"I have but one candle of life to burn, and I would rather burn it out in a land filled with darkness than in a land flooded with light" — John Keith Falconer
"God's work done in God's way will never lack God's supply" — Hudson Taylor
"Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God" — William Carey, who is called the father of modern missions
Lesson Text: Mark 16:15.
Devotional Reading-Subject: Divinely Called and Sent, Acts 13:14.
AIM: That the pupil get a vision of the pressing need to reach others for Christ.
HOME READINGS
Missionaries in Samaria, Acts 8:1-25.
Philip and Ethiopian, Acts 8:26-39.
Peter’s Vision, Acts 10:1-6.
Peter’s Response, Acts 10:34-48.
Holy Spirit Guidance, Acts 16:6-12.
1. Because of the Need.
Satan’s work is ever on the increase (1 Tim. 4:1-3). He is becoming more effectiveness and active (2Tim. 3:1-7). No doubt he grows more and more intense, “because he knoweth that he hath but a short time” (Rev. 12:12). As his time grows shorter, he will get even more intense. Missionaries are needed to combat his work.
In conjunction with this, false religions, false prophets, and false teachers continue to delude thousands and thousands with their false gospel. These conditions the Lord foretold. “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” (Matt. 7:15). Missionaries are needed t combat such work.
All the lost desperately need to hear the message of Christ. They have no hope without Him. Someone needs to proclaim that message (Rom. 10:14-17). Church members are able to do this in their own locality, but churches need to send missionaries to carry the message to the outside world.
The return of Christ is getting nearer and nearer, moreover the message of Christ needs urgent attention (Heb. 10:37). God’s churches need the same attitude of Christ. Work for God must be done now (John 9:4). Therefore, they need to send missionaries now.
If Christ does not return soon, there is still a pressing need for sending missionaries now. One can almost see the world becoming colder and more indifferent to truth. By and large, few seem to heed the message of Christ. The Lord declared such conditions would prevail prior to His return. ”And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold” (Matt. 24:12). Consequently, God’s churches should send missionaries now. Tomorrow may be too late.2 Corinthians 6:2 states, “For he saith, I have heard thee succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation,) “Although this passage is often used to appeal to sinners, it is really an appeal to God’s people to see the urgency of evangelizing now.
2. Because of the Command.
The Lord Commanded His churches to do mission work. That is why Missionary Baptist churches are missionary by nature and practice. That means they must send missionaries, or else they will deny their very nature. Destroy the element of missions, and a church is no longer Missionary Baptist. In fact, it would become a part of the mission field.
Basically, the commission has three parts. First, a church should “preach the gospel in every creature” (Mark 16:15). Second, a church should baptize those who receive Christ as Savior (Mark 16:16). Third, a church should teach the commands of Christ to the membership (Matt. 28:20). All of that is prefaced by the word “Go.” That means churches need to be sending missionaries.
For Discussion. Can a church carry out the commission without sending missionaries?
3. Because of the Call.
God calls men to be missionaries. “As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for work whereunto I have called them” (Acts 13:2). Later Paul describe his apostleship as being “not of men neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from dead” (Gal. 1:1). In Acts 26:16 he quoted the Lord as stating He made Paul a ministered and a minister and w witness for Him. The scriptural missionary is called out of God. As the Lord calls men, churches should send them to the mission field (Acts 13:3).Sending missionaries means more than sending them on their way with moral support. There is a need for financial support. Christ associated generously with mission work when He spoke of the woman who anointed Him lavishly with costly ointment. “Verily I say unto you, wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her” (Matt. 26:13). Her generosity would be associated with mission work. It takes money to send missionaries, to support them, to but property and to build places of worship. It take a great amount of money, but God’s churches cannot afford not to send missionaries.
For Discussion. What is the alternative to supporting God-called missionaries?
4. Because of the Examples.
The glorious theme of God in Christ reaching out to lost humanity is throughout the pages of the Word of God. The Bible is a missionary Book. Therefore, there are examples of sending missionaries in the Bible, especially in the New Testament.
When Christ selected twelve apostle, He sent them forth as missionaries to Israel. “But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matt. 10:6). He restricted them from going to Gentiles (Matt. 10:5). Furthermore, He told them what to preach and to do (Matt 10:7, 8). In fact, He gave them thorough instructions about their mission work (Matt: 10:9-42).
When Christ appointed the seventy. He sent them forth as missionaries. “After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, within he himself would come” (Luke 10:1). Once again, He gave instructions regarding conduct and action on their mission (Luke 10:2-16). When they returned with a report, He gave them further instructions (Luke 10:16-20).
When the apostles and the seventy the first church had at least eighty-two missionaries. The church was small. It had no meeting place. Its finances were minimal. The world was antagonistic toward it. Yet that church sent forth eighty-two missionaries. What an Example!
When that church settled in Jerusalem and grew, the members did mission work in the city. Of the apostle the Bible states, “And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ” (Acts 5:42).When the persecution of Saul scattered the Jerusalem Church, the members became missionaries. “Therefore they were scatted abroad went every where preaching the word” (Acts 8:4). Physically, persecution scattered them. Spiritually, the Lord sent them forth as missionaries.
Acts 8:5-25 records the work of one missionary in Samaria. Acts 8:26-39 records his work with an Ethiopian in the desert. Acts 8:40 records his work continued to the city of Samaria. Philip is a good example.
For Discussion. The New Testament examples are good reasons for sending missionaries.
You are not a Missionary Baptist if you don't have a heart for sending missionaries!
