Soli Deo Gloria - part 5
Telling the Story to the Glory of God
We have already established the primary function of the local church is to bring glory to God. We bring glory through a right understanding of who He is and His nature (theology). We bring glory by being united in mind and mission (ecclesiology). And, last week, we saw how we bring glory to God through a proper attitude of worship (doxology). The final way we bring glory to God is by making His glory known to the nations, or missiology. These four items can be summarized in the Two Great Commandments:
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength.”
And
“Love your neighbor as yourself.”
At the outset, I would like to note that these are not mutually exclusive. In fact, the Bible teaches that you cannot do one without the other. We only know what true love is when we have experienced the love of Christ:
“By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.” 1 John 3:16
Likewise, if we say we love God, but do not love one another, we are liars:
“If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.” 1 John 4:20
Now, this brings us to the question of the day: How does missions, or evangelism, bring glory to God?
Does God need a PR firm? Is He in heaven wondering how He can make Himself known to people? That can’t be it, because God has not needed help making Himself known before. He visited many Old Testament characters without much trouble. He spoke through prophets. He established an entire nation pulling them from slavery. And we know He walked among us in the person of Jesus Christ. He conquered death by rising from the tomb on the third day. He has done all these things, and then He leaves the matter of spreading the Good News of salvation to His Church. This is the way He has chosen to bring Himself glory and fame.
So, why is that?
The reason lies in two topics we will cover today—the Missionary Nature of God and the Missionary Design of the Church.
The Missionary Nature of God
Consider what God says about Himself and what He seeks to accomplish.
God desires all people to come to Him.
2 Peter 3:9 - The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
1 Timothy 2:3-4 - This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
The ‘this’ there refers to praying for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may “lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.” The reason we are to pray for those in authority over us is to seek peace with those around us.
Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s redemptive mission.
He entered Jericho and was passing through. And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Luke 19:1-10
Zacchaeus was a tax collector. The worst of the worst in the eyes of Israel. Jewish tax collectors worked for the Romans, the oppressive pagans. Additionally, tax collectors were paid by collecting more taxes than they were ordered to by the governors. So, not only did they side with pagan Gentiles, but they defrauded their own people. Being a “chief tax collector”, Zacchaeus had people under him who also paid him a percentage of their collections. He was toward the top in this taxation pyramid scheme.
But, this traitor meets Jesus. And through Christ, he is restored to his God and his people. He gives half of his earnings to the poor, and then vows to pay back fourfold whatever he has defrauded of anyone. Salvation comes to his house, because Jesus, “the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
When Jesus speaks with Nichodemus, He describes His mission this way:
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
John 3:14-17
God continues to draw people to Christ through the Holy Spirit.
Acts 13:1-3 - “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
In this gathering of believers, the Holy Spirit tells them to set apart Barnabas and Saul in order to reach new people with the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is an example of the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise in Acts 1:8:
Acts 1:8 - But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.
It needs to be noted that whenever the Holy Spirit came upon someone, whether in the Old Testament or the New, whatever actions they did also included a proclamation from God. The prophets spoke in the power of the Spirit. The apostles preached in the power of the Spirit. And even today, Jesus promises the Holy Spirit will tell us what to speak, if we will only listen to Him.
Luke 12:12 - for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say
From the beginning, God has sought to reconcile His Creation to Himself. The Old Testament tells the story of God building a people and a nation from which a Savior would be born. The Gospels tell the story of that Savior, Jesus Christ. Acts, the letters, and Revelation all share how that story has spread, and will be spread, throughout the world, so that Jesus' words will come to be, that from all nations, tribes, and people, a great multitude will gather together to worship the Lord Almighty forever and ever.
And this leads us to our part in God’s Plan of Redemption. He has chosen to use the Church to continue the task of drawing all nations to repentance.
The Missionary Design of the Church
In Genesis 1, we read Man was created to bear the image of God. We are to be God’s representatives on this earth. That image was corrupted by sin, and so God went about calling a nation for Himself from among the pagans. Then, from that nation, Israel, God entered into human history Himself as Jesus Christ in order to restore what had been lost, namely our place in the Kingdom of God.
Thus, as we reflect on our part of spreading the Good News of salvation, we must remember that evangelism is not meant to be a duty or a chore. It is a part of living in the image of God and being the people He calls us to be.
