MY MISSION AND THE CHURCH'S MISSION
Is there any difference between my mission and the mission of the Church? I believe the answer is no. The Great Commission found in all the Gospels and Acts, is for every believer and the Church in every generation until Jesus returns.
In the Matthew reading of the Commission (28:18-20) Jesus tells us, that the Father has delegated total authority to Him, and Jesus then delegates that authority to us, Jesus simply says GO, to do what ?
- MAKE DISCIPLES. Never in the Bible are we told to get people to “try Jesus” or make a decision” 21st century evangelism can be very emotional and pressurising. The Bible tells us no man can come to God unless the Holy Spirit draws him, and then the Holy Spirit causes us to be convicted of our sinfulness, and convinces us that Jesus is the answer. Eph. 2:8-9 tells us that the Holy Spirit puts faith in our hearts and through the grace of God we are born again. Then the process of discipleship commences (or it should) sadly discipleship is often the OMISSION IN THE GREAT COMMISSION. I do not believe this is just a class where you learn the “rules of the club” but a DISCIPLER WALKS WITH YOU to lead you towards spiritual maturity. Then the proof (or result of Discipleship is:
- WATER BAPTISM. The New Testament teaches BELIEVER’S BAPTISM, when a person becomes a believer in obedience he follows the Lord through the waters of baptism.
- CONTINUED TEACHING, there is a real sense that Discipleship NEVER STOPS, in that continued teaching it includes: strong encouragement to become:
- A PERSONAL WITNESS. This should happen automatically when a person is born again, the new believer wants to share the good news, and in discipleship, he is given keys to effectively win people to Jesus Christ.
- A DISCIPLEMAKER The process should repeat itself with every new generation of new believers. Surely every believer is called to be a witness and a disciple maker. Here are some statements that will make sit up and think.
THE CHURCH IS ALWAYS ONE GENERATION AWAY FROM EXTINCTION
THE SUPREME TASK OF THE CHURCH IS THE EVANGELISATION OF THE WORLD (Oswald J. Smith)
FRIENDS DON’T LET FRIENDS GO TO HELL
HAVE YOU NO WISH FOR OTHERS TO BE SAVED? THEN YOU ARE NOT SAVED YOURSELF, BE SURE OF THAT. (Charles Spurgeon).
Included in the discipleship process must be the ACTS 1:8 EXPERIENCE.
We must receive the power of the Holy Spirit to be effective witnesses. We received the Holy Spirit when we were born again, so had the Disciples Jesus breathed on them and said “receive the Holy Spirit”. So what is this Baptism with the Spirit that Jesus mentions in Acts 1:6. The disciples spend 10 days seeking God in the upper room, and came to the place of complete surrender, what happened ? The resident Holy Spirit becomes PRESIDENT.
Through the Discipleship process a Believer must be taught and shown how to do 2 essential things, if they are to become a man or woman of God.
TO LEARN TO DAILY CONSTANTLY SURRENDER THEMSELVES TO GOD Romans 12:1
TO LEARN TO BE CONTINUALLY FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT Eph.5:18
Then the power of the Holy Spirit is ever available for us to be effective witnesses.
ARE THERE OTHER KEYS GOD HAS GIVEN US TO FULFIL OUR MISSION?
When Peter had the revelation in Matt. 16 that Jesus was the Messiah, the son of the living God, Jesus said to Peter that through him Christ will build the Church. Just as the Great Commission was to every believer in every generation, so the KEYS that Jesus gave Peter are also available to us. WHAT ARE THE KEYS?
There is no specific teaching on the keys in the Gospels, but I am sure Jesus taught the disciples what they were. If ever there was a time the Church needed the keys was when persecution broke out in Acts 4. Here is what I think are some of the keys of the Kingdom.
UNITY There were all in one accord (verse 24) God commands blessing when the church is in unity.
PRAYER They didn’t have a Committee meeting, they prayed (The effectual fervent pray of a righteous man avails MUCH).
THE WORD OF GOD. The believers knew the Bible and they prayed out the Word of God. (verses 25-26) and when they were filled afresh they went out and preached the Word of God with boldness,
SIGNS AND WONDERS, (verse 30) Mark 16:20 tells us the disciples went out and preached everywhere , the Lord working with them and confirming the Word with through the accompanying signs. The greatest sign and wonder is a person being born again of the Spirit., but the Lord sill can give us other miracles today too.
THE NAME OF JESUS There is a power and authority in the name of Jesus, we need that revelation, and use His Name as we serve the Lord.
THE HOLY SPIRIT They were filled in Acts 2, but again were filled afresh here in Acts 4. Let us never neglect the Person and Word of the Holy Spirit, without Him we can do nothing.
A.B.Simpson the founder of the Christian & Missionary Alliance church wrote:
A HUNDRED THOUSAND SOULS A DAY ARE PASSING ONE BY ONE AWAY,IN CHRISTLESS GUILT AND DOOM, O CHURCH OF CHRIST WHAT WILT THOU SAY, WHEN IN THE AWESOME JUDGMENT DAY THEY CHARGE THEE WITH THEIR DOOM.
I am sure you agree that the Lord’s return is very close, as God said to Moses
WHAT IS IN YOUR HAND ?
I want my hands overflowing with people whom I had the privilege of leading to Jesus, and discipling them to become soul winners and disciplemakers.
Do you remember this old hymn?
Lord lay some soul upon my heart and love that soul through me, and may I bravely do my part to win that soul for Thee
Some soul for Thee, some soul for thee, this is my earnest plea. help me each day, on life’s highway to win some soul for Thee.
Lord, lead me to some soul in sin, and grant that I may be, endued with power and love to win, that soul dear lord for Thee.
To win that soul r Thee, my lord, will be my constant prayer, that when I’ve won Thy full reward, I’ll with that dear one share .Leon Tucker v.1 Baylus Benjamin McKinney v2-3
WILL YOU PRAY THIS PRAYER WITH ME?
LORD LET ME HAVE THAT 18INCH DROP FROM HEAD TO HEART, SO THE INFORMATION BECOMES REVELATION, AND BY YOUR GRACE I FULFIL THE GREAT COMMISSION AMEN
