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Global Missions · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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There are some words that John Newton wrote a long time ago. He was a man who wrote the hymn Amazing Grace.
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! He said, I never want to cease to be amazed that a wretch such as myself was not only spared the wrath of God, but also reserved a place of honor in declaring the gospel that saved me.
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And I really want you to know that I treasure that. I'm really thankful to be here with you today.
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That God wouldn't only just save me and spare my soul, but He would give me the opportunity to declare the good news to other people.
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And so as Nathan stated, we've been taking a break off of Romans 10 and discussing local and global mission.
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And my task today is to discuss the global part.
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And so what I want to begin with first is, as we've discussed in previous weeks, there's a lot of definitions and misconceptions about what missions actually can be.
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Sometimes, usually in the church, you have images of people going overseas and going to different places in the world with people who speak different languages.
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And that's what tends to come to mind when you hear the word missions.
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And that certainly is a part of missions.
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But, however, like mission is not a biblical word like covenant or justification or gospel.
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And so we don't have necessarily like a clear definition in Scripture for what missions means.
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And in the church, that could be broadly interpreted.
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If you were to say, what is the mission of the church?
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You could say, to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.
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You could say a lot of different things about what is the mission of the church.
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So it depends on what we actually mean by the word mission.
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And it could be defined dozens of ways.
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But a simple, I mean, if you just want to break it down to the most simple way to define mission in the Latin, where we get the word from, it just means to, like, being sent or to send.
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And secondly, and they're not different definitions, being given a task, sent to do something.
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Sent to do something, but not everything.
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Going to do something specific in particular in where you go.
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So, but we are very, very clear that God has given a mission to the church to go and declare the gospel to all nations.
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So, I have three questions for us to look at today.
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And underneath these, there's going to be a lot of other little bullets and asides.
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But they're underneath these three questions.
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But the first one is, what is the message we bring in our mission?
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And what is the message we bring in our mission?
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So, the gospel, the word evangelion means, in Greek, it means good news, glad tithings.
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And it means a victory in a battle.
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And those of you who know, I really like ancient history a lot.
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And in ancient Greece, like when city-states, such as Corinth or Thebes or Sparta or Athens were at war with each other,
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they would then really ride horses at that point.
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So, they did everything by running.
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They had runners that took news everywhere.
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And the picture is like a city would be waiting to hear what happened at a battle.
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And it would all just be like on their, you know, just on the walls, on the towers of the city,
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just waiting for news to reach them as to what happened at the battle.
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And then they would see a guy, you know, running over the hill, you know, and he would get there.
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And they usually could tell by the expressions on his face, whether it was good news or bad news.
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But if he had a joyful look and his face was smiling and he was just beaming with joy,
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he would cry out, you know, evangelion, good news of victory.
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We all know where to get the word, you know, Nike from the shoe that was from Pheidippides.
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He ran, you know, from the Battle of Marathon.
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And he cried out, victory, and then he died when he got to Athens.
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And it's the same picture of what this has meant.
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So if that's what gospel is, good news, glad tithings of victory, what is the Christian gospel?
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And so throughout the ages, man has faced a greater foe than anything in the world has known.
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It's something much greater, and that is our own sin.
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And sin brings about suffering, agony of the soul, and eventually spiritual death.
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Internal separation from God.
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There's no greater enemy than our own sin.
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And the power of sin and death among the nations is very, very great.
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That only a sovereign God could conquer it.
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And so we ask ourselves, where is the Christian gospel?
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Turn through Isaiah 52.
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Isaiah 52, verse 7.
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So understand, over the centuries, people have waited in darkness and waited in bondage of sin.
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And it's very cool that Nathan read, refer back to our text in Romans 10,
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because Paul actually quotes from this passage in Isaiah.
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Around roughly 722 or so B.C., the prophet Isaiah foretold of a greater victory that was to come.
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And in verse 7 of chapter 52, he says,
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How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news,
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who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness,
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who publishes salvation, who says to Zion,
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Your God reigns.
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The voice of your watchmen, they lift up their voice.
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Together they sing for joy.
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Waste places of Jerusalem.
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Together they will sing for joy.
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For eye to eye they have seen, see the return of the Lord to Zion.
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Break forth into singing, you waste places of Jerusalem.
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For the Lord has commanded his people.
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He has redeemed Jerusalem.
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The Lord has barred his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations.
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And all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.
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And so in this, we see the good news of the gospel prophesied about 700 years or so
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before Christ actually came on the scene.
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If you see some of the languages there,
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the feet upon the mountains that brings the good news,
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and the watchmen and everybody else,
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they're crying out for joy because news of victory has come.
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And he's saying,
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So what would be the response of the good news that was brought to those cities?
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It would be singing, it would be laughter, it would be joy.
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And he's saying that all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God
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and that this is for the nations.
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And so the apostle Paul actually was allowed to see this prophecy come to pass
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in the person of Christ who won the victory over sin, death, and Satan.
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And so we look at verse 10 in Isaiah 52,
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and we see that this good news is not just for Americans or for the West or for the Bible Belt.
