Reason to work hard on missions and evangelism

Reason to work hard on missions and evangelism

(1 Corinthians 9:16~19)

 

16 For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! 17 For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a stewardship. 18 What is my reward then? That when I preach the gospel, I may present the gospel of Christ[b] without charge, that I may not abuse my authority in the gospel.

 

Intro)

1. Since this month is month of mission, I want to share sermon with grace  about 'Reason to work hard on mission.'

 

After Chinese Christian leader Lee shared his word there was a student asking him a question. "China has a religion already, but why would you spread Christianity in China?" Lee replied "There are three reasons to it. First, Confucius was a teacher, but Christ was a messiah. China needs Messiah than teacher. Second, a Confucius will have to face Christ from death, but Christ revived from death. Third, when Confucius faces Christ from death he will be judged by Christ, therefore we need to meet Christ before we meet him as judge.

 2. Like this we have know why we have to do certain work for church or Christ. This is important in our Christian lives. Let's learn it why we have to do mission work in 8 ways.

 

Body)
1. God's order

In Mark 16:15-16 Jesus said“¹⁵ And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. ¹⁶ He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.  We are army of holy Cross. we have to obey our supervisor's orders.

Our Jesus is best leader forever, and missionary work is biggest order from Jesus, so we need to work hard on it.

 

2. Jesus is the only way for us to get to eternity life.

In book of Acts 4:!2 says "¹² Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” If there is other way to get salvation we wouldn't have to do missionary work, but this is the only way.

Did Philosophy taught us the way of eternity life? or did science developed? or is there any other religion has way to get to eternity life? Proverbs 14:12 says 'There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.' no other gods can give eternity life, but our Jesus.

3. There are many people to spread our gospel

We have many churches in cities, counties, towns, but it doesn't mean we have many Christians.  In Korea there are 4,000 million of people do not believe in God and in USA  160 million people do not know or do not believe in Jesus. John 4:35 says '³⁵ Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!' Let's open our eyes through Jesus. we have lots of work to do.

 

Korea Computer Christianity church has green world Christian map and within 6.50226 billion people of population we have 22% Muslim, Catholic 15%, Hindu 14%, Protestant 11%, 6% Buddhist, 15% no religion. seems like 3/4 of world population do not know Jesus. I'd say people who listened to Gospel and who accept God will be less than 10% of world population. This means we have to work way harder on missionary work.

 

 

4.  Hell is too painful.

 

In Luke 16 has story about rich man and Lazarus, and at the end Died Rich man in hell he cries and says Luke 16:24 '²⁴ “Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ how bad would make man say not even a cup of water, but a drop of water?  After hearing Richman's begging Abraham says, (Luke 16: 25-26) ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. ²⁶ And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’ Then, rich man says ²⁷ “Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, ²⁸ for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ ’ ²⁹ Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ ³⁰ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ ³¹ But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’ Salvation can be obtain from mission and belief. Hell is place of despair.  People in Hell wants someone would lead their family to salvation.

 

 

5. To avoid consequences of blood

Ezekiel 3:18 God says if we don't do missionary work there is going to be

'his blood I will require at your hand.' If we have a good news that can change their lives, but if we don't how their lives will be? Therefore, we have to share it, although they don't give us good news in return.

 

1 Corinthians 9:16 says, ¹⁶ For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!' boast means something that has power that can't be ignored or rejected from God in Greek.

 

6. Best love.

John 15:13 says, '¹³ Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. '

Jesus love sinner and died for us, so we have to spread his best love.  Mark 12:31 says, ³¹ And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Mission is bringing our neighbors to salvation, which can be best neighbor love we can bring it to them. This applies to family.

 

 

 During war in Roman era it cost 75 cents to kill 1 enemy, in WWI cost 15,000 dollars, and WWII cost 30,000 dollars. In Korean war it cost 50,000 dollars per one enemy, 800,000 dollars to kill Vietnamese enemy.  I wonder how much it would cost now, but it takes 1/100 or 1/1000 to keep them alive, so we should work more towards saving lives and share the love of God.

 

7. We owe to gospel.

We who received gospel and salvation, we owe to gospel. In book of Romans 1:14-15 Saint Paul says, ¹⁴ I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise. ¹⁵ So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also.

 

 

If I was the one saved, then I should at least save one other person.

8.  Missionary work has best reward combined from this land and sky.

 

Daniel 12: 3 says, ³ Those who are wise shall shine Like the brightness of the firmament,
And those who turn many to righteousness Like the stars forever and ever.

 

This is story of some doctor. He opened his own hospital, but hospital didn't make much of profit. Doctor released stress by counting the money he earned that day. one day he realized if he keep counting money and not think about how he's going to face God. After that day he took care of his patience with love and spread gospel. Now the time he spent to count money he prays for patience.  

 

 Pastor Sungjong Shin in Korea shared a story that he went to heaven. He said biggest awards are for martyr, and next biggest awards are for evangelist. He also saw Moody Spurgeon, Bill Bright, and there was also a missionary Hudson Taylor in China in the Heaven he says. We should work hard to get one of biggest reward in heaven.

con)

Loving everyone!

 

Jesus is our role model who showed how it is done. Jesus said in John 4:34, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work."  Jesus is saying his biggest happiness is when he spread gospel to other souls.

 

When we have our biggest worth and purpose in 'evangelism and missions' it is the work of following God's word as it is. Missionary work is not hard when we can love the others and pray for them. If we can do this mission work will happen. Let's work harder to fulfill God's mission and spread his love and gospel with prayer until this world is full of God's gospel. Let us pray.

 

 

 

103116 by Ik s ahn / Translated sung hyun ahn