Preschool
This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him (Psalm 34:6).
Qualified Missionaries
Memory Verses
Primary
This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles (Psalm 34:6).
Junior
This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles (Psalm 34:6).
Background Scripture: Luke 9; Acts 13
Lesson Scripture: Luke 9:1-6; Acts 13:1-4
Introduction
The good news of the gospel is written in the hearts of the redeemed. Their living expression of the salvation story is the only Bible that many people will read. Christians who live a life of compassion, righteousness, and joy are qualified missionaries. They are not exhibits of polished religion; they are frontline soldiers in the fields of spiritual warfare. When missionaries are overwhelmed by difficult circumstances, God will use their lives as a framework to illustrate the application of grace in daily life. A missionary is a living object lesson.
Key Verse
Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you (John 20:21).
Lesson Scripture
Luke 9:1 Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.
2 And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.
3 And he said unto them, Take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece.
4 And whatsoever house ye enter into, there abide, and thence depart.
5 And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them.
6 And they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the gospel, and healing every where.
Acts 13:1 Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.
3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
4 So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.
Studying the Lesson
Jesus gave his disciples authority over devils and the power to heal diseases. Then He sent them out as missionaries without basic necessities—no baggage, no money, and no change of clothes. They were to rely on the people they were preaching to.
Later, we read how the church in Antioch sent out two of their own leaders as missionaries. They likely took money and clothes for their journey; however, it appears that in Paul’s mission travels, he would stay in a town and work his trade as a tentmaker in order to support himself.
Throughout the New Testament, we notice some key methods of mission work. One is that missionaries did not work alone, which is in contrast to the prophets of the Old Testament. Missionaries were sent out two by two and sometimes in larger groups. This provides safety, both from physical danger and from personal agenda. Two can confide together and prove the will of God, tempering one another’s ambitions and seeking a united approach.
We also see that missionaries were commissioned by the church. Today, this sending of missionaries is the responsibility of each congregation. When a missionary is called of God, that call is then proven by church leaders, and this opens the way for them to be sponsored by the church. The local congregation then continues to support the missionaries through prayer and communication. Missionaries cling to this support from the home church in dark times.
Salvation for mankind is a goal central to Christian believers. Before Jesus left, He commissioned his followers to be missionaries until the end of time.
Practical Truths for Today
God expresses his offer of salvation through three principal witnesses—the Holy Spirit, the Bible, and the redeemed believers. Our lives must complement the Holy Spirit and the Bible. God’s message can only travel from heart to heart; it is not transmitted by the intellect, although words and conduct are used to carry the message. When God’s hand has written the gospel upon a living heart, that message becomes transmissible to others. Hearts that are seeking will receive that message in ways that defy an explanation.
In a dark world, it might seem like there are few seeking hearts. God, however, expresses his offer whether or not there is a response. Surely all people have open hearts at some time. God calls in times of grief, fear, sickness, and failure. Missionaries with a message of hope frequent the places where open hearts are likely to be found—hospitals, prisons, homeless shelters, and areas of natural disaster and poverty. God needs soft-hearted missionaries to be available in the moments of opportunity.
The world honors missionaries who act as benefactors to society. A true missionary’s primary purpose is not to be a philanthropic representative but to be ready to help his fellowman in times of crisis. God will need to bless all missionaries with wisdom to know how to handle the physical needs around them so that new believers will become givers. A missionary both gives and receives support from the people he ministers to.
People who are intellectually interested only in Christian or church culture will soon walk away from the heart-message of the gospel. We must not become discouraged by this indifference, as these types of people soon lost interest in Jesus too. If a missionary is working in the spirit of Jesus, those who walk away are testifying against themselves. The spirit of Jesus only draws seeking hearts.
One of the most important characteristics of a missionary is a childlike desire to learn. Many missionaries will find themselves living in a new culture and learning a new language. Even the Bible in the new language will say things slightly different than the verses we know. We tend to promote our home society and culture and to see our way as the better way, but the people we were sent to serve will naturally respond when we embrace their tongue, culture, and country. Seeking hearts will be drawn and will respond when missionaries release the ways of home and wholeheartedly accept the new culture. They find deep joy in service; the language barrier is breached by a childlike willingness to speak freely and to enjoy the resulting smiles. When a missionary has a humble spirit, there are opportunities to teach about a godly lifestyle within the context of a foreign culture.
Bringing new members into the church is not usually the main work of a missionary, although it is a wonderful blessing to experience. A missionary who is busy with words of encouragement and deeds of kindness is fulfilling his responsibility. Often the missionary’s work is walking the path of life with existing members in small congregations, especially members who are weak in the faith. When one of God’s sheep has gone astray, He needs a worker to seek out the lost sheep and to renew the invitation. This work usually appears to be thankless, but a patient missionary is a visible expression of God’s persistent love.
Frequently a foreign missionary is placed under the leadership of the local church, and that missionary must humbly and nimbly step between roles of leadership and obedience depending on the need of the moment. Often the greatest test for a missionary is to lay down his convictions and to submit to his fellow workers and the local leadership. When God reveals his will to the body of believers, individuals can experience the beauty of submission.
We are workers for God, but we must not expect Him to explain Himself to us; we work by faith. Some qualified missionaries have balked because they could not see ahead. We like to set goals and have vision for the future. However, God’s purposes are fulfilled by Christians who may not understand all that is happening but who quietly listen for the direction of the Holy Spirit. “And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left” (Isa. 30:21).
Are you a recipient of God’s grace? Then you are qualified to be a missionary. God’s call to mission work is not an affirmation of a successful Christian life but a sign of redemption upon a forgiven sinner. Your personality is uniquely suited to reach certain people whom God is calling. God calls all manner of people to salvation, so He needs every one of us to proclaim his invitation.
God cares. He needs his children to express that care. Somewhere a man is sitting in a prison cell, hating himself and asking if there is a forgiving God. Somewhere a lonely sister in the faith is wondering whether a patient missionary will come to sing and pray with her. Somewhere a weakening brother is resuming his acquaintances from his old life and distancing himself from his spiritual brethren. Somewhere a man is lying in a hospital bed, considering eternity for the first time in many years. Has God not given you the heart and ability to express his marvelous grace in some way? Make yourself available!
Questions
- Does God reap a harvest wherever He sows? If we do God’s work, can we expect to see the results?
- Do expressions of appreciation from others indicate whether we are good missionaries? How did people respond to Jesus?
- Must we prove whether a homeless beggar will use money for drugs before we decide to give?
- How can our religion be contagious to others?
Source: COGICM Daily Bible Readings (Daily Bible Readings, PO Box 124, Glenn, CA 95943).