Sending is at the heart of God’s mission. He sends prophets, kings, priests, and even his own Son. Jesus also did a lot of sending. He sent disciples, apostles (literally means “a sent one”), people home to find healed loved ones, etc. He sent the 12 and the 72. He sent the man formerly known as Legion to share the good news with the surrounding community. Last he has sent us.
God’s mission is not easily accomplish in a Lazy-Boy recliner. God’s mission requires that each of us be sent into a specific ministry context/community with the ultimate goal of reconciling the losts ones there to Jesus Christ (2 Cor 5:17-21). We have to have eyes to see the world of opportunities around us that Jesus was able to see. We see it clearly when he sent out the 72 in Luke 10, “He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.”
Jesus mentions three things here:
1) A vision for the harvest – you have to see there is a need before you realize the urgency to address it.
2) Prayer – ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers.
3) Sending – The prayer is for someone, somewhere – or better put – all Christians, everywhere – to be sent.
4) Go! – Speaks for itself.
At the heart of God’s mission is the sending. It requires willing Christ-followers who understand there is a need and take action. You don’t have to cross a sea or ocean to be a missionary. You do have to realize the plight of the lost and be willing to make a difference.
Missy and I worked with a bus ministry for four years and one thing we noticed was that some people developed the idea that the bus ministry was to be the sole form of evangelism within the congregation. In other words that is what those people do and that is how this congregation does evangelism. The problem is that leaves the work up to a dozen or so people and leaves the other 400 out of the picture. Paid or unpaid we are all to be sent.
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I’ve got an old book on evangelism from my grandfather. The title I think says it all: ‘Go Ye’ Means ‘Go Me’
Good thoughts.
Okay, this is just too weird. As I’m about to wrap up reading this, a new song comes on my Pandora station called “Send Me / Represent.” It’s like this hybrid hard-rock/hip-hop song. Here’s the link:
Some of the lyrics…
“That’s why we should be missional
Hey, what you think I’m spittin’ fo?!”
So funny…
Anyway, challenging thoughts. They make me so uncomfortable. And I have that book that Mark mentioned.
Trying to bring some originality of my own here… while its true that our God is a sending God, and calls us to GO, he also calls humanity to “COME and See.” Seems like there’s got to be some kind of healthy mix of GOing into the “roads & country lanes” as well as letting folks have the opportunity to take the initiative to “COME to the table.”
Going and coming. Sounds like I just found a great Monte-like “Grace & Truth” sermon idea. (G)