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It's meant for the nations, all people groups,
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all the people scattered throughout the ends of the earth.
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Every language is meant for them.
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And Paul has many ways of describing the gospel or the good news.
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In Romans, he says,
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It's the good news of his son.
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Romans 15, the good news of God.
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1 Corinthians 9, the good news of Christ.
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2 Corinthians 4, the glorious good news.
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Ephesians 6, the good news of peace.
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Revelation 14, the everlasting gospel,
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or the everlasting good news.
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And we all know that before Jesus actually gave the Great Commission to his disciples,
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it says that they worshipped him.
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They fell down and they worshipped him.
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And it's almost, I want you to keep your hand there in Isaiah,
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but turn to Daniel 7 really fast.
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We'll look at another picture of a prophecy that Christ brought to pass.
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Daniel chapter 7, verse 13.
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Daniel is seeing these visions,
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and he has a picture of Christ,
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the Christ who was to come.
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Daniel 7, verse 13.
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I saw in the night visions,
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and behold, with the clouds of heaven,
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there came one like the Son of Man.
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And he came to the Ancient of Days,
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and was presented before him.
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And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom
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that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him.
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His dominion is an everlasting dominion,
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which shall not pass away.
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And his kingdom,
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one that shall not be destroyed.
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It's as if Jesus could actually say to his disciples,
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rightly do you worship me.
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I am the one that Daniel spoke about,
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that came before the Ancient of Days,
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and was told that the nations would worship me and serve me.
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Awesome picture of who Christ is.
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He rightly deserves the worship and praise of the nations,
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because he is God.
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And a long time ago,
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David Livingston,
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a missionary to Africa from Scotland,
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he told his wife,
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I know that you wish,
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as ardently as I,
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that the whole world will be filled with the glory of God.
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And that's what,
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exactly the heartbeat of what
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Daniel actually saw here,
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was that all the nations would give glory to this king,
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who would have an everlasting dominion.
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So this is,
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that's the first question.
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The gospel,
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the good news of Christ,
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and how God himself has sought man out to reconcile him,
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in a way that,
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if we come to Christ,
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we may live a life that glorifies God once again,
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and have relationship with God once again.
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And so missions is about that.
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It's about declaring the good news,
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that God has come in Christ to save sinners,
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and to bring them back to himself.
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So this is,
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that's the first question.
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The second question,
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we're looking at,
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and it may sound a little bit strange,
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but the second question,
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am I being called to global mission?
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Am I being called to global mission?
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And,
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with the most respect I can say,
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I want to say that really,
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this is a no brain question for any follower of Christ.
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when people come to me,
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and they say,
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I have a heart for missions,
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I want to say,
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I certainly hope so.
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That's kind of,
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in my mind,
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kind of,
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duh,
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you know.
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And I think,
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again,
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that question comes,
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because,
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of misconceptions,
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of how we've portrayed missions,
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and missionaries.
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But we just do it to everything too.
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We do it to pastors,
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we do it to,
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awesome authors,
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that we look up to,
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we do it to everybody.
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So,
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it's not just,
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that term,
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missionaries.
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But,
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to be a follower of Christ,
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is to understand,
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that missions,
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is a part of the heartbeat,
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of God.
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It's not,
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it's not something,
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just for a few people,
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to take on.
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Very,
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one of my favorite,
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and shortest quotes,
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by John Piper,
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is if John Piper,
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has any short quotes.
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He says,
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in terms of missions,
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go,
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send,
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or disobey.
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So,
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we are,
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to be involved in the going,
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the sending,
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or both,
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at times,
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or,
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we're in disobedience,
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we're in utter sin.
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So,
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I've done my best,
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to really think this through.
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And,
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this will probably be,
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a little bit different,
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of a sermon,
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than you've heard,
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on missions.
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I want this a lot,
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mostly to be practical,
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help,
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and wisdom,
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for those who are evaluating,
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in what capacity,
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would God have me,
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be a part of his global cause?
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So,
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it's not,
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what,
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but,
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should I be a part of God's global cause,
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but how should I,
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be a part of God's global cause?
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So,
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underneath this same question,
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I'm being called,
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to global mission,
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I have several things,
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that,
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that I've seen as,
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in my own life,
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in,
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in the lives of others,
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what are wrong,
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motivations,
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in seeking global missions?
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What are wrong motivations,
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in seeking global missions?
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And,
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the first one is,
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seeking adventure.
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Seeking adventure.
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Many people,
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are kind of wired this way,
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I kind of am,
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to some degree.
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You're always looking for thrills,
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you're looking to,
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to do the difficult,
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what you want to challenge,
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in life,
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and,
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the thrill,
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the unknown,
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just excites you,
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and,
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you're attracted by,
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mysterious places in the world,
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and,
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strange peoples in the world,
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and you kind of want to go,
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and,
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and dive into that.
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So,
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you like to go on,
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like an exotic,
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adventurous vacation,
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and attach,
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attach the name,
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mission trip,
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to it,
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often.
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And,
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you're there more for the place,
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and for the thrill,
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than for the broken people,
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that are there.
