Post by disciple on Jun 3, 2010 14:01:40 GMT -5
WORSHIP: THE PURPOSE OF MISSIONS
·MISSIONS IS NOT THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF THE CHURCH/CHRISTIAN. WORSHIP IS. MISSIONS EXISTS BECAUSE WORSHIP DOES NOT.
o MISSIONS IS NEEDED WHEREVER WORSHIP IS LACKING—NOT JUST ABOUT SALVATIONS, GOOD CHRISTIANS, ETC
o WORSHIP IS THE GOAL OF MISSIONS (PS. 67:3-4)—BRINGING THE NATIONS INTO THE ENJOYMENT OF GOD’S GLORY
o WORSHIP IS THE FUEL OF MISSIONS (PS. 96:3)—SAVORING GOD’S GLORY IN WORSHIP PRECEDES SPREADING IT IN MISSIONS. MISSIONS IS NOT THE GOAL, IT IS THE MEANS.
o MAN’S MAIN PURPOSE: TO GLORIFY GOD & ENJOY HIM FOREVER; GOD’S MAIN PURPOSE: TO GLORIFY & ENJOY HIMSELF FOREVER
o OUR PASSION FOR GOD SHOULD FUEL MISSIONS BECAUSE GOD’S PASSION FOR GOD FUELS MISSIONS. WORSHIP MUST BE OUR GOAL BECAUSE IT IS GOD’S GOAL (PS. 117:1).
o ISA. 48:9-11: “FOR MY NAME’S SAKE, FOR THE SAKE OF MY PRAISE, FOR MY OWN SAKE, HOW SHOULD MY NAME BE PROFANED, I WILL NOT GIVE MY GLORY TO ANOTHER”
·GOD’S PASSION FOR HIS OWN GLORY
o TEXTS: ISA. 43:6-7 (CREATION), JER. 13:11 (CALLING ISRAEL), ROM. 9:17 (RAISING UP PHARAOH), EZ. 36:22-23 (RESTORING ISRAEL), JN. 12:27-28 (JESUS’ SUFFERING), ISA. 43:25 (GOD’S FORGIVENESS), 1 COR. 10:31 (OUR LIVES/ACTIONS), 2 TH. 1:9-10 (JESUS’ RETURN), JN. 17:24 (GOAL FOR DISCIPLES), HAB. 2:14 (GOAL FOR ALL THE EARTH)
o IT IS BECAUSE SINNERS HAVE FAILED TO GLORIFY GOD (ROM. 3:23) THAT THEY FACE HIS JUDGMENT
o GOD IS NOT SELFISH IN EXALTING HIMSELF, BECAUSE LOVE SEEKS ITS OWN JOY IN THE JOY OF OTHERS AND BECAUSE FOR HIM TO DO OTHERWISE WOULD BE IDOLATRY. THE PRINCIPLE ISN’T, “DON’T SEEK YOUR OWN GLORY” BUT “GLORIFY THAT WHICH IS WORTHY OF GLORY.”
o GOD IS MOST GLORIFIED IN US WHEN WE ARE MOST SATISFIED IN HIM, & GOD IS MOST GLORIFIED IN THE NATIONS WHEN THEY FIND THEIR SATISFACTION IN HIM (PS. 16:11)
·JESUS’ PASSION FOR THE FATHER’S GLORY
o ROM. 15:8-9—3 REASONS FOR JESUS’ “MISSIONARY JOURNEY”
SHOW GOD’S TRUTHFULNESS
CONFIRM GOD’S PROMISES
ALLOW THE NATIONS TO GLORIFY GOD FOR HIS MERCY
o HAVING A SERVANT SPIRIT & HEART OF MERCY MOTIVATE WORLD MISSIONS (MATT. 9:36-38). A HEART FOR THE GLORY OF GOD & A HEART OF MERCY FOR THE NATIONS MAKE A CHRISTLIKE CHRISTIAN.
o CHRIST’S PASSION WAS THAT THE NATIONS LOVE & PRAISE THE GLORY OF GOD, & IT SHOULD BE OUR PASSION
·UNIQUENESS OF THE ONE TRUE GOD
o GOD CARRIES; GODS MUST BE CARRIED. GOD SERVES; THEY MUST BE SERVED. (ISA. 46:1-4)
o MISSIONS IS NOT RECRUITMENT FOR GOD’S LABOR FORCE; IT IS LIBERATION FROM THE HEAVY BURDENS OF OTHER GODS (MATT. 11:28-30). HE SERVES HIMSELF THROUGH US.
o THE DEMAND OF THE GOSPEL (GOOD NEWS): TO REJOICE & BE GLAD IN GOD (PS. 97:1, 67:3-4, 70:4). OUR SIN IS NOT FAILURE TO WORK FOR GOD TO INCREASE HIS GLORY BUT FAILURE TO DELIGHT IN GOD TO REFLECT HIS GLORY.
·EXPRESSIONS OF GOD’S SUPREMACY IN MISSIONS
o LEAVING FAMILY & POSSESSIONS FOR THE SAKE OF THE NAME: MATT. 19:28-29
o PRAYER FOR GOD’S NAME TO BE HONORED AS HOLY ABOVE ALL ELSE, AMONG MORE & MORE PEOPLES: MATT. 6:9-10
o SUFFERING FOR THE SAKE OF THE NAME: PHIL. 3:8, AC. 9:16, 21:13
o WE ARE CHOSEN “FOR THE SAKE OF HIS NAME AMONG ALL NATIONS” (ROM. 1:5)
·“ENTHUSIASM OF THE KINGDOM IS MISSING…BECAUSE THERE IS SO LITTLE ENTHUSIASM FOR THE KING” --ANDREW MURRAY
·STORY OF 2 MORAVIAN MISSIONARIES TO BRITISH SLAVES (“MAY THE LAMB WHO WAS SLAIN RECEIVE THE REWARD OF HIS SUFFERING!”)