The Bible & Missions
There are about 5 billion people on earth. Two billion have never heard of Jesus.
Before Jesus returned to heaven, He left behind priority instructions for His followers. Jesus said, ” I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make disciples: baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. And I will be with you always, to the end of the age” Matt. 28:18-20.
- Missions is for all believers (some to go, some to give, all to share)
- Missions work is local, national, and international
- The heart of Missions is sharing the Gospel AND descipleship (helping those who receive the Gospel to grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ).
What is the Gospel ? What does someone have to believe in order to enter into a personal relationship with Jesus ? First Corinthians 15:1-4 says it clearly . . . “And now I want to remind you, my friends, of the Good News which I preached to you, which you received, and on which your faith stands. That is the Gospel, the message that I preached to you. You are saved by the Gospel if you hold firmly to it . . . Christ died for our sins, as written in the Scriptures; that He was buried and that He was raised to life three days later, as written in the Scriptures”.
What is a good Missionary model? An excellent model (or example) can be found in the life of the Apostle Paul.
- He was personally called by Christ (Acts 9, 13:2)
- He boldly preached the Gospel, even at personal risk (Acts 13:50,Acts 14:19,22)
- He planted & nutured local churches (Acts 14:21-28,Acts 15:36)
- He traveled as the Spirit directed (Acts 16:6-10)
- He was even willing to sacrifice his life for the lost (Rom 9:3)
- He adapted himself to the culture in order to most effectively reach the unsaved (1 Cor 9:19- 23)