE NOT DECEIVED; GOD IS NOT MOCKED: FOR WHATSOEVER A MAN SOWETH, THAT SHALL HE ALSO REAP.”

e) THE QUESTION THAT I WANT TO ASK YOU TODAY IS “DO YOU WANT TO BE BLESSED?”

f) MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WE HAVE A MISSION THAT IS POSSIBLE!

3. WHAT IS OUR TASK? SIMPLY PUT, OUR TASK IS TO GLORIFY GOD BY BEING OBEDIENT TO HIS WORD AS OUTLINED IN MATT. 5:16, “LET YOUR LIGHT SO SHINE BEFORE MEN, THAT THEY MAY SEE YOUR GOOD WORKS, AND GLORIFY YOUR FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN.”

a) ALL OF US HAVE A LIGHT THAT NEEDS TO BE SHINED IN THE DARK, DISMAL, AND DESPERATE TIMES IN WHICH WE LIVE. THE QUESTION I WANT TO ASK AT THIS POINT IS, “ARE YOU SHINNING YOUR LIGHT?”

b) ALL OF US CAN BE A BLESSING TO SOMEONE.

c) THE NEXT TIME THAT YOU SEE SOMEONE STANDING ON THE CORNER, LEND THEM A HAND. I KNOW WHAT YOU’RE THINKING BECAUSE I CAN SEE IT ALL OVER YOUR FACES.

d) YOU’RE THINKING, PASTOR WHY SHOULD I GIVE MY MONEY TO SOMEBODY THAT’S GOING TO BUY BEER OR DRUGS? AND THE ANSWER IS NOT COMPLICATED. IT’S AN OPPORTUNITY TO POUR GOD INTO THEM. YOU NEVER KNOW THE IMPACT THAT YOU CAN HAVE ON THEM.

e) GAL. 6:10, “AS WE HAVE THEREFORE OPPORTUNITY, LET US DO GOOD UNTO ALL MEN, ESPECIALLY UNTO THEM WHO ARE OF THE HOUSEHOLD OF FAITH.”

f) SAD BUT TRUE, THAT MANY WILL HEAR WHAT THE WORD OF GOD DECLARES AND WILL LEAVE HERE TODAY WITHOUT TAKING HEED TO HIS COMMANDS!

g) PROV. 21:13, “WHOSO STOPPETH HIS EARS AT THE CRY OF THE POOR, HE ALSO SHALL CRY HIMSELF, BUT SHALL NOT BE HEARD.” THE MEANING IS THIS, THAT IF WE DON’T BLESS OTHERS, WE ARE NOT READY OR WORTHY TO RECEIVE GOD’S BLESSINGS.

4. WHAT’S AT STAKE? THE LIVES OF THOSE WHO ARE LESS FORTUNATE THAN WE ARE. THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN DISENFRANCHISED BY SOCIETY AND EVEN THEIR OWN FAMILY MEMBERS.

a) THOSE WHO ARE LABELED AS OUTCASTS AND DOWNTRODDEN, WHO DO NOT HAVE THE ESSENTIAL OF LIFE’S BASIC NECESSITIES, WHO ARE ABANDONED, RIDICULED, DEMORALIZED, AND HUMILIATED!

b) AND WHILE THEY MIGHT HAVE BROUGHT THEIR DILEMMA UPON THEMSELVES, IT IS STILL AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE GOD WITH THEM AND THE POSSIBILITY OF WINNING THEM TO GOD!

c) NOT ONLY ARE THE LIVES OF THOSE THAT I HAVE MENTIONED ARE AT STAKE, BUT OUR REWARDS ON EARTH AND IN ETERNITY ARE AT STAKE.