In the previous post (Part 1), we gave consideration to answering the questions of the "who", "what", "when", and "where" of Christian mission. In this post (Part 2), we'll focus on purpose and practicality, as we consider the "why" and "how" of Christian mission.
Why: God's glory is at stake, man's eternity is at stake, and Jesus loved and pursued you
God's glory is at stake. There will come a day when all who love and worship Jesus will gather around his throne to enjoy proclaiming his excellencies forever. If we love Jesus, our desire should be that more and more people be added to that number who will one day bask in his perfection. Jesus' followers love his glory.
Also, man's eternity is at stake. Consider the following:
"It is a serious thing to live in a society of possible gods and goddesses, to remember that the dullest and most uninteresting person you can talk to may one day be a creature you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare...
All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations. It is in the light of these overwhelming possibilities that we should conduct all our dealings with one another, all friendships, all loves, all play, all politics. There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. It is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit - immortal horrors or everlasting splendors."
(C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory)
What a sobering thought. Though we will all die (unless Jesus returns first), we will all live forever. Some will live as everlasting splendors, basking in the presence of King Jesus forever. While, others will live as immortal horrors, separated from God forever in an eternal nightmare that offers no hope of waking up. In light of this reality, that which is most essential is that people come face to face with the reality of Jesus Christ.
Consider for a moment the following question: Do you remember what life was like before Jesus found you? For some of us, the answer is no. But, for those of us who do remember life before Jesus, we know that were it not for the grace of God, we would still be lost and without hope. We were either messy or moralistic. Yet, Jesus found us. Such grace should move us to become a friend of sinners, spending our lives so that the messy and the moralistic might come face to face with our King and Savior, Jesus.
How: both in word and deed
If we only proclaim the gospel but don't live gospel-centered lives, we will repel people from Jesus. And, if we only live gospel-centered lives but don't proclaim the gospel, no one will know that it's Jesus who compels us to live the way we do. Thus, the goal is both to practice what we proclaim and also to proclaim what we practice.
Such questions (the "who", "what", "when", "where", "why", and "how" of Christian mission) are helpful to consider. But, for many, the question is simply this: What are some practical steps that I can take to become a friend of sinners? If that's you, consider the following steps of a good missionary (adapted from Mark Driscoll's Leadership Network on www.theresurgence.com):
go: None of us lives a stationary life. We're all going in some capacity. Yet, that doesn't necessarily mean that we're going to the places in which people who don't know and love Jesus live, work, and play. These are the places to which we must go. We've got to get out of our houses and out of our routines for the sake of the gospel.
see: The goal is not just to go, but to see. What's going on in the world around you? What are the idols of the culture in which you live? What are people making ultimate in their lives? What does brokenness look like in your context?
feel: When we see the idols of the culture in which we live, when we see brokenness around us, when we see that which is taking place in our context, it should cause us to feel something, be it anger, sadness, and/or hope.
do: Such feelings are meant to lead us to respond, to do something about the idolatry and brokenness around us. As Christians, we are instruments of redemption and hope. We are gospel carriers.
So, where do you go? What do you see? What do you feel? And, what are you going to do about it?
As a word of caution, being a friend of sinners will cost you. It will cost you...
time: People who don't know and love Jesus will take up your time. It may take years for a friend to come to know and love Jesus. It may require numerous conversations over numerous cups of coffee over the course of time. Are you willing to sacrifice your time for the sake of the gospel?
money: Numerous cups of coffee will cost you numerous dollars. Are you willing to take a financial hit for the sake of the gospel?
comfort: When you hang out with people who don't know and love Jesus, you don't just get to tell them about your God. You get to hear them tell you about their gods, as well. And, that can sometimes be quite uncomfortable. Are you willing to step outside of your comfort zone for the sake of the gospel?
reputation: The religious types will throw rocks at you for hanging out with reckless pagans. And, the reckless pagans will call you a narrow-minded idiot for not worshiping their gods. You'll get it from both sides if you're faithful to the gospel. Are you willing to take a reputational hit for the sake of the gospel?
convenience: Receiving a phone call at 2am from the friend at the bar who can't drive himself/herself home is never convenient. When you're a friend of people who don't know and love Jesus, your calendar can get messy. Why? Because people are messy. Are you willing to sacrifice convenience for the sake of the gospel?
emotional ease: Listening to people share stories of the devastating effects of sin in their lives is never easy. Listening to the ways in which people not only sin against God, but are sinned against by others, can be emotionally difficult. Are you willing to engage in emotionally difficult conversations and walk through emotionally difficult seasons with people who don't know and love Jesus for the sake of the gospel?
Being a friend of sinners is costly. It cost Jesus his life. In light of Jesus' sacrifice for you, will you sacrifice so that people who don't know and love Jesus might come face to face with him?
Jamey Vizzini
Lead Pastor/Planter
CrossPointe Winter Springs
So, where do you go? What do you see? What do you feel? And, what are you going to do about it?
As a word of caution, being a friend of sinners will cost you. It will cost you...
time: People who don't know and love Jesus will take up your time. It may take years for a friend to come to know and love Jesus. It may require numerous conversations over numerous cups of coffee over the course of time. Are you willing to sacrifice your time for the sake of the gospel?
money: Numerous cups of coffee will cost you numerous dollars. Are you willing to take a financial hit for the sake of the gospel?
comfort: When you hang out with people who don't know and love Jesus, you don't just get to tell them about your God. You get to hear them tell you about their gods, as well. And, that can sometimes be quite uncomfortable. Are you willing to step outside of your comfort zone for the sake of the gospel?
reputation: The religious types will throw rocks at you for hanging out with reckless pagans. And, the reckless pagans will call you a narrow-minded idiot for not worshiping their gods. You'll get it from both sides if you're faithful to the gospel. Are you willing to take a reputational hit for the sake of the gospel?
convenience: Receiving a phone call at 2am from the friend at the bar who can't drive himself/herself home is never convenient. When you're a friend of people who don't know and love Jesus, your calendar can get messy. Why? Because people are messy. Are you willing to sacrifice convenience for the sake of the gospel?
emotional ease: Listening to people share stories of the devastating effects of sin in their lives is never easy. Listening to the ways in which people not only sin against God, but are sinned against by others, can be emotionally difficult. Are you willing to engage in emotionally difficult conversations and walk through emotionally difficult seasons with people who don't know and love Jesus for the sake of the gospel?
Being a friend of sinners is costly. It cost Jesus his life. In light of Jesus' sacrifice for you, will you sacrifice so that people who don't know and love Jesus might come face to face with him?
Jamey Vizzini
Lead Pastor/Planter
CrossPointe Winter Springs
No comments:
Post a Comment