GOD’S MISSIONARY HEART

God is the first Missionary, the world has ever seen. This we can see in the first act of rescue and redemption of the fallen man, right on the very day, our first humans rebelled against God the Creator. This speaks volumes about God’s heart, and what compels Him to reach out and redeem His enemies…that is, us.
– “It is not the church of God that has a mission in the world, but the God of mission who has a church in the world.” – Dr Christopher Wright

Let us see how this subject of God as the Missionary unfolds in the Scriptures, and what is that great Missionary asking from us, as His children, disciples and ambassadors.

1- THE PROMISE OF RESCUE AND REDEMPTION
– “15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” – Genesis 3:15

2- THE FIRST ACT OF RESCUE AND REDEMPTION
– “21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.” – Genesis 3:21

Latter, the LORD clothed all who believed in the LORD Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, with His righteousness.
– “21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” – 2 Corinthians 5:21

3- GOD KEPT THE LINES OF COMMUNICATION ALIVE, DESPITE OUR SIN AND REBELLION
CAIN AND ABEL
– ‘6 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? 7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.” – Genesis 4:6-7

4- GOD DID NOT ABANDON MAN TO HIS FATE, BUT WAS HOLDING HIM ACCOUNTABLE FOR HIS ACTS 
– “9 And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper? 10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.” – Genesis 4:9-10

5- GOD’S LOVE AND FORGIVENESS FOR NINEVITES
– “​1 Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.”…11 And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left—and much livestock?” – Jonah 1:1-2, 4:11

6- GOD IMPLEMENTED HIS PLAN OF REDEMPTION THROUGH THE LORD JESUS
– “4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.” – Galatians 4:4-5

7- THE GOOD NEWS OF GREAT JOY
– “10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord…13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” – Luke 2:10-11,13-14

8- GOD’S MISSIONARY HEART REVEALED
– “16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” – John 3:16

9- THERE IS NO OTHER WAY FOR OUR REDEMPTION
– “12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” – Acts 4:12

God is the model for all missionaries, and for all mission work. When we look at God and His heart…
– We see His UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.
– We see God making a CHOICE to Rescue us, and not to abandon us to our death and destruction, which we rightfully deserve.
– We see God WILLINGLY offering Himself as the SACRIFICE to redeem us, the fallen human beings, because we were utterly helpless and hopeless.

Now the question for us is this, *”Are we willing to step up, and do what God is asking from us?”* 

10- GOD’S INTENTION BEHIND OUR REDEMPTION
– “12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” – John 1:12-13
– “15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.” – 2 Corinthians 5:15

11- OUR CHRISTIAN RESPONSIBILITY [BEFORE WE DIE]
– “18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” – Matthew 28:18-20
– “17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation…8…and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.” – 2 Corinthians 5:17-20

We are called to serve the LORD, as His missionaries, in our generation…this includes preparing the next generation to carry forward the torch. This is in line with the rich tradition of all who faithfully lived for God.
– ’36 For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers…” – Acts 13:36
– “2 And he [Josiah] did what was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in all the ways of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.” – 2 Kings 22:2

Even so, the LORD help us.