FULFILLING OUR MISSIONS MANDATE AS EMPOWERED WITNESSES OF THE GOSPEL

Acts 1:8, Matthew 28:18-20

INTRODUCTION:• The very last words of our Lord Jesus Christ

before He ascended to heaven are HIS COMMAND AND COMMISSION TO THE CHURCH (Matthew 28:18-20 and Acts 1:8)

• We have here a clear MISSIONS MANDATE to ALL believers of ALL generations: TO GO AND SHARE THE GOSPEL OF TRUE SALVATION IN CHRIST TO ALL PEOPLES, NATIONS, TONGUES TO THE ENDS OR REMOTEST PARTS OF THE EARTH.

• If these very last words that Christ gave the church are very important to Him (for they are central to His life and teaching), then these words should be equally important to us to whom the command was given.

• Will CHRIST’S LAST WORDS BE A FIRST PRIORITY IN OUR LIFE AND SERVICE TO HIM AS A CHURCH? Is He truly Lord and Head of the church?

• The church as commissioned and commanded by our Lord to a lost world are His “ambassadors” (2 Cor. 5:20.)….

• Is this exactly what we as a church are doing now as we move through this world?

• Our Lord saw and understood the impossibility of this task that is why He sent His Holy Spirit to empower us. (Acts 1:8).

BACKGROUND:

• The book of Acts contains a picture of the early CHURCH ENGAGING IN MISSIONS reminding us that MISSIONS IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE CHURCH.

• This means that mission sits at the very heart of the entire book: GOD’S MISSION THROUGH THE CHURCH.

• Acts 1:8 is both an OUTLINE AND A SUMMARY OF ACTS.

• The geographical scope of Acts 1:8 provides an outline of the entire book: • Jerusalem (Acts 1–7),• Judea and Samaria (Acts 8–12), • The ends of the earth (Acts 13–28).

• Jesus’ answer pictured their coming task in larger dimensions so that they might move forward with greater dedication and energy. (Acts 1:8)

• In Acts 1:7-8 Jesus surprises the disciples telling them that IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT JERUSALEM; THE CHURCH NEEDS TO EXPAND THE GOSPEL WORK TO THE NATIONS AND THE UNREACHED PEOPLES OF THE WORLD.

• Only then that Matthew 24:14 will be fulfilled

“This GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony TO ALL THE NATIONS, and then THE END WILL COME.”

3 CRUCIAL TRUTHS OF THE EMPOWERING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TO THE CHURCH :I. THE EMPOWERING OF THE CHURCH BY THE

HOLY SPIRIT HAS A PURPOSE (1:8a)A. THE PROMISED HOLY SPIRIT CAME TO

EMPOWER THE CHURCH FOR MISSIONS WORK• The church needs A SPECIAL POWER

FROM GOD TO PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL MESSAGE AND FULFILL HER MISSIONS MANDATE.

• What is this power? • “power” is from the Greek word “dunamis”

which means:• “act of power” (Young’s); • “miraculous power, ability” (Strong’s);• “not merely power capable of action, but,

power in action” (Bullinger’s).•

• This power includes BOLDNESS AND DIVINE ABILITY TO EFFECTIVELY SPREAD THE WORD OF GOD.

• As a church, we need to earnestly ask and seek the “dunamis” power of God to be manifested in greater measure in our lives and service to Him.

IF OUR MESSAGE IS TO HAVE ANY POWER AS WE BRING THE GOSPEL TO THE LOST, IF OUR METHODS IN EVANGELISM AND MISSIONS WORK ARE TO BE SUCCESSFUL, AND IF OUR MINDSET IS EVER TO BE ON THE ETERNAL - THEN WE NEED SUPERNATURAL HELP FROM THE “HOLY SPIRIT”

• That dunamis power is available to us today!• If we are going have the power of God in our

witness, our words and our works, we need to have our lives in the kind of shape the Lord can bless and use.

It’s time TO DEAL WITH OUR PERSONAL ISSUES BIBLICALLY so that it will not be a hindrance to the power of God being manifested in our lives.

It’s time TO DEAL WITH OUR SINS so that the power of God might rest on us SO THAT WE MIGHT PROCLAIM THE GOSPEL WITH CONVICTION, POWER AND CLARITY.

B.THE EMPOWERED CHURCH DEPENDS ON THE HOLY SPIRIT TO INITIATE AND DIRECT MISSIONS•Missions is inseparably linked to the work of

the Holy Spirit. • The Holy Spirit initiated and directed the

mission work of the church by: Leading church to set aside missionaries

(Acts 13:1-3). Guiding missionaries as to where they

should go (Acts 16:7). Giving them the ability and boldness to

witness fearlessly to the truth of the resurrection (Acts 4:8).

• Let us then be reminded as a church that without our full dependence in the Holy Spirit to do His work, EVEN OUR BEST PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES WILL NOT BE ABLE TO FULFILL THE MISSIONS MANDATE ENTRUSTED TO THE CHURCH.

• GOD'S COMMISSION ALWAYS COMES WITH HIS ENABLING.

II. THE EMPOWERED CHURCH AS EFFECTIVE AND FAITHFUL WITNESS OF THE GOSPEL (1:8b)

• The word “witness” translates the Greek word “martus” which refers to “those who bear witness to the truth.”

• Jesus is CALLING HIS PEOPLE TO TELL OTHERS THE TRUTH ABOUT HIM.

A. THE EMPOWERED CHURCH AS EFFECTIVE WITNESS• THE DISCIPLES WERE CALLED TO BEAR

WITNESS TO JESUS CHRIST AND HIS SAVING GRACE.