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And,
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you're the kind of person,
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to say,
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I love trying new things,
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dangerous things,
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I want to be radical,
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I want to be sold out,
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I want people to,
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the,
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the,
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the recognition,
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comes from doing something,
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totally different,
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than what most people do.
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And,
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and often,
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if you're not careful,
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those people can think,
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God needs me,
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like,
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I'm the person for this job,
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I have this,
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together.
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And,
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if that's,
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in your heart at all,
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I pray this,
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I pray that you would,
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you would ask God,
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help me realize,
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that you don't need me,
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for anything,
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and that carrying the cross,
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leaves me nothing,
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to both sin.
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Help me to fall in love with you,
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and break my heart,
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for the lost people,
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and direct me where I am,
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to minister there.
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So,
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that is,
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that is one,
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false motivation,
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for seeking,
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global mission.
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A second one,
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following a movement,
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following a movement.
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And so,
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there's always dangers,
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of following a movement,
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rather than,
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the message of that movement.
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In our case,
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we're quick to dive,
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into a movement,
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and forget the man,
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of that movement,
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which is Christ.
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And,
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we,
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when we go to conferences,
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and we hear messages,
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and we read books,
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and,
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we hear testimonies,
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and there's all this excitement,
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and,
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and clamor,
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and energy,
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that's going on.
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It's very easy,
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just to kind of go,
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right into it,
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just dive,
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right into that.
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And,
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everyone,
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wants to belong,
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to something.
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They want to say,
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I was a part,
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of this thing,
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that took place.
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When I was growing up,
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I always thought,
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it would be awesome,
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to say,
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I took,
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when I heard,
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some of the men,
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the older men,
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in my shirt say,
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you know,
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I stormed,
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the beaches of Normandy,
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or I,
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I landed in Market Garden,
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in Holland,
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in the second world war,
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I thought,
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man,
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that must have been,
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an awesome,
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thing to be a part of.
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You know,
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I would,
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I would think that way.
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Everybody wants,
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to belong to something.
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And so,
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we always want to be a part,
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of something big,
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and new,
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and,
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awesome,
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that is out there.
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And for example,
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in the church,
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there's a resurgence,
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of,
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of Reformation theology,
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the way that,
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the reformers,
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looked at the scripture,
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about,
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how scripture is our only authority,
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and how all things are,
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by grace,
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through faith,
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in Christ alone,
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and all to the glory,
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of God alone.
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Those are really,
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really good things,
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but I know people,
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that are caught,
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in that movement,
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and they forget,
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the heart of what,
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is actually going on.
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The heart of what,
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scripture is trying to tell us,
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and they,
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begin to identify themselves,
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as I'm a part of this camp,
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or that camp,
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rather than,
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I just fully want to,
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belong to Christ,
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and Christ alone.
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And so,
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it's the same thing,
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with,
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with missions,
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quite often.
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And then,
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in the church,
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particularly,
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among the younger generations,
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it's becoming,
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the cool,
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popular,
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trendy thing to do.
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It's like,
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let's go on missions together.
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And,
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they,
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there's even,
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kind of like,
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to some degree,
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a generational arrogance,
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kind of like,
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we're the generation.
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We're the generation,
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God's going to use,
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to fix the problems,
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of the world.
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And we seek,
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to kind of,
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almost separate ourselves,
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from,
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the faithful people,
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who have,
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lived,
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and died,
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and served,
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in God's global cause,
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before us.
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People like,
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my grandmother,
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who have taught,
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ESOL,
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for,
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almost 30,
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40 years.
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And,
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with the Georgia Baptist,
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going around the world,
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declaring the gospel,
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in the form of,
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teaching them English.
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You know?
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And,
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so we spit on,
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that generation,
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and we think that,
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we're the awesome generation,
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that God's going to use,
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to get this done.
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And,
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I was in that camp too,
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I was like,
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sign me up,
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I want to be a part of this,
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cool generation,
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years ago.
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But,
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this is not,
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the case.
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A lot of times,
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and you're a part of a movement,
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or you're going to do something that way,
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and you go,
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and you actually get to,
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some dark place in the world,
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reality,
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will set in.
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And,
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you'll be sitting there,
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dealing with silence,
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and depression,
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and hardship.
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When all the clamor is gone,
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you're just sitting there,
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dealing with actually,
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what's going on.
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All the,
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romantic glamour,
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will kind of fall off.
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And,
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so in a movement,
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we can be very careful,
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to forget the whole purpose,
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behind what we're doing.
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And,
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some of you have heard of,
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you know,
18:49
the Taj Mahal,
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and India,
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it's a,
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a beautiful place,
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but the king that built that,
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a long time ago,
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built it,
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to honor his third wife,
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which was his favorite wife,
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who were born,
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I think,
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13 children.
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And,
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he built this,
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awesome,
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beautiful,
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place for his wife,
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in honor of his wife.
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And,
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it took him almost,
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20 something years,
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to build it.
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But,
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there was multiple times,
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where they actually like,
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lost her coffin.
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They didn't know where,
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her coffin went.
