Missionaries don’t engage in missions because they decide to go.

Missionaries engage in missions because they are sent by the church.

Missionaries are chosen by the church, trained by the church, funded by the church, and sent by the church. The missions task is the responsibility of the church, which sends some of its best people to build the church in places where there is no church, and strengthen the church where a church already exists.

And missionaries are prayed for by the church. Perhaps the best thing the church does for missionaries is to pray for them. What can we pray for those whom we send? What follows is a prayer that our church prayed as we commissioned a family last Sunday for a missions task. The prayer serves as a good reminder for the church (and its members) of its responsibility to those who are sent. [For security reasons, the names of our missionary family and their country have not been identified in the prayer below.]

Our Father,

We come to You this morning with hearts full of joy, and likewise full of questions, uncertainties, and dependence on You.  We are sending today this most precious and faithful family to the ends of the earth for the sake of Your name.  They are going because they are compelled by the gospel and the urgency of taking the gospel to the lost.  They are going because they love Christ.  They are going because we are sending them.  And we are sending them and they are going because we are compelled by You.  This is Your task.  As they go, they are dependent on You.  And as we send, we are dependent on You to be faithful to our responsibilities.

As we send them, we are aware that Grace Bible Church also has responsibilities.  Just as You will be faithful to keep them in a foreign land, will You keep us faithful to You and our responsibilities here?  First of all, we desire to remain faithful to You and Your truth.  Would You give us diligence in training and equipping another generation of leaders who will be bold defenders of the truth of the gospel and the love of Christ?  You have made us to be pillars and supports of the truth of God.  You have made us guardians of the gospel.  Might we not waver from that role — might we always love the gospel and stand for the truth of Christ.  Might our family return in three years when they have finished their first language and then again and again over the next two or more decades, and find us more firm and more resolute for the gospel of Christ.  Might they be able to stand for the truth because we are standing for the truth — and encouraging, equipping, and helping them to stand.

We also ask that You might preserve our unity and continue to expand and deepen our ministry so that we can give generously to their needs.  You have been so very gracious to provide for them to go; but going has never been the goal.  Going and translating and planting a church and staying has been the goal.  And they can only stay as we continue to support financially.  So would you grace us with resources that are enough for us — and plenty for them.  Might we be generous with the gifts You have entrusted to us and might we faithfully invest our financial wealth into eternal opportunities. 

Another responsibility we have had has been to train and equip our family for this work.  Would you give us wisdom to continue to equip them.  Might we continue to sharpen them with good theological questions and discussions.  Might we continue to examine their personal faith, exhort and counsel them in their questions, and give them tools that will enable them to serve the church of Christ in their new country.  Might we also do that by being faithful to communicate with them.  Help us to remember them — and as we remember them, to text them, email them, and call them to encourage them and help them.  Might they always be aware that there is a church body in Granbury that loves them and is committed to them — and even more, that we love Christ and are committed to Him and to pointing our missionary family to Him and all the grace He gives.

And would we be faithful to pray.  Of all that we do for them, perhaps the greatest gift we might give them is the gift of prayer.  We pray because we know we ultimately are not strong enough, wise enough, or rich enough to provide for them.  We pray because they aren’t strong, wise, or rich.  We pray because we are incapable, and because You are capable.  You have saved them from their sin and rebellion and You have equipped them with the Holy Spirit and You have trained them and You have provided for them — and now they are going, still dependent on You and Your grace.  You who are “teaching us to pray” this year, would You keep us faithful in praying for them?  Might our prayers be insightful, persistent, and dependent?  And would You be so kind to give them all that they need as we pray for them?  The missionary pioneer William Cary told his friend Andrew Fuller before he left for India that, “I will go down into the pit, if you will hold the ropes.”  Our beloved friends are going to a new part of the world and a new country.  Might we be faithful to hold the ropes for them by praying dependently on You for them.

