Find more photos like this on EXIT71

Postcard_MOVE09_F.pdf

Why Missions?

By Gayla Parker

As a missionary I am often asked about my call to missions and the biblical validity of missions. As a new Christian, I learned from my pastor that “all Christians are called to missions.” The question is not the call, but where to fulfill the call. He referenced Matthew 28:18–20 as his basis.
There are many ways we could define or validate missions. Each one would have its own unique quality, but there is one constant in them all: Christians are to take the message of Christ to the world.

Matthew 28:18–20 reads, “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations. . . . And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age’” (NIV).

Jesus reminded His disciples who He was. He was saying, “I have the right to give these instructions because My Father (God) has given Me complete authority over all things.” This was not just an ordinary man giving instructions that could be either taken or ignored. He was God’s Son!

What were His instructions? To make disciples (believers) of all nations (peoples). He knew the task would be difficult so He included these words: “And surely I am with you always” (v. 20, NIV).

From just three short verses we know that Jesus holds the authority to give us a job assignment. Our assignment is to tell others about Him. From beginning to end, easiest to hardest, and closest to farthest, He will be right by our side. But these are not the only verses on this topic; there are many more.

Acts 1:8 reads, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (NIV). These were the last words Jesus spoke to His disciples before ascending to heaven.

Have you ever wondered what would be your last words spoken to those closest to you? Most would agree that their last words would not be random, but words that rank high in importance. The words “be my witnesses” were indeed important to Jesus. They were His last words spoken to those closest to Him.

What does it mean to be a witness? According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, it means, “one who gives evidence, one who has personal knowledge of something, attestation of a fact or event.” For us as believers we might ask, “Do I give evidence of Christ in my life every day and everywhere? Do I have personal knowledge of Jesus and give testimony of that relationship?” If the answer is “yes” then I am a witness (missionary).

After Jesus is taken into heaven the men just stared into the sky. Two angels came to them and asked, “Men of Galilee . . . why do you stand here looking into the sky?” (Acts 1:11a, NIV). All too often I fear we get caught up in “looking into the sky” when our task is to be His witness. There is no doubt Jesus is coming back (v. 11b), it is just a matter of when. In the meantime there are billions who do not yet know the answer for securing an eternity spent with God. They need a witness!

In Luke 19:10 Jesus said, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost” (NIV). If we model our lives after the life of Christ, then we too are to seek and bring the message of salvation to the lost. Seeking is not hard, just look around. It is bringing the message of salvation that seems difficult. But remember the promise from Matthew: Jesus will be with us, as our constant companion. And the best part is that one day we will worship Him along with each and everyone who knows Him in heaven. What an experience that will be!

Is missions biblical? Sure it is. The passages in Matthew, Acts, and Luke are just a few of many that answer “yes” to that question. And just in case we missed it, the New Testament is full of people who lived it: Jesus, His disciples, Paul, Barnabas, and others. The next time someone questions a missions effort, remember the authority of the one who gave the instructions, Jesus Christ. And then “Go and do likewise” (Luke 10:37b, NIV).