Message: Pastor G Khankham
THEME: “Making Disciples”
Scripture: Matthew 28:18,19
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority 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 of the Son and of the Holy Spirit
Missionary Day Greetings!!
1910, May 7th marked the day when the gospel reached the Southern district of Manipur through Aizawl, notwithstanding the fact that it was a revival that broke out in the country of Wales which brought the good news traversing the high and low terrain to reach us. This shows how God has sought and found us where we are for a reason, and that we are the torch bearers for the gospel to pass it on. Let us discuss our way of life before 1910 and after 1910 and compare the innumerable blessings the gospel has brought to the Southern people of Manipur.
Life before 1910 (before the Gospel reached)
(i)Religiosity: We were Spirit worshippers and animistic, living in fear against all-natural wonders we couldn’t explain. Our bondage in fear led us to sacrificial practices and rituals to appease the spirits in the spiritual realm from harming us. (ii) Livelihood: We lived in thatched houses made without using any iron. Dark and lowly, no doubt we dwelled in the dark. (iii) Occupation: No other way of earning was established other than farming. Shifting cultivation by taking one hill year after year to produce and feed a family was the only way known. Monetary system was not in place yet so, people use barter system, exchanging services and goods for other goods in return to buy and sell. (iv) Communication: Roads were hardly made for fear of enemies finding their way into a village and plundering the only wealth they have. This resulted in highland village with scarcity of water and its people living in fear always. (v) Education: Literature was not even thought of, and people kept the oral tradition. Those interested in reading & writing has to travel far away to Aizawl to learn. Two gentlemen named Thangkai & Lungpau interest in learning has led to an encounter with Watkin Roberts which eventually paved a way for the Gospel to reach the Southern part of Manipur. (vi) Governance: Chief of a village holds the authority and is the sole decision maker and head. He is responsible for the people and is concerned with their needs. Since there were no health facilities as such, Priest of a village is responsible for the health care of its people. Blacksmith form and make agricultural tools, like iron tools as required. Additionally, a town crier or a bellman is allotted by the chief as a messenger or an announcer to the public for important matters from the chief. All the above has portions allotted to them payable with rice grains as their wages.
Such was the way of life and culture we lived in, with scarcity, poverty, and ignorance in fear and darkness before the Gospel reached us.
Life after 1910 (after Gospel)
Meanwhile, the Gospel has brought tremendous privileges and advantages with it. With the Gospel comes the introduction of the Romans alphabet. This further enhances our literature and opened a way for us to reach higher, enabling us to get to where we are today in education, livelihood, & occupations. We now spread across not just within the state but across mainland India and all over the globe. The Gospel has completely transformed our way of life, our religiosity, communications, and governance in a big way.
Nevertheless, it is worthwhile to pause and evaluate that while we are enjoying all the privileges and advantages; “Do we displease the Lord and dishonor Him by forgetting HIM? Do we forget who the source of it is?” Just as God reminded the Israelites, When the Lord your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you—a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant—then when you eat and are satisfied, be careful that you do not forget the Lord, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. Now that we are better off and satisfied to a great extent, let us be careful and be reminded that it is the Lord who has led us this far and for a purpose. And that purpose is to make disciples.
MAKING DISCIPLES
Luke 6:12-13 “One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles.” Jesus when he was about to call His disciples spent a whole night praying. Not just a simple prayer but a night of prayer. As Jesus showed us, we should learn the importance of prayer.
- PRAYER: The first and one of the most important tools we need to implement to make disciples is PRAYER. Just as Jesus prayed to know whom to choose and make them Apostles, we ought to pray incessantly to bear fruit and make more disciples. Mark 3:14,15 “He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons.” Jesus didn’t plan to work alone, after praying, he appointed and anointed the apostles with power to have authority over demons, and to be his witnesses. Just as you were made to be a disciple through the Gospel, Jesus gave us that same responsibility just like the Apostles, to make disciples, and had anointed us with the same power and authority over demons. Yet, let us not forget that “Prayer” is the most important. The power of prayer can be seen when Paul & Sila were imprisoned. They sang hymns and prayed. Suddenly an earthquake occurred and all prison doors with their chains were opened. The prison guard in fear of losing the prisoners was about to take his life, but Paul stopped him. He later took all prisoners out and ask Paul, “what should I do to be saved?” He and all his family believed in the Lord Jesus and were baptized. As you see, it all started with PRAYER.
- GIVING: Secondly, Giving for the lost is another tool we can implement to make disciples. To save lives is like an investment that cannot perish. Matthew 6:19,20 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. Treasures in heaven is stored by giving for the needy, for saving lost souls etc. Make disciples by giving without reservations. Just like the boy who gave whatever he had to the disciples when Jesus asked to feed 5000 people. 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish, without reserving anything for himself. When Jesus blessed it with prayer, it feeds more than 5000 people who were hungry with many leftovers. [John 6:9]
If we realize what we have is given by God, we can also willingly give to those who are in need too. When you see someone in need, don’t hesitate to give and help.
In addition to that, give what is due to the Authority. As Jesus said, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and give to God what belongs to God.” We need to give to God what is due him, i.e., Glory. Give Glory to God in everything. When we fare well, and become successful, do we give God glory for what he had done? Or do we own the glory for ourselves? Do we otherwise feel that it’s our achievement, and hard work paying off? Let us remember to give glory to God for all the wealth, happiness, and guidance. Ask yourself today, do you give glory to God as a Church for the 110 years of Gospel in the region? Do you give glory to God for the numerous numbers of Mission fields He had enabled the Church to run? Let us continue to give Glory to God as a church, family and individually.
- ZEAL TO SAVE THE LOST: Third, we need zeal or passion for the lost. We can see many had lost interest in saving souls. We could hardly find people passionate and heartbroken to save others who haven’t heard the Gospel yet. Where has our zeal gone? Did God take our zeal away for we seem unaffected by it or has setan overpowered us to lose interest in saving souls? Like Nehemiah, who cried and fasted before God after hearing the condition of the Lord’s broken city, we need people to come before God and cry out for their souls. Moreover, the only catalyst to stir our zeal for the lost lives should be the LOVE OF CHRIST. As we found in II Corinthians 5:14 “For Christ’s love compels us….” Only Christ’s love can persuade us to have a passion and zeal for our fellow beings. Only when we have His love can we have the same zeal, and love like Christ. As Peter & John said, “As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”( Acts 4:20) we should ask God to rekindle this love for him to be more effective in making disciples.
- COMMAND: Making Disciples is not an option but a command. For you and I who call himself or herself a Christian, it is a commandment from our Lord. As a born-again believer, if you and I are not obedient to this great command, we need to evaluate our faith, and seek for repentance. Jesus said, “go and make disciples of all nations” there’s no other way, it’s a mandate. We never know God have given us the privilege by placing us here in Delhi, to reach out to other nations, perhaps the neighborhood, workplace, or even people we interact with daily. Even if we can’t preach let our life speak, let Christ be seen in our behavior and character. Take it as a privilege and an advantage.
For the one who command is powerful, as He said, “all authority on earth and in Heaven has been given to me.” Jesus is worth our obedience, as He promised he will not forsake us, and His word is true. So, even if you are in the frontline in the mission-field, be not weary, as God promised He will be with us to the ends of the earth. Those who partake as a giver, give wholeheartedly and those who pray, pray incessantly. As a songwriter wrote, “let the evangelist be stronger, Let the giver give with Love, Let the prayer pray wholeheartedly, then when the Lord is pleased He will heal the land and its people.” Wherever we are, let us continue to work out our responsibilities for God and his kingdom.
May God Bless you!
