I would like to challenge you today, so let's start with scripture!
Mark 16:15 ....... Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation! (NASB)
Every christian is under the command of the great commission, all christians are called to missions by the great commission, and all are to be equally dedicated and committed to the great commission.
That said lets look at this word "world" is interpreted not only as the "earth" this planet, but it also includes its inhabitants, in other words people, all people! You don't necessarily have to go over seas to be involved in missions, there are opportunities EVERYWHERE to preach the gospel, so don't tell me you aren't called to the mission field, cause if you are not called to the mission field you are not a child of God!
Simply put missions has to different manifestations. And I will use an illustration from Paul Washer that helped me understand this more clearly.
"You are either called to go down into the well, or you are called to hold the rope for those who go down."
So let me ask you, which one are you doing, not which one is you church doing, but which one are you as an individual or family doing?
Now if you are sitting on you computer reading in your hometown drinking you morning cup of coffee, your not the one going down into the well, so look at your hands, where are your scares, cause I assure you if you hold a rope long enough you will have scares. What has it cost you to hold the rope, what have you given up? What are you personally doing to hold the rope for those who have gone down, are you praying, are you giving?
Christian, Jesus said the greatest commandment is to love the LORD your God with all your heart, soul, and mind..... Matt 22:37 (NASB) and He also said in John 14:15 "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments."
Not if I am not mistaken the great commission was not just a suggestion, it was a command "GO" ! We do this because we love men and we don't want them to go to hell, but that has to be second to doing this because we love God and seek to bring Him glory and to make His name GREAT among the gentiles! Don't try to fulfill the great commission only out of love for men, God loves cattle more than we love men, do it because you LOVE HIM and because He is worthy!
There is such a joy and honor to be apart of advancing the Kingdom of God, let us not waist the time so graciously give to us chasing after worldly passions and lusts. IS HE NOT WORTHY TO HAVE US GIVE OUR ALL? What are you living for, are you living worthy of the calling with which you are called? Give your life to the One who gave you life, and saved you from eternal death! We are going to have to answer to God for how we are lived our lives for Him, and how we kept His commandments! Can you truly say you did all you could? God did not send His Son to become man and suffer under the full wrath of God to save us from our wretched sinful nature, so we could just sit on our hands in our little christian bubble, WE MUST GET INVOLVED!
Now let me make one thing really clear, so if your think "well I support missionaries, I have done my part." Yes, you have done your part, half of it! If you are living working in your hometown, working a job, supporting missionaries in foreign field, you can not think you work is done, what about the mission field around you? What about the wretched sinners in your town! Yes, they have as much a need for Christ as the bush people in Africa, they are all just as lost and headed for Hell!
In closing:
I am not being hard for any other reason than, this is a passion God has placed on my heart, and we see in scripture this is what is on His heart! I never get it when people say, lets pray for our mission trip and see what God's heart is for it. Read your Bible! We know what His heart is, to see the light and love of the gospel of His Son Jesus Christ preached to all the world. So christian, are you going to keep His commandments?
-Your Brother in Christ,
Jordan
