I have really come to enjoy and embrace the month of October as our church has established and made it a tradition to celebrate missions and the opportunities we’ve had throughout the year to impact our world. I love the festive atmosphere with our flags of many nations hanging in the sanctuary and getting updates from some of our mission organizations and missionaries is always a double blessing.
This month our church will invite quite a number of missionaries to come and share the call God has placed upon their life for missions whether it be here in Canton or around the world. They will share with us an update on their preparation and implementation of mission work. Some will be sharing about first time experiences while others have been engaged in ministry for many years.
For two thousand years men and women, not unlike you and me, have generously shared their time, talent and treasure in order to assist in bringing the Good News of the Gospel of Christ to others. They have heard the words in Mark 16:15, “where Jesus said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” They have received the power of the Holy Spirit described in Acts 1:8 where we read, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Like the first missionary, the apostle Paul, they have boldly, fearlessly, and openly shared the love of Christ and the message of Christ with others.
Let us be reminded that at the heart of our calling as Christians, Missions is not just about a project or trip or destination. It is about discovering how God can use you right where your planted to share the gospel story. Ask yourself, who do you know that will spend an eternity separated from God if they do not receive His gift of Salvation? If you don’t know anyone, pray that God would bring someone into your path.
We just shared in bible study the other night about the apostle Paul’s witness as he found himself in Ephesus. He began with a group of twelve and expanded outward and in less then three years the whole province of Asia had heard about the message of Christ and the Ephesian church had begun. Not all believed but that is to be expected. As a reminder, the mission is to make sure that all have had an opportunity to hear.
Also, let me encourage you to participate in our Generosity Project 2017. You will read about it on our missions page and each week you will be reminded of how you can get involved. Yes, each of us should be able to give some monetary contribution or gift above and beyond our normal giving, but let me encourage you to give of your time and energy. Take a step of faith and join us on Saturday, October 21st at the Refuge of Hope Homeless ministry in downtown Canton. We will need lots of hands and lots of feet to share the love of Christ with those who are in need. The only requirement is that a person needs to be in 7th grade or older. The three hours you spend will not only bless the Refuge of Hope Mission and its recipients but it will also bless you tremendously.
Allow me to remind you about one of the most significant passages of scriptures when it comes to our duty to help those in need, Matthew 25. If you are not convicted after reading it, I really pray that God would speak to your spirit.
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’
44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’
45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”
There are people all around our world today who need the Lord. Will you step up to be the one who generously shares with them the love of Jesus Christ and his message of hope to all who believe?
Pastor Kevin
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