Text
Matthew 28:18-20
Theme
The local church is foundational to both local and global missions work.
Introduction
This morning we looked at God’s method for supporting missions work.
We considered:
- The giving of tithes as God’s method of supporting the local church and broader missions work.
- Faith Promise Giving as a voluntary offering above the regular tithe to further the work of God.
This evening we turn our attention to how God has ordained missions to be carried out.
Our study will focus on two areas:
- Local Missions
- Global Missions
Local Missions
Acts 1:8
The Command for Missions Work
Matthew 28:18-20
The Lord Jesus commanded His disciples to continue proclaiming His message of salvation to every nation.
We commonly refer to this command as The Great Commission.
Sadly, in many churches today it has become more of a Great Omission.
Rather than faithfully taking God’s Word to the lost, many churches have shifted their focus toward attracting people through entertainment and worldly methods.
The Great Commission, however, has never changed.
Although the eleven apostles were present when Christ gave this command, it was not intended for them alone.
Many commentators point out that the nucleus of the New Testament church was present, making this commission a responsibility given to the church itself.
The responsibility to evangelize the world belongs to Christ’s churches until He returns.
Northside’s Commitment to the Great Commission
The missions ministry at Northside exists because we desire to obey this command.
The Great Commission contains several clear responsibilities.
Go Ye Therefore
The first requirement is simply that God’s people go.
The Great Commission cannot be fulfilled while remaining comfortably at home.
Sadly, many Christians have never intentionally left their homes with the purpose of speaking to someone about the Lord Jesus Christ.
Likewise, many church members have never walked out the doors of their church with the deliberate intention of sharing the Gospel.
The command is clear.
God’s people must go.
Teach All Nations
Going alone is not enough.
We must also teach.
The obvious question is:
What are we to teach?
Matthew 28:20 provides the answer.
We are to teach people “to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.”
The Gospel is always the starting point.
People must hear that they must be born again.
Those who believe are then baptized and taught to obey everything Christ has commanded.
Baptize Believers
Baptism follows salvation.
It is a public act of obedience that identifies the believer with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection.
It is one of the two ordinances Christ entrusted to His local church and is to be administered in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
The Method for Local Missions
Acts 5:42
God has not only given the church a commission.
He has also shown us practical ways to fulfill it.
Preaching and Teaching in the Local Church
The most common way the Gospel is proclaimed is through the faithful preaching of God’s Word from the pulpit.
Since the local church stands at the center of God’s plan for reaching the lost, it is only fitting that the Gospel be faithfully proclaimed there.
Not every sermon will be evangelistic in emphasis.
Nevertheless, the Gospel should never be absent from the preaching ministry of the church.
Public Proclamation of the Gospel
The Gospel may also be proclaimed publicly in a variety of ways.
Gospel Tract Distribution
One practical method is the distribution of Gospel tracts.
Our church has already been involved in this through our letterbox outreach known as Operation Launch Out.
By placing Gospel literature into people’s homes, we provide opportunities for them to hear about the Lord Jesus Christ.
Our primary tract is appropriately titled:
“You Need the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
Beyond organised outreach, every believer can carry Gospel tracts and distribute them during everyday interactions at shopping centers, parks, or wherever the Lord provides opportunity.
Street Preaching
Another biblical method is open-air preaching.
Although this has become increasingly difficult due to regulations and permit requirements, it remains an effective means of publicly declaring the Gospel.
Street preaching is often accompanied by Gospel tract distribution.
The manuscript recalls previous ministry in Adelaide where men preached outside the train station while others distributed tracts to passers-by.
Door-Knocking
Door-to-door evangelism remains both practical and thoroughly biblical.
Going from house to house enables believers to seek those whose hearts God has prepared to receive His Word.
Acts 16:14
“And a certain woman named Lydia… whose heart the Lord opened…”
Acts 5:42
“And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.”
Radio Ministry
Radio broadcasting has also been used to proclaim the Gospel.
Although such ministries can be challenging to establish and maintain, they continue to provide opportunities to reach people with biblical preaching.
The manuscript notes that one current radio ministry broadcasts sermons by Pastor Simeon Western.
Personal Gospel Witness
Not every Gospel conversation occurs through organised outreach.
God also gives opportunities through everyday relationships.
Family
Our families should be among our highest priorities for evangelism.
No one knows them as well as we do.
Because of those relationships, we are often given opportunities to speak into their lives that no one else will ever have.
Work Colleagues
The workplace frequently provides significant opportunities to share Christ.
Working alongside the same people day after day allows relationships to develop naturally.
The manuscript reflects on several occasions where God opened doors to present the Gospel clearly to work colleagues.
We should never waste those opportunities.
Everyday Social Contacts
The Lord also places people in our path through ordinary daily activities.
Whether speaking with a shop assistant, a tradesman, or someone we meet unexpectedly, we should remain ready to share Christ whenever God opens the door.
Global Missions
Romans 10:13-15
While every believer has a responsibility to share the Gospel, God has also established a biblical pattern for taking the Gospel beyond the local community.
