Missionary Day
THE GOSPEL AS OUR FOUNDATION
Pastor Thuamminlian Guite
Bible Verses - 2 Corinthians 5:14, Romans 1:1-17
When we relook at our history 100 years back there is no doubt it is God's plan that The Gospel came to us where we are located thousands of miles away from United Kingdomwhen the Wales Revival took place. It could’ve been any other place! And the pioneer missionaries who came to Mizoram such as Watkin Roberts and many others were Calvinistic in doctrine. They believed in pre-destination and opined that only people who are meant to be saved will be saved. You would find very few Calvinistic believers who would go out and spread the Gospel. They believe the chosen will be saved irrespective of whether they or someone for that matter brought the Gospel to them or not. So it is clear that it is part of God’s plan for us to hear the Gospel through Watkin Robertswho would go beyond his Calvinistic principles.
Reflecting on last Sunday sermon, the society we have today is the product of the Christian life we had lived last 10 years back and the next few years will be determined by what Christian Life we live today. So it is all the more important to look back at our Christian foundation as it is going to guide our future lives and society ahead.
In one of the Christian Seminary institution, the President recruited American technician to look into the cracks of a building newly constructed. They replied it can't be fixed. He was shocked to hear this from professional as they reasoned that the whole building foundation has to be changed to fix it. So it is worth emphasising the need to go back to our foundation of Christian life and mould it. Otherwise it will be too late to change it.
PAUL’S CONVICTION
In II Corinthians 5:14, Paul talked about love of Christ compelling him to leave everything to spread the Gospel and live for Christ. Antioch is where Paul first started his mission and is also his mission centre.But he wanted to change his strategy after a while to focus on Rome so as to reach to Spain and Northern Europe. He desired to make Rome as his mission centre as it is the melting pot of culture and people.Paul wanted to spread the Gospel to Romans to reap the fruits of Gospel. He considered as a responsibility to spread the news to Romans. Also it was due to his fellow Israelites who crucified Jesus and hanged him to death. Paul clearly knows their eternal condemnation. [Romans 1:8-17]
The Gospel is powerful, but is there a gap between the Gospel given to us through the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ and the power of Gospel?
MISSION AT THE CORE OF GOSPEL
The Gospel is powerful, but is there a gap between the Gospel given to us through the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ and the power of Gospel? What is with-holding the Gospel to realise its powerful form? Mission is the missing link between Gospel and power of the Gospel. At the centre of Gospel is the role of Mission for each believerto spread the word throughout all nations of the world. What then stops us from working out your Mission?Is it money? Is it Family?Are these reasons valid?Only if we renew our Mind with the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ and his love for us, will we be motivated to spread the Gospel. It is hard for us to talk about Mission without renewing our minds with the Gospel that God has given to us. Do we really understand the Gospel and are we convinced by it?
Who are the missionaries? Are they just believer whom a church sent out to spread Gospel? This is the traditional definition of missionaries working at the mission fields. But,missionary is not just a title rather it is the work or stating the job description. How can a teacher be at home? They are supposed to teach and impart knowledge. In the same way Pastors are shepherds who have to feed their sheep with spiritual diet. These words are responsibility and not merely title.
Being faithful in one's workplace and working honestly cannot be far from being a missionaryin a mission field.There are some people who are spreading the Gospel in their workplace and it is praise worthy and exemplary of carrying out the responsibility of spreading the gospel. Are the people who are working in secular offices and spreading the Gospel doing the job of a missionary more than the ones who are working in mission field? It may not always be the case that people who are working in mission filed are missionary in the fullest meaning of the term.
In cities the urban mission is not always about money and sending out people butit is more than that. It is also about looking into how each believer can be used in their capacity to witness Christ to others through spreading the word or living a Christ like character. The Gospel is powerful so it is not about eloquence that matters. Salvation and new life are embedded in the Gospel and it will carry out its own work once it is heard and convinces people. You just have to spread it or be a witness to it.
We have wonderful opportunity to witness Gospel to others in our offices, schools and social groups. It is not about how fluent or rosy you spread the Gospel. It is the Gospel itself which will do the work
So what constrains you from spreading the Gospel or witnessing the Gospel?
