SAVED TO SERVE: A global mission 2-5-23

 SAVED TO SERVE: A global mission 2-5-23

We are saved to serve.

We are trusted servants of God.

We are to serve in whatever we do.

We are called to serve all of our life.

We are called to serve others.

We are called to serve the world.

I.  JESUS COMMAND‬

A.  Go into all the world . . . 

“He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭16‬:‭15‬ ‭NIV‬‬

"To know the will of God, we need an open Bible and an open map." 

William Carey, pioneer missionary to India

B.  Go beyond your backyard 

“and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.””

‭‭ Acts‬ ‭1‬:‭8‬b ‭NIV‬‬

There is a story told that is totally fictitious, but the point is true. The story is that when Jesus went back up into Heaven, the angel Gabriel had a conversation with Jesus. This is just an illustration. He asked Jesus, “What happened while you down on earth? Did they make you king?” Jesus said, “No.” Gabriel asked, “Did they make you prince?” Jesus said, “No.” “Did they worship you? Jesus said, “Some did, but most didn’t?” Gabriel asked, “What happened?” Jesus said, “They crucified me.” After talking more, Gabriel said, “Surely, after you died and rose again, everyone believed in you. Surely, they understood that your death, burial and resurrection was so that they might be saved.” Jesus replied, “No. Almost no one believed.” Gabriel then asked, “What is your plan?” Jesus said, “Before I left, I set up the church, the kingdom of God. I gathered my disciples and told them to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature, baptizing and teaching them. I urged them to tell the gospel story to their neighbors, friends, relatives to anyone who would listen. I urged them to tell it to the rich and the poor, to men and women, to all who would hear.” “Gabriel then asked, “What if they fail? What if they don’t do what you asked them to do? What is your other plan?” Jesus replied, “I have no other plan.”

Our mission field is as close as our neighborhood and as near as our front door.

Mark Aarssen

II.  OUR MISSION

‬ A.  Local ministry

1.  The Word of God

“Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these instructions so that, if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.”

‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭3‬:‭14‬-‭15‬ ‭NIV

"The Church confronts the world with a message the world craves for but resents, because it comes through the Cross of Christ."

Oswald Chambers ‬

2.  Service and Witness

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”

‭ ‭James‬ ‭1‬:‭27‬ ‭NIV‬‬

William Cary was a shoemaker when one day he heard of the millions of people in India who had not heard the Good News of Jesus Christ. He believed the great commission to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel.” He believed that that verse was speaking directly to him.

So he volunteered to go to India but was told “Young man, sit down. When God wants to convert the heathen, He will do it without your help.” Cary went anyway – supporting himself. For seven years he worked without seeing a single convert – but by the end of his life he saw hundreds of churches and thousands of converts. Today he is known as the “Father of Modern Missions.” ‬

Tom Shepard

B.  World impact  

When Hudson Taylor was director of the China Inland Mission, he often interviewed candidates for the mission field. On one occasion, he met with a group of applicants to determine their motivations for service. "And why do you wish to go as a foreign missionary?" he asked one.

"I want to go because Christ has commanded us to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature," was the reply. Another said, "I want to go because millions are perishing without Christ." Others gave different answers.

Then Hudson Taylor said, "All of these motives, however good, will fail you in times of testings, trials, tribulations, and possible death. There is but one motive that will sustain you in trial and testing--namely, the love of Christ." 

Source Unknown.  From a sermon by Terry Blankenship, "Mission-Minded Living" 2/9/2009

Dr. John Geddie was a Scots-Canadian missionary who was known as "the father of Presbyterian missions in the South Seas." In 1848 he pioneered missionary work in the New Hebrides islands, Aneityum (Anatom) and worked there for God for 24 years. On the tablet erected to his memory these words are inscribed:

"When he landed, in 1848, there were no Christians.

When he left, in 1872, there were no heathen."

