When Christians think about missions, we often think of it as a command by God. However, when we take a closer look at some of the Bible passages associated with missions such as what is usually referred to as the Great Commission (Matt 28:18-20), we will see that it is so much more than that. As one writer so aptly puts it, “The Great Commission is not just a command, it is also a promise”.
Firstly, there is the promise of God’s plan. The Bible shows us that missions arises from the heart of God as He seeks to reconcile fallen humanity to himself (2 Corinthians 5:18-20). Just as God chose Abraham and his descendants so that the latter can know God and be the agent of God’s blessings to the nations (Genesis 12:3), so God is gathering the church to worship him and sending us forth to be a blessing through our obedience to God and sacrificial love for others (1 John 3:16-18, 1 John 4:7-12).
Just as we are being saved in accordance to God’s sovereign plan, Christians can eagerly look forward to that day where a great multitude from every nation, tribes, peoples and languages will be standing before the throne and the Lamb offering their offering unto the Triune God (Revelation 7:9). If we have come to experience the blessings of knowing God’s grace and love for ourselves, surely we would want to seek God and discern how we can help others come to experience such blessedness in and through Christ?
Throughout history, we have seen that apart from evangelistic activities and social programmes, the church has greatly impacted the world through the prayers, character and daily work of faithful believers wherever God has placed them in. When God’s people adopt a missional mindset and set ourselves to be witnesses of Jesus in all that we are and do, we trust that God will use us to bring about his salvation plan for the nations. Regardless of whether we belong to the Boomers generation or Gen Alpha, this has always been God’s call for us as followers of Christ.
Secondly, there is the promise of God’s presence. Before Jesus ascended to heaven, he promised his disciples that the Holy Spirit will be with them as proclaim that the kingdom of God is here (Mark 16:15-18, Luke 24:48-49, John 20:21-22, Acts 1:8). To the disciples, Jesus’ assurance of his continued presence through the Spirit would undoubtedly be of great encouragement to them. Even till this point, the disciples were somewhat uncertain about their future and were doubtful about how God’s kingdom will be restored in the absence of their beloved Lord. Yet, shortly after Pentecost and despite the severe persecution that broke out in Jerusalem, we read that those who were scattered went about preaching the word (Acts 8:4). In other words, it was not just the 12 apostles who were telling others about who Jesus is and what he has done.
The promise that Jesus made to his disciples is also extended to Christians today since we too have received the Holy Spirit upon believing and being baptised in Christ. Whenever we humbly seek to honour God and testify about the goodness and truth of Jesus, we can be certain that God is with us. Whether we are a Millennial posted overseas for work assignment in a country that is resistant to Christianity or a Gen X transiting into retirement, God will not leave us to fend for ourselves. When homesickness or loneliness threaten to creep in, the Holy Spirit will bring an intimate awareness of God’s presence as we cry out to God. In God’s sovereign providence, God’s presence can sometimes manifest itself in other ways such as being protected from possible physical harm or receiving a timely encouraging WhatsApp message from a friend.
Finally, we need to be reminded of the promises of God’s power. We are well aware that we cannot rely on our human efforts or earthly resources if we want to be faithful and fruitful in carrying out the Great Commission. Nevertheless, when God’s people come together in unison and learn to work with each other across the generations, much more can be achieved. This is especially so since we are up against powerful spiritual forces (Ephesians 5:12) and our enemy, Satan is going all out to disrupt and discourage Christians from our labour of love and faith.
Just as Paul and the other disciples testified about how unbelievers came to faith through the power of the Holy Spirit and by the power of signs and miracles (Rom 15:18-19), there will be occasions when God works in such a manner that none can deny that it is truly of God. Such “power encounters” have their place even for today as they demonstrate the reality and authority of God to those who steeped in the occult or under some form of spiritual bondage.
However, we should also guard against a triumphalistic understanding of how God’s power is at work. We need to know that God is also at work sustaining the believer who perseveres in a challenging situation where people are unresponsive to the gospel. Likewise, the Holy Spirit is also at work when following the examples of Adoniram Judson (missionary to Myanmar) and others, we can find joy despite the personal sacrifices or painful losses we have experienced. Indeed, it glorifies God when a believer shows through his life, that nothing satisfies him more than seeing the nations come to worship the true God and honouring the name of Christ.
Missions is ultimately all about God. And if we identify ourselves as a Christian, may the Holy Spirit help each generation to be in continual awe of God and grow in our zeal for God’s glory to be made known to all the nations!
