Called to Mission

April 7, 2019 Background Scripture: Matthew 10 Lesson Passage: Matthew 10:1 – 15 When a Christian or a Christian congregation makes a commitment to work in the field of missions, what are we committing ourselves to? The question is qualified by the label “Christian”. That’s important. There can be all sorts of missions that one can endeavor to undertake. Generally speaking, a mission is a well-defined goal that includes an intended purpose, a specific geographic location, targeted individuals or activities, the authority to carry out the work, and, often, for a specific span of time. A Christian mission should include all of these parameters. Let’s see how this applies to the text out of Matthew 10. Matthew, one of Jesus’ twelve disciples, recorded an occasion when Jesus called his twelve disciples together and gave then the authority to cast out demonic spirits and the gift of healing of diseases. Jesus then instructed them to go to the Jews who lived in the region and proclaim the presence of the kingdom of heaven. Not only did Jesus tell them who to go to, but he also told them who and what places to avoid. Jesus told them how to handle situations where they were accepted, and he told them how to handle situations where they were not accepted. Because of the authority and special ability they were given, they were assured that they would be avenged of those who rejected them. The twelve disciples had been following and observing Jesus as he traveled from place to place and ministered to people. Now, they were being sent on a mission to do the same type of things they saw Jesus do. Now, they would know whether they had learned what Jesus had been teaching them. Their work would be away from the watchful eye and corrective doctrine of their teacher. They had to rely on what they had learned from him and follow the instructions he had given them. They had to be assured that he had given them the divine authority to cast out demonic spirits and heal the sick. They had witnessed Jesus doing these things. The time had come for the student to put into practice what he had observed and learned through instruction. Jesus did not go on the mission trips with them, but they knew they would reconvene with him and there would be time for them to give him feedback and ask him questions if necessary. Before Jesus would designate them as apostles, they had to first become missionaries. They had to go where Jesus sent them, do what Jesus instructed them to do, and reconvene with Jesus afterwards. This was a huge step for them. Mission work would be fundamental for them after Jesus ascended back to Glory. Jesus had taken his fairly inexperienced students out of the classroom and sent them into the mission field to use what he had taught them. This was the basis of their initial calling by Jesus. They would do one of the things Jesus was sent into the world to do: Do the work of a missionary by calling people to repentance and announcing the presence of the kingdom of heaven. If we are going to lead successful missions today, we must begin with well-defined parameters, dedicated Christians, and the necessary authority to carry out the work. Robert C. Hudson February 21, 2019

Called to Return

March 17, 2019 Background Scripture: Luke 15 Lesson Passage: Luke 15:11 – 24 Luke 15 is perhaps the most evangelistically focused passage of scripture in the Bible. I recognize and appreciate that we lean on the Great Commission in the Gospel of Matthew as the evangelistic mandate. However, Chapter 15 of the Gospel of Luke helps to put faces and names on the work of evangelism. Either we have been in one of the situations depicted in the chapter or we know others who have or both. That’s where the faces and names come from. Not only do Jesus’ actions suggest a how-to approach to evangelism but we also witness the negative reactions that can and do occur from others who are not so much mission minded. All of this must be considered. The whole chapter presents Jesus teaching on how things become lost and the best approach to recovery of them. If we can visualize how this occurs with things, then it is a rather simple step to substitute people in the place of things. That is one of the beautiful things about the parables Jesus used for teaching. He placed a story that would have been familiar and easy to understand to his listeners alongside a story that was a new thought or concept for them. To understand the first story, is to appreciate and learn from the second one. In our lesson passage, Jesus presents the story of the wasteful, or prodigal, son as a parallel to the story he told of a wandering sheep. Like the wandering sheep, the younger son of the father thought that there were better opportunities to be found elsewhere than what he was currently experiencing. The younger son did not appreciate what he had at home with his father. Simply put, sometimes we become restless for things or situations we know nothing about and we don’t take time to consider the current situation, which may have become too familiar for us. The younger son wanted to experience life while still in his youth, but he wanted it to be on his terms and away from the watchful eye of his father. He did not appreciate the provisions his father had made for his present and future benefit. In an act of disrespect, he requested his inheritance while his father was yet alive. His father granted him what he requested and allowed him to wander off on his own. Without the wisdom of stewardship that he could have learned from his father, he wasted everything and became impoverished. While being in a degrading situation in a hog pen, his thinking became clearer. Now, he could properly evaluate what his father had truly provided for him—and even the hired servants of his father. His father’s servants were living a life much more rewarding than his current situation. He understood that not only had he made an unwise decision, he had also offended his father in doing so. His first sign of maturity showed up in this situation. He decided to go back home and apologize to his father. If his apology was accepted by his father, he would then request a job as one of his father’s hired servant. As he neared home, his father recognized him and ran and embraced him. The father then requested all of his servants to take care of his son and to prepare a “welcome home” party for him. The joy the father experienced at the return of his son was much greater than the son’s error. God calls all of His wayward children to return home. Just as the father in the parable, He eagerly awaits us. Robert C. Hudson February 14, 2019