Missions Paul

On Mission, part 1

Luke 10:1 “After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go.”

Last night I listened to a testimony of a lady well into her 80’s who has served God as a missionary for over 50 years in Mulita, in the DRC. Her name is Maud Kells. Her passion and love for Jesus and the people of the DRC was inspirational. Mission is her life for sure. It has consumed her.

This morning I wake to this first verse of chapter 10 in Luke. It is an exciting chapter as Jesus sends out 72 disciples on a short term mission that will most probably lead for the majority a life time of service in mission to God. They didn’t go overseas, being a missionary is to go where HE sends you and that may well be locally. (The further you go then everything just becomes magnified especially the sacrifice). But they went. I love reading about missions, biographies of missionaries, past and present, cross-cultural understanding, nations and extreme tribes, the unreached people groups etc. However, I am totally ruined by what I see of the sending God in the Bible. It seems He is on every page! And as I read this wonderful verse my mind is filled with these thoughts:

COST

‘After this …’ We already know that Jesus has just spoken about the cost of following him and that no one who puts his hand to the plough and then gives up  is fit for the kingdom of God.  Being a missionary will cost you. When you buy something it costs you, but actually it doesn’t because you’re getting something and so when you sit down and you watch your television you’re not thinking ‘oh this costs me’, no you’re just enjoying your television. On mission its 100% continual cost. And you may not realise the benefits that’s going to come to you but the benefit that perhaps some will look for is not the benefit you’ll get. It will cost you financially, your time, it will ruin your life, it will change the course of your life, you’ll never be the same again, and you will become a pain to those people who don’t understand missions. There’s only a very small minority that ever come back and say do not ever put me in a mission context ever again. The majority say ‘I’ve just got to go again; I’ve just got to be there again’. They’ve caught something. They are willing to pay the cost.

APPOINTED

The Lord appointed. He’s chosen you. You know it doesn’t matter where you go, he’s chosen you. He’s chosen you to himself. Some are chosen for a people group or a nation and out roots down, learning the language, becoming established in that people group, others move all over the world. But I believe what is so important to realise is that 100% of the time that God calls us to himself. He appoints us to walk with Him and we work out of that Presence, we go into missions out of His heart for the world, we go because we have understood His mind for missions, which is to go into all the world. Can you imagine what it must have been like for those 72 people? Jesus came up to them and say ‘it’s you, it’s you. I’m choosing you’. There were hundreds of people he could have chosen, ‘I’ve chosen you’. What were these 72 thinking? Maybe they were thinking how we think now when we feel God has appointed us. “You don’t know me, you don’t know about what I’ve done, you don’t know about how insecure I am, you don’t know that I can’t really speak, you don’t know how nervous I get.” But that’s of course not true! He knows everything there is to know. He knows what you’ve done and He knows who you are and He knows your incapability and He knows what you cannot do and He says,’ You’ll do. You are perfect. I can use you. I’m choosing you’, incredible isn’t it?

WITH ANOTHER

He told them to go two by two. Can you imagine if they tried to swap who they had been put with?! Now of course many today go out on mission alone but the point is that once they arrive they do all they can to build or join a team. Even those in the unreached groups focus on finding the person of peace so that they can move ahead in mission.  Can you imagine if one of the 72 said, “can I go on my own, I don’t like these people?’ Mission is people and actually if you don’t like people there is a problem. Mission is about that, you’ve got to be a people person, you have to love others. Whether or not you are an introvert or an extrovert, it matters not, you must love people enough to desire to engage with them.

SENT

Being sent means you are under orders and we serve better under accountability of the one who sent us.  There are a lot of lone-rangers out there, it seems like everybody wants to do their own thing because they believe that God has spoken to them to do their own thing. If it comes out of the attitude of ‘I just want to be in charge’ then it is the wrong attitude. Sent is not being dismissed nor is it some falling out of Church. Sent is mission with orders that have to be accounted for.

AHEAD OF HIM

Jesus said where he was about to go, you see it’s HIS mission. It is not our mission or whatever name we are connected with who supports us. It is HIS.  He’s been on mission for a redeemed people of God from creation and he’s still doing it. There are amazing stories of people finding Christ. Muslims, Hindus, animists are finding Christ on just sheer revelation of Jesus appearing to them. God is doing this and he doesn’t need us because if he’s doing it he could just do more of it but he invites us to join him because it’s fun. What a lovely way to spend our time in earth, being part of the mission of God. Isn’t it wonderful? Maybe today, wherever you are in the world, it is an invitation you have already responded to. Something happened in your heart, a desire, a connection a while ago or maybe just recently but you just said to the Lord, “I want to join you on this”.  It’s going to be very difficult for you to leave this path of mission. That’s why I use the words ‘I’m ruined’. My story is that when I became a pastor in 1992 I had no interest for missions work. I remember taking my church youth leaders to Manchester airport as they went off on mission to Zambia. It was 1993 and they still remind me today as I said to them on that car journey, “you’ll never ever see me in Africa”. I had no desire.  Then in the year 2000 my friend invited me to join him going overseas on a short mission. Guess where I went? It was Zambia!  I came back totally changed. It’s amazing how God uses people to change you, especially in a different culture. I went and I didn’t realise at the time I was on HIS mission. But when you join him in HIS mission it actually becomes as much about transformation of your life as it does about other people’s lives. It’s his mission.

