The Unchanging Call To A Changing Time

TOPIC: THE UNCHANGING CALL TO A CHANGING TIME

Text: Matthew 28:18-20

“18 Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Introduction:

(ILL. Jesus will return in 2414 – Matthew 24:14, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and the end will come.”)

I remember one time I attended an ABCCOP mission conference and one of the speakers was Ptr. Ver Garrido and during that time they are missionary to Indonesia. When they challenged the delegates for missions, one Pastor there said, “Why do we need to go out to other country to other people, while we have a lot of people to reach out here!” I was sad by that comment because many churches of ABCCOP if we are going to trace who started, pioneered most of ABCCOP Churches was missionaries (TROAS – Team International, RBMU, OMF, ABCCOP, SEND, etc.) And yet they forgot THE VERY REASON ABCCOP was started. If we are going to ask Bishop Mauro Brion he will tell you that ABCCOP was started for that purpose. And yet we set aside missions, we set aside reaching for the unreached. Not just in ABCCOP but this is also true with many churches now they forgot the Great Commission. Churches started to become content of what they have now, they become content of what they are now. They forgot the very CALL of the church in the first place. The Israelites people lost this too. That is why Paul reminded them in Acts 13:26, “26 "Brothers, children of Abraham, and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent.” In Genesis 12:1-4, “ 1 The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. 2 "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." 4 So Abram left, as the LORD had told him…” it was very clear when God commanded Abraham to leave. He will be starting a new chapter of his life. His Father probably was one commanded by God to go to the Promised Land but then after they reached Haran they stay there and become content that he forgot why God called him there. And now its Abraham’s turn, God called him with the same command. And so Abraham will be embarking to a new journey not only with his life but for his descendants as well and we are part of that if we are going to trace our roots in order to fulfill God’s vision. Paul clearly declared that in Galatians 3:7-9, “7 Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham. 8 The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: "All nations will be blessed through you." 9 So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.” Our calls come from the same call that God made to Abraham. We are blessed to be a blessing not only to those who are around us BUT to ALL THE NATIONS as well. That is the vision that God gave to all of us and Jesus gave that to us before he went back to heaven. This is what we called the GREAT COMMISSION. There is a part in the New Testament that Jesus got angry in the temple we can see that in Matthew 21:12-13, “12 Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. 13 “It is written”, He said to them, “My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers.” (Jesus quote it from Isaiah 56:7 and there it was specifically said there “a house of prayer for all nations). Why Jesus did this? (2 PPT) Jesus reminded them the very call that God gave to Israel to be a blessing to all the nations but they forgot it instead they become a hindrance for other nations who come and want to worship God. Are we become a hindrance to fulfill the mandate or call by God?