ESSENTIALS OF MISSION
(Pastor Ronald Macam)
(Isaiah 6:1-8)
Proposition: God wants his people to be involved in mission work.
Introduction:
Abraham Lincoln was considered by many as the greatest American president because he liberated many people (Black people) from slavery. Yet Christians are greater than Lincoln because although they are not involved in the physical liberation of people, they are the ones given the responsibility to liberate the people from the bondage of sin. They are mandated by God to rescue the perishing; to bring the people from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light; from death to life; from slavery to freedom; and from troubled life to peaceful life; from miserable to joyful life; and so on. This is all possible because of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Mission work is making the gospel more accessible and understandable to the people so that they are persuaded to become disciples of Jesus Christ. Mission work then, requires necessary understanding to make it clearer in our mind and in our participation of the Great Commission. First,
MISSION DEMONSTRATES TRUE WORSHIP OF GOD (v. 1-3)
Worship is the beginning and end of all mission work. Matt. 28:18-20, the Great Commission, is given by Jesus in the atmosphere of worship (v. 16, 17). In Revelation, a picture of heaven shows people from all nations, tongues, and tribes worship the Lord in His majesty.
What is True worship of God?
A. True worship sees the Lord in His Sovereignty (v.1-3)
Our God is not only the God of Christians. He is also the God of all creatures; the God who rules over his creation. Worship does not only recognize who God is, it is an experience of who He is. When you worship every Sunday, who and what do you see? Do you see the Lord in His majesty and sovereignty? Without our instruments and good song/worship leader; without air-conditioned worship room/hall; without good electronics and electrical systems? Can you still worship the Lord? Where do we focus our eyes on Sunday? On the Lord or on the people/leader who committed mistakes? On God’s plan or church program? On God’s victory or human failure (especially the errors of presider, song leader, musical number, programme, etc.) True worshippers see the Lord in his sovereignty every Sunday worship service.
Illustration : One newly converted Christian heard the challenge for Christians to share the gospel to people wherever they go before he goes to the mountain as a government social worker among people in a remote mountain village. While working with people, he shared the gospel to them and many accepted Christ as Lord and Savior. Because of this, he invited his pastor in the area to minister to the newly converted Christians. During time of bible study, this Christian lead in singing one praise song; he taught them only one Christian song entitled “God loves you.” The lyrics go something like, “The Birds the fly/fishes that swim cared by God, Don’t be anxious God loves you.” The song is fast in tempo. Good for praise song. The pastor thought that they would sing slow song as worship song. To his surprise, the this Christian lead them to sing the same song in slow tempo (Usually in the pastor’s church worship song is slow and praise song is fast; they are usually different songs). So, such singing is unusual for the pastor, but in spite of his uneasiness, he saw the people really in the spirit of worship. He testified later on to his congregation the following Sunday that his worship experience with this mountain people is one of the most meaningful worship experiences that he had. They truly worship by heart, not just by song. True worship sees the Lord in his majesty! Moreover...
B. True worship sees the Lord in Human Situation (v. 1)
What is the significance of Uzziah’s death to Isaiah? Uzziah led Judah to material and economic prosperity during his reign. However, his reign was also characterized by social injustice, religious syncretism, and oppression of the poor. His death, for Isaiah, meant social chaos, political collapse, and uncertain future. When Uzzaiah died, Isaiah said I saw the Lord. He is also saying that in times of difficulty, I saw the Lord; in times of uncertainty, I saw the Lord, in times of seeming hopeless situation, I saw the Lord. God does not want us to see Him only on Sunday. He wants us to see him in human situation; in our everyday living; in our problems and difficulties; in our struggles to endure the trials of life and our faith; in our fight against sin, worldly system, and Satan. God is the God who deals with us in every situation we are in. If we are lonely, we can experience his presence. If we are emotionally down, he gives comfort. If we are in material need, he provides. If we are tempted, he offers grace for victory. If we are discouraged, he gives courage and strength. If we fail, he always gives another chance.
Illustration 2: When I entered seminary several years ago, the application I filled up has this one question: How are you going to finance your studies? During that time no individual, church or organization is supporting me financially. So I wrote in the blank “Jehovah Jireh.” When the staff saw what I wrote, she asked me, “What is this Jehovah Jireh, Pastor? Is this a new Christian foundation/organization?” I was not sure if she is kidding or not, but I told her, He is my God, who will provide for my needs.” The seminary honor my faith and allowed me to enroll and study for one year without financial constraints. Later on, after one year, the seminary gave me scholarship. My church and our organization later on also supported me. Truly, God Provides! True worship of God sees God not only in his majesty/sovereignty, but also in human situation!!!