 

Radical Discipleship

Luke 9: 57-62 “As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” He said to another man, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plough and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

Three men.

One boasting of his intention to follow. The second needing to make his father’s funeral arrangements before he followed. The third wanted to go back to say his farewells to his family back home.

Jesus could have been a lot more lenient. His responses seem somewhat unfair. But remember Jesus could see the motives and attitudes of the hearts of man. He could see right through their statements. He knew what they were thinking. Therefore, not only was there something wrong with what these men said, there would appear to be something even more wrong with their hearts. Looking at the responses of Jesus, let me suggest this is what Jesus was saying:

1. This is no pleasure trip. I am not the Saviour that you think I am. Do you know where I am going? I am headed to Jerusalem? It will cost me everything and you say you will follow but I know you are not ready to pay the cost.
2. The dead do not come first, the message of life is first. I need you to put me first but before you have taken a step you are talking of others as first. You are not ready to follow me. Let those others of your life who are dead, spiritually dead to who I am, let them be the ones who take care of the physically dead, otherwise you too will be known as spiritually dead, understanding who I am but not willing to follow just yet.
3. The living do not come first, don’t make them the excuse. Following me is like ploughing a field. Once you start you cannot veer off in different directions or turn back. If I am Lord then I must be Lord of your life continually without any breaks.

There is no understanding to personal situations. You cannot sugar coat this. It is radical discipleship.

If anyone of us had suggested such things, if the Church’s response to what seemed like positive responses to Jesus were these then that Church would have been rejected and slandered all over town. I guess just like Jesus was when he was rejected and slandered!

If Jesus is first then nothing else can be first.

Some discipleship today looks rather weak.

If we, others, situations or circumstances come first then Jesus is not in the position he should be for there to be true discipleship.

Make Jesus first today.

Walk on

Luke 9: 52-56 “And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?” But Jesus turned and rebuked them. Then he and his disciples went to another village.”

John, the disciple closest to Jesus was the one who wrote the most famous saying of Jesus, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16). John, the one who would be exiled and have a mysterious Revelation was the man who knew the love of God. He wrote, “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1) What a nice man he was! Well, not in the early days perhaps.

When people reject you, when they say NO to you showing you disrespect and a definite lack of hospitality, what would you like to do if you had the opportunity? Revenge? Or James and John’s way, which was Revenge plus? Before we laugh at James and John too much, their suggestion was not ridiculous, they had a Biblical basis for this. How often have we seen people use the Bible to justify the ridiculous? “The Bible says …”

The Samaritans worshipped the same God as the Jews but they had their own rituals, their own priesthood and sacrificial system and did not recognise Jerusalem as the central holy site. The Jews hated the Samaritans and would avoid going through that region if they could. It was far too pagan and made them unclean for even travelling through it.

The fact that Jesus wanted to travel through this region and sent messengers ahead into a village to prepare accommodation for the entourage indicated the love of Christ for all people.

To call down fire was actually the Biblical story which took place in that very region with a confrontation between Elijah and King Ahaziah. Elijah called fire down and consumed fifty soldiers and then another fifty soldiers that had come to capture him. It is a classic Biblical story and the disciples knew it.

But just because there is Biblical precedent doesn’t mean Jesus agrees. In fact he totally disagreed and though they had hoped for a rebuke towards the Samaritans who rejected Christ, he actually rebuked the disciples. Maybe some parts of the Church need rebuking and not who the Church wants to rebuke today?

So what does Jesus suggest?

Jesus goes to another village where they are welcomed. Let’s move on, we don’t have time to wallow in rejection, I have a purpose to my life and we are headed to Jerusalem.

Are you wallowing in rejection today?

Are you trying to find a Bible verse to back your intention to retaliate?

Walk on. Let it go. This is not what you are created for. Your life is more than that.

 

Determined like flint

Luke 9: 51 “As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.”

We must face up to that which opposes us and not run from it. Do not flee in fear, stand in faith.

The Apostle Paul wrote “we face death all day long” (Rom 8:36);

Isaiah prophesied the Messiah would ‘set his face like flint’ (50:7) and Luke probably taking from Isaiah here records how Jesus “resolutely set out to Jerusalem”.

I used to sing as a child: “Because He lives I can face tomorrow …” So face it, don’t run from it.

