Text: John 1:1-5, 9-12
My being asked to speak on the importance of missions gives me the impression that this assembly is missions oriented. This morning I’m going to intertwine purpose and missions as I speak. And I pray that The Lord will give someone a good understanding in Jesus name.
What is Mission?
Why is it important?
When you talk of the Importance of a thing, you are talking of its significance, it’s seriousness.
So, why is it so important that we all should involve in missions?
Ephesians 2:10 – For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. It had been determined (before you were born) to team up with God to do His works.
Our God is God of purpose.
The account of creation clearly shows us how purposeful the Lord is in everything He does. Purposeful and deliberate.
Genesis 1:1-4 – [1] In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. [2] Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. [3] And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. [4] God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.
After creating everything, He made man. He made us.
And what were we created for?
I dare to say for His mission.
Why is it so important for us to be involved in missions?
And why everyone of us? Must it be everyone?
Yes. Because in God’s agenda for this world, everyone has a role to play. World Missions is God’s mission. Everyone of us has a God-assigned role in his mission of God. “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works…”
There are many roles in missions but the end results are the same: to bring humanity to the saving knowledge of God and to worship Him, the only true living God. So, it is important therefore for you to know what your role is.
In Genesis we read: In the beginning, God
The earth was formless, then God… then He said ” let there be light” …And God… And God… And God… God is the centre of ALL.
When there is no God, there is no light. And when there is no light, what do we have? Darkness. That is what John is trying to tell us in John 1:1-5, 9-12
John 1:1-5 – [1] In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. [2] He was with God in the beginning. [3] Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. [4] In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. [5] The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
John 1:9-12 – [9] The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. [10] He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. [11] He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. [12] Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.
When there is darkness in the life of a person
* there will be no bearing
* no focus
* no conviction about life
* no priorities (what is important, what is less important, what is not important, etc)
* wrong values, (moral, spiritual, financial) etc
The life of a person without God is without form and is void, empty until Christ fills that life. When a person finds life in Christ, he has seen light and walks in light. Walking in light means you see clearly. You see life not as others (who have no Christ) see life. One in Christ pursues life differently. God delivered you from sin, brought you out of darkness into His Light in order to set you on the right path and in the right direction.
So, what were we created for?
We were created to be light and salt for Him.
We were created to be His representatives on earth.
He put us here to manage the earth for Him (as seen in the job description given to Adam and Eve). The Bibles says the whole creation groans in eager expectation for the manifestation of the sons of God (Romans 8:19). Now you see why we who have seen the light must be involved in missions.
He died and rose and floods our life with His light so that anywhere we are, whoever we are with, we should be able to beam HIS light in the darkness all around us. He didn’t go through what He went through on the cross only for us to remain part of the darkness that surrounds us. We cannot stand by and watch the darkness that is engulfing everyone and do nothing about it!
So, what am I saying? Because of what happened on the cross there is a call for us to arise as in Isaiah 60:1-3.
Isaiah 60:1-3 NIV – [1] “Arise, shine, for your light has come and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. [2] See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. [3] Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
This is a call to action. It is a call to shine God’s light in dark places. So, look around you: family, Church, your neighbourhood, your workplaces, your circle of friends, etc. How far is your light going or has gone? God always provides us with opportunities to shine His light.
Proverbs 4:18-19 – [18] The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. [19] But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble.
You were carved out to stand out, a light upon a hill, in fact, a light upon a high hill. Because God wants you to be that kind of person, He is always creating opportunities for you.
Missions is necessary because there are many who have not heard about the love of God through Jesus. They need to hear so that they can follow God and give Him the worship due to Him.
Missionaries to Africa came out of Europe, America, Canada and other western countries to serve The Lord by bringing the good news of Salvation. Some were educated, some were not. Many died as Martyrs. There were hostile tribes that kill missionaries and some even ate them up. But they kept coming and they served.
Even today, countries like Mali, Mauritania, Somalia, Niger, The Gambia, Senegal have less than 10% Christians. And what about England? Once a sending country. Are Churches not closing and being sold out to mosques or clubs?
What will be your response today?
Ephesians 4:7 – [7] But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.
Pray
Give
Go
What service are you rendering for the Kingdom?
God will not ask you to do what you cannot do, i.e. what He has not gifted you with the abilities necessary for that service. Ephesians 4:7.
What you do
- Share the love of God with those around you. Do they know you as a Christian?
- Prayer groups
- Give of your substance. What do you have that can be of use to missions?
- Serve as links to missions,
- Vacation trips on missions
- visit a mission field
- help out on the mission’s headquarters
- Full-time service?
Don’t:
- Procrastinate.
- Fear
- Be lazy
The sermon, by Rev. Mrs Anne Famonure of Agape Missions & Evangelic Ministries, Jos, Nigeria was delivered on the 15th of September, 2019.