The Peace of the God of Missions be with you.
This month of July is designated as Missions month. For us as Methodists, Mission is a time to further spread the Christian faith and give an account of our individual and collective stewardship. It may bring about a series of religious services that is geared to leading others to Christ. We take into account the biblical understanding of mission in the Old and New Testaments. Mission is necessitated by humanity’s fall into sin and a need for a Saviour. This is made possible by the saving initiative of God in Christ. Although humankind fell and continues to fall, God continues to remain faithful to his creation and continues to show that each of us has a calling to fulfill.
The fathers of Old Testament like Abraham, the Exodus and Israel’s role among the nations, the Davidic Kingship, the End Times Pilgrimage of the Nations, Jonah, the Isaianic Servant of the Lord, and the Nations of the Psalms, sparked the development of the mission road. The sending and the spreading continued throughout the Intertestamental period, hence, channeling to the New Testament period where the Mission in the Synoptic Gospels and Acts, Missions in the Pauline writings, Mission in John and Mission in the General Epistles and Revelation are highlighted.
What we see reflected in this biblical display as mentioned, is that God takes the initiative in mission for the effecting of salvation through Christ. Christ’s coming and work was the start of a mighty wave to the gospel. God’s glory has been greatly displayed to all nations, and while Jesus limited his earthly ministry to Israel, the time between Pentecost and Jesus’ return marks the age of the church’s active outreach. We, as believers, are charged to preach the gospel of the kingdom to all the nations, to make them Christ’s disciples, and to be his witnesses to the ends of the earth. It is promised that Jesus and the Holy Spirit will be with us.
Sisters and brothers, God has already set our mission mandate, and the authority has been given to the mission field and its missionaries to go, tell and baptize. Matthew 28: 19 says “…Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you.”
Where would you find your place in the Mission field? Brothers and sisters, let us go and tell what the Lord has done for us.
Have a gospel telling week.
Your fellow worker in the Lord,
Rev. Stacia