Mission work does not only demonstrates true worship of God, secondly,
MISSION DEMANDS TRANSFORMING WORK OF GOD (v. 4-7)
Mission work is the work of someone who experienced the love of God; someone who received the grace of God; someone who possess eternal life. Not anyone who does not experience this transforming work of God is qualified to mission work. If you do not possess the grace of God or experience the love of God, what can you offer to the unbelieving world? Your education? No Your philosophy? NO. The unbelieving world needs God’s love. Christians have it and they can offer to anyone who wants it. We can only give what we have. The transforming work of God has two essential elements:
A. The Transforming work of God Recognizes Human Frailty (v. 4-5)
Isaiah recognizes his sin and identifies himself with his people in their sinful condition before the Lord. God’s glory (the experience of true worship) always exposed man’s sinfulness. We must first recognize our sinfulness before the Lord because we experience his transforming work.
B. The Transforming work of God Requires His Forgiveness (v. 6-7)
Man cannot change himself. Transformation requires God’s grace of forgiveness. It is necessary to qualify men and women to the mission work. The angel’s “touch” took Isaiah’s guilt and atoned him of his sin. This is a type of individual’s conversion and regeneration. Nobody becomes God’s messenger without first experiencing God’s message. It is interesting to note that the angels touched Isaiah’s mouth. It means something. It signifies the most common sin that people commit and the tool God used to bring the gospel to the unbelieving world-our mouth. Prov. 6:16-19 reveals that out of the seven things, which the Lord hates, four are caused by sin of the tongue/mouth. In Eph. 4:25-31, Paul enumerates sins of our old nature. He summarizes all these as “unwholesome talks.” The original word for “unwholesome” means “rotten, rotten food emphasizing bad smell.” I just wonder what will happen if God will give smell to every word that comes from our mouth: Good smell if the words are good and encouraging; bad smell if the words are bad and discouraging. What will be the smell of our home/office/ workplace? Imagine if our smell will be with us when we come to the church on Sunday, what will be the smell of our worship room/hall? Will it be a sweet aroma or will it stink? God wants to transform our mouth/tongue because this is his tool. It is a means through which God’s message is to be delivered, that is, through preaching of the Word of God (Rom. 10:14, 17). How is our mouth? Does the message of the gospel come out of it? May all of us pray what David prayed (Ps. 19:14). In addition, there is no greater thing that pleases God in this world than the hearing of His Word by the unbelievers leading them to salvation in Christ.
Mission works demonstrates true worship of God; it demands transforming work of God, and lastly,
MISSION DETERMINES TEAM WORK WITH GOD (v. 8).
When Isaiah saw the Lord, he was able to hear the call of the Lord.
A. Team work with God is a Glorious Call for His Purpose. (v. 8a)
Although God in his sovereignty and power can easily save humankind, He chose to do it with his children. He decided to make us his partner. This is the reason why I said that Christians are greater than Lincoln because they have a higher calling: It is glorious because it comes from God and has eternal value as part of God’s purpose (the salvation of human soul). It is not only a glorious call for God’s purpose, also,
B. Team work with God is a Great Challenge for His People.(v. 9b)
True worship changed Isaiah. After such experience, he was never the same again. Isaiah answered the Lord’s call by one of the most famous phrases in the Bible, “Here am I. Send me.” Its great challenge was evidenced by so many songs, composed and written, based on this response. This is one of the strong foundations of missions: God is calling his people to be involved in mission work; in the evangelization of the unbelievers, especially the unreached people groups. However, it is sad to say that this phrase has now changed. Instead, many are saying, “Here am I Lord, send our Pastor/send our leaders/send others.”
Mission work is not confined to the missionaries who go to the mission field. Mission work is the work of the whole church. It involves not only missionaries to go, stewards to give, intercessors to pray, but also every individual member of the church.
James Hudson Taylor in challenging English students during his time to be involved in China mission work, used to tell of the story about Peter, his Chinese convert and disciple. On one of their sea journeys, Peter (who do not know how to swim) fell from the side of the boat. Fortunately, there were fishermen nearby, just a grab away from where Peter fell. Taylor shouted at the fishermen and asked them to help his friend, “Hey, help my friend, he is drowning.” However, the fishermen did not bother to do his call for help because they were busy loading their catch from the net to their boat. Taylor continued to yell, “Stop what you are doing, and help my friend. He is just a grab away.” But the fishermen continued on their work until the last fish was loaded to the boat. Then they jumped and got Peter out of water. They tried to revive him, but to no avail. Peter died of drowning. He could have been saved because he was just a grab away from the fishermen. Then, he asked the students/church members what they thought of about the Chinese? Some said, they are bad, evil, selfish, unconcern about the salvation of a dying man. You know how Taylor responded? He said, “I saw differently. I think the Chinese are like most Christians today, they are unconcerned about the plight of the sinners who are now just a grab away from them. The reason is that they are so busy with their work.”
May God find us busy not only in doing our own responsibility, but most especially in bringing the good news of salvation to the unsaved. God wants us to be involved in missions. However, our mission effort would not be substantial with true worship, since mission is the outpouring of one’s worship to God. Our missions would be shallow and easily die down without the transforming work of God in our life. Let’ us ask him to transform us everyday of our life. Our missions effort is not enough, we need God as our partner. In fact mission is the main work of God in this world, we are just his workers or partners as His own people to accomplish his great purpose.
