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The Church and Mission
The Church
The Church of Christ is described as a body, with Jesus being the head. We all have our own individual part to play within the body of Christ, whatever that role may be. Jesus called us to make disciples (not just churchgoers with the nickname Christian) of all nations and we are all individually responsible. We cannot wait for the evangelist to tell our next-door neighbour or work colleague about Jesus Christ and the good news – that's our job and you are the best person to do it. “The Kingdom of God is not going to advance by our churches becoming filled with men, but by men in our churches becoming filled with God” – Howard Spring. As individuals we can all make a difference in the society in which we live, we should all be able to share the good news to some degree or other. Someone once said, “There is really very little difference between people – but that little difference makes a great deal of difference.” If Jesus means so much to you, then tell someone about it…what have you got to lose? If you don’t tell people they will have everything to lose! Hell is an evil, dark, hot and tormenting place. “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?” said Jesus. Real Discipleship In our fast run world of consumer convenience, stressful days, ready-made meals and labour saving devices we now have less time and less energy to do the things that we want to do and to meet the people who should be most important to us. We may be richer in material gain and disposable income, but many of us are much poorer in the areas that matter the most – spirituality. Some people may not have backslide, they just never forward slide and got on fire for God! If you call yourself a Christian, you have to become real disciples of Jesus Christ, like Peter and Andrew etc. who left all to follow Jesus and daily took up their cross to obey Him. “One-fifth of all the people are against everything all the time,” said Robert Kennedy, American President. Jesus knew where He came from and where He was heading, yet He kept focussed; on Jerusalem, on mankind, on Calvary, the redemption and atonement for the sins of the world which has tainted, decayed and destroyed humanity and brought individuals to the cess pool of despair, depression and despondency. ‘The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is Christ Jesus.’ In the book ‘Alice in Wonderland’ by Lewis Carroll, Alice on seeking a new direction speaks to the Cat and says, “Would you tell me please, which way I ought to go from here?” “That depend a good deal on where you want to get to,” said the Cat. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we have to ask ourselves, “Where do I want to get too? Who are we asking direction from? And do they know where they are going?” “Can the blind lead the blind?” said Jesus, “will they not both fall into the ditch?” Stick to the Holy Bible and follow the life lessons of the Bible characters whilst being led of the Holy Spirit and we will not go wrong. Pick and Mix Gospel There is a danger in having a pick and mix gospel or a gospel of convenience; we must be seasoned with salt, radiating with light, desiring to understand the whole counsel of God. Alongside the plan and purpose that God has for us, which may be very different than our friends. We should not miss the plot and do not allow people to undermine your faith just because their faith and walk with the Lord is not as strong as yours. “If there is anything doubtful in our lives, it must be removed, anything whose righteousness or wrongness we were uncertain about. That thing must be removed” – Evan Roberts, Welsh revivalist. We must believe in the Holy Bible as truth and fact, the authoritive Word of God. We must believe in God’s power to transform lives, today, here and now, and the ongoing process of sanctification (being made holy). We must not merely talk the talk, but walk the walk – faith and action go hand in hand. Many do not profess that which they confess. The practical test of holiness is the test of everyday life. If God has changed you, then He can change anybody! The Christian life is more than creeds or convictions; it’s about character and conduct as our beliefs must be backed up by our conduct. The Paradox of a Modern World On the 20th April 1999, two teenage pupils went on the rampage with an arsenal of weapons around Columbine High School in Colorado, America. Within 16 minutes of terror, fifteen people were dead including the perpetrators and twenty-three were injured. At a memorial service one of the pupils said, “The paradox of our time is that we have more convenience but less time, more degrees but less common sense, more knowledge but less judgment, more experts but fewer solutions. We’ve increased our possessions but reduced our values. We’ve learnt to make a living, but not a life. We’ve been to the moon, but we still do not know our next-door neighbour. We’ve conquered outer space but not inner space. We’ve cleaned up our air but polluted our souls. These