What is MISSION?

With Rev Ray on vacation for part of this week, he has asked me to write the daily messages. As I was thinking about what to write I have been working on our upcoming mission week and so I thought I would write about MISSION.

M is for ‘Mandated’ – in the movie ‘Crimson Tide’, Gene Hackman plays the captain of a nuclear submarine which receives a message to launch a nuclear missile. Denzel Washington plays the First Officer who brings a partial transmission of a message which may or may not be an order to abort the launch. Hackman’s character is determined to go ahead with the launch because that was the last clear order he received.

In Matthew 28:19, Jesus gives his disciples a final order. Like the movie mentioned above, this final order has not been rescinded. It has not been over-turned by any subsequent order. Jesus’ final order stands as true today as the moment he spoke it. What was the order? To ‘go and make disciples of all nations…’ The final direction that Jesus gave to his disciples was what we know as the final commission. That commissioning remains our final instruction. We are called to go into all the world – and that begins within our own homes, extends to our neighbors, our work colleagues, our city, our nation and the whole world. We are MANDATED to go – that is our final order and until the Lord returns and rescinds that order or changes it we need to follow it.

For many of us though this order is the scariest thing in the world – “you mean we actually have to tell people about Jesus? Are you serious? Do you know what they will say?” Jesus never promised us a happy life. Jesus never promised us a quiet life. Jesus never promised us a long life. Jesus only promise to us was that he would never leave us or forsake us – and that includes those times when we take courage in both hands and speak out His truth.

As you consider the Mandate that Jesus made for us to reach this world maybe you could start by simply praying for those you are in contact with daily and asking God to provide opportunity for you to share the Good News – even if it is only through actions.

Just something to think about as you go about your day today.