Yesterday at The Church at Brook Hills, our pastor David Platt shared from his heart the message of Psalm 67 and how that applies to our going to the nations. I agree with David that a clear understanding of this Psalm should motivate us to GO! Not just go to church. Not even just to go on a mission trip. We should be motivated by this Psalm to go to that place of servant sacrifice we all know we should go.
Being a servant is what we saw in the model of Jesus' earthly ministry. he went to the hurting, hopeless and helpless. Jesus spent His time on the earth ministering to those who needed hope the most. At the same time he invested His intimate time with the twelve men closest to Him. If I believe this model to be accurate about Jesus' life then I should seek to follow this model in my own faith journey...right? If this is the model I am to follow then we must ask the question how should I follow?
In Matthew 5:17 Jesus spoke to His disciples and said, "Follow me and i will make you fishers of men." Where did Jesus go? But, more pointedly, where is He going now? Jesus is in the slums of Kampala, Uganda among the street children and forgotten orphans of that city. Jesus is in the dump in Guatemala City among the desperate families surviving on less than $2 a day. Jesus is in the villages of northern India among the thousands of rural people seeking truth in a god who will answer. Jesus is in the hills of New Mexico among the Navajo teenagers who are searching for some reason to continue to live. Jesus is among the indigenous people of each region who are looking for a Savior whose name they have never heard. Jesus is all over this globe among the desperate, forgotten, impoverished people groups.
One Way Ministries 2012 Trip Schedule
January 3-14 New Mexico
March 3-10 Guatemala
March 18-24 Guatemala
March 31-1 New Mexico
May 26-2 Guatemala
June 2-9 Guatemala
June 16-23 New Mexico
June 23-30 New Mexico
July 7-21 Africa
July 14-21 Guatemala
July 21-28 Guatemala
August 24-27 Guatemala
October 6-13 New Mexico
November 3-10 Guatemala
December 26-2 Africa/Uganda
If I am to "follow" then I must go where Jesus is! In the words of an old Gospel song, "Its time we the people stand up for what is right...its time we squared our shoulders back and raise our swords to fight...for the Bible is my weapon ...and the Spirit is my shield...the Church needs more of its members to be workers in the field." We have been promised a blessing that no one can take away. The blessing of grace poured out on us without measure is being poured over our churches in America! It is time we stand up for what is right and become a bride on the move!
For far too many years the church has remained silent...or at least real quiet in our culture. Many of us have never even shared one-on-one with another person the entire Good News of Jesus. It is time you as a follower of Jesus follow Him into the field and serve the world in which we have been planted. This will require sacrifice! Jesus taught us to serve and to sacrifice. He showed us how to live and how to die! But Praise be to God He did not stop there...He showed us how to live again! As Nicodemus heard the eternal impact of the rebirth we hear the resounding echo of the saints of old shouting AMEN to those amazing words, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son..." We hear the Samaritan village of the woman at the well shout in unison," we no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world."
It is time we sacrifice our comfort for the cross! It is time we give up our plenty for His power. We must sacrifice our excess for their eternity! Yes, as Psalm 67 teaches us, our abundance is provided by the Father to us so that His ways will be made known and His salvation will be shared with all! The eternal opportunity of the world is literally within our own check books! Where is our excess being used and we can determine where our hearts are being drawn! Are we really living within the necessary level of our provision and sharing the rest of what the Lord provides for the sake of eternity around the world?
Can we really call it sacrifice when so much is gained by our giving? Jesus taught us the value of laying down our lives, everything we have for the sake of those who need what we have to give! How then will we lay down our lives for the sake of those whom He has entrusted into our hands? How will we show the eternal significance of the Savior of the world? How can we serve the world by going to the places where Jesus is and following Him? Or should we ask, how will we go?
Many opportunities are available for you to join a ministry, a missionary, a church planter, a servant, a team, a church. It is not a question of whether or not there is opportunity. The question is will you go right now? in your heart will you commit to allow the Father to guide your heart and carry you to the slums, the dump, the hills, the valley, the village, the city streets, the house across the street? Will you commit today and take action on that commitment? We have been blessed beyond what we need for the purpose of carrying the Gospel to the people all over the globe who need to hear of His judgement and His grace. Come on and join us as we walk into the field and become His hands and His feet! Go!