are the times of tall men and short character; steep profits and shallow relationships; a time when there is much in the showroom window, but nothing on the stockroom floor.” Looking for Fulfilment Most people who are not satisfied with God or even their life will search for fulfilment in other places. Tony Blair, former Prime Minister of Britain said in 1995, “We enjoy a thousand material advantages over any previous generation, and yet we suffer a depth of insecurity and spiritual doubt they never knew.” Jesus came to give us life to the full; it is the devil who is stealing from humanity (see John 10:10). We have the good news of Jesus Christ and many are waiting to hear, but who will tell them? Let’s do it. A believer was returning with a group of friends from a church meeting late one Saturday night. Going through a busy city centre in Wales, which was lined with nightclubs and pubs, the believer was amazed to see mounted police controlling the drink-ridden crowds. One police officer from the city told a local evangelist that they were always relieved when it rained at night as it made their job easier because the crowds would generally disperse quicker. Society has no Answers Our societies cannot provide the answers to the fundamental questions that humanity has always asked; about meaning, identity and purpose, “Why am I here? Where have I come from? Where am I going? What is it all about? And what will happen when I die?” A directionless society who cannot answer its own questions is a culture that is open to answers. Arrogance and pride may at first block your effort when you trying to talk to people about the redeeming love of Christ, so why not talk about Jesus Christ, converse, to the people that you meet day in day out about the change that has gone on in your own life by the work of God’s grace and His mercy. Napoleon Bonaparte said, “Across the chasm of 1,800 years Jesus Christ makes a demand which is beyond all others difficult to satisfy. He asks for that which a philosophy may often seek in vain at the hands of his friends or a father of his children, or a bride of her spouse, or a man of his brother. He asks for the human heart: He will have it entirely to Himself: He demands it unconditionally, and forthwith His demand is granted. Its powers and faculties become an annexation to the empire of Christ. All who sincerely believe in Him experience that supernatural love towards Him. This phenomenon is unaccountable; it is altogether beyond the scope of man’s creative powers. Time, the great destroyer can neither exhaust its strength nor put a limit to its range.” Winston Churchill was the Prime Minister of Britain during World War II. Speaking of the RAF fighter pilots he said, “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.” His speeches were great and inspired a nation. Jesus words are truly life changing as He not only inspired a nation but individual disciples from all continents. We must take up our Masters flag, and raise the banner of love and take it wherever we tread, whether we go. Saint Patrick of Ireland said, “One should fish well and diligently just as the Lord foretells and teaches, saying, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” ” Transforming Power Be part of the great commission, spreading the gospel, the good news to mankind. The gospel has power to save, transform, deliver and sustain. In this directionless, cynical, spin driven, high tech and abrasive culture, knowing God and becoming a disciple of Christ Jesus can give you purpose, an outlet for your energy, passion and yearning. It can give you a taste of the beyond, reaching from a physical world into a spiritual world where you can taste heaven, now, today, where you can commune with God and see answers to your prayer. Jesus Christ can mend your broken heart and heal you of your shattered dreams and the scars from the past. The Holy Spirit can give you the power to live differently from the crowd. You may be tired and despondent in life. You may be down and discouraged in your school or job. You may be thinking that you will be stuck in a rut all your life. But ‘with God all things are possible’ and ‘He knows the plans that He has for you, to bless and to prosper you, to give you a future and a hope.’ ‘God's ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts’ but His way is best. He knows the end from the beginning and sees your potential. Are you prepared to move on with God, whatever the cost? Can you state: I am going to give my life to Jesus Christ; today; I will surrender fully to God and be led of the Holy Spirit because I want to live for God and please Him in everything. Recommended Book: Discipleship For Everyday Living: Christian Growth The Great Commission ‘To him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin’ (James 4:17). Recommended Book: How to Plan, Prepare and Successfully Complete Your Short-Term Mission – For Volunteers, Churches, Independent STM Teams and Mission Organisations - The Ultimate Guide to Missions |
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