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. (1 Corinthians 16:13)

Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. (Ephesians 6:13)

What path are you on today? Are you where God put you? Then remain there, don’t be moved. Don’t let people pressure you to be where you should not be or do what you are not called to do. But resolutely keep going.

It takes courage to do what God is asking you to do. So get it.

It will probably mean you have to say NO to easier paths.

It does mean you live a life where the needs of others are more important than your desires.

Whatever today holds be determined to follow the path Christ has led you on.

You are not who you think you are.

Luke 9: 46-50 “An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest. Jesus, knowing their thoughts, took a little child and had him stand beside him. Then he said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.”  “Master,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us.”  “Do not stop him,” Jesus said, “for whoever is not against you is for you.”

They had all got their own healing stories. Of course Peter was the one who had the revelation of who Jesus was. Moreover he along with James and John had been chosen to accompany Jesus on the glory mountain. Some of the other disciples had failed to drive out the demon from the young boy who was having seizures. Mix some jealousy and derogatory remarks in there with more than a sprinkling of condescension and you soon have set off a battle of the giants to see who actually would be the top dog. In an ironic twist of what seems to be unity, they had tried to stop ‘someone’ not of their tribe setting a person free from a demon in Jesus’ name. I mean how dare that person attempt such a thing when they are the greatest?! The fact that this ‘someone’ is doing something that the majority of them had failed to do with the boy with seizures is another matter!!

What did Jesus say?

You are not who you think you are or who you are portraying to one another.

If only half of what we claim to be happening was indeed happening then our church buildings would be filled to capacity.

In the case of the disciples it wasn’t only who was the greatest but who would be the greatest.

Who has the greatest vision of what is going to happen?

What did Jesus say?

He called a little boy to stand next to him and in front of them all.

This little child is now standing alongside the greatest human that ever lived, the Son of Man, the Messiah and so many more titles that have ever been bestowed on anyone! Opposite the child are a bunch of windbags arguing because they all believe they are the greatest.

I believe Jesus was saying this, “I am not standing with any of you am I?”

“Look at who I am standing with?”

“I am with who you think I would not be with.”

“I will always choose to stand with the least.”

“More than that, if you want me, My Presence, then I come through the least not those who think they are the greatest, not you.”

“Oh and stop being so partisan!”

 

 

Don’t slow down

Luke 9: 43-45 “And they were all amazed at the greatness of God. While everyone was marvelling at all that Jesus did, he said to his disciples, “Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.”  But they did not understand what this meant. It was hidden from them, so that they did not grasp it, and they were afraid to ask him about it.”

Jesus wasn’t distracted from his purpose by the praises of man nor by the lack of understanding from his followers.

What is your Jerusalem?

What do you believe God wants you to do? What is that calling? This next 12 months where are you heading?

If you know what that is then don’t let anything distract you.

Don’t get enamoured by those who think you are wonderful. Their comments of encouragement could tempt you to stop and inject that praise drug and it could slow you down or even knock you off the path completely.

If you know what that is then don’t worry if your friends don’t fully get it.

Your closest could be blind to where you are headed and what you are trying to do but if you wait for them to fully understand then it will be them that set the time-frame and not the Lord.

Stick to it. Keep going. Don’t stop now.

 

Demons and healings and other things

Luke 9: 37-43 “The next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met him. ³⁸ A man in the crowd called out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. ³⁹ A spirit seizes him and he suddenly screams; it throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It scarcely ever leaves him and is destroying him. ⁴⁰ I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not.” ⁴¹ “You unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.” ⁴² Even while the boy was coming, the demon threw him to the ground in a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the impure spirit, healed the boy and gave him back to his father. ⁴³ And they were all amazed at the greatness of God.”

Yesterday Peter, James and John were in the cloud of glory, the brilliance of Christ’s majesty, they heard the voice of God, Christ was transfigured and they were changed forever. Today they are off the mountain, with the crowd and importantly facing reality.

What is your reality today?

It could be a reality that is out of control. You have tried but you cannot change it. You have gone to everyone, even the disciples of Jesus, but still there is no change.

The enemy of your life may have taken your only son. Your enemy may be plaguing what is so precious to you, like a lion with its kill, the boy was alive but only just, the father knew one of these days a seizure would finally finish him.

Is this your reality today? If not, it is certainly the reality of those around you.

“You unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.”

I have heard many sermons on this question of Jesus. Some saying he was speaking to his disciples, others that he was addressing the crowd.

All I know is that it doesn’t look like he was questioning the distressed father nor his broken son. It was not to them that he was challenging a lack of belief or a twisted path of life. It was not to them that he was wondering how long he could keep on doing this. No, to them, he wanted them to come and He is still calling the broken to Him today.

