Wednesday, November 4, 2009

MISSIONS - God's Plan for the Church

The month of November brings to mind family and eating. Somewhere along the way, though, someone always reminds us of the real meaning. Thanksgiving is my most favorite time of the year because we get together with family and friends. We have started a ritual in recent years at our celebration. Each person is asked to share something for which they are thankful. The only catch is that they are actually reading what was written at the previous year's Thanksgiving celebration. We write what we are thankful for and put it up for a year. Then when we're all together again, we dig them out and remember what and why we wrote what we wrote. This year's thankfulness is different from last year's thankfulness. But bottom line, some things never change.

One thing that should never change is every Christian’s thankfulness for salvation. Have you ever considered that someone went out of their way to share with you the message of the Gospel? Have you ever thanked God for that person? Someone became a missionary to you. A missionary is someone with a mission to proclaim the Gospel to someone who has never heard. So in this week's perspective, I want to look at what "missions" means to you, me, and those people who have never heard the message of the life changing power of Jesus Christ. Someone is counting on YOU to give them the life changing message of salvation.

In the word, "missions", the beginning letter is "m". When most people hear the word missions, they think of missionaries. Missionaries are people who are sent by God to preach the Gospel to people who've never heard it – to minister the Gospel. In reality every Christian is called to be a missionary. Missions, in a word, is "ministry." Really, this is what it's all about. It's about normal, ordinary people like you and me who use their God-given talents to share with someone else the Good News of Jesus Christ. Missions is being a minister or a servant of Christ carrying the Gospel message in a tract, bowl of soup, a blanket or any other tangible material to people who need it. Being a servant opens up an opportunity with people to share a testimony of Jesus Christ. God is looking for people who will be His servants to minister to people who need it. Will you be that person?

The second letter in missions is "i". "I" can be the middle letter in pride or it can be the answer Moses gave to God, "Me, Lord?" Missions is not about building up your ego or getting some kind of certificate or pat on the back. Missions about getting "involved". You, like Moses, might be saying, "ME? Get involved?" No, I'm not asking you! It's God calling. He's calling you to get involved in His ministry of taking the Gospel to those who have never heard it before. To be his hands and feet in showing His love to our world. It's about handing out that plate of food, sewing a blanket, or helping someone who cannot help themselves. Will you answer His call to get involved?

The third letter in missions is "s." On every ocean going vessel is a very important and I might add required piece of equipment. It's called the life preserver. It floats. You throw it to people who have been washed overboard. It floats because people don't. They need something to hold them up in the water. What people in this community and around the world need is a life preserver. The Bible calls it "salvation". Missions is "salvation". It's about helping a drowning, sinful person find a way to everlasting life through the free, forgiving gift of knowing Jesus Christ. Drowning people count on a life preserver. Dying sinful people are counting on someone to proclaim to them the message of salvation. It's their only hope. Will you throw them God's life preserver? Will you help someone else throw it by getting involved with missions?

The fourth letter in missions is another "s". The sad dichotomy of many houses of worship today is that the message of salvation is staying inside the four walls. It's like keeping the life preserver tightly bolted to the side of the ship when a drowning person is going down for the last time gasping for all they air they can get. Missions is about “sending”. Sending ourselves to the neighborhoods around us. Sending people across borders and oceans to unreached nations. You have been sent, Christian. You must GO! You also must send. Send those who have been asked to traverse natural barriers. Will you be sent? Will you send?

The fifth letter in missions is "i". Most know that to have something in the future you've got to sacrifice and save now. This isn't an easy proposition. It takes self-discipline and vision for the future. Missions is about "investing". When you do your part in God's Kingdom, in this community, and around the world, you are investing in God's Kingdom. The Bible teaches reaping what is sown. That means that someone has to invest in seed and time to sow it so that later someone can enjoy a harvest. When you get involved with missions locally or around the world, you are investing in God's Kingdom. God is asking you to sow your time, abilities and resources. The future return for this investment is out of this world. God's payback plan is the best in the universe. Why not invest in His plan in 2010 and see what rewards He has laid up for you?

The sixth letter in missions is "o". There is one thing that cannot be ignored in a home. It's the trash! Everyone walks by it, but no one wants to take it out. No one wants to take ownership. It's not my job. It's not my trash! But the facts say it belongs to you. Missions is about taking "ownership" in what God is doing in your community and around the world. It’s not about you and your plan. It’s about getting involved with God’s plan to save the world. It’s giving of your time, abilities and resources to God's Kingdom. Will you take ownership in God's Kingdom instead of leaving it to someone else to do?

The seventh letter of missions is "n". It's too easy to only focus on what's going on in our little world with all its problems and forget about the rest of the world. It's hard to see how worldwide problems affect us here in Kansas City. But Jesus told the disciples they were to start in Jerusalem, go to Judea, then to Samaria, and finally to all the other parts of the world with the Gospel message. Missions is about the "nations". We must get concerned about what God is concerned about – the lost. Nations of lost people are dying going to hell. God is concerned about you taking this message to people you’ve never met or much less seen. You ask, “How?” By sending people with our pennies, dimes, nickels, and dollars. This is the method we use to send. What will you do in 2010 to send people to the nations of lost people so that they may hear, read, or watch a Gospel message?

The last letter in missions is "s". When is the best time to throw a drowning person a life preserver? As soon as you know, right? When is the best time to get involved with missions and give so that others may know Christ? "SOON!!!" Missions is not about waiting for the economy to be right. It's not about waiting until all the right doors are wide open. Mission is about getting involved NOW. Jesus is coming soon. There's no time to waste. Now is the time. God has placed you at Argentine here and now to get involved with what He's doing around the world. What are you waiting on? When will be a good time, anyway? Will you get involved NOW in spreading the Gospel and sending other to do the same? How about NOW!!!

If you haven't figured it out yet, I'm trying to persuade you to get involved with the mission's program of Argentine Assembly of God in 2010. You will have an opportunity to get involved in God's worldwide plan of saving the lost on Sunday, November 15. On that Sunday morning, I am going to challenge you to make a faith promise to God. A faith promise is simply asking God what He will help you do each month and committing that amount to be given in a mission's offering. A faith promise is only for a one year period. A faith promise is not your tithes. I am going to give you a Faith Promise card to fill out so the church leadership can determine what the church can do to help fund the men and women who have been called to carry the message of Jesus Christ around the United States and the world. I am asking and challenging you to be in prayer and make that commitment to God. The church won't dun you each month for your offering. It will be between you and God. If you will take the challenge, I guarantee you'll see God's hand of blessing on your life and in your family. Some day you will receive a reward that is out of this world.