MISSIONS SERIES
BOLDLY GOING
MATTHEW 28:18-20
IN THE MID-1960’S, A PHENOMENON WAS UNLEASHED.
IT WAS A PHENOMENON THAT HAS SURVIVED UNTIL THIS PRESENT DAY. THE PHENOMENON WAS CALLED STAR TREK, AND IT REVOLUTIONIZED THE SCIENCE-FICTION WORLD.
THE MOST MEMORABLE PART OF THE STAR-TREK EXPERIENCE FOR ME, AS A YOUNG BOY WATCHING THE SERIES IN SYNDICATION IN THE SEVENTIES, WAS THE MISSION STATEMENT THAT BEGAN EACH EPISODE.
DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT IT SAID?
SPACE...THE FINAL FRONTIER.
THESE ARE THE VOYAGES OF THE STARSHIP ENTERPRISE.
ITS FIVE-YEAR MISSION: TO EXPLORE STRANGE NEW WORLDS, TO SEEK OUT NEW LIFE AND NEW CIVILIZATIONS, TO BOLDLY GO WHERE NO MAN HAS GONE BEFORE.
I WOULD HEAR THAT OPENING LINE AND I WAS HOOKED.
THE IDEA OF EXPLORING STRANGE, NEW WORLDS, OF BOLDLY GOING WHERE NO MAN HAD GONE BEFORE…THERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT IT THAT CAPTIVATED ME.
AND IT IS WITH THIS SAME SENSE OF CAPTIVATION THAT I PRESENT TO THIS MORNING, THE FIRST MESSAGE IN A TWO-PART SERIES ENTITLED “BOLDLY GOING”.
BECAUSE YOU AND I, NO MATTER WHO WE ARE, NO MATTER WHAT WE CAN OR CANNOT DO, ARE CALLED TO BOLDLY GO IN THE NAME OF JESUS.
WE ARE CALLED TO BOLDLY AND LOVINGLY PROCLAIM THE WONDERS OF THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS CHRIST TO A WORLD THAT IS IN MANY WAYS SIMILAR TO THE WORLDS THAT THE CREW OF THE STARSHIP ENTERPRISE EXPLORED.
WE ARE CALLED TO BOLDLY GO WHERE NO MAN HAS GONE BEFORE.
WE ARE CALLED TO MISSIONS.
TAKE YOUR BIBLE AND TURN WITH ME TO ONE OF THE MOST FREQUENTLY READ, FREQUENTLY QUOTED PASSAGES OF SCRIPTURE IN THE BIBLE.
MATTHEW, CHAPTER 28.
AND LET’S BEGIN READING IN VERSE 16 AND READING THROUGH VERSE 20.
STAND – READ – PRAY
WHEN WE THINK ABOUT MISSIONS, WE OFTEN CONSIDER IT TO BE SOMETHING THAT OTHER PEOPLE DO.
I TRIED FOR YEARS TO JUSTIFY MY OWN UNWILLINGNESS TO “DO” MISSIONS BY USING THE FACT THAT I AM A PASTOR, SO THEREFORE I HAVE TOO MANY OTHER OBLIGATIONS TO DO MISSIONS.
BUT WHAT I HAVE REALIZED, AND WHAT I HOPE YOU WILL REALIZE IS THAT WE ARE ALL CALLED TO “DO” MISSIONS.
THIS MORNING, I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU WHAT THE BIBLE HAS ABOUT WHO IS CALLED TO MISSIONS AND WHY WE ARE CALLED TO MISSIONS.
AND WE’LL DO THIS BY LOOKING AT THE GREAT COMMISSION.
A. SO, WHO IS CALLED TO “DO” MISSIONS?
WELL, THE EASY ANSWER IS THAT EVERY BELIEVER IS CALLED TO DO MISSIONS.
BUT I WANT YOU TO LOOK AT WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT WHO IS TO DO MISSIONS.
I WANT YOU TO NOTICE HOW JESUS PHRASED THE GREAT COMMISSION.
HE USED WHAT I LIKE TO CALL THE PROCESS OF REPLICATION.
IN VERSE 16, THE BIBLE STATES THAT THE ELEVEN DISCIPLES WENT TO GALILEE, TO THE MOUNTAIN THAT JESUS HAD DIRECTED THEM TO.
SOME PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT BECAUSE IT WAS ONLY THE ELEVEN, THAT THE SCOPE OF THE GREAT COMISSION IS LIMITED.
BUT I BELIEVE THAT BECAUSE OF THE PROCESS OF REPLICATION, THE COMMANDS GIVEN TO THE DISCIPLES ARE COMMANDS GIVEN TO EVERY BELIEVER.
IN VERSE 20, JESUS EXTENDS THE COMMAND TO WIN, BAPTIZE, AND DISCIPLE TO ALL BELIEVERS WHEN HE SAYS, “TEACHING THEM TO OBSERVE EVERYTHING I HAVE COMMANDED YOU.”
IN OTHER WORDS, JESUS SAID, “THIS IS MY COMMISSION TO ALL BELIEVERS, STARTING WITH YOU ELEVEN.”
“TAKE THIS MESSAGE AND TEACH IT TO OTHERS, AND AS YOU TEACH IT, REMEMBER THESE THINGS:
1. YOU ARE GOING WITH POWER OF JESUS.
a. ALL AUTHORITY HAS BEEN GIVEN TO ME IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH.
b. IT’S IMPORTANT THAT YOU AND I UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO MISSIONS.
2. YOU ARE GOING WITH A PURPOSE OF JESUS.
a. WIN THEM TO CHRIST.
i. MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS
b. LEAD THEM TO BE OBEDIENT.
i. BAPTIZING THEM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, AND OF THE SON, AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
c. DISCIPLE THEM.
i. TEACHING THEM TO OBSERVE EVERYTHING I HAVE COMMANDED YOU.
