Missions Paul

A call to mission
John 14
Come on, arise, let’s go and do this! v31
* Believing Jesus has got it sorted for us after this life, v1,3.
* Calling people to a journey to seek truth and find life, v6.
* Expecting God to work through us, v12.
* Willing to ask and obey, v14,15.
* Being comforted and with peace, v18,27.

This is mission. Sign up today.
Come on!

There is no ladder to climb in mission, just a towel and a bowl.

John 13: 1-12

Mission is to leave your elevated place (as the Son of God)
Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. (John 13:3, 12 NIV)

Mission means your own needs do not come first, v4 “so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist”.

Mission means you will look like a servant v4

Mission does not mean your work of service may is fully appreciated at the time v7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

Mission can be lonely. Some of your closest friends may insist you do not serve v8 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”

Mission will cost and that is a guarantee. The cost is often unpleasant. You may have to serve the one who will betray you v11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

Mission 101: Death.
John 12
Recently I overheard a conversation regarding a conference that was being planned and the organisers were thrilled that a big-named speaker had agreed to be there. They were thrilled because they believed this would automatically bump up the numbers of attendance.
It probably will.
Why?
Because we live in a world where we chase after the cult-like leaders who walk on red carpets with flashing lights all around. How we love to see that carpet! And one day who knows God may allow us to walk on that platform of accolades and recognition, for His glory of course.
Desperate Pastors and desperate churches think they are just one major miracle away from a revival and that revival would be their red carpet. One miracle, not much of a big thing for God to do.
Jesus said if he is lifted high from the earth then men will come to him, v32.
There are many being lifted high today and many more wanting to be. And there are many who gather in the auditoriums of life to cheer and to applaud, to drool and to wish.
Sometimes this is called mission.
It is not.
This is pride, an enemy of mission.
In being lifted high, Jesus was referring to him being hung on a cross, v33. He was speaking of his submission, of giving his life, his death. It is this that will motivate people to the cause.
Stars come and go and their audiences fluctuate like the wind. But sacrifice remains. Death is permanent.
Pastors and churches who long for revival (whatever that is) should die.
You want to lead your friends to faith in Jesus? Then die.
To surrender is to be truly lifted high. This is mission.

Weeping or Leaping?
John 11

Some people are content to just weep. Some people have been crying for years, ‘It’s not fair’
Maybe today something has died within you, don’t just stand and cry!
Can you hear a call from Jesus?
‘Lazarus, Come out!’ Impossible!
How did he come out?
For his feet were bound with the burial clothes.
Can you see him leaping out? He has a chance of a lifetime. One moment in time, one opportunity.
If things are ever going to change for you, then you had better hear God when He calls, and leap when He does.
Lazarus didn’t shout back “I can’t, I’m dead!” But the devil wants you to lay your life down and play dead. It’s all over, my life will never get better, it’s impossible.
Will you hear a new voice today? A voice of one who called to Lazarus, “Come out!”
This is not the day for weeping, it’s a day for leaping. Leaping out of the grave that was designed so that you wouldn’t make a comeback. Leaping out of a grave that others have placed you in and said ‘he won’t be back, she’s finished. Its over.’
Everybody around you can cry out ‘Come out. Get better. Snap out of it.’ But its not till you respond to the call of Jesus will you ever be able to move on.
His call is always to do the impossible.
Today God calls you to do that what man says you can never do.
Stop wallowing in your pity, get up and do what you and others say you can’t do.
Stop weeping and start leaping.
Now, that’s mission!!

Speaking truth

John 10
I tell you the truth, Jesus said those few words 78 times.
Whether for emphasis or as a reminder, Jesus said this because Jesus did speak the truth.
The church needs truth-tellers.

A little while ago, an overseas Pastor on being challenged about a lie I thought he had told replied it wasn’t a lie, it was simply withholding the truth.

When presented with 2 reports of direct opposite views of the facts as I have been given recently, who is telling the truth?

Today as you go about your usual life who will you bump into who is saying one thing but meaning another? What exaggerations will you be told? Who will you trust? Maybe this won’t be a problem but maybe you live and work in a culture where it is exactly as I describe.

Make sure you spend time in the truth today and stay there even if all around you it is different.
He will tell you the truth.

God’s mission is for man
John 9

His neighbours and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” Some claimed that he was. Others said, “No, he only looks like him.” But he himself insisted, “I am the man.” “How then were your eyes opened?” they demanded… “Where is this man?” they asked him. “I don’t know,” he said. (John 9:8-10,12).

He knew that he was a changed man. He knew that Jesus had been involved in the miracle.

What he didn’t know was where Jesus actually was.

There was a distance between himself and Jesus and he didn’t know what to do or where to go to find him.

Many are content to have a form of Christianity, a religion, but have no close relationship with Jesus.

Maybe now that we have everything, like the man now with his sight, maybe we don’t desire God like others who have nothing.

