Let’s start the message this morning with a short quiz. What comes to you mind when you hear the word Missionary ?
What is a Missionary?" When I looked up that word this week in several dictionaries I obviously found many different definitions, I jot down a few;
But since I like to keep it simple, this simple definition seems to me work best for our purpose this Mission Sunday..
A Missionary is ..One who is sent on a mission
Now let me ask you a second question. Based on that definition, how many of you here this morning are missionaries? [Let people answer].
If we’re honest, most of us probably don’t think of ourselves in those terms. We tend to think that term is reserved for those like me or my family who belong to a mission organization and who usually go to some remote part of the world to share the good news of Jesus. But every Christ follower is a Missionary.
Well by that definition every Christian is a missionary, Because every Christian here on a mission. .. that mission has been defined for us in 2 Corinthians 5:18-21.
"Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God.
For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (vv. 18-21)
It has been well said that every person on earth is either a missionary or a mission field.
In Acts 13, we have Paul and Barnabas called out from the church at Antioch to be missionaries. In (vs 3) it tells us that the people had fasted and prayed and laid down their hands on them, and then sent them away. They are our first recorded missionaries.
Just a note of interest; you will not find the word missionary or missions anywhere in the Bible. The word “Mission” comes from a Latin word meaning “ to throw, let go or send.” And that’s what the churches do, don’t we? We follow God’s command to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
When Jesus entered our world, he didn't box himself inside the four walls of the synagogue. He walked into the lives of sinners. He touched the lepers. He associated with prostitutes. He dined with heathen. He scandalized the religious community by penetrating the world.
In order for Jesus to reach and rescue the world he had to penetrate it. Likewise, for us to impact and influence the world for Christ we must penetrate it. John Stott said, "We are to go as he went, to penetrate human society, to mix with unbelievers and fraternize with sinners. Does not one of the church’s greatest failures lie here? Let’s check this out.. , we have disengaged too much. We have become a withdrawn community. We have become aloof instead of alongside."
On Sunday the church gathers, but on Monday through Saturday the church scatters. Into the marketplace followers of Jesus Christ live as God's ambassadors. They are his representatives, his messengers. They are on mission.
Jesus’ strategy always involved believers going into the world, to penetrate the marketplace. Followers of Christ must recognize their ministry and mission of communicating God's love to people they come into contact each day. But Why? Because of the biblical mandate ..
Imagine Jesus standing on a quiet hillside by the Sea of Galilee speaking quietly to a small band of earnest followers. Then picture, if you will, the marketplace today.
In the marketplace of scared , confused , noisy and hectic world, these words find their mark. I am constantly amazed that words that gripped the hearts of first-century believers can still strike responsive chords in the hearts of men and women today. Let me highlight three ideas illustrated in Jesus' imagery of light that have direct bearing on our experiences in the marketplace.
Jesus made it absolutely clear that he wants his followers to radiate his love to those around them. That's why he talked about light. A tiny tungsten filament charged with electrical energy naturally radiates light and dispels darkness. It has no choice. We can't turn a light on and then tell it not to dispel darkness. The very nature of light is such that it must shatter the darkness around it. In the same way, Christians should, by their very nature, radiate something of the work of God in their lives to the people around them. We are the light of the world; we must, therefore, radiate that light and dispel darkness.
Jesus anticipated that some believers might choose to limit their candlepower, to refuse to shine their lights. He knew that they would feel safer securely hidden "under a bowl" (or in a stained glass sanctuary), where they could bask in their anonymity and escape the accountability associated with "going public" with their faith. He anticipated this and forbade it. "Let your light shine!" he commanded. He did not, and he does not now leave believers the option of letting their worlds remain in undisturbed blackness.
Jesus made it obvious that he wants us to spread his influence to every corner of this dark, fallen world. It's not enough that we simply take our lights out of hiding. He wants us to put them on a lamp stand where everyone can see them! God wants the light of his love to be held high so it can permeate every bit of darkness.
How long will it take for us to realize that we are his agents of light? It is through the channels of our daily lives that God shines the light of his message of love.
Now, reflecting on … What did the covid-19 do to the world? To Japan’s local population, to churches, communities, families, to you and me?
Did it get our attention? Mobilized us? Brought out the best in us or the worst?
How do we become agents of light? How do we penetrate the marketplace? How can we bring glory to God and touch the lives of the people we meet in a positive life-changing way?
I found something in my reading , these are practical steps to communicate the love of Christ
Live as the psalmist who wrote, "I keep the LORD in mind always. Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken" (Psa. 16:8).
Before you go to work even on a new normal situation, take time to pray about your job. Pray for the people you'll be working with and those who you'll be serving. Remember, God is the "unseen Partner" in all of life. He is with us wherever we are. And we need his presence, especially in the marketplace.
Think about the meaning of these words from the 13t-century writer Meister Eckhart: "The kind of work we do does not make us holy, but we make it holy. . . . As we have the divine being within, we bless each task we do, be it eating or sleeping or watching, or any other [task]."
Keith Miller, a businessman and author, decided to take the "unseen Partner" with him to work. Consciously he decided he would take Christ's presence with him throughout the day at the office. To remind himself of the divine being within he prayed every time he walked to and from the drinking fountain. As he walked through the offices and spoke to people, he prayed for them. As a piece of paper came across his desk, he committed it to God. He said he noticed no outward change in his attitude, but some of the love and concern he had for these people must have communicated itself to them. People began to come to him to talk about their inner lives.
Being conscious of God's presence can have a profound impact on your job, and the people around you.
Work like the apostle Paul who wrote, "And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him" (Col. 3:17). At work, whatever it may be, have an attitude that reflects the positive nature of God's grace on your life.
