Missiological Motivations

Go! No really, you need to Go!

The command of Christ to go the the nations to proclaim the Gospel of His Grace is known to most Christians. We hear sermons about it. We read books about it. We know that it is a command of God. However, I believe that the missionary zeal of the early church was not simply fueled by a command. Commands do not usually make us respond with zeal. (Ask your Mom how you responded to her commands when you were little lol) So what motivated men like Peter, James, and Paul to lay down their very lives for the sake of missions?

Romans 1:4b-5 Jesus Christ our Lord, 5through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations.

Paul explains in this verse the core motivations and the purpose of His missionary call.

Received Grace

One summer, I was a children’s camp counselor. In my tribe (literally… our name was the tribe of Dan), I had children from first to fifth grade. This was such a wide range of age and understanding. I wondered how I would share the Gospel in a manner that they could understand. As a child, there was one thing that truly frightened me… spankings. Ironically, I did not get many spankings, but the mere threat sent me running. I explained to my tribe about the just punishment due to us when we disobey our parents. Nobody wants to get a spanking. But what if there was one who was innocent that would take the spanking on our behalf. They were amazed at the idea that someone innocent would take there punishment. Christ, our innocent big brother, took our punishment from our Holy Father.

The analogy seems light until you recognize what the analogy represents. That proverbial spanking that we deserve is nothing less then the eternal wrath of almighty God. We all have broken his commandments. We all our guilty. Because our God is Holy and Just, He punishes wrong doing. But, because our God love us and wants us to have eternal life with Him, He created a plan that would allow us to be pardoned and His justice to be upheld. This message that Christ took our wrath and punishment in our place should provoke in us a sense of awe and wonder. Why would he do that for me? His free grace should spur love for Him in our hearts. This Christ who gave Himself for me, He deserves all my devotion. Grace turns the command to love and serve God into a delight! Why would I not want to serve the one who freed me from the grave punishment of my sin?

Apostleship

Imagine that you were a slave during the civil war. President Lincoln just gave the emancipation proclamation. Not only this, He came personally to you in order to give you this news. Your heart would overflow with thanksgiving as tears welled in your eyes. After you get over the amazing shock, President Lincoln then tells you that you are to be his personal representative to tell all the slaves that they are now free. Lincoln commissions you to go throughout the South and tell the slaves that they are now free. I do not think that you would drag your feet. The amazing truth that you are now free and are all your fellow slaves are free would propel you to go as fast as you could to make known this great news.

The word apostle means “sent out one” or “messenger.” Jesus not only sent the Apostle Paul; he sent you and me. In view of His amazing grace to us, why would we not want to go and tell the world that they is now freedom from sin and reconciliation to God through the Gospel! If you do not jump at the chance to tell others of the grace of Jesus, then, you have not truly understood your former state or the radical grace of God. I say this not to merely make you feel bad. I tell you this so that you would cry out to God that He would continually reveal to the depths of the grace that He has lavished on you. Grace and apostleship are linked together. The more you know of His grace towards you and others, the more you will truly live as one who is sent out with a glorious message.

Obedience of the Faith

Do you think that Jesus shed his blood so that many people could pray a sinner’s pray on Sundays and then live however they want?? Really? The precious blood of Jesus that was shed was to forgive you. Amen! But it was for much more. Titus 1:14 says that Jesus gave himself “to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” The blood of Jesus was spilled so that you and I would have the power to live lives of obedience to Christ.

Relationship with the living God should in face produce good works. As we know Christ more and more, we desire to live like Him more and more. The more we meditate of His grace the more we are willing and wanting to obey Him. He said that if you love him you would obey his commandments. The Apostle John says that we only love him because he first loved us.

For the Sake of His Name Among All Nations

Count Zinzendorf is one of my favorite figures in the history of the Church. He had a community that was devoted to prayer and missions. Two young men who regularly participated in these 24 hour prayer meetings were convinced that the Lord has called then to go on mission. In the 1700s there were not many missions organizations. These young men were so passionate about reaching slaves in North America that hey decided to sell themselves into slavery! As these two men boarded the boat that would take them to be slaves in North America never to be seen by the families again they said, “May the Lamb that was slain receive the reward for His suffering!”

What is the reward for Christ’s suffering? People from every tribe and nation coming to Him in worship and adoration. For the sake of the glory of the King of kings we are to take this Gospel to the world! The Second Person of the Trinity humbled himself to take on human flesh. He lived in our flawed world and suffered without sin. He was betrayed and beaten. He was crucified in public humiliation in order to take on our sin. He rose from the dead thus securing our future resurrection. He ascend to heaven with all authority. This Jesus is worthy to be praised in all nations.

His grace encourages us to be obedient and to carry His Gospel to the World so that He may receive that glory that is due Him!