And now as we close this service, we do the best thing we can do for them.  We pray to You and echo the words of Paul to the Ephesian elders as he left them to go to Jerusalem and imprisonment — “now we commend the husband and wife and their children to You and to the word of Your grace, which is able to build them up and to give them the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”

In the name of Christ we pray, Amen.

A Map of the World, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

W&N, I don’t remember the first time you mentioned your interest in missions to me.  But I do remember that it has been a repeated conversation between us.  You have always been interested in missions and taking the gospel to those who do not know Christ.  You have prayed.  You have planned.  You have already sacrificed (job, resources, house, training at Radius, etc.).  You have already experienced some of the troubles of missions and ministry (three significant health issues while at Radius among them).  And you have experienced some of the blessings that come from entrusting yourself to the Lord.

And tomorrow you leave for SE Asia. 

What shall we say on this day?  You already know what we believe about the gospel and ministry — you’ve heard hundreds of sermons here.  You’ve heard thousands of sermons in your lives, you’ve read hundreds of books, you have attended Bible school, and you have been discipled by many, starting with the excellent job done by your parents for the first two decades of your lives.  We aren’t going to tell you anything new today.  But I do want to remind you of three essentials to pack as you leave.  They won’t take much room in your luggage, but they will fill your heart to overflowing.  These are truths that are familiar to you, but as you get on that airplane and land in SE Asia, we want these truths sounding in your ears and resonating in your hearts.

To guide us, I want to take us back to one of the first great missionary documents — the book of Romans.  At the end of that great letter, Paul reveals that he is going to Spain and he wants the Roman church to serve as his “sending church” and base of operations.  The majority of the book reveals his theology and demonstrates why Paul is a worthy candidate to be sent as a missionary.  Starting in 15:14, Paul unfolds his ministry and missions philosophy.  From that section I want to focus on vv. 20-21 and think with you about three essentials as you go.  You know and are committed to them.  Don’t forget them.  Since you, like the apostle Paul, aspire to preach the gospel where Christ is not yet known, remember these three priorities…

1. Remember the Gospel
2. Remember the Lost
3. Remember Christ

Download the rest of this sermon on Romans 15:20-21.

The audio will be posted on the GBC website by Tuesday.

A Map of the World, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Next Sunday we are sending out a family from GBC to serve as emissaries of Christ to SE Asia — W&N.  They started preparing for this venture before they were even married (it was a desire they nurtured throughout their lives); and they began talking to us about it as soon as they came to GBC.  We have had many conversations, Will has completed the entrusted program, they have Bible degrees from college, they completed a one-year training program with Radius International, and a one-year internship with us.  The Lord has provided all the funds they need.  They are about to cross the finish line.

Actually, just like a wedding, they are not crossing the finish line.  They have been training for years, and they are about to start the race.  And in the same way that they are starting the race, so we are not finished training and caring for them; in many ways our work has just begun.  So what are our responsibilities?  To what are we committing ourselves as we send them?  As a church, what do we do for those we send?

It has been suggested that Acts is the best manual for missions that the church has.  We learn a tremendous amount about missions by reading Acts.  But many of the principles of missions we glean in Acts are also present in 3 John, but in shortened form.  If Acts is the missions manual, then 3 John is the synopsis of that manual.   If Acts is the novel, then 3 John is the short story. 

How will we summarize our commitment to missions?  Our missions policy document says this — The goal of missions at GBC is to cultivate a network of missionaries that will expand our global involvement and see people from all the nations trust Christ, love Christ, and live for Christ’s glory. To say it more simply, our goal is to be involved in taking the gospel to other parts of the world so those who don’t know Christ will come to know Christ.  As we do that, we recognize we have responsibilities. 

We are committed to fulfilling God’s responsibilities for us in the missionary endeavor.

What are those commitments?  John identifies at least six commitments of the church to those we send:

1. We Commit to Sending Purposefully (v. 6a)
2. We Commit to Sending Worthily (v. 6b)
3. We Commit to Giving Generously (vv. 7-8)
4. We Commit to Defending Truthfully (vv. 9-12)
5. We Commit to Communicating Regularly (vv. 13-14)
6. We Commit to Praying Consistently (vv. 1-2)

Download the rest of this sermon on 3 John.

