Sermon – December 16, 2018
This sermon is part of the sermons through John, but also forms part of our on-going focus on Missions this December. If you’d like to learn more about the IMB, click on the picture above
John 4:27-42 – Missions Minded (mp3)
Introduction
We hope that it is clear to all who come into this place of worship or interact with the people of Crossway that we are a missions minded people. That is, we understand that God has put us on mission with the gospel, to make it known to the farthest reaches of the world as well as next door. This is indeed our hope. But we are not there yet. Today, as the second half of the story of the woman at the well unfolds, we will see what it means for us to be missions minded, and what it takes for us to understand the mission that Jesus Christ has left us with. To become missions minded, we must:
1. Understand Jesus’ mission
The disciples clearly didn’t understand what the purpose of Jesus talking to the woman at the well was all about. She was unworthy: an unworthy woman from an unworthy people. Why even ask for a drink? Yet Jesus had offered her so much more than just an opportunity to serve him – he offered her an opportunity to be served with everlasting life! Friends, if we are truly to be missions minded, we must remember that people are indeed unworthy of the gospel. So were we! But unworthiness does not disqualify anyone from the gospel. We pray, send, and go not because they are worthy, but because Jesus is worthy.
2. Understand Jesus’ provision
Jesus has food that the disciples don’t know about – doing the will of his Father. A throwback to Deuteronomy 8:3, Jesus remarks that he does not live on food alone. The point of Deuteronomy 8:1-3 is that God took away food from the nation of Israel to show that he could provide for them. They need look nowhere else for their provision. Friend, you are never missing out when you do what God wants you to do! What will you lose by evangelizing the world that God cannot replace? What can the world do to you that God cannot make right? Friend, God will provide for you: give you satisfaction, sustenance, and fullness. Jesus will provide for those who do his will!
3. Understand Jesus’ vision
Jesus’ vision means one thing: the time for action is now. The call to missions is urgent, even if it is not frantic. We ought not think that we can wait until the future for our work in missions. Nor should we think that the time for missions is over. Now is the time for he harvest! So let us work to do the things that we need to do in order to prepare ourselves and begin to bring in the harvest!
4. Understand Jesus’ compensation
Many of us worry about numbers. We are concerned that our feeble efforts do not accomplish what we want them to. But Jesus is clear – some will sow and others will reap, but both will rejoice together. We are not here to build Crossway, we are here to build the Kingdom of God. Friend, sow the seed of the gospel, and grow the kingdom regardless of who might reap!
