Sometimes I wonder, just
like anyone, "Is my work necessary?" As someone whose job is to
motivate people into getting involved in world evangelization, I find myself reflecting
and learning and adapting to many different audiences, needs, and perspectives
– whether it's one person or a thousand. Specifically with missions, there are
many motivations that God uses to spark interest in people and move them into
some kind of involvement.
Here are thirteen motivations:
1) The Promise (Gen
12:1-3) – Because God has promised to bless all nations (or people groups) on
the earth. What better motivation and encouragement can we have than the
understanding that missions (blessing the nations with the Gospel) is in the plan
of God.
2) The Purchase (Rev 5:9)
– Because Jesus has already purchased people from every tribe and nation with
His blood.
3) Because the Harvest is
plentiful (Matt 9:37) – Now this is for all the numbers gurus out there who are
motivated by sheer statistics. Today, out of the 6.5 billion people on the
planet, over 4 billion are without a saving relationship with Christ. The
majority of these people are located in the area of the world known as the 10/40
Window. The harvest is plentiful!
4) Because the Laborers
are few (Matt 9:37) – This is probably what runs through my head the majority
of the times I get up to speak. Only one in every 20,000 believers will ever
take the gospel to those who are out of reach of the church, and of all the
cross-cultural missionaries in the world only 2.5% of all the 306,000
missionaries are working in the 10/40 Window. More laborers are needed.
5) Because of the Destiny
of the Lost (Rom 1; John 3:18; John 14:6) – I
believer the Bible gives us no means by which a person can be saved other than
through Christ's work, and by exercising faith in His name. The Scripture
leaves no loopholes for those living in ignorance. All are born in sin, the
Cross has real meaning for salvation, and the Great Commission is necessary for
people to hear and be saved. If this shocks you, you may have been influenced
by the universalism that is gossiped among church goers. This makes missions
not only important, but urgent.
6) Logically Necessary
for Hearing the Gospel Message (Rom 10:14-15, Acts 8 (Philip) and 10
(Cornelius)) – This goes along with the last one. Every time someone comes to Christ
in Scripture there is a human messenger involved. It would be great to think
that God would draw people to Himself in the world apart from someone going. He
is able, but this is not the means He has chosen to use. The Church is the
means. The Ethiopian eunuch was reading Isaiah (the OT Bible!) and still God
miraculously transported Philip, a human messenger to explain Christ to him. An
angel appears to Cornelius, a god-fearer. But still Peter must be summoned and
travel all the way to Cornelius' house to explain the gospel to him before he
could be saved. Why didn't the angel just tell Cornelius? It would have saved a
lot of time and gas money for Peter – but God used a human messenger. Missions
and evangelism are necessary. I hope we are speaking the message around us as
well – they must hear.
7) The Example of the
Church (Acts 1:8, 10, 15, Rom 15:20) – The early church has given us a model to
follow. They went out, sent out their own missionaries like Paul and Barnabas,
and evangelized the Gentiles beyond the reach of the gospel in their world.
8) Because We Will be
Held Accountable (Ezek 33) – Here is a passage that will cause you to re-evaluate
life. The people of God, meant to be a blessing to the world, were held
accountable for not warning others of the danger coming, and I believe believers
today will be held accountable for their obedience to the Great Commission?
9) Because To Whom Much
is Given Much is Required (Luke 12:47-48) – Here is Jesus' measuring standard.
Our accountability may be based on our resources, our understanding, or our
ability – more given equals more expected.
10) Because the Church is
the Means (Rom 1:5, Gal 3:14-15, 2 Cor 5:17-20) – You are God's ordained means
for the blessing of Christ reaching to all the nations, just like He promised
(Gen 12). Jesus has purchased them (Rev 5:9) and commissioned us with the task
of gathering them in for God's glory.
11) Because History
Awaits the Fulfillment of the Promise (Matt 24:14) – Not sure how it's all
going to play out, but if God has promised that all nations are reached and
Jesus says here that the gospel will be preached to all nations…then the end
will come – it just seems logical. That is exciting!
12) Because the Glory of
God is Yet to be Known (Hab 2:14; Ps 72:19, 86; Isa 11:9) – There are actually
about a dozen times that Bible talks of God's glory "filling the earth as the
waters cover the sea." God has created people to worship Him and that
worship is being given to other lesser things right now. Missions is spreading
the worship and enjoyment of God to those who are not currently worshippers,
because God's glory is increased by the increase of His church in the world. As
John Piper says it, "Missions exists because worship doesn't." Where
passion for God is weak, enthusiasm for missions will be weak."
13) The Commands of Jesus
(Matt 28:18-20; Acts 1:8, 13:47; John 20:21) – And last of all – because Jesus
commanded it. Just as Jesus says in John 14:21, "He who has My commandments
and keeps them is the one who loves Me," or 1 John 3:24, "The one who
keeps His commandments abides in Him."
I hope we can all stand
before him in the end and hear him say, "Well done, good and faithful
servant."
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We have posted our next Mission trip to India on our website. Click HERE to learn more about joining the team and download the application.
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This Christmas, help provide hope for someone in need in India. Our
vision is an India
rich in hope, justice and the compassion of Christ. Asia International Mission
works alongside groups of national Christian grassroots ministries in India
focused on alleviating poverty, and bringing the hope of Jesus Christ to a lost
and dying country. We seek support from others who share our passion to empower
change.
Please click Here to make a donation on our secure server, or send your check to:
AIM
PO Box 1597
Stillwater, OK 74076
Pray for the Unreached Barwala, Muslim of India
Population: 1,900
World Popl: 537,000
Main Language: Dogri
Main Religion: Islam
Bible: New Testament
Status: Least-Reached
Christ-Followers: Few, less than 2%
Asia International Mission is an
IRS approved 501(c) (3) non-profit ministry.
All gifts are tax-deductible and
100% of donations are used as designated
