A BIBLICAL PATTERN FOR MISSIONS
EXODUS 25:9, 40; HEB. 8:5
I. INTRODUCTION
THE SOVEREIGN GOD HAS A PATTERN FOR ALL THAT HE DOES. GOD NEVER DOES ANYTHING AIMLESSLY OR HAPHAZARDLY. NOTICE IF YOU WILL THAT HE HAS A PATTERN FOR EVERY SNOWFLAKE THAT FALLS TO THE GROUND, HE HAS A PATTERN FOR EVERY STAR THAT TWINKLES IN ITS SILVERY SOCKET, HE HAS A PATTERN FOR EVERY FLASH OF LIGHTNING THAT STREAKS ACROSS THE BOSSOM OF THE VAULTY DOME OF THE FIRMAMENT. YES MY BROTHERS AND MY SISTERS, GOD USES PATTERNS FOR EVERYTHING THAT HE DOES. GOD GIVES US A PATTERN ON HOW WE ARE TO LOVE EACH OTHER. HE GIVES A PATTERN ON HOW WE ARE TO WORSHIP HIM. HE HAS GIVEN US A DIVINE DESIGN FOR MISSION, BUT I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THE REASON WHY SO MANY MISSION MINISTRIES FAIL, IS BECAUSE WE HAVE ALTERED THE PATTERN THAT GOD HAS GIVEN. IN ORDER FOR MISSIONS TO BE EFFECTIVE, IT MUST BE DONE ACCORDING TO THE BIBLICAL PATTERN THAT ORIGINATES FROM THE SUPREME MIND OF GOD.
II. THE TEXT
GOD GAVE MOSES A PATTERN FOR THE DESIGNING OF THE TABERNACLE. THE WORD PATTERN IN EXODUS COMES FROM A WORD THAT MEANS STRUCTURE. IN HEBREWS 8:5, THE WORD PATTERN MEANS AN EXAMPLE. SO, GOD HAS GIVEN A STRUCTURED EXAMPLE OF HOW HE WANTS THINGS DONE. GOD GAVE MOSES EXACT SPECIFICATIONS ON THE PATTERN OF THE TABERNACLE, AND WHEN GOD GIVES ABSOLUTES, THERE CAN BE NO SUBSTITUTES.
IF WE ENDEAVOR TO DO MISSIONS LIKE MISSIONS IS MEANT TO BE DONE, THEN WE MUST DO IT GOD’S WAY. MISSIONS IS MORE THAN HAVING A PROGRAM. WE SPEND FAR TOO MUCH TIME AND ENERGY PLANNING MEETINGS THAN WE DO ON MISSIONS. ISN’T IT STRANGE THAT WE WILL SPEND A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY FOR BANQUETS THAN WE DO ON FEEDING THE HUNGRY? WE SPEND MONEY ON NEW ROBES, AND LET OTHERS GO NAKED. WE WILL PUT A NEW ROOF ON THE CHURCH BUILDING EVEN IF IT DOESN’T NEED IT, BUT THE HOMELESS GO NEGLECTED. MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WE MUST GET BACK TO THE ORIGINAL BIBLICAL PATTERN FOR MISSIONS.
MISSIONS, SIMPLY PUT IS MOVING BEYOND OURSELVES. JESUS SAYS IN LUKE 10:30-35, “A CERTAIN MAN WENT DOWN FROM JERUSALEM TO JERICHO, AND FELL AMONG THIEVES, WHICH STRIPPED HIM OF HIS RAIMENT, AND WOUNDED HIM, AND DEPARTED, LEAVING HIM HALF DEAD. AND BY CHANCE THERE CAME DOWN A CERTAIN PRIEST THAT WAY: AND WHEN HE SAW HIM, HE PASSED BY ON THE OTHER SIDE. AND LIKEWISE A LEVITE, WHEN HE WAS AT THE PLACE, CAME AND LOOKED ON HIM, AND PASSED BY ON THE OTHER SIDE. BUT A CERTAIN SAMARITAN, AS HE JOURNEYED, CAME WHERE HE WAS: AND WHEN HE SAW HIM, HE HAD COMPASSION ON HIM, AND WENT TO HIM, AND BOUND UP HIS WOUNDS, POURING IN OIL AND WINE, AND SET HIM ON HIS OWN BEAST, AND BROUGHT HIM TO AN INN, AND TOOK CARE OF HIM. AND ON THE MORROW WHEN HE DEPARTED, HE TOOK OUT TWO PENCE, AND GAVE THEM TO THE HOST, AND SAID UNTO HIM, TAKE CARE OF HIM; AND WHATSOEVER THOU SPENDEST MORE, WHEN I COME AGAIN, I WILL REPAY THEE.” NOTICE, THE THIEVES SAID, WHAT’S YOURS IS MINE, I’LL TAKE. THE PRIEST AND THE LEVITE SAID, WHAT’S OURS IS OURS, WE’LL KEEP IT. BUT THE SAMARATIN SAID, WHAT’S MINE IS YOURS, WE’LL SHARE IT.