The audio will be posted on the GBC website by Tuesday.

When Jesus taught the Twelve disciples (and us) to pray daily for daily bread (Lk. 11:3), He is instructing us to pray for our daily need for food and our daily need for all the basics of life — the “staples” of life. He is teaching us to express our dependence on and trust in God to provide for our needs.

Because we are needy and because we are limited in ability and strength, we go to the One who is unlimited in resources and love and ask Him to provide. We ask Him for help with all our needs — the biggest and the smallest — engaging in conversation with Him about all those needs just as we would any other dear friend.

To pray for all our needs is also helped by being purposeful in praying — by planning to pray for all things. As we get older, and as our responsibilities and relationships expand, it can be helpful to maintain lists of needs for which we regularly pray. (Note: Jesus doesn’t teach us to make lists; He teaches us to pray for all our daily needs. Keeping lists is simply a means of remembering the things for which we are praying and need to pray.)

Here are some categories of “daily bread” needs for which you might consider praying (and expanding the lists to your particular needs):

• Pray for food and shelter and all the needs related to providing for yourself and your family (pray for the provision of food, gratitude for food provided, and for skill and faithfulness in planning for food, including things like saving for future needs of food and other staples)
• Pray for your job — provision of a salary to meet your needs, skill in fulfilling your responsibilities, transportation to get to your job, health and rest to be able to do your job
• Pray for health (implied many places, but explicit in 3 Jn. 2) as well as the spiritual lessons that we might learn through illness
• Pray for your own spiritual growth —
  • What is the Lord teaching you about Himself and yourself so that you can grow in Christlikeness? What is the state of your heart (what do you love? hate?) — and what is that revealing about what you need to change?
  • What is your ministry revealing about your need to grow and change? How can you be more faithful in your ministry and service of Christ and the church?
• Pray for spiritual strength to obey Christ and resist temptation (Lk. 11:4; Mt. 26:41). Just as the need for food and sleep is daily, so we are assaulted by daily temptations. So pray for grace to daily resist those onslaughts from the world, the flesh, and the Devil.
• Pray for your family members by name. Pray for their particular needs and circumstances, including what they need to grow in Christlikeness.
• Pray for the needs of others (notice Jesus says, “give us” — implying both that all of us are to pray in this way and that we should also pray for others). One way to do that is to systematically pray through the church directory, perhaps praying one or two letters of the alphabet each day, or taking a day to pray for the needs of the people within your home group, Sunday School class, or other circle of influence that you have.
• Pray for ministry (both yours and others)
  • Keep a list of all the various ministries of the church and their leaders and pray systematically through that list
  • Pray for all the missionaries of the church and other missionaries you personally know
  • Pray for unbelievers who need to hear and believe the gospel — and for people to share the gospel to them
  • Pray for opportunities to speak the gospel (and boldness to take advantage of the gospel)
• Pray with gratitude — don’t just ask God for your daily needs but thank Him for how He faithfully provides for those needs

It has been said that no one grows in Christlikeness accidentally. If a person grows spiritually, it is because he has been intentional in pursuing Christ. Similarly, if we will grow in our skill of praying it will be because of a purposeful plan for our prayers.

Anders Zorn, “Vårt dagliga bröd,” Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

One blistering hot day when they had guests for dinner, a mother asked her four-year old to give thanks for the meal. “But Mom, I don’t know what to say,” he protested. “Oh, just say what you’ve heard me say,” she told him.  Obediently, he bowed his little head and said, “Oh, Lord, why did I invite these people here on a hot day like this?”

We know we should pray, but one of the reasons we don’t pray is that we don’t know what to say.  Just what do we say to the Master of all things?  Even if we know we have needs, for what do we ask Him, and how should we ask Him?  Those questions are behind the request the disciples make of Jesus, “Teach us to pray.”   And that isn’t just a question for the Twelve; it’s a desire we also have — we want to pray more biblically, more effectively, and more like Christ. 