The New Testament consistently shows that the local church is the foundation of world missions.
Missionaries Are Sent from Local Churches
Acts 13:1-5
Set Apart by God
The missionary call begins with God.
In Acts 13, the Holy Spirit specifically chose Barnabas and Saul for a unique ministry.
“Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.”
To be set apart is to be separated by God for a particular purpose.
The Holy Spirit determines both the man and the ministry.
He chooses the missionary, the field of service, and the work to be accomplished.
The calling to missions is not merely a personal ambition.
It is a divine calling.
Faithful Before They Were Sent
Before Barnabas and Saul were commissioned as missionaries, they were already faithfully serving in their local church.
This is an important principle.
God ordinarily calls those who are already faithfully serving where He has placed them.
If we are unwilling to serve faithfully in our own church, we should not expect God to entrust us with greater responsibilities elsewhere.
Luke 16:10
“He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much.”
Faithfulness in the local church often becomes God’s preparation for broader ministry.
Missionaries Are Sent by the Local Church
Romans 10:13-15
God calls men, but He also uses the local church to send them.
Paul asks two searching questions:
- “How shall they hear without a preacher?”
- “How shall they preach, except they be sent?”
The Gospel cannot reach the nations unless God raises up preachers.
Nor can those preachers continue effectively unless faithful churches recognize God’s calling, commission them, and support them in the ministry.
The Church’s Responsibility
When God calls someone into missionary service, the local church has several important responsibilities.
Test the Calling
The church should carefully examine whether the calling is genuinely from God.
History has shown that some have mistaken personal ambition for God’s leading.
A faithful church helps discern whether the calling is biblical and genuine.
Train the Missionary
The local church is God’s primary training ground for ministry.
Bible colleges operating under the authority of a sound local church can play an important role, but they should never replace the church.
The church that has watched a believer grow, serve, and mature is best equipped to prepare him for missionary service.
Send the Missionary
Once a missionary has been examined, trained, and approved, the church sends him out with its blessing, prayers, and ongoing support.
This pattern is repeatedly demonstrated throughout the New Testament.
Missionaries are not independent agents.
They are servants sent by local churches under God’s direction.
Missionaries Are Supported by Local Churches
Philippians 4:15-17
The responsibility of the local church does not end when a missionary departs.
The sending church continues to support the missionary throughout his ministry.
Paul expressed sincere gratitude to the believers at Philippi because they repeatedly supplied his needs.
Philippians 4:16
“For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity.”
Their generosity enabled him to continue ministering without unnecessary distraction.
Paul Valued Church Support
Although there were occasions when Paul chose not to receive financial support from those to whom he ministered, this was not because such support was wrong.
Rather, he desired to remove any accusation that he preached for financial gain.
His refusal in certain situations demonstrated the sincerity of his motives.
Elsewhere, however, he gladly accepted support from other churches so that he could continue preaching the Gospel.
2 Corinthians 11:7-8
“Have I committed an offence… I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service.”
Paul clearly recognized the value of faithful churches partnering with him financially.
Those Who Preach the Gospel Should Live of the Gospel
God has ordained that those who devote their lives to preaching the Gospel should be supported by the churches that benefit from Gospel ministry.
1 Corinthians 9:14
“Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.”
As a local church established through the preaching of God’s Word, we should gladly support others who are faithfully proclaiming that same Gospel.
Investing in Eternal Things
Missionaries often leave behind secure employment, extended family, lifelong friendships, and familiar surroundings in order to take the Gospel to people they have never met.
They willingly sacrifice much so that souls might hear the message of salvation.
When viewed in that light, supporting missionaries financially is not a burden.
It is an investment in eternity.
Many people readily spend significant amounts of money on holidays or personal comforts.
Yet comparatively little is often invested in the eternal work of world evangelism.
Unlike earthly investments, the fruit of missions will not always be seen immediately.
Much of the reward awaits us in heaven.
Nevertheless, every church that faithfully supports Gospel-preaching missionaries becomes a partner in their ministry and shares in the eternal fruit of their labour.
Faith Promise Missions
Faith Promise Giving provides a practical way for believers to participate personally in world missions.
It is an opportunity to give above and beyond the regular tithe specifically for missionary support.
The funds received through Faith Promise Giving are not used for the operating expenses of the local church.
They are directed entirely toward supporting missionaries on the field.
Each believer is encouraged to seek the Lord regarding what He would have them give.
The commitment is voluntary.
It is made prayerfully, privately, and by faith, trusting God to provide as we invest in His work around the world.
Conclusion
The New Testament presents a clear and consistent pattern for missions.
The local church stands at the very center of God’s missionary plan.
It is the church that:
- Trains men for ministry.
- Recognizes God’s calling.
- Sends missionaries to the field.
- Provides ongoing prayer and financial support.
This is God’s method for carrying out missions work.
As individual believers, we each have a part to play.
Some are called to go.
Others are called to send.
All are called to participate in the fulfillment of the Great Commission.
May we be faithful to proclaim the Gospel in our own community, support those who carry it to the nations, and rejoice together as God uses His churches to reach the world for Christ.