The message today is titled “Why we are here.” I’m not asking a question, as you can see, but making a statement of purpose. Now I’m not talking about why we are here at this church. Well, at least not directly. I’m talking about why those of us who call ourselves Christian, who are born again and are part of the family of God, are here.
And I want to begin with a few quotes from the president of an organization that was founded 20 years ago to plant and establish new churches here in the US and abroad. The concept of church planting, in and of itself, is commendable. He says …
“Church planting is God’s primary mission strategy for expanding His work.”
“Church planting is critical for fulfilling the mission of Jesus. It’s a myth that there are enough churches already.”
“Church planting not only revitalizes older congregations, but it’s the best way to reach new people groups and generations and achieve diversity.”
Now I want to read to you what he said stands out to him about planting churches.
“The biggest thing that stands out to me is churches that are feeding people in their communities. These churches are coming together during COVID, looking for ways to serve and honor their communities, even during difficult times.”
What these churches are doing are good things. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this. But let’s continue.
“One church the group planted called every person living alone in a particular community to figure out what kind of support they needed during the pandemic. It hasn’t always been easy, but these churches are really sensing the needs in their communities and meeting them. They’re really stepping into this cultural moment.”
Again, these are good things. But is trying to figure out the needs of the community the primary role of the Church? Are there not social programs that do that? And if this is the primary focus of church planting, should church planting be the primary role of the Church?
Is church planting, as the author states, “God’s primary mission strategy?” Is church planting “critical to fulfilling the mission of Jesus?”
When I read things like this, my mind begins to “search” for scripture that supports what I am reading. And, as I read this piece, it became apparent to me that the organization’s view about the Church’s “mission” may not agree with the “mission” Jesus has given to the Church.
Let’s begin with a question. What does it means to have a mission? According to Mr. Webster, whom I’m sure we all know, a mission is “a specific task with which a person or a group is charged.” Webster also includes this a definition – “a ministry commissioned by a religious organization to propagate its faith or carry on humanitarian work.”
Did you notice the last phrase – carry on humanitarian work? Far too many churches see themselves as one of many humanitarian or social or cultural groups designed to meet the needs of the community. And, on some level, I can understand that. When we feed people who are genuinely hungry or we give clothes to those who truly need them, then we will feel like “we’re doing Christ’s work,” don’t we? Of course we do! And to a degree we are.
Feeding people. Clothing people. Serving people. Good things. Needed things. But are doing the good things the right thing for the Church? What is our mission? Why are we here? Before answering these questions, we must answer the question that must be answered first.
What was Jesus’ mission?
Turn with me to Luke 19. We’re going to read verse 10.
“For the Son of man is come to seek and save that which was lost.”
Based on what we read here in Luke, Jesus’ “mission” was twofold.
? First, He came to seek the lost. The word “seek” means “to seek after, look for, strive to find.” The word lost is the Greek word apollumi, which means “to destroy, to perish.”
Jesus came to find those who were on their way to the lake of fire for all eternity. That was the first part of His mission.
? The second part of Jesus’ mission was to save the lost who wanted to be saved – who wanted to escape the lake of fire and spend an eternity in heaven. It’s the Greek word sozo and means “to save, deliver, make whole, preserve life from danger, loss or destruction.”
Ladies and gentlemen, if Jesus had had His way, He would save everyone. But we know that He does not make us choose Him. Only those individuals “who want to be saved” will be saved. I hope you see this.
Now, according to Luke 19:10, Jesus’ mission was not one of humanitarianism. Yes, He fed the hungry. But He did not go the villages to find those who were hungry or who needed clothes. That was not His Father’s will. His Father’s will was that He looked for those headed to the lake fire and give them a change to avoid it.
He mission had one purpose and one purpose only: to give people a chance to change their eternal destinations. To Jesus, nothing else mattered. Nothing else.
Now at this point, I have just disagreed with the author of this article and with a lot of the churches in our country, especially those running thousands and who are going “the good things” and receiving praise and recognition for it. But it raises a question: in all of the good things that they are doing, are they truly leading people to the throne? Is their focus to change people hearts?
This leads to the crux of this message: What should be our mission?
We’re going to read a passage in Matthew 4 where Jesus answers that question. To give you just a brief background: after He had been tempted by the devil in the first 11 verses, Jesus hears about John the Baptist being put into prison and heads to Galilee. I smile when I think about Jesus doing this after He hears the news about John. Could this, and what He does afterwards, be His response to the devil for messing with His cousin, or is it just my imagination running away with me?
Let’s pick the account up in verse 17.
‘From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
Let’s stop here for a moment. Jesus says, “Listen to me! Repent from your evil ways because now the kingdom of heaven, eternal life, can be yours for the asking!” Now the people hearing this would have been astounded. They believed they were already going to heaven. I mean, after all, isn’t that why they doing their best to keep the ordinances and sacrifices of the Law of Moses?
Let’s continue.
(18) And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
(19) And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
(20) And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.
(21) And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them.
(22) And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.
The word “follow” in verse 19 is two Greek words: the first means “come” and the second means “to the back.” Together the word “follow” means “behind or after, come after, follow me.” It paints the picture of walking behind someone and walking where they walk and repeating what they see the person doing.
In essence, Jesus tells Simon and Andrew, “If you will listen to me and then do what you see me doing, I will turn you into men who will catch men and women for the kingdom of heaven. YOU WILL change their lives of people for all eternity!”
