Sermon 1: You Were Made for A Mission

WEEK 1

SERMON TOPIC: We Were Made For A Mission
AIM: Why We Should Be Involved In Missions

INTRODUCTION

Many people cross our path in our life journey but few would deeply impact us. And those who did, we would remember for a lifetime. I remember fondly a Chinese language teacher who taught me Mandarin in Bible School. She was never embarrassed to share about her faith with others and her love for Jesus Christ. The Mandarin course she taught was aimed at making us more proficient and effective in sharing the gospel in that language.

One day, she came to class and broke the bad news that she was diagnosed with nose cancer. However, that medical condition did not stop her from continuing to teach her lessons. Then there came the day when she was too weak to continue any further. I remembered vividly the day she called the class together and shared her passion about soul-winning and missionary work. She parted with these final words to me: “Vincent, preach the Gospel and evangelize the world. Don’t give up!” These were her last words to me and some months later, she passed away. She was truly one with great evangelistic fervor. She lived out what she taught, and her enthusiasm had influenced me greatly.

TRANSITION

Today, we launch the 40 Days of Missions Corporate Study. Before we continue any further, let us do a little review of God’s purposes in our life. What are the 5 purposes of God? They are Worship, Fellowship, Discipleship, Ministry and Missions. Today, we are going to deal with the fifth purpose: We are made for a Mission.

In John 17:18, Jesus said: “In the same way that you gave me a mission in the world, I give them a mission in the world” (Message)

What is our mission that Jesus is talking about? The Apostle Paul in Acts 20:24 gives the answer: “…the most important thing is that I complete my mission, the work that the Lord Jesus gave me to tell people the good news about God’s grace.”

So our mission on earth is to share the Good news. Another word that is commonly used is “Evangelism.” So the Bible says that once we know the Good news that God loves us, and that God has a purpose and plan for our lives, He wants us to pass it on and share it with others.

Why does God want us to do this? Because it is in His heartbeat to do so. 2 Peter 3:9 says this about God: “He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.” Everyone counts for the kingdom! God loves everyone in his creation. He wants to redeem them. Yes, everyone belongs to Him.

The amazing truth is that God has chosen us to complete His mission - the mission that Jesus Christ started when he came to earth. Jesus says: “I want you to finish it.” (Mark 13:10) God has put the future of the world in our hands.

OUTLINE

The Bible gives us several reasons why our mission is so important.

1. OUR MISSION IS A CONTINUATION OF JESUS’ MISSION ON EARTH

Before he ascended into heaven, Jesus gave the church the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20: “Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Jesus repeated this mission 5 times, in 5 different ways and 5 different books of the bible. (Matthew 28: 19-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24: 47; John 20: 21; Acts 1: 8)

The Great Commission is given to every Christian, not only to pastors or missionaries only. It is the Great Commission, and NOT the Great Suggestion or the Great Option! Therefore, it means that if you are a part of God’s family, your mission is mandatory. To ignore the Great Commission would be disobedience.

You may have been unaware that God holds you responsible for the unbelievers who live around you. The Bible says, “You must warn them so they may live. If you don’t speak out to warn the wicked to stop their evil ways, they will die in their sin. But I will hold you responsible for their death.” (Ezekiel 3:18)

2. OUR MISSION HAS ETERNAL SIGNIFICANCE

Romans 1:16 says, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.”

The mission of sharing the Good News impacts the eternal destiny of other people, and is considered more important than any job or achievement attained during your life on earth. The fruit of your mission will last forever but not so for your job. Nothing else you do will ever matter as much as helping people to establish an eternal relationship with God.

Nobody really knows the date of his departure from the earthly life. The clock is ticking away and statistics show that in every one second, three people die. There is urgency in carrying out the missionary task. Jesus reminded the disciples: “All of us must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent me, because there is little time left before the night falls and all work comes to an end.” (John 9:4)

Having said that, it does not mean that every one of us should start quitting our job to become a full-time minister or missionary. No, God wants us to share the Good news wherever we are. As a student, salesman, teacher, manager or whatever you do, you should continually look out for people that God places in your path with whom you can share the gospel.

3. OUR MISSION BRINGS MEANING TO OUR LIFE

William James said: “The best use of your life is to spend it for something that outlasts it.” And the truth is: the kingdom of God is going to last forever. Everything will eventually perish, but what is done for God will last forever. Matthew 6:19-20 says: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.”

Charles Kettering says: “We should all be concerned about the future because we will have to spend the rest of our lives there.”

Another anonymous quote states: “Only one life, ‘twill soon be past; Only what’s done for Jesus will last.”

