GodReflection: God Breaks In Monday
It occurs to me that prior to the events that begin on the first page of my Bible God already was on His mission as He envisioned creation and humankind.
From the first page through the last page of Scripture God reveals His story. His story reaches a dramatic high in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. For, through the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus the Christ, God reclaims creation and humankind.
It was God’s mission to let the entire world in on the good news.
The Holy intervened to make it possible.
I think of three Holy encounters that put wheels on the mission.
The first was the “Sent Out Ones.”
Jesus taught a small group of disciples for three years. (That wasn’t even enough for a Bachelor’s Degree—maybe they received credit for the fourth year for extra travel).
For three years they walked with God in the form of Jesus who was fully man and fully God. Prior to His ascension to the Father, Jesus gave them the Holy mission.
Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said,
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
The Acts of the Apostles, The Epistles, and early church historians attest to the effectiveness of these “Sent out Ones” (Apostles).
The second event came on the Day of Pentecost as the Jews celebrated the Feast of Weeks, to honor and remember the day on Mt. Sinai when God gave the law to Moses and Israel.
Luke’s account in Acts 2, records the presence of God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. God breaks into the heart of the people with His mission, those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
I suspect that the seeds of God’s mission planted on the Day of Pentecost were mobilized by God as Jews returned to their homes in every nation under heaven. God’s wheels carried His mission.
Back in Jerusalem the Holy Spirit entered into believers by the thousands as they were baptized. For the old law keeping Jews this movement of God was getting out of hand.
Then the third event happens to put wheels on the mission. The Jews who worshiped Moses rather that God and His son stoned to death a disciple named Stephen for preaching on the mission of God.
On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.
Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.
God stood prepared to break into a death orchestrated by Satan with Holy Spirit filled followers to put wheels on His mission to all the people of Judea and Samaria.
Here’s what I think.
Mission is not a program of the church. Mission is a God thing. He will continue to move His mission on earth to its final culmination when Jesus returns.
Mission is never a grand scheme that grows from seeds within my own mind. I can only participate in God’s mission.
My task is to be attentive and obedient. I am to watch and listen as God enters into His own creation to raise windows and open doors of opportunity.
When God breaks into my day-to-day world with Holy invites to join Him as He stands ready to fill a need through me, may I have a ready heart to serve Him.
Stay tuned.
Dr. Gary J. Sorrells – A GodReflection on God Breaks In With Mission.
God Reflection 