3. YOU ARE GOING WITH THE PRESENCE OF JESUS.
a. JESUS SAID, “REMEMBER, I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, EVEN TO THE END OF THE AGE.”
SO JESUS COMMANDS EACH OF US TO INVOLVE OURSELVES IN THE PROCESS OF WINNING PEOPLE TO HIM, LEADING THEM TO BE OBEDIENT, AND MAKING DISCIPLES.
SO, WHO IS CALLED TO DO MISSIONS?
YOU ARE…
B. BUT WHY SHOULD WE DO MISSIONS?
AGAIN THE EASY ANSWER IS SO THAT EVERY NATION, TRIBE AND TONGUE WILL HEAR THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS CHRIST.
BUT IT GOES MUCH DEEPER THAN THAT.
1. ONE REASON IS THAT THE WORLD IS COVERED BY GREAT SPIRITUAL DARKNESS.
a. THE ONLY WAY TO DISPEL DARKNESS IS TO EXPOSE IT TO LIGHT.
b. WE ARE CALLED TO BE THE BEARERS OF THE LIGHT OF JESUS CHRIST.
2. ANOTHER REASON IS THAT SERVICE TO GOD IS EXPECTED.
a. THE BIBLE MAKES IT VERY PLAIN THAT WE ARE TO SERVE OUR HEAVENLY FATHER.
b. ROMANS 12:11 (HCSB) - DO NOT LACK DILIGENCE; BE FERVENT IN SPIRIT; SERVE THE LORD.
3. BUT THE MOST COMPELLING REASON THAT WE SHOULD BE INVOLVED IN MISSIONS IS THAT OUR LORD COMMANDS US TO BE INVOLVED.
a. MATTHEW 28:19 – GO…
b. IT DOESN’T SAY “SEND”
c. IT SAYS, “GO”
d. IT MEANS AS YOU ARE GOING, OR YOU GO.
e. AND IT IS A COMMAND TO EVERY BELIEVER.
f. REGARDLESS OF AGE, ABILITY, PHYSICAL DISABILITY OR EVEN DESIRE.
g. IT IS A COMMAND.
CONCLUSION:
A ONE-LEGGED SCHOOL TEACHER FROM SCOTLAND CAME TO J. HUDSON TAYLOR TO OFFER HIMSELF FOR SERVICE IN CHINA. "WITH ONLY ONE LEG, WHY DO YOU THINK OF GOING AS A MISSIONARY?" ASKED TAYLOR.
"I DO NOT SEE THOSE WITH TWO LEGS GOING," REPLIED GEORGE SCOTT. HE WAS ACCEPTED.
WARREN WEIRSBE WROTE THE FOLLOWING ACCOUNT IN ONE OF HIS BOOKS.
HE WROTE SOME YEARS AGO, A VERY GOOD FRIEND OF MINE, DR. E. MYERS HARRISON, GAVE A MISSIONARY MESSAGE THAT I CANNOT FORGET.
IT WAS TO A SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE, BUT I WILL NEVER FORGET THE SERMON.
DR. HARRISON IS NOW AT HOME WITH THE LORD, BUT HE WAS A GREAT SERVANT OF GOD AND A GREAT MISSIONARY STATESMAN. HE SAID THAT EACH OF US AS CHRISTIANS MUST HEAR WHAT GOD HAS TO SAY.
THERE IS THE COMMAND FROM ABOVE: "GO YE INTO ALL THE WORLD, AND PREACH THE GOSPEL TO EVERY CREATURE" (MARK 16:15). HAVE YOU HEARD THAT?
I’VE HEARD PEOPLE SAY, "BUT GOD WANTS OUR CHURCH TO BE DIFFERENT. WE’RE NOT SUPPOSED TO HAVE A MISSIONS MINDSET."
I DON’T BELIEVE THAT. I BELIEVE THE COMMAND FROM ABOVE IS GIVEN TO EVERY CHRISTIAN AND TO EVERY ASSEMBLY THAT GOD HAS RAISED UP. THEN THERE IS THE CRY FROM BENEATH.
REMEMBER THE RICH MAN WHO DIED AND WOKE UP IN HELL AND BEGGED FOR SOMEONE TO GO AND TELL HIS BROTHERS? (SEE LUKE 16). "I PRAY THEE, THEREFORE, FATHER, THAT THOU WOULDEST SEND HIM TO MY FATHER’S HOUSE (FOR I HAVE FIVE BRETHREN), THAT HE MAY TESTIFY UNTO THEM, LEST THEY ALSO COME INTO THIS PLACE OF TORMENT" (VV. 27,28). THERE IS THE CRY FROM BENEATH. IF YOU AND I COULD HEAR THE CRIES OF PEOPLE IN A LOST ETERNITY RIGHT NOW, WE’D REALIZE HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO GET THE GOSPEL OUT. THERE’S THE COMMAND FROM ABOVE. HAVE YOU HEARD IT? THERE’S THE CRY FROM BENEATH. HAVE YOU HEART IT?
THEN, ACCORDING TO DR. HARRISON, THERE IS THE CALL FROM WITHOUT. ACTS 16:9 SAYS, "COME OVER INTO MACEDONAI, AND HELP US." PEOPLE AROUND US ARE SAYING, "PLEASE COME TO HELP US!"
SO MUCH MONEY, TIME AND ENERGY IS BEING SPENT ON ROUTINE CHURCH MATTERS IN AMERICA WHEN THERE IS A WHOLE WORLD TO REACH FOR CHRIST! WE FACE SO MANY OPEN DOORS!
YOU ARE CALLED TO MISSIONS.
WILL YOU ANSWER THE CALL?
