Friday, February 4, 2011

Living on Mission


Do you enjoy sitting down with a nice cup of coffee and a newspaper? I do. Often on Sunday afternoons I will relax in my favorite recliner, sip on a hot cup of joe and skim thru the pages of the newspaper seeing if anything pops out at me.

In Acts 5, we see a highlight, a sort of newsreel that gives us a vivid picture of the early church living on Mission for God. It’s an interesting passage that displays the early church being the hands and feet of Jesus to the world.

And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch. 13 Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly. 14 And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, 15 so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. 16 Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed. Acts 5: 12-16

Through the actions of the church, people were Converted to Christ, Compassion was shown, Needs were met and Hope was birthed. And as a result, God was glorified and the community respected the work of the Church. This is how the church of Jesus Christ was known then, and should be known today! Amen?!

Now understand this, God’s plan is not for one individual to try and be the world’s superhero. God’s plan is and has always been that the world is to be impacted by His CHURCH! And friends, the Church is not a building…the Church is a Body, a body of people who love Him and have surrendered their Life to Him through faith in Jesus Christ His Son.

God chooses to use people to (1) Share His message of Salvation through Christ, (2) Reach out to others with a heart of Compassion, (3) Meet Needs, and (4) Love and Support one another! . This has always been God’s mission for His Church.
If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, then you are to live your life on Mission! Think about this. God has chosen you for His Mission, the most important mission anyone could ever be given. Do you know how special you are to God? The Bible refers to you in Zechariah 2:8, as the “apple of His eye.”

One of my personal favorite verses is Zephaniah 3:17. I often sign this verse along with my name on correspondence. It says, “The LORD your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”

Our Lord Jesus reemphasized this in the book of John15:16 when He said “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.”Again He said, “So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” John 20:21

God has chosen you for His Mission! So, go! Go and bring glory to our great God by sharing His message of Salvation with those far from God, by meeting the needs of others through a heart of compassion, by birthing hope to those around you! Go in the Name of Jesus and make an impact in the world around you! God loves you! God had chosen you! God will be with you!