Many jobs are boring. The marketplace is often a maze of nameless people. Sometimes good employees don't get recognized and promoted. The woes of layoffs and the threats of mergers and downsizing can be discouraging. But in the midst of less desirable circumstances attitude can transform a boring, thankless job into a Christian ministry.
When Gordon MacDonald pastored Church in New York City, he would ride the same bus daily from his home to the church. One day the bus driver complained to MacDonald: "You've got it a lot better than me. You have an interesting job and travel different places. I just drive this bus up and down the same streets everyday."
MacDonald told the bus driver his job could be a Christian ministry too. "Everyday, when you first get on this bus, before anyone else gets on, dedicate that bus to God for that day. Declare it to be a sanctuary for God for that day. Consecrate it to God's glory, and then act like it is a place where God dwells."
Several weeks later MacDonald returned from a trip and saw the bus driver. "You've transformed my life," the man exclaimed. "I've been doing what you said every day, and it has made me see my job in an entirely new perspective."
The same transformation could happen to you in your work if you would take the time to adjust your attitude each day.
The apostle Paul reminds us, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is God's power for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek" (Rom. 1:16). "Why should I be ashamed of the gospel?" asks Paul. "It is the message of salvation, of life! It's powerful! It's the answer to man's greatest need!" And guess what? People in the marketplace are in the largest mission field in the world. You rub shoulders everyday with people who need the power and grace of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
My family love to host occasional lunch and dinner gathering to everyone we meet. It is a vital part of the ministry that blesses us more than blessing our guest and friends. Thanksgiving dinner is for international students who doesn`t have families with them who experience isolation, homesickness ,depression among others. Part of our dinner we sing songs, interactive bible reading and sharing that would allow guests and friends share their lives in school, they would share the joy and the pain. As they shared their stories, we would pray, witness, and minister as we felt directed by God's Spirit. Often days after they would write us back or stop by and thanked God for coming to us, the gathering its not just about the turkey or the meal but for listening to them and ministering to them.
In one of the gatherings there came a Cambodian student watched in amazement as my family carefully prepared the food on the table, He approached me and acknowledged that he had been watching us and asked how and why at such a busy schedule could we do invite them and take good care of them , my answer was simple "We have to," I said. "It is God's invitation to have you come and dine with us!"
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In the email, The Pastor Nakamura mentioned to include my life journey.. days after that I found myself talking with the Lord big time.. and so with my sharing it is my prayer that you`ll get to see the wonderful works of the Lord.
I grew up in a small but modest church of approx. 75 people... in the country side
I was obsessed joining big churches in the city - to me big church has done the right way.. . and so when I moved to the city to study high School, I attended one of the big churches- then suddenly I realized attending big churches was intimidating... specially when you’re a guest or you don`t know anybody - it can be uncomfortable. I normally sat at the last pew during services not because of anything but because I was shy and I always kept my opinion to myself unless when asked. But when I came to know the Lord personally and I accepted him as my Lord and Savior- things changed. I made many friends , got involved in youth activities, choir, Sunday school and the church became my second home., for it is written in 1 Samuel 12:24 “ Obey the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart, remember the great things he has done for you” .. and indeed God has done a lot of miracles for me ..from being a shy young lass to a leader in the local church, district and national level, in my studies, relationships and having had a robust career in the development field, and in the personal basis from an awful sinner to a Christ committed follower. . God is good , all the time! Going back to the time there was an organizational re-structure in our company and I was promoted to head the department with six people under me, I was given a task to resuscitate a dying department to conduct social development training programs in the communities, nationwide. This department has small budget yet with no concrete direction and goals to grow further, and I was thinking to myself how on earth this department can survive, Moreso, there were two other senior staff before me who has been waiting to get promoted and lead the department given to me but were bypassed because of the re-structural event, so picture it.. there was chaos , professional jealousy from day one I started running the program , there was no peace, I almost tempted to quit but the top management has cheered me on so I faithfully continued, ended up feeling challenged, motivated and thrived. God has been my partner in making decisions and he always provided the way and its all done by him, in the end that program became the flagship program of the entire company for years, isn`t it God amazing!
Alongside my work I was very much involved in church life too specifically in leadership for medical mission, outreach and church planting. I'd done this noting in mind it was God`s business and somehow it added to my joy and contentment. One day, I was with the group of leaders in the conference level - in that group we were planning for conference wide medical mission and such for the year. I ‘ve been hearing the phrase “Let`s do it in God`s way” to most of them in that room that phrase meant nothing but that phrase hit me, something me is moved and then I started talking to Him about life direction , later did I know he was putting the desire in my heart to engage in full-time mission. One expression of God`s graciousness is His promise to guide us by His Spirit and that I `m thankful God has patiently directed me day -by-day , step-by- step as I trusted Him all the way to the time when I was confirmed to leave my country for mission - the church, family and work celebrated with me. Months after that, I joined the Global Ministries by the UMC in the US for training and they assigned me in Japan.
My church produced a number of disciples, good leaders etc. . ... it sent out preachers and teachers of the word and missionaries in the world and I am glad to be one of them. Though I know the measure of a church is not it's seating capacity but it's sending capacity.” ..
What can you do in your work setting to minister and witness to those around you? Let me encourage you to make an impact list. List the people with whom you work that you will pray for. And begin praying for them each day. Begin each day by consecrating your work place. Dedicate it as a sanctuary to God. Make it a holy place where God is present and God can work. And, then, each day look for opportunities to minister, to serve, to help, to offer assistance. We may not be able to do everything, but we can do something.