This insight is part of a series that questions the value and importance of a Quiet Time, Christian Worship, Christian Service and Holy Communion.
While I have been preparing this latest insight around the importance of Christian witness I have changed it to Christian mission. Initially I thought that personal and collective witness embodied the heart of the Christian gospel and mission. After much thought and prayer I realised that any Christian witness has to come from understanding what mission is as seen and modelled in the earthly life of Jesus Christ?
Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount freebibleimages.org
Witness and Mission
As a young child and into adulthood, I attended with my parents Union Hall Evangelical Church based in Hulme Manchester UK. In recent years within and outside the church many people have raised complaints in regard to the use of the term ‘evangelical’. From a biblical perspective it represents Christian teaching that proclaims the importance of the gospels as found in the New Testament and the necessity of a personal faith and belief in Jesus Christ as our Saviour and Lord.
I have heard it said that many evangelicals are more concerned about a person’s individual conversion to Christ. This may come however at the expense of their place and commitment to the fellowship of a local church that serves all God’s community both believers, those of no faith or other faiths.
In reality both are important so that the church embodies all who are followers of Jesus and not just part of a spiritual social club with their own interests and priorities.
Within churches who uphold biblical teaching, ethics and service there will be an incumbent teacher and leader who will teach Godly wisdom and declare what the mission of Jesus was and how the church should embrace and continue Jesus’ mission in his earthly absence.
The Mission of Jesus
Jesus was given his mission by his Father in heaven that was to be fulfilled on earth. It was symbolised at his baptism by John the Baptist and his temptation in the wilderness which was a prelude to the commencement of his public ministry.
Thank you Redeeming God
The model of Jesus’s ministry was to individually teach and preach, especially to his disciples, the fulfilment of the Law as found in the Old Testament. It showed itself in people repenting of their sins and experiencing miraculous healings as outlined in his gospel manifesto found in Luke 4: 18 – 19. The completion of Jesus’s mission included his death, resurrection and transfiguration and a promise to return to completely usher in the kingdom of God on earth as in heaven.
Jesus instructed his disciples, as found in Matthew 28: 18 -20 and in Acts 1: 8, to be witnesses throughout all the earth the mission of God’s love and to establish the church as a representation and continuous work of Jesus in his absence and empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Jesus portrayed himself not as a political Messiah but as a ‘suffering servant’ as recorded in Isaiah 53 and Isaiah 7 v 14. In Micah 5: 2 he is forecast as a ruler of Israel from the town of Bethlehem to bring “good news to the poor, to set captives free, recover sight for the blind and to free the oppressed”.
As in life generally, the timing of starting and completing projects and missions is very critical. Jesus confessed on occasions that his ‘time had not yet come’ (John 2: 4). Then at the appointed time he declared to all the world on the cross that his mission on earth has been completed and finished (John 19).
Witness and Mission in Acts
Throughout the book of Acts we witness stories and adventures that include the sharing of faith that led to imprisonment and even death. We find the disciples and apostles establishing churches to mirror the model and mission of Jesus.
We record the powerful intervention of the Holy Spirt and the working alongside believers in the manifestation of various fruits and gifts. People are saved, healed and empowered to worship, pray, serve and share together the Lord’s Supper and personal possessions for the encouragement of all believers.
Witness and Mission in the local Church
As well as my time at Union Hall church I have worshipped, witnessed and worshiped in various other churches. At the Bible College I trained at, we had visiting minsters and missionaries from all around the world that shared the joys and challenges that takes place in any Christian witness and mission.
Thank you open air campaigners
As teams we visited local merchant ships with sailors from countries worldwide. We conducted open air missions in cities and on the beaches. We went door to door to share our faith and relevant Christian literature. We conducted gospel and healing services and on an individual basis learnt how to have a compassionate listening ear. To have a heart full of expectant prayer for the expansion of God’s kingdom both individually and within the local church.
I served at two churches for over seven years and witnessed many miracles taking place. There was lots of encouraging church growth in various forms. I saw individuals grow in their faith and witness and a strengthening of the churches taking on board wider ministry and missions.
For over 30 years as mentioned in the Insight around Christian Service, I have been involved with a Men for Missions group and travelled to many countries with the mission to complete and build certain projects. Also to be an encouragement to local believers in maintaining a Christian witness and mission.
In my two websites exploretoinspire.uk and inspire2achieve I seek to teach and encourage those of no faith and those with faith and in the church about how best to live a holy and disciplined Christian lifestyle. I am involved in my local church and share with other local churches in different missions and intentions for Christian witness.
Present and Future Mission
In the book of Proverbs 29: 18 it says “where there is no vision, the people perish”. For me a church without a local and worldwide vision for sharing the gospel and building up the church fellowship in holiness and godliness will flounder and eventually perish. The church represents the mission of Jesus in his earthly absence, and if we change it to our own agenda, under social, consumer and political challenges then such a mission and witness will fail.
A Completed Mission
For all Christian believers there is the hope that either when we die or when the Lord returns again to earth we will be in the eternal presence of the Lord as recorded in Revelation 21:4 where God will “wipe away every tear from their eyes”.
There will be “no more death or mourning or crying or pain” for in the presence of God we will find comfort and a new everlasting body, spiritual existence and awareness of God.
As we understand the mission of Jesus we should seek to replicate it both personally and collectively as a witness to the saving grace of God for all peoples worldwide.
Raised hands in worship Παῦλος
It is important to be obedient to the establishment and maintenance of a local church!
It is valuable to maintain Christian fellowship and to be encouraged and know God’s healing!
It is vital to enjoy the identity of being a follower of Jesus with authority and power given to us from the Holy Spirit!
The Lord wants us to be loyal and faithful disciples of Jesus wherever that may be and in whatever form that may take place, all for the glory of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
- So are you confident in your relationship with God through Jesus?
- Have you experienced the forgiveness of sins and received the power to live a Godly Christian lifestyle?
- What is your mission and witness in life as guided by the Lord?
- May we give thanks for the greatness and goodness of the Lord and the continual fulfilment of God’s mission today on earth as it is in heaven?
Graham
Selah: (Pause to think calmly on what has just been read) and check out A Time to Worship
Explore to Inspire 