Now, I don’t know if Peter, James and John rolled their

eyes disapprovingly at the disciples having come off the glory mountain. I don’t know if they whispered to the other 9, “What’s matter with you? You are so weak!” It does sound like something that could have been said. Certainly in the age of spiritual competition and arrogance of 2019 we can believe it. We do know that the disciples asked Jesus about this later as Matthew and Mark record it and Jesus tells them they could have done this if they had been praying and fasting.

I think perhaps the reason why they could not deal with this father’s reality is because the condition of their heart, the state of their mind was not in a good place. Breaking demonic power does not come about because of saying a few words or laying your hands on a person. It comes about because of the authority and power in your life at that moment. If you live in a place of prayer and fasting or if you have been on the glory mountain and seen the Son of Man then you are carrying the power that is needed.

The times when I have backed off in ministry are the times when I know I feel inadequate not because of ability or gifting but because of His Presence which I have not had time or the will to pursue and practice.

In order to drive out the demonic you need to be with who the demonic has broken. Bring the boy to me. Broken, scarred, battered and bruised in the hands of Jesus.

In order to rebuke the demonic you need His Presence. Fostering the presence and the glory in your life.

We are called to bring wholeness to people’s lives and repair broken families. It doesn’t matter how this is done. There is no style to copy. The demonic is realised differently in different nations and cultures of the world. But as people of the Glory mountain and people who pursue His Presence we engage with the humanity of people and do all we can to heal a broken world.

 

Today and the Next day

Luke 9:37 “The next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met him.”

The next day is not today.

• When you wake up to a next day then you know you are still on earth. You have come down the heavenly mountain to a large amount of work before you. Yesterday would serve for the next day. How will you live in your next day? Will what God has done or said today have any effect on your next day?

 

The next day is not today.

• The next day you deal with the responsibilities of what was held in your today. Luke 10:35 “Thenext day he took out two denarii and gave them to the “Look after him,” he said, “and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.” The Good Samaritan kept to his commitments that he had made in the yesterday. Will you go back to the people and the places where you had previously made promises? The next day could cost you. Are you ready for that?

 

The next day is not today.

• The next day is a continuance of your today which is pursuing your destiny in God. Luke 13:33 “In any case, I must press on today and tomorrow and thenext day – for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!” Even the next day of Jesus’ life had another next day. Until the day came which the Father had ordained for Him to lay His life down. On that day there was no next day. It was just Today.

 

Next days are for earth only. Today is for the eternal home.

• In your Today the Messiah can come to you. Luke 2:11 Todayin the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.
• In your Today miracles can happen. Luke 5:26 Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, ‘We have seen remarkable things today.’
• In your Today salvation happens. Luke 19:9 Jesus said to him, ‘Todaysalvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.
• Today heaven can call you home. Luke 23:43 Jesus answered him, ‘Truly I tell you, todayyou will be with me in paradise.’
• Are you ready?

 

Yesterday a friend died, she never made it into her next day. She remains in the TODAY for ever and ever. I’m starting to notice I am losing more friends in my Today and I wake to the next day and I grieve. But those I grieve for are so happy in their TODAY.

The Cloud of God

Luke 9: 34 “While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud.”

I will go and visit a friend today who is 36 years my senior and who is dying in hospital. The cloud of God has appeared suddenly, it certainly seems very quick that her health has gone from her.

• You do not know when the cloud of God will appear so live your life in fear of the Lord now.

 

The cloud has enveloped her. This makes me smile as my friend could never use that word correctly. Whenever she prayed she would pronounce the word envelope as if God was going to put us all in one and pop a stamp on us and post us. She of course meant that God would surround us with His presence.

• We do not know when His presence will make a final appearance and indeed envelope us to take us home. Therefore we live in fear of the Lord now.

 

She has entered that cloud. Confidently, boldly and without fear (unlike the 3 disciples) joyfully looking forward to meeting her many old friends who had gone into the cloud ahead of her.

• One day we all will be approaching that cloud. Whether we do it without fear is determined by whether we live in fear of the Lord now.

 

We need the cloud

Luke 9: 34-36 “While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. ³⁵ A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.” ³⁶ When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves and did not tell anyone at that time what they had seen.

Look how similar this is to what happened previously with Moses in Exodus 24:15-16 “When Moses went up on the mountain, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord settled on Mount Sinai. For six days the cloud covered the mountain, and on the seventh day the Lord called to Moses from within the cloud.”

A cloud appeared. Have you been experiencing change? It could be the cloud.

And covered them. Even the people who you are with may look like they are no longer with you. Your vision has gone and solitude has set in. Have you failed? Should you give up? No, it is the cloud. You are in the cloud.

And a voice came from the cloud. And what is the agenda? What is the voice saying? It will always be about these 3 things:

The revelation of Jesus: This is my Son.

The recognition of His love: Whom I love.

You being a disciple of Him: Listen to Him!