The Great CommissionAt the conclusion of His earthly ministry, the Lord Jesus Christ committed His church to the continuance of His work of redemption. To the assembled body of baptized believers He said: As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you (John 20:21). The Lord's churches are to duplicate the things done by the Lord!
While the things Jesus did can not be contained in any number of books (John 21:25), there were some works He did consistently throughout His earthly ministry:
• Jesus ___________ and ______________ disciples (John 4:1).
• Jesus ___________ and trained His disciples (Matthew 5:1-2).
• Jesus built His ___________ (Matthew 16:18).
THE BIBLICAL BASIS FOR MISSIONS:
A. Look up and read the following Scripture passages which record the words of the Lord to His Church. The passages contain what is often called - “The Great Commission.”
Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
Luke 24:45-49 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: 47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And ye are witnesses of these things. 49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
John 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
B. Having read these Scriptures, discern the answers to the following:
1. What is our Church to do?
2. What is the extent of our mission field?
3. What is the message of our mission work?
4. Where do we get our power to engage in mission work?
THE BIBLICAL PLAN FOR MISSIONS:
A. When God called two men to be missionaries; from whence did He call them? The ________ that was at Antioch – Acts 13:1-5.
B. How would you describe the kind of men God called to be missionaries?
C. Look up 1 Thessalonians 2:4 & 1 Timothy 1:12. Who calls and equips men to be missionaries?
D. According to Acts 13:3, who is to send missionaries?
E. The Bible plan is for missionaries to be . . .
1. Financially supported by New Testament churches.
2. Prayed for by New Testament churches.
3. Sent out by New Testament churches.
F. According to Acts 13:4, when a church sends out a missionary, how is that missionary led into his work?
G. According to Acts 13:5, what is the missionary to do?
H. According to Acts 14:21-23, missionaries are to establish a _____________ from those won to Christ and baptized.
THE BIBLICAL CHALLENGE FOR MISSIONS:
A. Look up John 4:35. What is every Christian to realize?
B. Look up Matthew 9:37. What is there a great need for today?
C. Look up Matthew 9:38. What should be our prayer?
D. Look up Acts 9:6. What question should we ask the Lord concerning missions?
THE BIBLICAL WAY TO SUPPORT MISSIONS:
A. We Are To Give Financially Toward Missions. In 2 Corinthians 8-10 the Bible deals with the subject of giving to the work of the Lord. Note:
1. Attitude in giving (2 Corinthians 8:1-5).
2. Motive in giving (2 Corinthians 9:5-15).
3. Purpose in giving (2 Corinthians 10:14-16).
B. We Are To Pray For Missionaries (Romans 15:31).
1. Pray for ________________________ (2 Thessalonians 3:2).
2. Pray for ________________________ (Ephesians 6:19).
3. Pray for ________________________ (Hebrews 13:18).
4. Pray for ________________________ (2 Thessalonians 3:1).
C. God Blesses the Mission-minded Church (Read Philippians 4:14-19).
1. Which church helped Paul financially?
2. What abounded to the heavenly account of this church?
3. What did God promise to supply for this church?
"A missionary is God's child, in God's place, doing God's work,
in God's way, in God's power, for God's glory.”