http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_okmKqeu2E&feature=plcp
What if I Told You..?
What if I told you.. You’re a missionary? Would you
believe me? Would you belittle me and disagree? Or would you belittle you and
give an excuse as to why it’s not true?
What if I told you.. You’re a missionary?
Would you shout, “Amen!” and agree or just shake
your head at me? Can I ask why not? Can I ask why the blood bought believers in
Christ Jesus are living contrary to what God’s Word teaches? Or maybe I missed
the memo that Christ died so the Christian can live however he pleases? Isn’t
that what some are preaching? That God’s just up in the clouds hanging around
until our families get diseases? And we can simply pull Him out when we need
Him, but this view makes it seem like God needs us. You’re trying to tell me
the God who fashioned Venus, and tuned Jeff Johnson Will Raies’ ear to
hear the chord Gsus, and master minded the greatest college meal in the world,
grilled cheeses, needs s? The God who cleans us and redeems us needs us? Are
you noticing a theme, cous? Let’s mythbust.
God is self-sufficient, omniscient, omnipotent, His
glory is so intense that wretched sinners like us behold Him and get bent.
Depraved brains that were once hostile are rent as the Spirit reveals the glory
of Christ in the gospel and we repent. And He pulls us into fellowship. Now
we’re the Church, kid! We’re the ones who are sent, carrying out God’s mission.
We’re the marketing scheme of His salvific business.
What if I told you.. You’re a missionary?
Would anything about you change or would your life
still look the same? Sitting up in your dorm room playing video games or having
a nice car, looking dope as you’re switching lanes, or having the most retweets
or the prettiest dame. I’m not trying to invoke shame, but I feel like there’s more
to why Jesus came than living lives of luxury and laziness tagged with His
name. You can call this a rebuke or even a Jesus juke but what I see in the
book of Luke chapter 9 verse 23 is a call to deny ourselves and take up our
crosses daily. In other words, die every day. A comfortable life is no longer
the aim but a passionate pursuit of spreading His fame.
So we schedule trips and board our airships to fly
across the oceanic abyss with the intent of letting the gospel pour forth from
our lips. We pray so diligently for hearts to be gripped then come right back
home to the same self-centered, egocentric agendas. I’m saying we’re extremely
selfish. I think there’s a point to missions we’ve missed, and that is exactly
the point of this conference! Missions: It’s Not What You Think! You see, we’re
all concerned we’re on the brink of watching a generation get washed down the
sink, flushed out the pipes like someone used Drano because the Church shows no
mercy like Captain Insano. We’re always looking for someone or something else
to place the blame on. Is anyone else tired of the same old, same old story? We
claim to be the peeps in Plato’s allegory who saw the light pouring in saving
us from the shadows we were adoring. Yet we leave people trapped in the darkness
of the cave because we think sharing the gospel’s only important when we’re
Dora exploring the globe. We’re too scared to start conversations at Starbucks
because people might think we’re trying to probe; we really don’t want to
impose. We say we’re unashamed, but we’re really Gospel-phobes! Why are we so
afraid? I really have to know.
I thought the gospel was God’s power to save, bro? And
the message isn’t written in ink; the page is blood soaked. There’s no need to
worry because God is the messenger and you’re just the envelope. We’ve been
stamped and with the Spirit we’ve been sealed. We’re the ambassadors for Christ
through which God is making His appeal to international students, every
restaurant on Carrier, and every coffee shop in the area: this is your mission
field. I’m not saying don’t go; I’m saying don’t miss the people God has put in
your path to do life with. This is the pot God has planted you in. Take root,
branch out and bear fruit, or shriveled and withered is how you’ll end. Hebrews
12:1, get rid of all distractions because America is the fourth largest lost
nation. “Either you are a missionary or you are an imposter,” that was Charles
Spurgeon. This all adds up the words of Amy
Quinn (couldn’t name drop, sorry girl!), “Christians just need to be
Christian.” Listen: you may never go overseas or visit other countries, but I
am begging you, please. Believe me when I tell you I’m staring at a room full
of missionaries.