The poet Irina Ratushinskaya spent many years in a Russian labour camp. Now free and living in the West, she reflected:
A person who is deprived of everything, of family, of contact with friends, who is totally isolated, alone, without any property at all, not even a toothbrush, has nothing left to lose. An enormous, powerful sense of security follows. Instead of panic, one feels God’s hand on one’s shoulder. We all felt that nothing really bad could happen to us: we all thought, ‘If they kill us today, tomorrow we will be in heaven.’I wish I had the same feeling now, but I don’t. Under such pressure, God feels really close: it’s easier to serve God when in trouble than on holiday. When I came to the West, I thought, ‘Now I’m in a world of holidaymakers.’ When Jesus came, he said, ‘Leave everything you have.’ That was a frightening demand. A person can only develop if he or she is able to let go. It was easier for us to take risks back in the Russian labour camps because we had nothing to lose. Now, after spending ten years in the West, I do have something to lose.

Is this true of you?

God’s mission to the sinner

The sin of those who deserve to be stoned is equal to those who carry the stone.
John 8

They were trapped. To throw a stone meant they were without sin and only God is sinless. To walk away was to admit they were sinners.
They tried to trap Jesus but in the end they were trapped by him.
What clinched it was what Jesus did in the writing on the ground.
No one knows but it hasn’t stopped people guessing what he wrote!
A Jewish custom of doodling when thinking.
A list of he sins of the stone-throwers.
Whatever it was they had never seen Jesus write on the ground and it dislodged them.
Maybe because Jesus was a walking Old Testament, we should look there for some help?
When Jeremiah was facing his own accusers offered a prayer to God and said (17:13), “those who turn away from you will be written in the dust because they have forsaken The Lord, the spring of living water.”
Jesus was showing them that they were the ones who were forsaking the living water that he had already been speaking about in chapter 7.
This is why the sin of those who deserve to be stoned is equal to the sin of those who carry the stone.

Elim are standing with Canon Andrew White who 30 minutes ago wrote “ISIS are now just 5 miles away from Baghdad. Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy. We need you.” Elim we need you to pray now.

God’s mission to the thirsty
John 7
We all know what it’s like to be thirsty. Our bodies according to some estimates are 80% fluid – and we need this, because if we stop drinking suddenly coherent thoughts vanish, skin grows clammy, and vital organs wrinkle. Our bodies need water in the same way a tyre needs air. Deprive your body of water and it’ll soon tell you.

Deprive your soul of spiritual water and your soul will tell you. Dehydrated hearts send messages. Waves of worry, feelings of guilt and fear, a sense of hopelessness, loneliness, insecurity, resentment, irritability. Symptoms of dryness deep within.

Treat your soul the way you treat your thirst. Take a drink. Where do you find water for the soul? Jesus gave the answer in John 7:37-38
‘if anyone is thirsty let him come and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.’

What water can do for your body, Jesus can do for your heart. How?

Like water. Jesus goes where we can’t. The spirit of Jesus flows down to the soul and gets rid of fears, regrets, insecurities. We don’t have to give him directions, just like we don’t give directions to water. Water just goes into our bodies and travels to where it is needed. So it is with Jesus. Jesus quenches our thirst.

‘If anyone is thirsty. . . come’

Let Jesus reach your heart. Let him penetrate it. Deep, deep inside. Welcome him in to the inner workings of your life. Drink Christ. Not church, not meetings, not activities, but Jesus.

We don’t have to live with dry dehydrated hearts. Drink from the bottomless well.

God’s mission of water.

God’s mission to the hungry

All around us people are hungry.
John 6
Empty inside, they lave lost happiness that they once had. They have lost friendship and trust of others.
Suicide occurs for the homeless and the one living in a mansion. Why? There’s nothing worth living for.
Just open your eyes, just listen carefully and you will see and hear hungry lives all around. Wasted people delving into other people’s waste for some crumbs of life.

I am the Bread of Life He who comes to me will never go hungry and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. John 6:35

“I am to the very heart of a person what food is to the body”.
Food is necessary, without it you die. Likewise Jesus is vital to every person, without Him, the person dies with no eternal life.
Food is necessary for everyone, old and young, rich and poor. Jesus is for everyone.
Food is needed daily. Jesus is for every day.

He comes and offers:
Acceptance – “Whoever comes to me I will never drive away” v37
Whether it be the type of things you have been involved in. Or the weakness and inabilities that embarrass you. Jesus will accept you. Jesus will never drive you away.
Satisfies – “He comes to me will never go hungry and he who believes in me will never be thirsty” v35.
These negatives are the strongest in the Greek language. They rule out not just the fact but the bare possibility of the fact. He outweighs the greatest desire.
Protection – “I shall lose none of all that He has given me” V39.
True believers may go wrong and fail more times than they care to admit, but they will never be eternally lost. Once you have received Jesus as the King and the Saviour of your life then your life is eternally secure. You are never going to hell. You will be raised into eternal heaven.