Now, the word :follow” in verse 20 is a different Greek word and it means “to attend, to accompany, to go with.” For Simon and Andrew to make the decision go leave their fishing businesses, they had to trust Jesus and believe that what He said was true.
Now here’s the part of the definition I want you to focus on and remember and it’s One more “following the person’s leading and acting according to his example.” When they left their fishing businesses, Simon and Andrew made the decision to listen to Jesus, to obey His instructions and to do what they saw Him do.
Think about this for a moment. When you follow someone, as described here, what will you do? You will listen intently to everything the person says. You will watch what the person does with the upmost attention. And there will be times when you’ll ask the person to explain why he says some of the things he says and does the things he does. Why? Because the person will expect you, not only to talk the way he does, but to do what he does. Are you following me?
Ladies and gentlemen, following Jesus means saying what He would say and doing what He would do.
Now notice the word “make.” It means “to make, form, produce, bring about, cause to be.” In Mark 1:17, Jesus says “… I will make you to become fishers of men.” Jesus sees Peter, Andrew, James and John and then tells them who their mission would be, not what their mission would be.
Now, based on what we’ve read so far, what is the mission of every single son and daughter of God? “Father & Son Incorporated” has one and only one mission ladies and gentlemen and we’re going to read it again in Luke 19:10. The verse says this about Jesus.
“For the Son of man is come to seek and save that which was lost.”
Now let’s read what 1 Timothy 2:4 says about the Godhead.
“Who (God) will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”
Do you see why Jesus came to seek and save thee lost? He know that His Father wanted everyone to be saved and then turned over to the Holy Spirit and gain a deeper understanding of the truth. As sons and daughters of the Father of “Father and Sons Incorporated,” our one and only mission is to find those who are not born again, who not part of the Father’s family, and lead them to Jesus so that they can become part of the family.
As we continue to read Matthew 4, Jesus is going to give us a lesson on how to Lead people to Him. He going to SHOW US how it’s to be done
The verses we’re going to read are beyond the grasps of many in the Church. It will seem foreign to them. They will say that was Jesus and I’m not Jesus. And they will say this because they have been lulled to sleep thinking that going to church, hearing the choir sing, the pastor preach and living the best you can is what it means to be a Christian.
Let me remind you of the definition of the word “follow” from verse 20. When we follow Jesus, we are to not only believe what He says, but we are to also you do what he does. Jesus is going to show the fishermen how to catch men in the verses we’re going to read. Let’s begin with verse 23.
(23) And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
(24) And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.
After leaving their fishing businesses, Peter, Andrew, James and John followed Jesus to find out how He would make them “fishers of men.” This is what they saw:
? First, Jesus taught the principles of the kingdom of heaven.
? Second, Jesus healed those who were sick, diseased, and tormented, those possessed with devils, whose were lunatics and those who had the palsy.
This was Jesus’ way of +planting churches.” As the fishermen followed Jesus, they learned that to “catch men,” they would have to learn the principles of the kingdom and heaven and then – and then – be able to put them into operation and bring the kingdom of heaven to them!
And I want you to notice something ladies and gentlemen – Jesus didn’t go into the community with a program. The people came to Him. When you do what Jesus did, you won’t have to worry about going out into the community and ringing door bells. The people will find you!
Now let’s see the result of all of this?
(25) And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan.
Once word spread about the healings, great crowds of people seemed to be Jesus’ constant companions and it gave Him an opportunity to tell them about the kingdom of heaven and how it is different from the world that they lived in. It gave Him the chance to “seek and save the lost.”
Ladies and gentlemen, this is what is missing in the Church today.
So many are caught up with a picture of a child of God that religion has created. You know what I mean – having nice things, big houses, several cars, and lots of money. It’s nothing wrong with having these things – if they don’t have you. But this is not the picture that Jesus presents of those who are following his leading and acting according to His example.
The Apostle Paul says the same thing in 1 Corinthians 2:4.
“And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.”
Power is the Greek word dunamis and it’s a word that means “to be able, capable.” Here Paul says that he preached the gospel and he demonstrated the gospel with the Spirit and power. In other words, not only did he preach the Word of God, but signs, miracles and wonders followed what he preached.
And this leads me to the last passage for this message. Ladies and gentlemen, this is why we are here. Turn first to Matthew 28. We’re going to read verses 19 and 20. Then, pinch the pages together until you get to Mark 16, where we’re going to read verses 17 and 18.
(19) Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
(20) Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:19-20)
(17) And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
(18) (If) They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. (Mark 16:17-18)
Ladies and gentlemen, based on what we’ve seen in scripture, is church planting God’s primary mission strategy for expanding His work? Based on what we’ve seen in scripture, is church planting critical to fulfilling the mission of Jesus? And finally, based on what we’ve seen in scripture, is church planting the best way to reach new people groups and generations and achieve diversity?
The Bible says we are to follow Jesus – to seek and save that which is lost – by teaching them kingdom principles and then demonstrating kingdom principles.
I believe that we are in the beginning stages of a revival that the Lord is so anxious to release that He’s on pins and needles waiting for us to be ready to do what we read in Matthew 28 and Mark 16.
Sound doctrinal teaching + the demonstration of God’s power. That will not necessarily lead to church growth, but it will certainly lead to more souls for the kingdom! Praise God!
