Lesson 16

Evangelism and Missions

The Messenger -- Who Has Been and Should Be Committed to Missions?

A.     Adam was the first missionary and his charge was to "Be Fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. . "  (Genesis 1:28).
B.     Noah was given the same mandate after the flood (Genesis 9:1).
C.     In Abraham we see God begin to unfold His plan of redemption.
  1. . Abraham received a divine call and received the promise (Genesis 12:1-3)
       . . . . God was saying, "Followme, and I will make you fishers of men" (Matthew 4:19).
       . . . . God was reaching down to man with a worldwide purpose.
  2.   Abraham influenced the surrounding nations (Genesis 14).
  3.   Abraham persisted in intercessions for the heathen (Genesis18).
D.     The nation of Israel had a three-fold purpose in God's plan of redemption.
  1.   (Recipient of God's revelation to the world . . (Hebrews 1:1-3).
  2.   Channel through whom the Redeemer would come (Matthew 1:1; Genesis 49:10; Romans 1:3).
  3.   Witness in the midst of the nations (Isaiah 43:10; 44:1-8).
E.     The prophet Jonah was called to be God's missionary to the Ninevites in the book called by his name. Obadiah, Nahum, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel were prophets also called to be missionaries in the Old Testament.
F.     The consummation of God's redemption and the greatest missionary to ever live was God Himself in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ.
      "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved"  (John 3:17).
      "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10).
      "And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world" (1 John 2:2).
      "And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world" (1 John 4:14).
G.     Paul the Apostle teaches us several things about a missionary.
  1.   Called by the Holy Ghost through the local church (Acts 13)
  2.   Has a home church to go out from and report to on a regular basis.
  3.   Start local churches wherever they go.
  4.   Message is primary; "According to the Scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:3-4) - depend on the Word of God
  5.   Watch care of the churches
  6.   Gives his life.
H.     God calls families like yours, form churches like yours, to be missionaries to the uttermost parts of the world.
I.  

 

 Not everyone is called to go to Africa, China or some other remote and isolated land. However, everyone can and should be involved with and committed to missions; after all, it is the heartbeat of God

God would have us be as Abraham -- a blessing to those around us, influencing them for the cause of Christ.

god wants us -- our time, our talents (abilities) and our treasures (money).

Be a missionary right where you live. You will never be a missionary to Zaire until you can be a missionary right where you are, reaching out to the souls of men, women and children you came in contact with every day.

 
      You can be involved and committed by supporting other Christians who have gone to foreign fields with your prayers and finances. There will be fruit that abounds to your account (Philippians 4:16-17).

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