Mission-minded Church

He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

Acts 1:7-8 NASB

Today is the formal launching of Salitran Covenant Bible Church‘s three outreaches, two in the Philippines (Bella Vista Covenant Bible Church in General Trias and Herald of Grace Bible Fellowship of Davao), and one in Kuwait, Herald of Grace Bible Fellowship of Kuwait. We are blessed to have Ptr. Tony Costa of Carmel Logos Baptist Church as the guest speaker who preached and challenged the church with the Lord’s mandate to preach the gospel.

This blog is based on Ptr. Tony’s message today on the Mission-minded Church.

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The reason why mission exists is the glory of God.

John Piper

Mission is for God’s maximal glory. It is our purpose to be God’s instrument to bring the nation into the worship of God. Mission is for God’s honor & the in-bringing of the nations to the body.

The church in the Scripture is both universal and local church; invisible (regenerate new covenant who God alone knows – 1 Jn 2:19) and visible ( where there are true and false converts); and heavenly ( those who died and now are triumphant with Christ) and earthly (the pilgrims and militant church on earth). She has two ordinances: Lord’s supper & Baptism, and two offices: Pastors & Deacons.

The church is described in Trinitarian terms. She is the People of God, called by the Father out of the fallen humanity, chosen before its foundation; the redeemed, purchased by the blood of Christ; and the temple of the Spirit, sealed for the day of redemption. The church is the tangible expression of Christ’s body and His ambassador.

Pastor Tony’s main text was Matthew 5:10-16, we know it as the Sermon on the Mount. Here, Jesus is giving His Kingdom’s inaugural address as the King to the citizens of His Kingdom. So, it is important to note that it was given to the believers, not to the unbelievers (they falsely use it, for example, Mt 7:1).

What is a mission-minded church? It is a church that is called to be faithful and who will be persecuted. Every time we stand for the gospel, we will be reviled. The true believer is one who will be persecuted.

The people of this world will hate us for Christ’s sake v. 11. But persecution strengthens the church. When she is not persecuted, she will be lazy and complacent. All who took a stand for God in the Bible were either killed, persecuted, etc. All who live godly will be persecuted (2 Tim 3:12). If you never suffered for Christ, it is because you never opened your mouth and spoke the gospel. We are sent as sheep in the midst of the wolves (Matthew 10:16). Mission is costly. We carry the cross. We are called to die daily and follow Christ to Calvary. There is no crown without suffering.

We will be hated not because we belong to Allah, Mohammad, or other men. But because we belong to Jesus.

In verse 12, our response is to rejoice because we have a reward from the Father. We must be glad when we are counted worthy to suffer for His Name (Acts 5:41). The prophets were persecuted. It is not a desirable job. We are just passing through. We are pilgrims. Our citizenship is in heaven. That is why Jesus says, “woe to you if men speak well of you” (Luke 6:26).

The church is the salt of the earth

In verse 13, we are called the salt of the earth. It was a precious commodity. They were paid with salt money, it is where we got the English word salary. It was used to preserve. Salt preserves. So the church is the preserving agent in this world. If it were not for the sake of the elect, the world is doomed judged (Matthew 24:22).

Salt heals. It is a disinfectant and a healing agent. The church is a healing agent. She is to go the world to bind the brokenhearted and to set the captives free. She is to reflect God’s love. We are not called the “sugar of the earth”.

Salt is a spice. We add spice to life. We give people meaning. Men have meaning, purpose, and dignity as God’s creatures. The church is called to give hope to the hopeless, to tell people about the joy of the LORD. Jesus Christ gives peace as the Prince of peace. We have an antidote for the dying and hopeless world.

Salt makes us thirsty. As we hunger and thirst for righteousness so our lives are to influence people that they may be thirsty for God. The church should make people thirsty for the gospel and for Christ that they may know Him and enjoy Him forever.

Is your church a salty church? Or is it losing its saltiness? When a church gets sweeter, Jesus Christ is no longer there. Churches are dying because they are no longer salty, they are good for nothing. The church should not be ashamed of Christ, because He was never ashamed of us. He walked naked as He went to the cross.

The church is the light of the world

In verse 14, we are called the light of the world. This is the very first thing that God created and the first word that came out of God’s mouth “let there be light (Gen. 1:3). The church should be the light in this dark world. Jesus is the True Light and we are called the light of the world insofar as we reflect His light. As the moon reflects the light of the Sun, so the church reflects the light of the Son. We derive the light from the Source of Light. For He is the fountain of life; In His light, we see light (Psalm 36:9).

To hide your light is to be ashamed of the gospel. It is not meant to be hidden, it is meant to shine out and expose the darkness. Why are you hiding your light? The light should be put on display for all to see. In verse 16, men need to see the light. Mission is giving the light of Christ to the world.

In James 2, there are two types of people in the church: those who profess but their works betray them, their life doesn’t match their profession; and those who have faith and show it, their life matches their confession. How else men will see the light unless we show it to them?

Church, do not lose your saltiness. The church is good as long as she is salty. We are to let our light shine as lights to the world. John Wesley famously said, “The whole world is my parish.”

You are an ambassador wherever you are. You have a mission to do, to preach Christ and Him crucified. You are to call the world to the Rightful King. It is not about you, your reputation, your ambition, or career, it is all about Jesus, He must be preeminent. You should do all things for His glory alone.

As we confess that the kingdom, glory, and power are God’s alone, may God help us all. He is building His church. The world needs to hear the gospel. Many are deceived, may God use us all to do the work that we are called to do. In all these, we need the Spirit’s power, without which we cannot do the task of proclaiming the gospel that saves. May all the sheep scattered abroad hear the voice of the Shepherd.

We hope for the day where the gospel will be supreme. We look for the day that Christ will return and say, “well done good and faithful servant enter the joy of your Master” (Matthew 25:21). May God find us faithful in fulfilling this noble task. We are called of God, may we honor His call!

SOLI DEO GLORIA!

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*Read on the Supremacy of God in Missions and Missions Exists Because Worship Doesn’t by John Piper.