In Your Bible Read This
2 Corinthians 5, 11 to 6,10
Here Is Your Memory Verse
For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that
one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all,
that those
who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who
died
for them and was raised again. 2 Corinthians 5:14
Afterwards Talk About
This
Local evangelism is very obvious, but where could missions
begin
for you, and how would you go about it? Would you consider having
a go?
Something To Do Before
Next Time
Meditate on Psalm 116 line by line and see just how much the
Lord
has done for you. Carefully make your response to him in
commitment and prayer.
Written Diploma Work
Look at the steps in reaching the lost in Romans 10, 14-15.
Identify and explain them in no more than two pages.
Meditate On These Verses
John 1, 40-41
- Spend
a Minute to Change the World
- Pray for Greece -
Operation World Page 245
10,000,000 southern Europeans, ancient civilisation,
- Orthodox religion but
only 0.2% Protestants
-
Be sure to
teach this lesson to others.
-
Always pray and
prepare well adding
-
your own verses and
stories to bring it to life.
1. What Is Missions?
Every believer knows that he owes every-
thing to God, both in this life and for all eternity. When we
were yet sinners and hateful in the sight of a holy God, he
sought us out, bought us back from Satan with the blood of his
own son, and has now adopted us into his own family, lavishing
one blessing after another on us. John 1.16.
The Psalmist Asks For All Of Us
"How can we repay the Lord for all of his goodness?"
Psalm 116.12. Our answer today is the same as his from
thousands of years ago, "I will lift up the cup of
salvation and call on the name of the Lord."
Missions Is Simply The Next Step
With love and gratitude to Jesus in our hearts we go one
step beyond local evangelism to lift up Gods cup of
salvation so high that men and women, and boys and girls even
at the ends of the earth might see it and also ask to drink
of the same life giving water.
The Bible says that we are to witness
in Jerusalem which is our home town, in Judea and Samaria
which are the regions nearby, and to the ends of the earth.
When Paul writes to his friends in the
church in Corinth, Greece he gives them some more good reasons
for missions.
2. The Fear Of The Lord
Motivates Us.
Fear in this case is phobos
which is the sheer terror of displeasing the Lord by not obeying
his commands, mixed together with a holy reverence or love for
God which makes us hasten to obey him. 2 Corinthians 5. 11
3. The Needs Of Men
Motivate Us.
When we see the evil that grips men and
women and holds them in sin, sickness, injustice, poverty,
unbelief and selfishness with all the hurt, misery and suffering
that causes then our hearts want to do some-thing because we know
the goodness of God and all that Jesus has done for us. Paul says
that we should try to persuade or win over men and women
everywhere, attempting to see them change their minds about
following Christ. 2 Corinthians 5. 11
4. Love Compels Us.
Love for all men and concern for their
eternal destiny took Jesus to the Cross and that same love now
fills Pauls heart and compels him to participate in Gods
great rescue mission.
Love Must Compel Us Too
When we realise that Christ died for all, we choose to
die also by laying down our lives and plans in gratitude to
him, and begin to live for God and for others wherever they
are. 2 Corinthians 5. 14
5. Eternity Must
Motivate Us.
Paul said we should regard no man from the
worldly point of view that is impressed with title, wealth or
position. Rather we must see men from an eternal perspective that
faces the awful realities of the grave. Choices must be made now
for all eternity between heaven and hell.
Are Men Really Lost?
The first man, Adam, deliberately disobeyed God choosing
to follow Satans lies. God had to leave him and Adams
spirit by which he knew God died within him. He was left with
only his body and soul following a cruel master into the
death and the fires of hell prepared not for man but for the
devil and his angels. Matthew 25.41.
Man Is Still Bound
by that foolish decision of our represen-tative and is
marching towards a lost eternity too awful to contemplate
with no end or escape. So Paul rightly says that until God
rescues us through Jesus we are already dead in our
trespasses and sins, following Satan and facing only Gods
wrath. Eph. 2.1-3, 5.
To Be Saved From Hell
Gods word says that men must become new creations,
that is born twice, once naturally and once spiritually by
the help of Holy Spirit. John 3, 3-6
6. The Gospel Motivates
Us.
Once we saw Jesus in a worldly way,
thinking he was no more than a man or legend from history, like
any other famous character of the past. Now we have discovered
that it was actually God himself on that Cross and in Jesus he
was reconciling a world of people back to himself, not counting
our sins against us.
This is the greatest story ever told and
demands acceptance and answer. We have a wonderful message that
he who had no sin became sin and paid its price of suffering and
death, so that we who deserved punishment might become righteous
and live in Gods presence both now and in eternity. 2
Corinthians 5, 18-19, 21. Acts 4.12 tells us there is no other
name given by which we must be saved, other than the name of
Jesus.
7. The Call Motivates Us.
Paul says we are heavens ambassadors,
representing God himself who speaks through us to the peoples
around who are not at peace with him. And just like earthly
ambassadors in a war zone our lifestyle as Gods officials
in Satans enemy territory might be dangerous and demanding.
See 2 Corinthians 6, 3-10. Through us God urges and implores men
and women to be reconciled back to their loving Heavenly Father.
-
Today Is Always The Best Day
Right now is always the very time.
If not you - who?
If not now - when?
2 Corinthians 5, 20 - 6.2
So you see that for the fear of God, the
needs of man, Gods love, and the realities of eternity; the
great story we have to tell and the call God gives us we have
every reason to give our best to missions, nearby and far away,
whether we go by prayer, giving, travelling or by sending another
if we really cannot leave.
- Taken from the
Joshua Project Unreached Peoples List
these people have no church and as yet
no cell, church or mission has committed themselves
to prayer, adoption or church planting among this people.
Cameroon
|
People Name |
Language |
Population
|
Mada |
Mada |
17,000
|
Ngossi (Gevoko) |
Gevoko |
20,000
|
See all of the
lessons