Our God is a missionary God. His heart is set on reaching the lost, all those who are lost, desiring reconciliation with the world to Himself through the blood of His own Son Jesus Christ. The Bible declares that we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Therefore God’s heart for the lost extends to all who have sinned. What love!
The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise to return, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to perish, so he is giving more time for everyone to repent. 2 Peter 3:9 (NLT)
While some believe and even teach that God is distant, uninterested, and cold toward some, the Bible reveals just the opposite. We see God’s heart unfold beginning in the Garden of Eden as He goes after the fallen. Adam and Eve are unable to hide from the pursuing love of God despite their deadness in sin. Instead of God dismissing them because of their sin, He calls out to them, “where are you?” (Genesis 3: 9). The heart of our Father is to seek and save the lost.
Jesus, the eternal Son, was sent into the world to seek and to save the lost. You could say He came to earth on a mission, with a mission to provide the only way of salvation to mankind, through His own sacrificial death on a cross.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 2 Cor 5:17-19 (NKJV)
Jesus shed some light on His mission in His own hometown, Nazareth when He opened up the scrolls in the synagogue and read out loud:
When he came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures. The scroll containing the messages of Isaiah the prophet was handed to him, and he unrolled the scroll to the place where it says: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has appointed me to preach Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the downtrodden will be freed from their oppressors, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.” He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and sat down. Everyone in the synagogue stared at him intently. Then he said, “This Scripture has come true today before your very eyes!” Luke 4:16-21 (NLT)
Friend, as born again believers in Christ, we share in that same mission. You could say we are “On Mission” with Jesus. You are a tool in the hands of Christ to reach a lost and dying world. Everything in your life is a divine set up to match God’s love with those around you.
Have you ever wondered why you live where you live? Why you work where you work? Why you were born into “that” family? It’s all a part of the mission of God in and through you. You were created to uniquely reach the people that God brings into your life! You are a tool in His hands in His desire to reach the lost with the message of redemption and salvation.
Tell someone today about the love of God. Ask them if they know there is a God in heaven who loves them so much that He sent His only begotten Son to this earth to die, rise again, and save them.
THE ROMANS ROAD
THE PROBLEM OF SIN Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…”
THE WAGES OF SIN Romans 6:23a “For the wages of sin is death…”
THE LOVE OF GOD Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
THE FREE GIFT OF SALVATION Romans 6:23b “But the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
ACCEPTING THE FREE GIFT Romans 10:9 & 13 “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” (13) For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”
BIBLE STUDY BEGINS AT 46:00
3/8/17 – Our Missionary God from Calvary Aurora on Vimeo.
Study #20170308 – Acts 13:1-3
Thanks, Ed, for the follow-up on last night’s message. I know it is stirring my heart to be more active in missions. Thank you for being our pastor and may our Lord bless you and your family, today!
Ed, i couldn’t agree more. This is the reflection of my heart as my wife and i remain obedient to His call to use us how He sees fit and where He desires. Because of this we are being called to serve the people of San Francisco. It doesn’t make human sense to go from a place that is getting more expensive to live and jump to a place that is even more.expensive than Denver, but we hear His call in our hearts. So off we go.