If you fail to fulfill you God-given mission on earth, you will have wasted the life that God has given you. “My life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus – the work of telling others the Good news about God‘s wonderful kindness and love.” (Acts 20:24)

There are people on this planet only you will be able to reach, because of where you live and what God has made you to be. If just one person goes to heaven because of you, your life will have made a difference for eternity.

4. GOD’S TIMETABLE FOR HISTORY’S CONCLUSION IS CONNECTED TO THE COMPLETION OF OUR MISSION

Do you know when Jesus Christ is coming back again? Do you know when the end of the world will take place? There has been growing interest in end-time events. Just before Jesus ascended into heaven, the disciples asked him a similar question, and his response was quite revealing. He said: “It is not for you to know the times and dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witness in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Act 1: 7-8)

Isn’t it interesting that when the disciples wanted to talk about prophecy, Jesus redirected their conversation to evangelism. Have you ever asked why? He wanted them to concentrate on their mission in the world – to keep the main thing, the main thing. In essence, he was telling them, “The details of my return are none of your business. What your business is should be your mission that I have given you. Focus on that!”

Many Christians spend hours, weeks and months to speculate the exact timing of Christ’s return but never seem to sense the urgency to share the Good news. That is futile, because Jesus says, no one knows about the day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. What we do know for sure is that Jesus will not return until everyone God wants to hear the Good News has heard it. Jesus said, “The Good News about God’s kingdom will be preached in all the world, to every nation. Then the end will come.” (Mark 13:10) So if we want Jesus to return sooner, focus on fulfilling your mission, not figuring out the prophecy.

APPLICATION

What must we do to fulfill our mission? It requires us to first, abandon our agenda and then, accept God’s agenda for our life.

CONCLUSION

Rick Warren recounts in his book, The Purpose Driven Life, that his ministry was inspired by a scene at the deathbed of his father, a Baptist minister who had launched 150 churches across the world. As Warren's dad seemed about to succumb, he shot up and struggled to get out of bed, repeating, "Got to save one more for Jesus!" nearly a hundred times. In his dying hour, he mustered enough strength to give a directive to his son: "Save one more for Jesus!" May this powerful story inspire us to abandon our agenda and fulfill God’s agenda for our life.

