It’s been a great year. My trips included Asia and Europe and I just returned home from Mexico this week.

After traveling extensively I’ve come to know that “Christmas is for the World.

I delivered the following message at Gulfway Church on December 14, 2014. 

We are all Goer.

Where you live doesn’t make you a missionary, The mission you’re on makes you a missionary.

Last week Pastor Bruce told us about The Gift of a Son:

Isaiah 9:6-7 NKJV

For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform

For me that’s what Christmas is all about….  The Gift of Jesus Christ to the World.

The Mission of Jesus:

John 3:16 (NKJV)

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

In English 2/3rds of God’s Name is “Go”.  

2/3rds of God’s Name in Spanish (Dios) is “Gave” (Dio)   -John 3:16

Our Mission:

Matthew 28:19-20(NKJV)

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe (obey) all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always,even to the end of the age.” Amen.

The Great Commission commands us to do 3 Things:

1. Go, Not come
2. Everybody, not just some – The World
3. Make Trainers, Not just Church Members (Disciple, Obey)

The Purpose of the Church

• Love God

• Love Others (The World)

• Make Disciples

These commands of Christ are synonymous:

• Love

• Serve

• Give

• Go

• Worship

• Disciple

• Obey

 

Christ is at the center of these synonymous commands.

“Jesus is the reason for the Season”

Christmas is a time to give.

• Worship
• Gifts
• Finances
• Time
• Your Talents
• Life

We are the Church. We get together on Sundays to worship, give, serve and to obey.

It feels terrible to get a gift from someone and not give them something in return.

Acts 20:35  (NKJV)

35 I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

 

We give because we love, not expecting something in return.

We attend church on Sunday to give, serve and be a blessing.

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose” Jim Elliot

People say, “I didn’t receive anything in the worship service, It didn’t minister to me.” Thier attitude is wrong.

You don’t go to get something. You go to give something.

True Worship always involves giving, serving and blessing.

When you bless God and others you will be a blessing and receive a blessing.

 

We need to become traders.

Would you be willing to trade in the pursuit of the American dream for a World that desperately needs Christ?

So that’s it. You can be a missionary right where you live. 

Will another person go to heaven because of you?

I don’t mean that you’ll kill a Christian. I mean you’ll snatch someone from the fire (Jude 1:23)

 When you get to heaven will someone tell you thank you, “Thank you for sharing the Good news of Christ’s salvation with me”

According to some theologians, every second approximate someone dies and pass into eternity without Christ. If that was perfectly accurate that is $31,536,000 lost souls.  Even if the statistic was in error by 75%, that is still close to 7.5 million people being robbed of the privilege of worshipping and glorify God forever.

Christ calls, “Follow Me” and I’ll make you fishers of men. Matthew 4:18-23 (NKJV).

A disciple of Jesus simply obeys His command to follow.

The Website Multiply Movement says this about living as a disciple:

Yet somehow many have come to believe that a person can be a “Christian” without being like Christ.

A “follower” who doesn’t follow. How does that make any sense?

 Many people in the church have decided to take on the name of Christ and nothing else. This would be like Jesus walking up to those first disciples and saying, “Hey, would you guys mind identifying yourselves with Me in some way? Don’t worry, I don’t actually care if you do anything I do or change your lifestyle at all. I’m just looking for people who are willing to say they believe in Me and call themselves Christians.” Seriously?

 No one can really believe that this is all it means to be a Christian. But then why do so many people live this way? It appears that we’ve lost sight of what it means to be a follower of Jesus. The concept of being a disciple isn’t difficult to understand, but it affects everything. 

From Luke 1-8 Jesus Gave.

In Luke 5 Jesus called four fishermen as Disciples

1. So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, 2 and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets.3 Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.

4 When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”

5 But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” 6 And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. 7 So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”

9 For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken; 10 and so also were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.” 11 So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.

Then in Luke 9 Jesus told Peter and the other disciples “Now it’s your turn”….. go, preach, heal, give.

Luke 9: 1 Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. 2 He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.

Luke 10 tells us “Christmas is for the World”.

Why? Because Christ gave His life for the World then we should also give our lives for the World.

There’s No Better Gift.  Share Jesus’s Gift of Eternal life this Christmas. 

WE SHOULD GO AND GIVE Jesus, life, and healing. That’s our Mission.

Luke 10:1-12

The Seventy Sent Out

1 After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go.

 Jesus appoints us to do His mission (set apart for the task)

• He sends us out.
• He holds us accountable.They went out 2 by 2.
• They went to places where He was going to come  (He is going to be there)
• Matthew 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit., 20   “… teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
• John 15:8 “My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and {so} prove to be My disciples.”
• John 15:16 “You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and {that} your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you,”

 2 Then He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.

Believe there is a harvest

• What did Jesus tell them?
• There is a harvest and The harvest is abundant..
• Jesus did not ask us to pray for the harvesters…Jesus commanded us to pray for MORE harvesters!
• Jesus talked about HARVEST.  This means a crop, not a single fruit.