III.  OUR EFFORTS

A.  Our actions

1.  The Word preached and taught

a.  Sunday worship

b.  Bible School

2.  Service to our congregation

a.  Sunday morning

b.  Support ministries

c.  Community events

3.  Service to our community

a.  Outreach

b.  Benevolence

c.  Service

B. Our partnerships

1.  Wolverine Christian Service Camp

A gift of reusable trays and flatware for meals at WCSC has saved money (not buying plastic and dumpster costs) and the environmental impact.

2.  His House Christian Fellowship

Omid left Iran to never return.  He is now impacting others at EMU.  The His House students met him when they were handing out the ramen we gave them.  A single gift led to a single conversation.

3.  Great Lakes Christian College

Snacks made a big difference.  Coffee machine.  

4.  Helping Hands Touching Hearts

Knitted hats, $10 to feed a person for 10 days, seniors sewing dresses and bags

C.  Our prayer  

David Livermore, in his book, Serving with Eyes Wide Open, talks about a friend of his, Ashish, who came from Northern India to visit him in Chicago. They were eating at Gino's Pizzeria, and there they ran into a youth pastor David knew, along with his youth group. The group had just returned from Central America and they were debriefing.

Ashish, David's friend from India, asked them, "So what did you learn from your trip?" And student after student obsessed about the poverty of "those poor people."

After they left, Ashish asked David, "Why do they think we're so poor?"

"Ashish," David replied, "you are poor compared to any of those kids. It's hard to get their minds off their consumerist passions. I'm glad they experienced some dissonance."

To which Ashish said, "I'm sick of sympathy from Westerners who think we need more stuff. What does that have to do with our happiness? Please don't help import the consumerism idol into India."

He then talked about an American group that was just with him in Delhi. "They were concerned about the bicycle I use to get back and forth to church. They told me they'd all chipped in to get me a car! That was the last thing I wanted." Ashish said, "I think I 'rained on their parade,' as you say, when I told them that members in my church could use those same dollars to help start a micro-enterprise, [but] they thought I was just being super-sacrificial."

David Livermore, Serving with Eyes Wide Open, Baker Books, 2006. From a sermon by C.  Philip Green, Treasure’s Trap, 9/18/2010

1.  Send workers

“He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

‭‭ Luke‬ ‭10‬:‭2‬ ‭NIV

10 and 2‬‬

2.  Open a door for His message

“And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.”

‭‭Colossians‬ ‭4‬:‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬

3.  Give them words to tell about God without fear

“Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel,”

‭‭ Ephesians‬ ‭6‬:‭19‬ ‭NIV‬‬

4.  Spread His message rapidly and that it would be honored

“As for other matters, brothers and sisters, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you.”

‭‭ 2 Thessalonians‬ ‭3‬:‭1‬ ‭NIV‬‬

5.  Protect believers by the power of His name so that they may be One

“I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one.”

‭‭ John‬ ‭17‬:‭11‬ ‭NIV‬

CONCLUSION

Jesus commanded us to go to the ends of the world.  Our mission covers local, regional, and global needs.  Our efforts are important where we live and with our partners around the world.  We must pray for those doing the work of the Kingdom.

A Mission Poem by Jeff Strite:

God called us to support His worldwide missions

By giving to us His Great Commission

It calls mankind to have - for their sins - remission

And for their souls, in heaven, to gain admission

Now God has given us His explicit permission

To approach the world with His transmission

All that is left is for us not to allow omission

But give ourselves in His service in humble submission

INVITATION

It is our custom to offer an "invitation" following the preaching of the Word.  You may want to follow Jesus.  You may want to proclaim your faith.  You may want to repent (stop doing ungodly things and start doing Godly things).  Perhaps you want to be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Possibly, if you have already responded to God’s call in these ways, you would like to become a member of Kenwood Church.  If you have been moved by the Holy Spirit to make a decision in your life, you can come forward now.  If you would like, I would be honored to speak with you following the service about what God is doing in your life.