JESUS SAYS IN MATTHEW 25:35-40, “FOR I WAS AN HUNGERED, AND YE GAVE ME MEAT: I WAS THIRSTY, AND YE GAVE ME DRINK: I WAS A STRANGER, AND YE TOOK ME IN: NAKED, AND YE CLOTHED ME: I WAS SICK, AND YE VISITED ME: I WAS IN PRISON, AND YE CAME UNTO ME. THEN SHALL THE RIGHTEOUS ANSWER HIM, SAYING, LORD, WHEN SAW WE THEE AN HUNGERED, AND FED THEE? OR THIRSTY, AND GAVE THEE DRINK? WHEN SAW WE THEE A STRANGER, AND TOOK THEE IN? OR NAKED, AND CLOTHED THEE? OR WHEN SAW WE THEE SICK, OR IN PRISON, AND CAME UNTO THEE? AND THE KING SHALL ANSWER AND SAY UNTO THEM, VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU, INASMUCH AS YE HAVE DONE IT UNTO ONE OF THE LEAST OF THESE MY BRETHREN, YE HAVE DONE IT UNTO ME.” YES MY BROTHERS AND SISTER, WE MUST MOVE BEYOND OURSELVES.
III. THE PATTERN
AS WE EXPLORE THIS BIBLICAL PATTERN FOR MISSIONS WE MUST RECOGNIZE THREE THINGS. FIRST, WE MUST RECOGNIZE IT’S PURPOSE. IT’S PURPOSE IS TO PLEASE AND GLORIFY GOD. IF OUR PATTERN DOES NOT PLEASE GOD, ALL WE HAVE IS A MEANINGLESS, MELANCHOLY, MISERABLE MESS. WE PLEASE GOD BY BEING OBEDIENT TO HIS MANDATES. IF WE ARE DOING MISSIONS WITH AN UNFAITHFUL DISPOSITION, THAN THE PATTERN AND THE MISSION DISHONORS GOD. 1 THESS. 4:1, “FURTHERMORE THEN WE BESEECH YOU, BRETHREN, AND EXHORT YOU BY THE LORD JESUS, THAT AS YE HAVE RECEIVED OF US HOW YE OUGHT TO WALK AND TO PLEASE GOD, SO YE WOULD ABOUND MORE AND MORE.” 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.”
SECOND, THE PATTERN HAS THE EVANGELISTIC POTENTIAL ACTS 3:1-9, “NOW PETER AND JOHN WENT UP TOGETHER INTO THE TEMPLE AT THE HOUR OF PRAYER, BEING THE NINTH HOUR. AND A CERTAIN MAN LAME FROM HIS MOTHER’S WOMB WAS CARRIED, WHOM THEY LAID DAILY AT THE GATE OF THE TEMPLE WHICH IS CALLED BEAUTIFUL, TO ASK ALMS OF THEM THAT ENTERED INTO THE TEMPLE; WHO SEEING PETER AND JOHN ABOUT TO GO INTO THE TEMPLE ASKED AN ALMS. AND PETER, FASTENING HIS EYES UPON HIM WITH JOHN, SAID, LOOK ON US. AND HE GAVE HEED UNTO THEM, EXPECTING TO RECEIVE SOMETHING OF THEM. THEN PETER SAID, SILVER AND GOLD HAVE I NONE; BUT SUCH AS I HAVE GIVE I THEE: IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH RISE UP AND WALK. AND HE TOOK HIM BY THE RIGHT HAND, AND LIFTED HIM UP: AND IMMEDIATELY HIS FEET AND ANKLE BONES RECEIVED STRENGTH. AND HE LEAPING UP STOOD, AND WALKED, AND ENTERED WITH THEM INTO THE TEMPLE, WALKING, AND LEAPING, AND PRAISING GOD. AND ALL THE PEOPLE SAW HIM WALKING AND PRAISING GOD.”
THIRD, THERE IS A PREREQUISITE TO THE PATTERN. IT MUST BE ROOTED IN LOVE, FOR WITHOUT LOVE THERE CAN BE NO MISSIONS. JOHN 13:35, “BY THIS SHALL ALL MEN KNOW THAT YE ARE MY DISCIPLES, IF YE HAVE LOVE ONE TO ANOTHER.” HOW CAN WE SAY THAT WE LOVE GOD AND HATE OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS, AND OTHERS AT THE SAME TIME?