3 Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs among wolves.

 Watch Out!

• Sheep alone are at the mercy of wolves.  But remember the shepherd stands between the sheep and the wolves.
• Hostile environment:
• Deuteronomy 31:8 – “The LORD is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

4 Carry neither money bag, knapsack, nor sandals; and greet no one along the road.

Go depending on Jesus.

• You have nothing to offer (but Jesus)
• With no money, bag or shoes, …. You are totally dependent.
• Remember your purpose.
• Don’t get distracted.

5 But whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’

6 And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest on it; if not, it will return to you.

What should you do?

• Offer the gift of Peace
• Make our presence known

 One good way to do this is to offer to pray for a persons needs.

Historical background note:

To really understand what is happening in this passage, it helps to understand the historical setting.   Typically, in Jesus’ time, there were no hotels in which strangers could stay when they came to a town or village.  A common practice was for someone in the town to show hospitality to a stranger and invite him to stay in his home.  God taught His people to take care of the stranger who comes to his town.  (See Genesis 19:1-3; Job 31:32; Matthew 25:35; and Hebrews 13:2.)  If no one invited the stranger to his home, the stranger would have to sleep out in the open.  The stranger would go to the city gate or to the center of the town and wait for someone to invite him to his home.  Jesus sent his disciples into the cities and towns where He was going to come later.  He sent them to preach the coming of the kingdom of God.  So, when they went into a city they went in proclaiming that Jesus was coming and that He was bringing in the Kingdom.  So if someone invited the two disciples into his home, he knew what these disciples were going to talk to him about.  His invitation, “I want to hear more about Jesus.”

Thought Question: How do we “make our presence known” when we go into a new place?

 7 And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not go from house to house.

8 Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you.

Identify a person of Peace

• He will desire to hear more about Jesus.
• He will make “spiritual hunger” statements, like: “As I listen, my heart is burning.” and “I like what you are saying; I want to hear more.”
• Often has a reputation as a “sinner” or will readily recognize his own sin.
• Eventually, this person of peace will believe in Jesus.

Stay with the same person.

Eat what is set before you.

• Tacos
• Tamales
• Insects

 9 And heal the sick there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’

PRAY for the sick… ask if you can pray for health, finances, family……

 Finding needs and praying for them in the name of Jesus, is often the key to further discussion about Jesus.

• It diffuses tense situations
• It opens the door to spiritual matters
• It fosters appreciation in those you pray for

Offer the Kingdom of God.

 That’s the gift Jesus gives and asks us to give:

A summarized definition of the Kingdom of God is…

 “God’s people in God’s place under God’s rule.” -Graeme Goldsworthy

10 But whatever city you enter, and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, 11 ‘The very dust of your city which clings to us we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near you.’ 12 But I say to you that it will be more tolerable in that Day for Sodom than for that city.

• Some people are scrooges.
• If someone doesn’t want the gift. Don’t give it to them.
• Leave.

Shake the dust off your feet:

 In Biblical times, when leaving Gentile cities, pious Jews often shook the dust from their feet to show their separation from Gentile practices.If the disciples shook the dust of a Jewish town from their feet, it would show their separation from Jews who rejected their Messiah. The gesture was to show the people that they were making a wrong choice. The opportunity to choose Christ might not present itself again.

The Seventy Return with Joy

17 Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.”

18 And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

Some Material taken from Church Planting Movements

 Rejoice!

Jesus offers the gift of Joy!

Christmas is an excellent time to begin conversations about Jesus birth and lead up to the gift he offers.

Give the gift of joy this Christmas!

Christmas is for the World.

Jesus is the reason for the season.

Christ offers the gift of eternal life and so should we, That’s our mission.

Love God, love others, make disciples!

Are You Alive?

If you are still breathing you still haven’t fulfilled God’s mission for your life.

How will you respond to Christ’s Mandate to Go and Make disciples?

There’s 4 possibilities

1. You can answer like Moses:  “Who? Me?

2. You can answer the call like Jonah: “Not Me!”

3. Or like Habakkuk: “Why Me?

4. or you can be obedient like  Isaiah: “Here Am I, Send me”

 

Isaiah 6:8 I heard the voice of the Lord, saying:

“Whom shall I send,

And who will go for Us?”

Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”

The best prayer you can pray is “God Use Me”

Do you have enough courage to tell God today, “Use My life , Lord”

Respond to Christ’s Call.

1. Will you receive His Gift? Will you love God? If you are far from God and have never accepted his gift of eternal life will you accept Him today?
2. Will you give His gift? Will you love others? Where you live doesn’t make you a missionary, The mission you’re on makes you a missionary. Will you be a missionary/ disciple right where you are?  If you know you should be giving, loving, serving and worshipping him instead of just seeing what you can receive, will you respond to Jesus correctly today.
3. Will you Go? Will you make disciples? Not everyone will be a missionary to a foreign Nation. Is God calling you to be a missionary to the Nations?