Purpose # 5: You Were Made For A Mission (Day 36: Made for a Mission)

In the same way that you gave me a mission in the world, I give them a mission in the world
~ John 17:18

The most important thing is that I complete my mission, the work that the Lord Jesus gave me
~ Acts 20:24

God is at work in the world, & he wants YOU to join HIM
○ This "assignment" is called your mission
○ God wants you to have both a ministry in the body of Christ (church) & a mission in world
§ Your ministry is your service to believers
§ Your mission is your service to unbelievers

Your life mission is both shared & specific
○ One part is a responsibility you share with every other Christian
○ The other part is an assignment that's unique to you

"mission" comes from the Latin word for "sending"
○ Being a Christian includes being sent into the world as a rep. of jesus
§ John 20:21

Jesus clearly understood his life mission on earth
○ At 12 he said "I must be about my Father's business" - Luke 2:49
○ Twenty one years later, dying on the cross he said "It is finished" - John 19:30
§ These two statements frame a well-lived, purpose driven life.
§ Jesus completed the mission God gave him

The mission Jesus had while on earth is our mission now, because we're the body of Christ
○ What is that mission?
§ Introducing People to God
□ 2 Corinthians 5:18
○ God wants to redeem human beings from Satan & reconcile us to HIM so we can fulfill the 5 purposes he created us for

THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUR MISSION
○ Your mission is a continuation of Jesus' mission on earth
§ Study these 5 commissions of Jesus & you'll learn the details of your mission on earth
□ Matt 28:19-20
□ Mark 16:15
□ Luke 24:47
□ John 20:21
□ Acts1:8
§ In the Great Commission Jesus said "Go to the people of all nations and make them my disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to do everything I have told you" - Matt 28:19-20
§ If you are a part of God's family your mission is mandatory. To ignore it would be disobedience
§ God holds you responsible for the unbelievers who live around you
□ Ezekiel 3:18
○ Your mission is a wonderful privilege
§ It's an incredible honor to be used by God
□ 2 Corinthians 5:18
§ Your mission involves 2 great privileges
□ Working with & Representing God
§ Jesus has secured our salvation, put us in his family, given us his Spirit and then made us his agents in the world.
□ 2 Cor 5:20
○ Telling others how they can have eternal life is the greatest thing you can do for them
§ It's criminal to withhold the way to forgiveness, purpose, peace, & eternal life
§ One problem long term Christians have is that they forget how hopeless it felt to be without Christ
□ We must remember no matter how contented or successful people appear to be, without Christ they are hopelessly lost & headed to eternal separation from GOD.
○ Your mission has eternal significance
§ It will impact the eternal destiny of other people so it's more important than any job, achievement, or goal you will reach during your life on earth.
§ The consequences of your mission will last forever
□ Nothing else you do will even matter as much as helping people establish an eternal relationship with God.
¨ This is why we must be urgent about our mission
◊ John 9:4
○ Your mission gives your life meaning
§ The best use of life is to spend it for something that outlasts it - William James
□ Only the kingdom of God will last!
¨ This is why we must live purpose driven lives
§ If you fail to fulfill your God-given mission on earth, you will have wasted the life God gave you
□ Acts 20:24
□ There are people on this planet that only YOU can reach because of where you live & what God has made you to be
§ Start looking around your personal mission field and pray "GOD who have you put in my life for me to tell about Jesus?"
○ God's timetable for history's conclusion is connected to the completion of our commission
§ Today there's a growing interest in the second coming of Christ & the end of the world
□ Acts 1:7-8
§ Speculating on the exact timing of Christ's return is futile
□ Matt 24:36
§ What we do know is that Jesus will not return until everyone God wants to hear the Good News has heard it
□ Matt 24:14
§ It's easy to get distracted & sidetracked from your mission because satan would rather have you do anything besides sharing your faith
□ He'll let you do all kinds of good things as long as you don't take anyone to heaven with you
□ The moment you become serious about your mission expect diversions
¨ When that happens remember this: Luke 9:62

WHAT IS COSTS TO FULFILL YOUR MISSION
○ You will be required to abandon your agenda and to accept God's agenda for your life
§ Luke 22:42
§ Romans 6:13b
○ If you will commit to fulfilling your mission in life no matter what it costs, you will experience the blessing of God in ways that few people will ever experience
§ There is almost nothing God won't do for those who are committed to serving the kingdom of God
□ Matt 6:33

Point to Ponder: I was made for a mission

Verse to Remember: Matthew 28:19-20

Question to Consider: What fears have kept me from fulfilling the mission that God made me to accomplish? What keeps me from telling others the Good news?