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Like,
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why are we doing this?
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And,
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so,
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they got so caught up,
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in what they were doing,
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they lost her,
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the whole point,
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of the thing.
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And,
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I know that,
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we can get caught up,
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in movements,
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when we do that.
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We forget,
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this is about Christ,
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not about me,
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not about other,
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people necessarily.
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Really,
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this is about,
19:38
Christ and his glory,
19:40
and about declaring his name,
19:41
among the lost.
19:43
So,
19:44
I say that,
19:45
if you're in that camp,
19:47
I want you to pray,
19:48
God,
19:48
help me,
19:49
not to be enamored,
19:50
by the coolness,
19:52
and glamour,
19:53
of a movement.
19:53
Rather,
19:54
help me to fall in love,
19:55
with you,
19:56
and find who I am,
19:58
and you alone.
19:59
That's the focus,
20:00
you should have.
20:02
A third reason,
20:04
third wrong motivation,
20:06
is a distaste,
20:08
for American culture.
20:10
A distaste,
20:11
for American culture.
20:13
Many people,
20:14
seek foreign missions,
20:15
because they have,
20:16
developed a contempt,
20:18
almost a hatred,
20:19
for the people,
20:20
in America.
20:21
The culture,
20:21
the societal norms,
20:23
the prosperity,
20:25
and they make,
20:25
harsh generalizations,
20:27
like,
20:29
Americans are rich,
20:30
and stuck up,
20:31
as if there's not,
20:31
other people,
20:32
in other nations,
20:33
that are,
20:33
that struggle with pride.
20:34
Pride is at the heart,
20:35
of all sin.
20:36
No matter,
20:36
where you go.
20:39
Americans are so lazy,
20:41
as if,
20:41
there's not lazy people,
20:42
in the world.
20:43
And they characterize,
20:45
just everything American,
20:46
is sinful.
20:46
And,
20:47
if that's how Americans think,
20:48
they just must be wrong.
20:50
And,
20:50
they develop,
20:51
some sort of bitterness,
20:52
in their heart,
20:53
because of that.
20:55
And often,
20:55
those people,
20:56
are seeking to find,
20:57
their identity,
20:57
in some other culture,
20:59
some other nation.
21:00
They,
21:00
they like that,
21:02
and they want to go there.
21:02
And,
21:04
but,
21:04
a huge tragedy,
21:06
in this camp,
21:07
is that,
21:08
people who,
21:09
this is the kind of people,
21:10
who talk about foreign mission,
21:11
all the time,
21:13
but they won't,
21:13
go,
21:15
and share the same Christ,
21:17
with the people,
21:18
at their workplace,
21:19
in their neighborhood,
21:21
at their school,
21:22
they won't do it.
21:24
They have,
21:24
this is such a contempt,
21:25
for Americans,
21:26
but they're all about,
21:27
going to share the gospel,
21:28
with the lost,
21:29
around the world.
21:31
And,
21:31
I say that,
21:31
that's,
21:32
a twisted heart,
21:33
and a divided heart.
21:35
If God truly,
21:36
is burning in you,
21:37
a desire for the nations,
21:38
he will first burn,
21:39
a desire for you,
21:39
for the people,
21:40
that you're surrounded with,
21:41
right now.
21:42
And people that I see,
21:44
that I know,
21:45
that are genuinely,
21:46
supposed to be,
21:48
a part of God's global purpose,
21:49
they are pouring their lives,
21:51
out here,
21:52
like they're meeting with people,
21:53
all the time,
21:54
like praying for people,
21:56
sharing the gospel,
21:57
with the lost,
21:57
discipling.
21:59
I can say with confidence,
22:00
that if they say,
22:01
hey I'm,
22:02
I think I might be,
22:04
the Lord might be leading me,
22:05
to this area of the world,
22:06
I'm like,
22:06
man,
22:07
you know,
22:08
sweet.
22:09
But,
22:09
that's sin,
22:11
and there's bitterness in the heart,
22:13
if you think that way.
22:14
God loves the people,
22:16
the lost and dying,
22:18
in this world,
22:18
or in our nation,
22:20
just as much as anywhere else.
22:21
Don't start to rank people,
22:23
because,
22:24
there's fewer Christians here,
22:25
that God loves them more,
22:27
and not the people here.
22:29
So,
22:29
we can't do that.
22:31
So,
22:31
we need to pray,
22:32
God help me to love all people,
22:34
including those,
22:35
who are here in America,
22:36
and break my heart for them.
22:38
Help me be faithful,
22:39
where I am,
22:40
and glorify you,
22:41
where I am first.
22:42
That's what the focus should be.
22:46
And,
22:46
fourthly,
22:47
I just had two more,
22:50
fourth reason,
22:51
fourth wrong motivation,
22:53
for a global mission,
22:54
running from sin.
22:56
Running from sin,
22:58
and I've done this myself.
22:59
So,
23:01
many people,
23:02
who run to the nations,
23:03
they're seeking escape,
23:04
from some,
23:05
sinful habit,
23:06
that they struggle with.