Sermon Text by Rev Vincent Goh

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WEEK 1 SERMON TOPIC: We Were Made For A Mission AIM: Why We Should Be Involved In Missions INTRODUCTION Many people cross our path in our life journey but few would deeply impact us. And those who did, we would remember for a lifetime. I remember fondly a Chinese language teacher who taught me Mandarin in Bible School. She was never embarrassed to share about her faith with others and her love for Jesus Christ. The Mandarin course she taught was aimed at making us more proficient and effective in sharing the gospel in that language. One day, she came to class and broke the bad news that she was diagnosed with nose cancer. However, that medical condition did not stop her from continuing to teach her lessons. Then there came the day when she was too weak to continue any further. I remembered vividly the day she called the class together and shared her passion about soul-winning and missionary work. She parted with these final words to me: “Vincent, preach the Gospel and evangelize the world. Don’t give up!” These were her last words to me and some months later, she passed away. She was truly one with great evangelistic fervor. She lived out what she taught, and her enthusiasm had influenced me greatly. TRANSITION Today, we launch the 40 Days of Missions Corporate Study. Before we continue any further, let us do a little review of God’s purposes in our life. What are the 5 purposes of God? They are Worship, Fellowship, Discipleship, Ministry and Missions. Today, we are going to deal with the fifth purpose: We are made for a Mission. In John 17:18, Jesus said: “In the same way that you gave me a mission in the world, I give them a mission in the world” (Message) What is our mission that Jesus is talking about? The Apostle Paul in Acts 20:24 gives the answer: *“…the most important thing is that I complete my mission, the work that the Lord Jesus gave me to tell people the good news about God’s grace.”* So our mission on earth is to share the Good news. Another word that is commonly used is “Evangelism.” So the Bible says that once we know the Good news that God loves us, and that God has a purpose and plan for our lives, He wants us to pass it on and share it with others. Why does God want us to do this? Because it is in His heartbeat to do so. 2 Peter 3:9 says this about God: “He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.” Everyone counts for the kingdom! God loves everyone in his creation. He wants to redeem them. Yes, everyone belongs to Him. The amazing truth is that God has chosen us to complete His mission - the mission that Jesus Christ started when he came to earth. Jesus says: “I want you to finish it.” (Mark 13:10) God has put the future of the world in our hands. OUTLINE The Bible gives us several reasons why our mission is so important. 1. OUR MISSION IS A CONTINUATION OF JESUS’ MISSION ON EARTH Before he ascended into heaven, Jesus gave the church the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20: “Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Jesus repeated this mission 5 times, in 5 different ways and 5 different books of the bible. (Matthew 28: 19-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24: 47; John 20: 21; Acts 1: 8) The Great Commission is given to every Christian, not only to pastors or missionaries only. It is the *Great Commission, and NOT* the Great Suggestion or the Great Option! Therefore, it means that if you are a part of God’s family, your mission is mandatory. To ignore the Great Commission would be disobedience. You may have been unaware that God holds you responsible for the unbelievers who live around you. The Bible says, “You must warn them so they may live. If you don’t speak out to warn the wicked to stop their evil ways, they will die in their sin. But I will hold you responsible for their death.” (Ezekiel 3:18) 2. OUR MISSION HAS ETERNAL SIGNIFICANCE Romans 1:16 says, *“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation* of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.” The mission of sharing the Good News impacts the eternal destiny of other people, and is considered more important than any job or achievement attained during your life on earth. The fruit of your mission will last forever but not so for your job. Nothing else you do will ever matter as much as helping people to establish an eternal relationship with God. Nobody really knows the date of his departure from the earthly life. The clock is ticking away and statistics show that in every one second, three people die. There is urgency in carrying out the missionary task. Jesus reminded the disciples: “All of us must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent me, because there is little time left before the night falls and all work comes to an end.” (John 9:4) Having said that, it does not mean that every one of us should start quitting our job to become a full-time minister or missionary. No, God wants us to share the Good news wherever we are. As a student, salesman, teacher, manager or whatever you do, you should continually look out for people that God places in your path with whom you can share the gospel. 3. OUR MISSION BRINGS MEANING TO OUR LIFE William James said: “The best use of your life is to spend it for something that outlasts it.” And the truth is: the kingdom of God is going to last forever. Everything will eventually perish, but what is done for God will last forever. Matthew 6:19-20 says: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” Charles Kettering says: “We should all be concerned about the future because we will have to spend the rest of our lives there.” Another anonymous quote states: “Only one life, ‘twill soon be past; Only what’s done for Jesus will last.” If you fail to fulfill you God-given mission on earth, you will have wasted the life that God has given you. “My life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus – the work of telling others the Good news about God‘s wonderful kindness and love.” (Acts 20:24) There are people on this planet only you will be able to reach, because of where you live and what God has made you to be. If just one person goes to heaven because of you, your life will have made a difference for eternity. 4. GOD’S TIMETABLE FOR HISTORY’S CONCLUSION IS CONNECTED TO THE COMPLETION OF OUR MISSION Do you know when Jesus Christ is coming back again? Do you know when the end of the world will take place? There has been growing interest in end-time events. Just before Jesus ascended into heaven, the disciples asked him a similar question, and his response was quite revealing. He said: “It is not for you to know the times and dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witness in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Act 1: 7-8) Isn’t it interesting that when the disciples wanted to talk about prophecy, Jesus redirected their conversation to evangelism. Have you ever asked why? He wanted them to concentrate on their mission in the world – to keep the main thing, the main thing. In essence, he was telling them, “The details of my return are none of your business. What your business is should be your mission that I have given you. Focus on that!” Many Christians spend hours, weeks and months to speculate the exact timing of Christ’s return but never seem to sense the urgency to share the Good news. That is futile, because Jesus says, no one knows about the day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. What we do know for sure is that Jesus will not return until everyone God wants to hear the Good News has heard it. Jesus said, “The Good News about God’s kingdom will be preached in all the world, to every nation. Then the end will come.” (Mark 13:10) So if we want Jesus to return sooner, focus on fulfilling your mission, not figuring out the prophecy. APPLICATION What must we do to fulfill our mission? It requires us to first, abandon our agenda and then, accept God’s agenda for our life. CONCLUSION** Rick Warren recounts in his book, The Purpose Driven Life, that his ministry was inspired by a scene at the deathbed of his father, a Baptist minister who had launched 150 churches across the world. As Warren's dad seemed about to succumb, he shot up and struggled to get out of bed, repeating, "Got to save one more for Jesus!" nearly a hundred times. In his dying hour, he mustered enough strength to give a directive to his son: "Save one more for Jesus!" May this powerful story inspire us to abandon our agenda and fulfill God’s agenda for our life. *Sermon Text by Rev Vincent Goh*
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