“And when they saw Him they worshiped Him” (Matthew 28:17). I do not know of anything greater that can prepare us for effective missions than when our hearts are propelled to worship because of Christ. He is the reason for our preaching message! He is the ultimate goal of missions – WORSHIP!
If you are seeking to fulfill the Great Commission and worship is not your highest goal, something is seriously wrong.
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After reading a comment by David Hesselgrave in his book, Planting Churches Cross-Culturally, I took a moment to reread Matthew 28:16-20. Several points stood out as important aspects of fulfilling our call to missions – carrying the gospel to those who have never heard.
Jesus directed the disciples to meet him at a mountain in Galilee (28:16). It was one of the last times He was going to be physically with them. Yet in verse 20 Jesus says, “Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” What was He pointing to? May I strongly suggest from what Jesus did and said clearly indicates that anyone who is going to be involved in the “Great Commission” and be effective must spend time with Him. We will find that the presence of Christ in our missionary ministry is more real when we are serious about being with HIM first. Visit this blog tomorrow for the next point. Death cannot keep his prey, Jesus, my Savior!
He tore the bars away, Jesus, my Lord! And up form the grave He arose, With a mighty triumph o'er His foes. He arose a Victor from the dark domain, And He lives forever with His saints to reign, He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose! Robert Lowry Those who oppose the Bible and Christian faith down through the centuries have done all they could to prove that Jesus died and did not come back to life, but without success. In Peter’s first sermon, he acknowledges that Jesus was “crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men” (Acts 2:23). But they did not and could not calculate that there are a few impossibilities that either we accept or fight against to our own eternal loss. Consider carefully and thoughtfully the following words of Peter as he continues his powerful sermon:
“God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.” (2:24). Why was it impossible for Jesus to be held more than three days by death? We find a pivotal answer to this question in John’s Gospel: “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” (John 1:4). Life existed in Jesus and could not be separated from who He was except when He laid it down in order that He might take it again (10:17). Notice also the authority that was behind this act of power and grace: “No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”” (John 10:18). How thankful we must be for God’s impossibilities! Now is the time to worship! In the words of Paul to the Corinthians, “we preach Christ crucified” because “Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:23-24) in order “to save those who believe (v.21). “The word (message) of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1:18). There is no other message that has “power” in it to make an eternal difference in the lives of men, women and children. We are committed to help the church proclaim this message and in doing so, live the message in the power of the Holy Spirit.
There is no other foundation on which we can build (3:11). We must take this truth to the next step in our Christian walk and say with Paul, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Galatians 2:20). When others see this power and wisdom of the cross being applied to our lives, God will use it to transform others. “JESUS…who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame” (Hebrews 12:2).
It is rare that anyone speaks of the motivation that propelled Jesus to suffer such an agonizing death. The historical and medical accounts of crucifixion are in themselves horrendous. The intensity of Jesus’ prayer on the Mount of Olives, at a place called Gethsemane (Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:39-46) shows that He knew perfectly and in detail the physical suffering and spiritual transaction between God the Father and Himself. These hours of suffering and shame at the hands of men and those hours on the cross speak for themselves of what depths He went through. They are beyond our ability to comprehend! Yet, there is another side of this event we cannot miss. “Who for the joy that was set before him”! There has never been anyone in all of human history that could look into the future and see as clearly as Jesus did what would result from His death. To Him, it was joy as he considered the vast multitudes that would become new creatures and live for the Father’s glory all over the world. Are you part of that joy Jesus was looking forward to? If not, why not? Are you living to increase His joy by denying self so that He will be exalted? As we approach the season when the church traditionally remembers the sufferings of Christ and His resurrection, I want to draw your attention to some glorious beauties in Christ that must evoke our abandoned worship.
Peter draws a very important distinction in what God used to redeem our lost souls from eternal destruction and loss. “Knowing that you were ransomed…not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.” (1 Peter 1:18–19). Our redemption was based on a value that could never change with time, culture, circumstances, or that could perish at some point. No! God used the life-blood of His own Son as the price required to restore our relationship with Himself. There is no higher price! There is nothing that has a higher value! There is no other currency that can pay the price! The value of the blood of Christ is what it is because there was no blemish or spot on Him. HE IS ETERNALLY PERFECT and in whom the Father is well pleased! As you consider again the glory of Christ’s sacrifice for you, will this truth change anything in your life that will cause you to forsake selfish interests and live for His glory? |
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