• An effective witness is called upon to tell what they have seen and what they know to be true.

• Effective witnesses BEAR TESTIMONY TO THE TRUTH AND THEY GIVE EVIDENCES THROUGH THEIR WORDS AND LIVES.

• Am I being an effective witness for my Lord? • Am I willing to change attitudes and areas in

my life so that I can be an effective witness of my worthy Lord?

• If all true disciples of Jesus Christ are willing to be selfless, allowing the power of God to manifest in their lives then the church will be powerfully moved by the Holy Spirit to be effective witnesses to a lost world. This will finish the work of missions.

• The church will give an account of being Christ’s witnesses when He comes back. (Rom. 14:12) Time is of the essence and the time to be effective witnesses to the world is now. (John 9:4)

• Effective witnesses will pray to allow the Holy Spirit to give deep conviction to the lost.

• 1 Thessalonians 1:5• CONVICTING PEOPLE OF THEIR SINS,

THEIR NEED OF RIGHTEOUSNESS AND THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF JUDGMENT IS THE SPIRIT’S WORK – NOT OURS.

John Piper said, “When God clothes His witnesses with that special power from on high, the effect is a deep certainty and confidence and conviction about Christ and the reality of His life and work. The power of God comes upon you, wraps you up as though in a garment of strength, and carries you with conviction and assurance through the hour of testimony.”

B. THE EMPOWERED CHURCH AS FAITHFUL WITNESS• WE NEED TO BE FAITHFUL WITNESSES TO

THE MESSAGE WE ARE TESTIFYING.

• AS CHRIST WITNESS WE MUST REMEMBER THAT IT IS THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO GIVES PERSEVERING COURAGE AND BOLDNESS • Acts 4:31, • 2 Timothy 1:7-8

• BOLDNESS COMES FROM THE FULLNESS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN US - our full dependence in Him.

• COURAGE TO SUFFER FOR CHRIST COMES FROM THE POWER OF GOD-the Spirit of power moving in and through us.

III. THE EMPOWERED CHURCH IN THE EXPANDING TASK OF BRINGING THE GOSPEL TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH(1:8c)• THE WHOLE WORLD NEEDS TO HEAR THE

GOSPEL!• “The reason this power is essential is

because in this text Jesus is sending them from Jerusalem IN EVER-EXPANDING CIRCLES UNTIL ALL THE NATIONS ARE EVANGELIZED.” John Piper

PATTERN IN WHICH GOD'S PEOPLE CAN EVANGELIZE THE WORLD.

A. OUR JERUSALEM (Acts 1–7)• Acts 1–7 addresses the spreading of

the gospel within the city of Jerusalem where the expansion of the witnessing of the gospel of grace begins.

• Today, we are to look at our “Jerusalem” as those individuals living around us.

B. OUR JUDEA AND SAMARIA (8–12)• Acts 8–12 addresses the spreading of the

gospel in those regions surrounding Jerusalem.

• Today, we can see “JUDEA” other communities and cities surrounding our hometown and may include our county.

• “SAMARIA” would represent the cities or communities around our hometown that are of a different culture who live close to us (e.g. Muslims here in Baguio)

C. THE ENDS OF THE EARTH (13–28)• Acts 13–28 are focused on the spreading

of the gospel to the rest of the world.• Today, we can consider “the end of the

earth” as those persons who live in different lands and possess different languages and cultures from ours.

• Every nation, tribe and tongue that needs to be evangelized.

• “THE SPREAD OF THE GOSPEL IS TO HAVE NO LIMITS AND LEAVE NO LAND UNTOUCHED. GOD’S CALLING IS FOR ALL HIS DISCIPLES IN ALL GENERATIONS TO REACH ALL LANDS AND ALL PEOPLES.”

HOW CAN THE LOCAL CHURCH HELP FULFILL THE THREE-FOLD SCOPE OF THE MANDATE?

A. PRAY1. Personally pray for our missionaries and

that the Lord will raise up more.2. Join our monthly prayer time with our

missionaries ( 3rd Sunday of the Month); our North Korea prayer group (2nd Monday of the month 6-8PM); other prayer groups.

3. Fervently pray for the unreached people groups (Service, Prayer night, Prayer morning special)

B. GO1. Go on a short mission trip within our

country or abroad.2. Go on a mission trip in coordination

with our missionaries or the missions’ organization which our church are supporting.

3. Join a vision trip to learn about the needs in another country and how can you be involved.

C. SEND1. Continue to give to missions (Faith

promise mission giving)

2. Be a host family when our missionaries come back for home assignment.

3. Drive a missionary to or from the airport.

4. Send encouragement to our own missionaries (Cards, letters, their favorite food, books, sermon on CD’s, etc)

D. MOBILIZE1. Invite or encourage people to go on a

mission trip2. Volunteer to teach missions in our

Sunday School, Youth Fellowship or DVBS

3. Help out in mission mobilization activities of the church (Missions month, conferences offered by different partner mission organizations by the church)

E. WELCOME1. Welcome or be a friend to international

students.2. Volunteer to teach English to non-

English speaking foreigners (Korean, Chinese, and Indians etc.).

3. Open your home to international students or workers during the holidays.

4. Visit our center at Crystal Cave and know how you can help our Backyard Mission Program.

F. LEARN1. Join the Kairos Missions Course(Nov. 2-6, 2015 – BIBAK Church, Camp Allen) 2. Study an unreached people group on

Joshua Project’s strategic list (www. joshuaproject.net)

3. Read a missionary biography.4. Attend a mission’s conference.

“There are only three kinds of Christians:

• zealous goers, • zealous senders, • and disobedient.

Which will you be?”

John Piper