Jesus answers the disciples with concise instruction about prayer.  He tells them how to address God — as Father (remarkably!), and then He gives them five topics to pray; the first two relate to the nature of God — for the character of God to be hallowed (revered and worshipped), and for God’s kingdom to be established on earth.  Following those two expressions of worship and submission, Jesus teaches the Twelve and us to pray three corporate and personal requests.  The first of those is the simple desire, “Give us each day our daily bread” (Lk. 11:3).  With that request He is simply reminding us —

You have needs and God is sufficient.  So ask God to provide for you.

To paraphrase Matthew Henry, we have something to say to God every day.  Many of us are unaware of that need, believing we can live without God — we are unaware of our dependence on Him and obligation to Him, and when we do not go to Him with our worship and needs, we are living without Him.

We don’t want to live without Him.  We want His help.  So what does it mean to pray for daily bread?  Let’s consider this petition by recognizing three truths about asking God to meet our needs…

1. The Way We Ask for Our Needs
2. The Kind of God Who Provides for Our Needs
3. Some Spiritual Provisions in Our Material Needs

Download the rest of this sermon on Luke 11:3.

The audio will be posted on the GBC website by Tuesday.

The coming of the King and the Kingdom of God are persistent themes in Scripture.  Both the OT and NT are filled with verses that anticipate a coming King:

• Dt. 18:15 “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen, you shall listen to him.”
• Ps. 110:1 The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”
• Is. 9:6-7 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.  There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.
• Zech. 9:9-10 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout in triumph, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, Humble, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey. I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim And the horse from Jerusalem; And the bow of war will be cut off. And He will speak peace to the nations; And His dominion will be from sea to sea, And from the River to the ends of the earth. (Lk. 19:38)
• Lk. 1:32-33 “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”
• Lk. 4:43 But He said to them, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, for I was sent for this purpose.”
• 2 Tim. 4:18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenlykingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
• Heb. 1:8 But of the Son He says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, and the righteous scepter is the scepter of His kingdom.”
• Rev. 11:15 Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.”

And there are hundreds more references to the King and His Kingdom.  And it is for that kingdom that Jesus says that we should pray — “Your kingdom come.”  While the request is simple, the implications of this prayer are significant —

Pray for God’s kingdom to come — soon.And live as if it is coming soon.

The first two petitions in this prayer are about the character of God — they are a reminder that our prayers are to be theocentric, concerned with the character of God and delight in God.  So this prayer for His kingdom is to keep our eyes off ourselves and on Him; it is a means of getting a larger view of the world and God’s purposes. 

What does it mean to pray for God’s kingdom?  Let’s consider this petition by making two observations about the kingdom of God…

1. When Praying, Anticipate God’s Future Reign
2. When Praying, Submit to God’s Current Rule

Download the rest of this sermon on Luke 11:2b.

The audio will be posted on the GBC website by Tuesday.

G.K. Chesterton said about the spiritual life, “The spiritual life has not been tried and found difficult; it has been found difficult and left untried.”  In that statement he is inferring something important about the spiritual life — it is simple, but hard.  The spiritual life is not especially complicated; even a young child can understand the primary elements of the spiritual life.  But those simple elements are hard to do. 

That is true about one of the most basic aspects of our spiritual life as well — prayer.  Prayer is not especially complicated, but it is hard to pray.  It is hard to be focused and intentional in prayer.  It is hard to persist in praying in a given situation.  It is hard to persist in praying when God keeps answering “no” or “not yet.”  It’s hard to persist in praying when we can’t tell the difference between “no” and “not yet.”  It’s hard to set aside time to pray when so many things seem to be pressing for our attention.  It’s hard to pray.

