There has been a lot of focus on missions for decades, centuries even. Missionaries from Europe, North America and others sent messengers of the Truth to countries around the world. Sometimes the messengers used some rather violent methods to get the Word of God out there such as armed crusades, others went into harm's way armed only with the Sword of Truth (a Bible) and a stalwart faith in a loving God. Consider this, we do not have the market on mission, in fact, the western world is not the originator of mission. If we look back in history, the first missionary of the Christian movement were the angels when they went into the fields to spread the Good News to the shepherds in the fields. Go a few years into the future and we find the Messiah gathering the messengers to join Him and He taught them the Way. Eventually they were ready to set off into the world to share the Good News and this was the start of missional ministry.
Luke 9:1-6 NLT
One day Jesus called together his twelve disciples and gave them power and authority to cast out all demons and to heal all diseases. Then he sent them out to tell everyone about the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick. “Take nothing for your journey,” he instructed them. “Don’t take a walking stick, a traveler’s bag, food, money, or even a change of clothes. Wherever you go, stay in the same house until you leave town. And if a town refuses to welcome you, shake its dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned those people to their fate.”
So, they began their circuit of the villages, preaching the Good News and healing the sick.
They went out into the nation, on the circuit, and they helped wherever they were accepted but they did not force anyone to come to faith. If they or their message was not appreciated or they were turned away, they simply turned on their heels, wiped the dirt from their sandals and carried on. They did not call down curses, they did not egg the houses or chastised those who turned them away, they simply left and went on to the next house, on to the next town. You see, not everyone wants to hear the Good News, they do not want to make enemies but rather, they wanted to go into the world and offer an alternative to the finality of death through the sacrifice of the Son. Mission is all about communicating the eternal promise of hope to a world in dire need of hope.
Jesus shouted to the crowds, “If you trust me, you are trusting not only me, but also God who sent me. For when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me. I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark. I will not judge those who hear me but don’t obey me, for I have come to save the world and not to judge it. John 12:44-47 NLT
For the next month, we are going to explore what mission means and how we can all be a part of communicating His promise to those who are seeking a new way to love and peace. The service will be broadcast online (see links below), or you are more than welcome to join us in person at 10:30 AM, at 402 Main Ave. W in Sundre, AB.
Blessings,
Our Mission “To live the love of Christ”
