The Role of the Local Church In Global Missions (Part 2)
To the ends of the earth - Acts 13:1-3 (esv) - Pastor Tim Kroeker
psalm 96:3
"Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!”
Space missions are organized projects to send manned or robotic spacecraft into space for the purpose of exploration, scientific research, and technological advancement. According to the Planetary Society, the total cost of the Apollo program, which put a man on the moon, was $25.8 billion; that’s approximately $309 billion when adjusted for modern inflation. Space missions are complicated and costly. But is it really worth it? Surely we could invest the money in better ways here at home.
In the book of Acts, Luke describes another kind of mission. In Acts 13:1-3, we read that the church at Antioch got organized and intentionally sent two of its most gifted leaders out into the unknown for the work that the Holy Spirit had called them to. This was the dawn of Christian missions. Still today God uses Spirit-led local churches to launch missionaries who take the gospel to the ends of the earth.
Like sending a man to the moon, Christian missions is complicated and costly. But is it really worth it? Besides, you might wonder, why should we send missionaries to faraway places when there are still so many lost people right here at home? Local evangelistic efforts would cost less and perhaps even be more effective.
However, as we drill down into this question of Christian missions, we see that God calculates differently. The goal of all human history is for God to display his glory and receive the praise that He is rightly due. The cosmic scene described in Revelation 5 reveals that God desires worshipers. But not just more worshipers, worshipers of different kinds, from every tribe, language, people, and nation. In this way, God receives maximum glory. This is at the heart of the Great Commission.
The primary task that Jesus has entrusted to his church is to make disciples. But not just more disciples, disciples of all nations. We should send missionaries to faraway places even though there are still so many lost people right here at home because God receives more glory when he is praised by all the nations of the earth.