But it wasn’t hard for our Savior to pray.  He delighted to pray, regularly prayed, and prayed so noticeably and effectively that His disciples asked Him to teach them to pray (Lk. 11:1).  And He responded with a simple outline for how to pray that has become known as “The Lord’s Prayer.”  (It’s probably better to call it “The Disciple’s Prayer,” because it was a prayer that He gave for them to learn the process.)

Over the next several weeks, we will look at this prayer phrase by phrase, and see the richness of how our Savior teaches us to pray.  And we are going to pray. 

As a reminder, these words are not a formula to pray, but a pattern to pray.  Someone has said that you should recite the Lord’s Prayer daily — but take an hour to do it.  It’s a model for what God-honoring prayer looks like.  We’ve seen how we are invited to address God in prayer — as our Father; this morning we are given the first instruction on how to pray, to pray for His name to be sanctified…

Pray (and live) so God’s character is revealed.

The first petition Jesus teaches the Twelve (and us) is about the character of God — Hallowed be Your name.  My guess is that most of you have not used the word “hallow” this week — so let’s consider this petition by asking three questions about the character of God…
 
1.     What is God’s Name?
2.     How is God’s Name Sanctified?
3.     How Can I Sanctify God’s Name?

Download the rest of this sermon on Luke 11:2.

The audio will be posted on the GBC website by Tuesday.

It is a typical event on a playground (at least it was in my day). Two boys are squared off against one another. First words are exchanged. Then they are exchanged more vigorously and loudly. And then a physical tussle ensues. And one gets the better of the other.

As the vanquished boy limps off, delicately holding his pride, he shouts over his shoulder to the victor, “Just you wait…I have a big brother…”

His final retort is his lament and protest that what seems to be a loss will yet prove to be a victory.

Just you wait.

For those of us who feel beat up by the world, there is a hopeful “Just you wait” story in Scripture. Habakkuk was lamenting to the Lord about the people of Judah and their rebellion against the Lord. He was writing late in the history of Judah and there had been a succession of evil kings who were emulating the evil kings of Israel. Habakkuk’s complaint was “How long, O LORD, will I call for help, And You will not hear? I cry out to You, ‘Violence!’ Yet You do not save” (Hab. 1:2). In other words, “There is something sinfully wrong with Your people — and Your Law is being ignored and injustice is prevailing” (see also vv. 3-4).

God responds to Habakkuk’s grief by telling Habakkuk that He was about to send the Chaldeans to punish the Judeans for their sin and take them into captivity (1:5-11). Habakkuk responds to that promise by an even deeper lament (1:12-17, which I paraphrase) — “The Chaldeans!? They are even worse than the Judeans! How can You send them to enact justice?”

Then Habakkuk stood aside to await God’s response and reproof (of Habakkuk’s complaint, 2:1).

And the Lord responded with great grace and hope:

Then the LORD answered me and said,
“Record the vision
And inscribe it on tablets,
That the one who reads it may run.
For the vision is yet for the appointed time;
It hastens toward the goal and it will not fail.
Though it tarries, wait for it;
For it will certainly come, it will not delay.” (2:2-3)

This was the Lord’s “just you wait.”

It was a reminder to Habakkuk that while he was seeing injustice, he was not seeing the end of the story and the final accounting. The Lord reminded him that what God had promised “hastens toward the goal and it will not fail.” He would redeem His people; despite their present sin, that redemption would not fail. He would be just in His judgment of the nations; despite the present prosperity of the rebel nations, His wrath would not fail. Just you wait.

That revelation of God’s nature is operative in our day as well. The God who has promised redemption for His people and judgment for His enemies will not fail. His plan is hastening toward its goal, even if we cannot see the progress of that plan in the moment.

Are you fretting about your daily battle with sin and waiting impatiently for your final final redemption? It is hastening toward the goal; it will not fail. You will one day be redeemed, fully free from sin, and not disappointed.