John 17:17-18, Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. As you have sent me into the world, I am sending them
Jesus' mission to proclaim the Kingdom of Heaven is passed down through the disciples and their disciples.
But we are not left as orphans. Again in John, Jesus says:
John 14:18 - “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you."
We have the Holy Spirit whom we have already seen seeks the lost by drawing them to Christ. Further down we read:
John 14:26-27 - But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
The Holy Spirit guides believers by reminding them of God's Word and giving them the words to speak.
Now, how does the Holy Spirit provide for us? Well, there is the supernatural experience where He gives us words we did not expect. This certainly happens. However, there is also a much more natural process. 1 Corinthians 14:33 reminds us that God is a God of order. Yes, this particular context refers to the worship service, but consider the order of nature, the order humans are to bring to the wilderness of Creation, and the order in even the Trinity in which each person has a distinct role, though each consist of the One God. God brings order to what He creates and constructs. The individual is a disorderly microcosm of chaotic sin until they are regenerated by the Holy Spirit. Paul is encouraging believers to worship orderly, because God is orderly. The same principle can be applied to our evangelism.
God calls believers to study to be prepared for the moment of evangelism.
1 Peter 3:14-17 - But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.
Many times throughout Scripture God tells us to not be afraid. Here, Peter reminds us us that even if we face persecution for our witness, we will still receive a blessing. Instead, we should continue to honor Christ as Lord and be prepared to make a defense. How do we prepare?
First, know that you know you have eternal life.
John 20:30-31 - Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
Second, read your Bible. Yes, it is a Sunday School answer, but the Bible is what God has provided so that we can know the Truth.
God gives His Word so that the Church can know the Truth and be prepared for evangelism.
2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV) - Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that need not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
The top two reasons I have heard why Christians do not evangelize regularly are: (1) fear of ridicule/persecution and (2) not knowing what to say. But these reasons should not exist in the Church. Persecution is not fun, but if it happens, God has promised to bless those who honor Him and proclaim His life-saving Gospel. God has also promised that if we will listen to Him, He will give us the words. Listen to the Holy Spirit by being in constant prayer and through studying His Word.
Our own salvation story gives glory to God.
1 Peter 2:9-10 - But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
When we return to one of early verses in this series, consider the reason Peter gives for our calling. We are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's possession, that [we] may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called us out of darkness. Each time a person surrenders to Christ, moving from death to life, that is one more piece of evidence for the greatness and glory of God. That is also one more story that can be used to tell the Gospel story.
So, let the redeemed of the Lord say so!
3 Circles Witnessing Tool
Before we close today, I wanted to give you this fairly simple tool to share your faith. I also wanted to address the fact there may be some today who have not surrendered to Christ. If you do not know that you are heading to Heaven, then pay close attention. If you are a Christian, then you should also pay attention so that you'll have one more tool in your evangelism belt.
The heart represents God's Design. God created the world to be good and perfect. But, we know it is not good. Why? Because of sin.
The little guy running from God represents us. Each one of us has rebelled against what God has designed choosing our own way. That is what the Bible calls 'sin'.
This way leads to brokenness--the second circle. In this brokenness, many people will try all sorts of things to fix themselves. Some people try money, some try love, and some try all sorts of other pleasures hoping it will fill a void that never is. Those ways are the squiggly arrows.
But, if we will repent from our sin and ask God to forgive us, like the little guy on his knees praying, then He will forgive us. The third circle represents why. Jesus came (down arrow) to earth to pay the penalty for our sin and bring us wholeness (the cross). He then ascended to Heaven (up arrow) where He reigns as King (the crown). And the Bible says that whosoever will turn to Jesus and confess Him as Lord will be saved. That salvation is symbolized by the shiny guy.
image from mike.allbutt.net
And the little guy shines for good reason. He is on the path back to God's Design. He is being transformed by the renewing of his mind, and he is being reconciled to God and his fellow humans. Because when he returns to God's design, that beautiful heart of God, he finds more joy, wholeness, and love than he ever thought possible.
So, today, I leave you with a choice. Will you choose to surrender your all to Jesus Christ who is Lord of All, or will you continue to seek wholeness in broken things?