23:07
Or,
23:08
some pain,
23:10
or some fear they have,
23:11
or some insecurity they have,
23:13
here in America.
23:15
I know,
23:16
guys that have gone,
23:18
and done,
23:18
global mission,
23:19
because they were struggling,
23:20
with,
23:21
with greed,
23:22
or,
23:23
materialism,
23:24
or,
23:24
sexual sin.
23:25
And they think that,
23:27
if they just go here,
23:28
it won't follow them.
23:29
And,
23:30
they fail to recognize,
23:31
that their enemy is within.
23:32
It's not,
23:33
something without,
23:34
it's something that will follow them,
23:35
no matter where they go.
23:38
And,
23:39
are the people,
23:40
who are running from,
23:42
from fear,
23:42
or insecurity,
23:43
or pain,
23:44
that they've experienced,
23:47
they've experienced,
23:49
a broken heart,
23:50
through,
23:50
a broken relationship,
23:52
with,
23:52
family,
23:53
or,
23:53
the opposite sex.
23:55
Are they seeking approval,
23:56
at work,
23:57
or a certain group of people,
23:58
they want to be,
23:59
accepted by.
24:01
And they find themselves,
24:02
going overseas,
24:03
hoping that that's not going,
24:04
to follow them,
24:05
and they can find,
24:06
somewhere else.
24:07
But,
24:08
all the time,
24:10
usually,
24:11
the vast majority,
24:12
of people who do this,
24:13
their sin,
24:14
or their fears,
24:15
their insecurities,
24:16
only escalate,
24:17
when they go,
24:18
to places.
24:18
It doesn't help.
24:19
It usually makes things worse.
24:21
Because they're not dealing,
24:22
with the problem,
24:23
first.
24:24
And their,
24:25
their enemy is within.
24:26
It's a sinful,
24:27
broken heart,
24:28
not the environment,
24:29
that they're in.
24:31
So,
24:32
I pray that you would see,
24:33
that there's no physical,
24:35
sanctuary,
24:36
away from your sin,
24:38
and your fear.
24:39
Only in God's presence,
24:40
alone is that found.
24:42
And so,
24:44
pray that,
24:45
God help me,
24:46
to see there's no,
24:47
sanctuary for my sin,
24:49
in place of healing,
24:50
for my broken heart,
24:51
other than in you.
24:53
Your presence,
24:54
alone,
24:54
in your presence,
24:56
alone,
24:56
there's fullness,
24:57
of joy,
24:57
and peace.
24:59
Steve,
24:59
Colbert,
25:02
who wrote the book,
25:03
you know,
25:03
When Helping Hurts,
25:04
the book that I've,
25:05
I borrowed,
25:06
and read a lot,
25:06
but I had to give back.
25:08
He said,
25:09
until we recognize,
25:11
our mutual brokenness,
25:12
our work with others,
25:14
especially with those,
25:16
who are materially poor,
25:17
will do more harm,
25:18
than good.
25:19
We have to realize,
25:20
how broken we are,
25:21
first,
25:23
and,
25:23
and how much we need to save,
25:24
before we go,
25:25
and help others.
25:27
So,
25:29
so that's running from sin,
25:30
or fear,
25:31
wrong motivation.
25:32
Fifth,
25:34
this was,
25:34
again,
25:35
I've lived in this camp,
25:36
and this is the last one,
25:37
wrong motivation,
25:39
guilt,
25:40
and penitence.
25:42
Guilt,
25:43
and penitence.
25:44
Those who feel,
25:45
the weight of their sin,
25:47
and their guilt,
25:48
often can seek,
25:50
to repay God,
25:51
for his kindness to them.
25:53
And I've done this,
25:54
it's often called,
25:55
the debtor's ethic.
25:56
God did this for me,
25:57
so I have to do this for him.
25:58
I have to pay him back somehow.
26:01
And I need to sell,
26:02
everything I have,
26:03
and I need to go to the hardest place,
26:04
to live on the earth,
26:05
and just give my life,
26:07
just doing,
26:08
missions,
26:09
so he'll see how serious I am,
26:10
and that he,
26:11
made a good investment,
26:12
when he saved me.
26:13
You feel like,
26:15
so unworthy,
26:17
so broken,
26:17
and you're motivated by guilt,
26:19
and unworthiness,
26:21
and not the love,
26:21
and gratitude,
26:22
that should come,
26:23
from knowing Christ.
26:26
So we seek to repay God,
26:27
and all that he's done,
26:29
in us.
26:29
And I've lived in that camp,
26:30
and so I pray that,
26:32
if that's where you are,
26:33
you pray God,
26:33
help me to see,
26:35
that you love me,
26:36
and save me,
26:37
not because,
26:38
of what I could do for you,
26:40
but simply because,
26:41
you chose to.
26:42
Help me to see,
26:43
that I'm completely loved,
26:45
and accepted by you,
26:46
and help me to do all,
26:48
out of love,
26:48
thankfulness,
26:49
and gratitude,
26:51
and for all you've done for me.
26:52
That's,
26:53
that should be our focus.
