READ | SERMON NOTES
Summary l After Jesus ascended to heaven, the disciples went round the Roman empire preaching the gospel. They were passionate, but more importantly it was because they took Jesus’ command seriously – to make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.
The great commission is every believer’s responsibility. This is a serious call because salvation is a matter of eternal life and death. In the early church, ordinary believers served in the kingdom assignment as missionaries wherever they went. There is an urgency to preach the gospel everywhere. It is every Christian believer’s responsibility to obey God’s command. We need the power of the Holy Spirit to be his missional witnesses. In Greek, the word for witness is related to being a martyr, who dies because of that witness. However, a witness lives for Christ and is compelled to tell the truth and cannot remain silent because of his or her convictions.
Every believer is a bold missionary for God to the ends of the world. The central call for us as disciples is to proclaim the gospel. What used to be important to us on earth is no longer as important, compared to the command to fulfil God’s great commission. God had initially redeemed the Jews and would have, through them, brought salvation to the world. However, the Jews became bitter and jealous and rejected salvation. Still, God extended salvation to the Gentiles and humanity, and Christianity grew as they accepted salvation.
Disciples experience joy and the Holy Spirit when they fulfil God’s mission to the world! In doing mission work, it is often not so much about us blessing others. When we witness in humble obedience, God teaches us that through partnering with the power of the Holy Spirit, we receive joy in the Holy Spirit. We are called to be bold missionaries for Jesus. When we participate in missions, we allow ourselves to be filled with the Holy Spirit and experience joy.
Our calling in Wesley Methodist Church is to be the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. ‘We just want to love the Lord. We just want to express God’s love for all nations and all people’. (Joseph Chean)
Will we choose to join the many witnesses of the past to experience the joy of the Holy Spirit or will we be like the Jews of the past, who totally missed out on this?
(Sermon notes by Denis Koh)
PONDER | REFLECTION QUESTIONS
- What comes to mind when we think of “Missions”? What do you think it is?
- Who do you think “Missions” is for? How important is it for the individual and why?
- Do you know what’s the vision and purpose of Wesley Missions? (https://wesleymc.org/ministries/outreach/missions)
- How important is the work of “Missions” in Wesley Church and why? On a scale of 1-10 where would you rate our church fulfilling The Great Commission? Why do you say so?
- Read Acts 13:47 – this is the main command. Who do you think this is for? How does it apply to us?
- In Acts 13:44-46 – what was it that the “Jews” reject and what’s the consequence of the rejection? How has that rejection result also in their failure to fulfil what the Lord commanded? (v47). In what way do we also “reject” what the Lord has commanded us? Why?
- V48 – There were Gentiles that heard & honoured the word – what’s result of honouring the word? (v49). Why is this so?
- Read vv50-51 – How is it possible that the very people who are opposing the “mission” are the Jews (seasoned with the faith and expected to fulfil the commandments)? How is our church (or we) similar to them today?
- Read v52 – Describe the state of the disciples despite their persecution and rejection. What does this tell you about those who obey the Lord’s commandment of Missions (v47).
- Share what God is speaking to you about being a missional witness for God.
