|
|
Lesson Fourteen |
 |
Don't tell me - it is very comfortable at home !
In Your Bible Read This
2 Corinthians 5, 11 to 6,10
Here Is Your Memory Verse
For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that
one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all,
that those
who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who
died
for them and was raised again. 2 Corinthians 5:14
Afterwards Talk About
This
Local evangelism is very obvious, but where could missions
begin
for you, and how would you go about it? Would you consider having
a go?
Practical Application Work
Meditate on Psalm 116 line by line and see just how much the
Lord
has done for you. Carefully make your response to him in
commitment and prayer.
Write a short summary of the things you think about as you meditate,
and send the summary to your mentor.
Something To Do
Before Next Time
(Homework)
Look at the steps in reaching the lost in Romans 10, 14-15.
Identify and explain them in no more than two pages.
Meditate On These Verses
John 1, 40-41
- Spend a Minute to Change the World
- Pray for Greece -
Operation World Page 245
10,000,000 southern Europeans, ancient civilisation, - Orthodox religion but only 0.2% Protestants
- Be sure to teach this lesson to others.
- Always pray and prepare well adding your own verses and stories to bring it to life.
1. What Is Missions?
Every believer knows that he owes every- thing to God, both in this life and for all eternity. When we were yet sinners and hateful in the sight of a holy God, he sought us out, bought us back from Satan with the blood of his own son, and has now adopted us into his own family, lavishing one blessing after another on us. John 1.16.
The Psalmist Asks For All Of Us
"How can we repay the Lord for all of his goodness?" Psalm 116.12. Our answer today is the same as his from thousands of years ago, "I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord."Missions Is Simply The Next Step
With love and gratitude to Jesus in our hearts we go one step beyond local evangelism to lift up God’s cup of salvation so high that men and women, and boys and girls even at the ends of the earth might see it and also ask to drink of the same life giving water.The Bible says that we are to witness in Jerusalem which is our home town, in Judea and Samaria which are the regions nearby, and to the ends of the earth.
When Paul writes to his friends in the church in Corinth, Greece he gives them some more good reasons for missions.
2. The Fear Of The Lord Motivates Us.
Fear in this case is ‘phobos’ which is the sheer terror of displeasing the Lord by not obeying his commands, mixed together with a holy reverence or love for God which makes us hasten to obey him. 2 Corinthians 5. 11
3. The Needs Of Men Motivate Us.
When we see the evil that grips men and women and holds them in sin, sickness, injustice, poverty, unbelief and selfishness with all the hurt, misery and suffering that causes then our hearts want to do some-thing because we know the goodness of God and all that Jesus has done for us. Paul says that we should try to persuade or win over men and women everywhere, attempting to see them change their minds about following Christ. 2 Corinthians 5. 11
4. Love Compels Us.
Love for all men and concern for their eternal destiny took Jesus to the Cross and that same love now fills Paul’s heart and compels him to participate in God’s great rescue mission.
Love Must Compel Us Too
When we realise that Christ died for all, we choose to die also by laying down our lives and plans in gratitude to him, and begin to live for God and for others wherever they are. 2 Corinthians 5. 14
5. Eternity Must Motivate Us.
Paul said we should regard no man from the worldly point of view that is impressed with title, wealth or position. Rather we must see men from an eternal perspective that faces the awful realities of the grave. Choices must be made now for all eternity between heaven and hell.
Are Men Really Lost?
The first man, Adam, deliberately disobeyed God choosing to follow Satan’s lies. God had to leave him and Adam’s spirit by which he knew God died within him. He was left with only his body and soul following a cruel master into the death and the fires of hell prepared not for man but for the devil and his angels. Matthew 25.41.Man Is Still Bound
by that foolish decision of our represen-tative and is marching towards a lost eternity too awful to contemplate with no end or escape. So Paul rightly says that until God rescues us through Jesus we are already dead in our trespasses and sins, following Satan and facing only God’s wrath. Eph. 2.1-3, 5.To Be Saved From Hell
God’s word says that men must become new creations, that is born twice, once naturally and once spiritually by the help of Holy Spirit. John 3, 3-6
6. The Gospel Motivates Us.
Once we saw Jesus in a worldly way, thinking he was no more than a man or legend from history, like any other famous character of the past. Now we have discovered that it was actually God himself on that Cross and in Jesus he was reconciling a world of people back to himself, not counting our sins against us.
This is the greatest story ever told and demands acceptance and answer. We have a wonderful message that he who had no sin became sin and paid its price of suffering and death, so that we who deserved punishment might become righteous and live in God’s presence both now and in eternity. 2 Corinthians 5, 18-19, 21. Acts 4.12 tells us there is no other name given by which we must be saved, other than the name of Jesus.
7. The Call Motivates Us.
Paul says we are heaven’s ambassadors, representing God himself who speaks through us to the peoples around who are not at peace with him. And just like earthly ambassadors in a war zone our lifestyle as God’s officials in Satan’s enemy territory might be dangerous and demanding. See 2 Corinthians 6, 3-10. Through us God urges and implores men and women to be reconciled back to their loving Heavenly Father.
- Today Is Always The Best Day
Right now is always the very time. - If not you - who?
- If not now - when?
- 2 Corinthians 5, 20 - 6.2
So you see that for the fear of God, the needs of man, God’s love, and the realities of eternity; the great story we have to tell and the call God gives us we have every reason to give our best to missions, nearby and far away, whether we go by prayer, giving, travelling or by sending another if we really cannot leave.
- To Close Pray For The
- World's Most Unreached Peoples By Name
- Taken from the Joshua Project 2000 Unreached Peoples List
- at www.ad2000.org these people have no church and as yet
- no cell, church or mission has committed themselves
- to prayer, adoption or church planting among this people.
| Cameroon | ||
| People Name | Language | Population |
| Mada | Mada | 17,000 |
| Ngossi (Gevoko) | Gevoko | 20,000 |
Permission is granted to provide copies at cost price for study purposes