26:55
And so,
26:56
those are some wrong motivations,
26:58
that I've seen in myself,
26:59
and the lives of others,
27:00
for why they seek,
27:01
to go and do global mission.
27:03
So,
27:05
moving on,
27:06
I have a few reasons,
27:07
for what are pure,
27:08
and right motives,
27:10
behind global mission.
27:12
And,
27:13
kind of starting here,
27:14
like I said a second ago,
27:15
the first one,
27:16
is a deep love,
27:18
and gratitude for God.
27:20
You're aware,
27:20
of your own sin,
27:21
and you're aware,
27:22
of the depths,
27:23
that God has picked you out of,
27:25
and that,
27:26
it makes your heart joyful,
27:28
and so,
27:29
thankful,
27:30
for what he's done,
27:31
that you just want to know him,
27:32
walk with him,
27:33
live for him,
27:34
and die for him.
27:35
And you don't care how.
27:36
You don't care,
27:37
what he does.
27:38
If he says,
27:39
stay here,
27:39
and do the most,
27:41
back behind the scene task,
27:42
or if he's like,
27:43
go,
27:44
and stand,
27:45
and preach before,
27:45
thousands of people,
27:46
or he's like,
27:47
go to this nation,
27:49
and preach the gospel,
27:50
you really don't care.
27:51
You just want to know Christ,
27:53
to walk with him,
27:54
and to make him known.
27:55
That's,
27:56
kind of where you are.
27:57
So,
27:57
all that you've,
27:58
are doing,
27:59
is motivated,
27:59
by the love,
28:01
and gratitude,
28:01
you have for God.
28:02
You were,
28:03
you recognize,
28:04
that you were not with him,
28:05
at one point,
28:06
and he sought you,
28:07
and he wrapped you,
28:09
in his splendor,
28:10
and he called you,
28:11
his own.
28:13
And,
28:13
the result is,
28:14
you just hunger,
28:15
and thirst for God.
28:17
Turn to Jeremiah 20,
28:18
really fast.
28:23
Jeremiah 20,
28:24
verse 9.
28:25
So,
28:28
our hearts,
28:28
should be so filled,
28:30
with love,
28:30
and gratitude,
28:32
that,
28:33
we naturally,
28:34
talk about,
28:35
what we love the most.
28:36
It comes out of us.
28:38
And,
28:39
I want to declare,
28:40
declare Christ.
28:43
And so,
28:44
our affections,
28:45
compel us,
28:46
to preach the gospel.
28:47
Jeremiah 20,
28:48
verse 9.
28:49
If I say,
28:52
I will not mention him,
28:54
or speak any more,
28:55
in his name,
28:56
there is in my heart,
28:57
as it were,
28:58
a burning fire,
28:59
shut up in my bones,
29:01
and I am weary,
29:02
with holding it in,
29:03
and I cannot.
29:05
That is like,
29:06
how you feel,
29:07
if you truly,
29:08
have encountered Christ.
29:09
You must,
29:09
talk about him.
29:10
You must,
29:11
declare him.
29:13
It must come out of you.
29:14
Like Peter and John,
29:16
who stood before,
29:17
the religious leaders,
29:19
and they say,
29:20
we cannot help,
29:21
but speak of what we have seen,
29:22
and heard.
29:23
Or like,
29:24
the demon possessed man,
29:25
who was healed,
29:25
and he told Jesus,
29:26
I will follow you,
29:27
and do whatever you want me to do.
29:29
And he said,
29:30
go,
29:30
and declare what God has done for you.
29:32
He joyfully went,
29:33
and declared like,
29:33
what God had done for him.
29:35
And,
29:36
and deep down,
29:36
we say,
29:37
as Paul did in 1 Corinthians,
29:38
woe to me,
29:40
if I do not,
29:41
preach the gospel.
29:42
It has to,
29:43
it has to come out of us.
29:45
So first of all,
29:46
get to start there.
29:47
If you have just such a,
29:48
a love and gratitude,
29:50
for what God has done in your own life.
29:53
Secondly,
29:54
a love for the lost world.
29:56
And again,
29:57
I've already kind of touched on this.
29:59
Our hearts should break for the lost,
30:00
all over the world,
30:01
not just,
30:02
a particular,
30:03
certain people.
30:04
Not just lost people.
30:06
Not just in Asia,
30:07
Africa,
30:08
or Europe,
30:09
but our neighborhoods,
30:10
your schools,
30:11
the people you encounter,
30:12
your family,
30:13
places of work,
30:15
here in America.
30:16
America.
30:16
This is a very healthy indication
30:18
that God could be
30:19
expanding your vision
30:21
to go and do something globally.
30:23
You have to be faithful
30:24
where you are first.
30:25
That's a biblical principle.
30:27
It's just,
30:27
it's just there.
30:28
You can't escape it.
30:30
God wants to be faithful
30:31
where you are.
30:32
Then he will lead you
30:33
further
30:34
to where you are to go.
30:36
And,
30:37
we should go
30:38
to whatever extreme necessary
30:40
to reach the lost.