Are you grieving the seeming prosperity of the world system and certain individuals within that system? God’s plan of righteous retribution is hastening toward its goal; it will not fail. No unrighteous person will ever finally prevail. All unrighteousness will be judged fully and equitably — either on the person of Christ who absorbed that judgment for those who believe in Him, or on the sinner eternally in Hell. His plan is moving forward; you will not be disappointed.

Are you looking for the consummation of the ages and the final Kingdom of God and eternity — and the wait just seems so long? God’s plan for His King to sit on David’s throne and eternally reign with Him in Glory is hastening toward the goal. It will not fail. So many faithful followers of Christ already enjoy the benefits of Christ’s kingship and they are not disappointed. And we will not be disappointed either. It’s not long; it’s coming soon (2 Cor. 4:16-18).

Whatever your lament or complaint in this world, “just you wait” — the Lord’s plan will soon come to fruition. Waiting doesn’t mean failure. It just means waiting. He will yet act.

“Cowboy boots not available” by theirhistory is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

Thomas Watson identifies at least 20 blessings for the one who has God as his Father:

There are many blessings which are noted for the one who has God as his Father.  Among them:

(1)  If God be our Father, he will teach us.  Cf. Is. 48:17; Ps. 71:17; 1 Cor. 2:14; Mt. 10:18-20.

(2)  If God be our Father, he has bowels of affection towards us.…He is the Father of mercies.  2 Cor. 1:3.…his love to his children is a love which passeth knowledge.  Eph. 3:19.  Cf. also Rev. 3:12; Is. 62:3; Ps. 105:14-15.

(3)  If God be our Father, he will be full of sympathy.  Cf. Ps. 103:13; Jer. 31:20; Is. 57:18; Is. 53:9; Jg. 10:16.

(4)  If God be our Father, he will take notice of the least good he sees in us; if there be but a sigh for sin, he hears it.…If there be but a good intention, he takes notice of it.  Cf. Ps. 38:9; Is. 38:5; 1 Kings 8:18.

(5)  If God be our Father, he will take all we do in good part.  Cf. 2 Cor. 8:12.

(6)  If God be our Father, he will correct us in measure.  Cf. Jer. 30:11; 1 Cor. 10:13; Ps. 103:14.

(7)  If God be our Father, he will intermix mercy with all our afflictions.  If he gives us wormwood to drink, he will mix it with honey.  Cf. Dt. 33:24-25.

(8)  If God be our Father, the evil one will not prevail against us.  Cf. Rom. 16:20.

(9)  If God be our Father, no real evil shall befall us.  Cf. Ps. 41:10; Lk. 10:10.

(10)  If God be our Father, we may go with cheerfulness to the throne of grace.  Cf. Mt. 7:9; Lk. 11:13; Is. 63:15-16.

(11)  If God be our Father, he will stand between us and danger.  Cf. Ps. 27:5; Acts 18:10; Heb. 1:14.

(12)  If God be our Father, we shall not want anything that he sees to be good for us.  Cf. Ps. 34:10.

(13)  If God be our Father, all the promises of the Bible belong to us.  Cf. Heb. 6:17.

(14)  God makes all his children conquerors.  Cf. Ps. 149:8; 1 Jn. 5:4.

(15)  If God be our Father, he will now and then send us some token of his love.  Cf. Rom. 8:23.

(16)  If God be our Father, he will indulge and spare us.  Cf. Mal. 3:17; Ps. 103:10.

(17)  If God be our Father, he will put honour and renown upon us at the last day.  Cf. Is. 25:8; Ps. 37:6; 1 Cor. 4:5; Mt. 25:35-36.

(18)  If God be our Father, he will settle a good inheritance upon us.  Cf. 1 Pt. 1:3-4; Lk. 12:32; Rev. 21:19; 2 Cor. 5:8.

(19)  If God be our Father, it is a comfort in case of the loss of relations.  Cf. 1 Tim. 6:16; 1 Cor. 3:22; Jn. 16:28.

(20)  If God be our Father, he will not disinherit us.  Cf. Rom. 8:28-30; Jer. 32:40.