What I Would Do Differently
Lesson 6: What Does the Bible Teach about Mission Work?
“The writings that now comprise our Bible are themselves the product of and witness to the ultimate mission of God.”25 God’s mission is all about redemption (Rom 8:20-23). God’s motive is all about love (John 3:16).
The very existence of the Bible is incontrovertible evidence of the God who refused to forsake his rebellious creation, who refused to give up, who was and is
determined to redeem and restore fallen creation to his original design. . . . The very existence of such a collection of writings testifies to a God who breaks through to human beings, who disclosed himself to them, who will not leave them
unilluminated in their darkness, . . . who takes the initiative in re-establishing broken relationships with us.26
The Bible helps man understand the mind, heart, forgiveness, and the love that God has for mankind. Also, the length that he took to secure an eternal loving relationship with man by giving his only Son to redeem and reconcile man back to God. The Bible gives the church God’s plan for the work that is to be done. As one theologian put it, “It is not the church that has a mission of salvation to fulfill in the world; it is the mission of the Son and the Spirit through the Father that includes the church. . . . Mission is thereby seen as a movement from God to the world; the church is viewed as an instrument for that mission.”27 The church is to come along side God as his partner.
Lesson 6: What Does the Bible
transformational. If the Bible exists because of the mission, the same must be said about the church. If this is true, then all that we do as Christ-followers must point toward the mission of God. Once we are faced with the reality that the Bible is missional and we should all be about this mission of God in all that we do…28 The Bible that has been given to believers is comprehensive in the mission of God.
It begins with God’s vision, records how he goes about his mission, and concludes with the mission accomplished. It tells us whose mission it is, and why. It includes his mandate for us to be engaged in his mission. It reveals that God uses us, the church, as his instruments. It displays his power as he works throughout history among all the people on earth. It motivates and empowers us to boldly serve and worship him. It inspires us to be on mission with God-to know where we fit in his mission.29
“The Bible is the key resource to learn about mission. It has always been the heart of God to reach the people he created and provide reconciliation so that they will be with him forever (John 3:16; 2 Cor 5:18-19). However, the redemptive purposes of God do not change; every person must repent of their sins, submit to Christ as Lord and be born again.”30 The Bible states that believers have been given the ministry of
reconciliation and thus ambassadors to represent Christ in the world (2 Cor 5:20). This role has been clearly stated in the gospels and Acts 1:8.
Matthew 28:19-20: The Great Commission that he gave to the disciples and that he gives to the church is to make disciples of all nations. Christians do this as his representatives because Christians represent Christ and minister in his name. As Christians make disciples of all nations the curriculum is his word, the Bible. He promises to always be present with them, as they minister for him.
Mark 16:15: This gospel is to be preached to every person in all the world.
God loves mankind so much he took the initiative to make a way for man to get back in
28Barnett and Martin, Discovering the Mission of God, 23.
29Barnett and Martin, Discovering the Mission of God, 23.
30M. David Sills, Changing World, Unchanging Mission: Responding to Global Challenges (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2015), 17.
fellowship with him through the death of Jesus Christ. And God wants the whole world to know that redemption and reconciliation has been provided for man.
Luke 24:46-48: Jesus even shows them his hands and feet to give them confidence in his word, and that God can do what he says he can do. He tells them in light of his suffering, death, and resurrection that they were to proclaim to the nations repentance and forgiveness of sins so that people could experience that same freedom they had. Since they were eyewitnesses to the things that Christ experienced, they could preach with power and conviction.
John 20:21: John was an eye witness of most of Jesus’ ministry. He understood why Jesus came to offer good news to mankind, and he wrote about it. Jesus realized that his mission from God on earth was temporary. He did everything that his Father sent him to do: redeem man and reconcile him back to God. As the post resurrection victorious Savior, he now commissions the disciples and the Body of Christ. As the Father has sent him, he sent his disciples, and also sends his church, to witness to the world the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Acts 1:8: Luke is the author of the book of Acts. He describes the coming of the Holy Spirit that was promised by Jesus Christ; after 120 believers were praying in the Upper Room for ten days, Jesus ushered in the Holy Spirit and was the inauguration of the church. The book of Acts is the fulfillment of the outline given by Jesus Christ in Acts 1:8. The Gospel was to spread from Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the utter parts of the earth.
Thus, believers everywhere are to be involved in the mission of God. To be obedient to God is to be obedient to his mandate that he has revealed, and demonstrates his power when believers do his will. The Bible then becomes a road map to do the work of the ministry with excepted results so that God gets the credit and the glory.
Lesson 7: Who Is Responsible