30:42
And God has given us
30:42
the privilege
30:43
of being his messengers
30:44
to rescue those
30:45
who are being taken away
30:46
to death
30:47
and hold back
30:47
those who are stumbling
30:48
to slaughter.
30:50
And then,
30:51
thirdly,
30:53
a holy desire
30:54
for going to the nations.
30:56
Many of you will find God
30:57
as you're being faithful
30:59
where you are,
30:59
pulling you
31:00
and directing
31:01
your heart
31:02
to a specific nation,
31:05
people group,
31:05
or region
31:06
of the world.
31:07
and you'll have
31:09
no romantic ideas
31:10
about it.
31:10
You'll be like,
31:11
I could go.
31:12
I could suffer a lot
31:14
while I'm there.
31:14
I could experience loneliness.
31:16
I could be persecuted.
31:18
Not a lot could happen
31:19
even if I go.
31:20
Even if I go and live there,
31:21
I might not even see
31:22
anyone converted.
31:23
You understand
31:24
the realities
31:25
of what's there.
31:25
You have no romantic ideas
31:26
about it.
31:28
But God is nonetheless
31:29
pulling you
31:30
and developing
31:32
a broken heart
31:34
for a particular group.
31:37
people in darkness,
31:39
a dark spiritual condition.
31:41
And you see God
31:42
opening and closing doors
31:43
as you begin to pray about
31:45
and seek this out
31:46
to see if this is
31:47
something He would have you
31:49
actually go and do.
31:50
So,
31:51
all this,
31:52
I've just said,
31:53
are wrong motivations
31:55
and right motivations
31:56
for global mission.
31:58
And you might have
31:59
just a mixture
31:59
of a lot of those.
32:00
I don't want you
32:00
to section them all off.
32:03
I've experienced
32:04
most of those.
32:05
And this is
32:06
the third part
32:07
and probably
32:10
one of the largest parts.
32:12
How can we
32:12
as a church
32:14
be active
32:15
in God's global purpose?
32:17
How can we
32:18
as a body here
32:19
be active
32:20
in God's global purpose?
32:22
And the first one
32:23
is
32:24
praying and counseling.
32:27
Okay?
32:28
We desire to help
32:29
direct people
32:30
to where God
32:31
is leading them
32:31
regardless of
32:32
wherever
32:32
that may be.
32:35
And we understand
32:36
that God
32:37
has uniquely
32:38
crafted you
32:39
and gifted you
32:40
for different things.
32:43
Those of you
32:44
who have children
32:45
know that your goal
32:45
is not to
32:46
force your child
32:48
into a mold
32:49
that you want
32:50
or just like yours,
32:51
but recognize
32:52
that God's going
32:53
to have them
32:54
as individuals.
32:55
He's going to have them
32:56
grow up to be unique
32:58
in a lot of ways
32:59
and that that's
33:00
going to play
33:01
into who they're
33:01
going to be
33:02
and what they'll
33:03
be doing one day.
33:04
And so we do the same.
33:05
So our goal,
33:07
most radicals
33:08
in the church,
33:08
they will make you
33:09
feel weight
33:11
and guiltiness
33:12
that you need
33:13
to do exactly
33:13
what they're doing.
33:15
I've seen
33:15
pastors
33:16
and missionaries
33:17
over,
33:19
foreign missionaries
33:20
alike do this.
33:21
They will come
33:22
and they'll preach
33:22
a message on
33:23
local mission.
33:25
They'll be like,
33:26
don't you dare
33:26
go anywhere else.
33:27
You need to stay here
33:28
and you need to
33:29
do local mission.
33:30
And then I've heard
33:31
the opposite of guys
33:32
say,
33:33
you know,
33:33
like,
33:34
how dare you not
33:35
go to the nations?
33:37
And there's a sign-up
33:37
sheet and everybody's
33:38
name's on the sign-up
33:39
sheet at the end,
33:40
like sign me up,
33:40
I'm going.
33:41
And it's almost
33:42
like they've been
33:42
burdened or guilted
33:44
into a certain
33:45
direction.
33:46
But we want to
33:47
sit down with you
33:48
and we want to
33:49
listen,
33:50
to pray,
33:51
to discuss,
33:52
to look at scripture
33:52
and help draw out
33:54
of you what God
33:55
is doing inside of you
33:56
and then direct you
33:57
where we think
33:58
that would be
33:59
or where you think
34:00
that would be.
34:02
We recognize that
34:03
about you.
34:03
We want to aid you
34:04
in encouraging you
34:05
in seeking that out,
34:06
whatever it is,
34:08
whatever it is.
34:09
And that includes
34:10
going to the nations
34:12
and that's awesome.
34:14
We want to encourage
34:14
that,
34:15
not to convince you
34:16
to be a goer or a sender,
34:17
but to figure out
34:18
where you should be
34:19
and to walk through
34:21
that journey with you.
34:21
It's our privilege
34:22
to do that.
34:23
I'm so thankful
34:24
for men and women
34:25
who are in the nations
34:27
now that I've had
34:28
a chance to be
34:29
friends with
34:30
and to encourage
34:31
and train
34:33
and send out
34:33
and that leads us
34:34
to the next thing.
