On the Go? Listen to the blog as a podcast.
Scriptures Referenced
Isaiah 55:10-11, Matthew 9:38-40, 10:16, 10:19-20, 10:28, 10:32-33, Luke 12:4-12, Acts 1, 4:13, 6:8-7:56, 9:40, 1st Corinthians 3:6
Thought Nugget for Today
Living a life on mission requires many things to be fruitful for the kingdom of God but they all flow from maintaining a relationship with Him. A relationship resulting in us developing humility, strength, and the ability to trust Jesus at all times because we know who He truly is.
Today’s Complete Thought
A life on mission can only be sustained by God and that is why prayer and Bible study are vital disciplines to have in life. Jesus makes this clear to us in John 15 when He says that He is the vine and that we are the branches. Using the analogy to demonstrate how we can do nothing when we are apart from Him.
When Jesus sent out the twelve disciples on their first missionary rounds to the people of Israel in Mathew chapter 10 He first said this at the end of chapter 9.
“Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
Matthew 9:37-38 NIV
It was only after saying this that He then sent out the disciples on their own giving them instructions in Matthew chapter 10. This is not the only time that Jesus is recorded sending out His disciples on their own. Luke’s gospel account records this event in Luke chapter 9 but he also records that later Jesus would send out a group of seventy-two disciples to do the same type of work. This account is recorded in Luke chapter 10. (There is a bit of minor debate about whether it is seventy or seventy-two which can be seen when we compare the NIV to the NKJV or the ASV. However, that is not important at the current time but a factoid I think should be brought up so that you don’t get confused by different versions.)
In watching the life of Jesus we see that He put a special effort on having time dedicated to prayer and drawing closer to God. This was Him abiding in God and it is a teaching that He makes certain to pass on to us, His disciples in the current era. When we read in Acts 9:40 Peter prays after he has been brought to see the body of Dorcas who perished just before he arrived. And it is only after praying that he commands her by name to arise.
In scripture, the pattern is to pray and then act in obedience to what we’ve been told to do by God in that time of prayer. The reward we receive is not to be thought of as a monetary one but to be understood as simply being part of the work and growing closer to Him. Should we receive physical rewards we shouldn’t be too apprehensive about it. When Jesus was giving instructions to the seventy-two in Luke 10:7 He told them that when they had found a person who was willing to host them for their time in the city or town they were to stay for the host for the entirety of their stay and accept what was given to them. Our focus needs to be on the ministry and prayer keeps us humble which is a trait admired and approved of by God in us.
By our obedience, we remain under the headship of Christ in our life’s work causing His authority to permeate throughout it. The very authority which allows for miracles to come forth. Miracles such as healing of the sick, raising of the dead, and deliverance from demons to just name a few. Reading from Matthew 10 and, funnily enough, Luke 10 we see that the healing was meant to be a regular part of the ministry that He sent out His disciples on.
Currently, we live in a time post-Jesus’ ascension into heaven and are now given the gift of God sending His Holy Spirit to dwell within us. It is by Him that we have been empowered to do miracles. However, He will not be active if we do not obey or are open to His power being manifested around us. At the time of posting this, we are in the time between Resurrection Sunday and the day of Pentecost which was originally a Jewish holiday to remember when they received the Torah. During the forty days after Jesus was resurrected He appeared to His disciples and then ascended on the fortieth day telling his followers, numbering roughly one hundred and twenty at the time, to wait in Jerusalem until they received power from God. (See Acts chapter 1.)
During those 10 days, they spent time together in constant prayer and seeking God before He provided them with the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. It was this event that Jesus had told them to wait for. And by His power, they spoke boldly to the people and converted many to Christ. We are no different than the early Christians who had to pray and make a diligent effort to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit before miracles could be performed.
The baptism of the Holy Spirit is not an event that is limited to those in the past or to people in an official ministerial capacity. It is meant for each Christian to undergo so that they can be fully empowered to minister to those around them. So that we can speak in the wisdom and insight God provides us when questions are asked. He is meant to be active as we talk with others discussing everyday life leading us to say things in ways that others can understand. The time we spend with God enables us to begin having an intrinsic understanding of His nature. Such as when you are making food and purposefully decide to make changes to the recipe so that it’s the way your friend likes it best. Or when you see something and immediately get it for them as a gift that they end up adoring.
As a result of this dedication to knowing God, we come more wholly under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We are not tools in a toolbox or parts of a machine but unique individuals that God wants to bring along on a journey with Him to save people just like us. Some will be privileged to immediately see the enormous impact with the contrast being stark like night and day. But we will have no idea how much time and efforted has been invested into them before we interact with these people. For all we know they are a dam that has been primed to break by words we say at that time we meet or we could just be more water to what has been added already so that another person may receive a memorable moment.
Paul wrote to the church in Corinth which was dealing with many things including getting divided over whose teaching they followed. Something he remedies by reminding them that their foundation is Christ Jesus and that many will come by teaching them but that it is God who causes their growth. (See 1st Corinthians 3:6) Likewise, each of us must be humble. Deciding to trust what it says in Isaiah 55:10-11.
“As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”
But not all who hear the words of the good news will be accepting of it. Some are apathetic to it not caring one way or the other and others will be hostile. It is why when Jesus gave instructions He included that we needed to be “..wise as serpents and innocent as doves..” (Matthew 10:16). Doing no wrong so that there is no reason for us to be persecuted other than for obeying the commands of God.
Should it arise that we are brought before judges and people in positions of influence, power, and status for our beliefs we must not fear them. As the disciples Peter and John were when they were brought before the chief priests for healing a man in the name of Jesus as recorded in Acts chapters 3 and 4. Our fear should instead be solely of God who can determine our eternal fate. Jesus spoke saying to them these words in Matthew 10:28 and in Matthew 10:32-33.
“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”
Matthew 10:28 NIV
“Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.”
Matthew 10:32-33 NIV
And when it comes time for us to defend ourselves we can be at peace for He has promised that the Holy Spirit will give us the words we need. (See Matthew 10:19-20) The free will given to man lets them make their own decisions and it’s not always the best one. Such as persecuting us when we are working to show them how to be saved. That’s why Jesus told us to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” for He knows that it will build within us a heart that is properly aligned with God’s. One that loves people and desires for them to be saved from their horrible situation.
A life on mission is one that can only be sustained through the continual indwelling of the Holy Spirit and being aware of Him at work in our lives. All of these things that I’ve spoken about can only come as a result of a continual relationship with God. By not neglecting Him or letting Him be pushed to the wayside by the things of life as the way of the soil filled with weeds.
A garden must be maintained regularly in order to prosper and that includes keeping the weeds out of it by handling them when they are small. Something that we can only notice creeping in on our lives through the Holy Spirit being with us and making us aware of these things.
One could snappily say that a life on mission begins, ends, and is sustained by God through our time with Him. Humility and trust are tied together with our humility letting us trust God causing us to come closer to Him. And the more we spend time with Him the greater our humility grows allowing us to receive more involvement with his work. But as involvement grows so too does our need to draw strength from Him on a daily basis. We never stop needing Him in this life.
Until next time friends, may you grow in your relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Courage and Godspeed to you all.