Main Point and Overview:
By definition, a missionary is a “person who is sent into an area to promote his religious mission.” Many of us grew up being taught that this person had to go “overseas” to be considered a missionary when in fact every one of us is “sent by God” to be missionaries, whether it be in our hometown or elsewhere. You and I live in a specific city or town with a specific group of people who need Jesus. You and I have specific families and friends with specific backgrounds who need Jesus. From the foundation of the world, you and I were created to serve the Lord. Are we faithfully influencing people? After the church had begun to grow in Jerusalem, it was now time to take the Gospel to the “ends of the earth.” Two faithful servants of the Lord, Paul and Barnabas, took what would later be called the “1st Missionary Journey.” On this journey, these men strategically planned to preach first in Jewish synagogues. Why? Because after Scriptural readings, guest speakers were often given the opportunity to offer some form of religious exhortation or debate. Their courage was evident in the “bold stands” they took, calling out the deception of the Gentiles and the idolatry of the Jews. This boldness brought intense pushback, causing them to literally risk their lives for the Gospel of Jesus. None of it fazed them. They were passionate disciples of Jesus Christ, looking to make passionate disciples of Jesus Christ. Their sacrifices would pay dividends. In each city that they preached the Gospel, they saw people commit their lives to Jesus Christ (Cyprus: 13:12, Pisidian Antioch: 13:48-49, Iconium: 14:1, Derbe: 14:21a, Lystra: 16:1), but it wasn’t without pain. In Lystra, Paul was beaten and left for dead, but God wasn’t done with him yet. Later, we would find out that the “seeds he had sown” in Lystra led to the salvation of a young man named Timothy. Of course, we know that Timothy would later become one of Paul’s most trusted leaders, pastoring the church of Ephesus. The pain was worth their gain. They even expected and anticipated it. How about you? Are you willing to suffer some cultural pressure and pain for the cause of Jesus? Are you being a missionary every day…just like the song demands?
By definition, a missionary is a “person who is sent into an area to promote his religious mission.” Many of us grew up being taught that this person had to go “overseas” to be considered a missionary when in fact every one of us is “sent by God” to be missionaries, whether it be in our hometown or elsewhere. You and I live in a specific city or town with a specific group of people who need Jesus. You and I have specific families and friends with specific backgrounds who need Jesus. From the foundation of the world, you and I were created to serve the Lord. Are we faithfully influencing people? After the church had begun to grow in Jerusalem, it was now time to take the Gospel to the “ends of the earth.” Two faithful servants of the Lord, Paul and Barnabas, took what would later be called the “1st Missionary Journey.” On this journey, these men strategically planned to preach first in Jewish synagogues. Why? Because after Scriptural readings, guest speakers were often given the opportunity to offer some form of religious exhortation or debate. Their courage was evident in the “bold stands” they took, calling out the deception of the Gentiles and the idolatry of the Jews. This boldness brought intense pushback, causing them to literally risk their lives for the Gospel of Jesus. None of it fazed them. They were passionate disciples of Jesus Christ, looking to make passionate disciples of Jesus Christ. Their sacrifices would pay dividends. In each city that they preached the Gospel, they saw people commit their lives to Jesus Christ (Cyprus: 13:12, Pisidian Antioch: 13:48-49, Iconium: 14:1, Derbe: 14:21a, Lystra: 16:1), but it wasn’t without pain. In Lystra, Paul was beaten and left for dead, but God wasn’t done with him yet. Later, we would find out that the “seeds he had sown” in Lystra led to the salvation of a young man named Timothy. Of course, we know that Timothy would later become one of Paul’s most trusted leaders, pastoring the church of Ephesus. The pain was worth their gain. They even expected and anticipated it. How about you? Are you willing to suffer some cultural pressure and pain for the cause of Jesus? Are you being a missionary every day…just like the song demands?
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