Made for a Mission, Part 1

Chuckle: "I would be unstoppable, if I could just get started!" --Unknown

Good Quote: “If we want to be used for the benefit of mankind—helping the Lord with his mission — we must ourselves be in a position to be used by him.” --Elaine Cannon

YOU WERE MADE FOR A MISSION

As Jesus was praying to his Father, he prayed: "In the same way that you gave me a mission in the world, I give them a mission in the world" (John 17:18 The Message).

In His book, "The Purpose Driven Life," Rick Warren identifies from Scripture five purposes for our lives: (1) "You Were Planned for God's Pleasure," (2) "You Were Formed for A Family," (3) "You Were Created to Become Like Christ," (4) "You Were Shaped for Serving God." The fifth, and final, purpose for your life is that you were made by God for a specific mission here on earth. Simply put, that mission is to be ambassadors for Christ and to tell the good news of Jesus to the people around us. This is called evangelism.

It is here that many Christians get weak in the knees. When we hear a sermon on witnessing, we get tense, uneasy, and uncomfortable. We've heard it all before, and we aren't very excited about hearing it again. We know what we ought to do, and we feel frustration and guilt for not being more bold in sharing with others how they can know Christ as Savior and Lord. But make no mistake; once we become Christians, it becomes our God-given mission to share Jesus and the five purposes for life with those around us and throughout the world. As Jesus was about to ascend into heaven, he said to his disciples and to us:

" . . . you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8 NIV). "All authority (power) in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matthew 28:18-20 NIV).

You see, your ministry in your church and mission in the world are both important as you carry out God's purposes for you life. Please let the following additional Scriptures passages speak to your heart: "Through Christ God has made peace between us and himself and he gave us the work of telling everyone the peace we can have with him. So we have been sent to speak for Christ" (2 Corinthians 5:19-20 NJB). "The most important thing is that I complete my mission, the work that the Lord Jesus gave me, to tell people the good news about his grace" (Acts 20:24 NIV).

The greatest concern of God's heart is bringing all his lost children into the fold of his love. As Christians, we must make God's greatest concern our greatest concern if we are to be fully blessed and happy. In later lessons, we will look at some of the reasons, excuses, and objections many Christians use to justify their failures in being witnesses for our Lord. We will also explore some ways we can overcome these hindrances that keep us from being faithful to God's fifth purpose for our lives.

Love, Jerry & Dotse