34:35
Our church can be
34:36
involved in training
34:37
and discipleship.
34:40
We desire,
34:41
in general,
34:42
to help people
34:43
grow in their walks
34:44
with Christ,
34:45
to teach them
34:46
to know God
34:47
and to love God,
34:48
to follow Him
34:49
and obey Him.
34:50
We want to give them
34:51
a firm biblical,
34:53
theological foundation
34:54
for their life
34:55
and what they do.
34:57
Things that every believer
34:58
should know.
34:59
So you may think
35:00
theology,
35:02
scholarship,
35:03
intellectualism,
35:04
what does that have
35:05
to do with mission?
35:07
It has a lot
35:08
to do with mission.
35:10
Did you know that
35:11
John Calvin's
35:12
seminary in Geneva
35:13
was called
35:14
the School of Death?
35:16
And you no doubt,
35:17
I bet if you went there,
35:18
you would get some
35:19
hardcore theology
35:20
while you were there,
35:21
you would be learning
35:21
out the wazoo,
35:23
like information
35:24
about what the Scripture says.
35:26
But do you know
35:27
that a huge majority
35:29
of men that came there
35:31
from all over Europe,
35:33
they were so burdened
35:34
by what they heard,
35:35
they're like,
35:36
we can't stay here.
35:37
We have to go back
35:38
to our people
35:39
and teach them
35:40
these things.
35:41
And like,
35:42
huge numbers of them
35:43
were martyred
35:44
as they went back
35:45
to their home countries
35:47
from this seminary
35:48
to declare
35:49
the truth of the Gospel
35:51
to the people
35:52
they heard
35:52
and to translate
35:53
the Scripture
35:54
into their own languages.
35:56
So we want that
35:57
to be that.
35:58
We want to be that.
35:59
We want to train you
36:00
in our knowledge
36:00
of the truth
36:01
so that you will go out
36:02
and have a firm foundation.
36:05
There was a girl
36:06
who was a part
36:06
of our congregation
36:08
several years ago
36:09
who's graduated
36:12
and moved on.
36:13
But while she was here,
36:15
she took place
36:16
in a short-term
36:17
mission trip
36:18
to Moldova.
36:19
And there,
36:20
she was actually
36:21
attacked by
36:22
some of the,
36:24
kind of like the mob
36:25
that's there
36:25
in Moldova.
36:27
Actually,
36:28
and she came back
36:28
and told us,
36:29
you know,
36:30
when she returned,
36:32
your teachings
36:33
that I've learned
36:34
from you guys
36:34
about how God
36:36
is in control
36:36
of all things
36:37
that He is sovereign
36:38
gave me such peace
36:40
and joy
36:40
while I was
36:41
being threatened
36:42
with death there.
36:43
And like,
36:44
that's what we want
36:44
to have.
36:45
We want to give you
36:45
a firm biblical training
36:48
and discipleship
36:49
before you go anywhere.
36:53
We want you
36:54
to feel this burden
36:55
and go.
36:56
So,
36:57
also,
37:00
we want to be able
37:01
to serve
37:02
long-term goers,
37:05
long-term people
37:06
who are being called
37:07
to foreign mission.
37:08
We want to aid them
37:09
in any way we can.
37:10
and we want
37:12
to have,
37:12
like even groups
37:13
of people
37:14
in our congregation
37:14
adopt certain people
37:17
that are out there
37:17
to pray for them
37:19
constantly,
37:21
to fund them
37:22
financially,
37:23
to stay in touch
37:24
with them
37:24
and to encourage them
37:25
and to report
37:27
on what they're doing
37:28
here.
37:29
We want to see
37:30
that happen.
37:32
And
37:32
we're in the works
37:36
of trying to do
37:37
a lot of stuff
37:37
like that now.
37:38
and we want
37:40
to be connected
37:41
to these long-term
37:43
people who are there
37:44
and to inform you
37:46
here what's going on
37:47
in their areas
37:48
of the world.
37:49
That's important.
37:50
We need to be doing that.
37:52
And then,
37:52
also,
37:54
I try to be very careful
37:56
when I'm thinking
37:57
through this.
37:58
Also,
37:58
be involved
37:59
as a church
38:01
in wise,
38:02
short-term
38:03
missions.
38:03
missions.
38:05
And
38:06
we do desire
38:07
to engage
38:07
in some
38:08
short-term missions
38:10
as a congregation,
38:11
but we don't want
38:12
to betray
38:13
a short,
38:14
exciting,
38:14
exotic vacation
38:15
that you can attach
38:16
mission trip onto.
38:18
We never want that
38:19
to be the focus.
38:22
Not so you can just go
38:23
and experience
38:23
different peoples
38:24
and cultures,
38:25
and we want
38:26
to carefully examine
38:28
like cultural values,
38:30
economic situations,
38:32
and the broken
38:33
relationships of people
38:34
in those places
38:35
that we're actually
38:35
thinking about.
38:37
And I want to be wise
38:38
in the planning,
38:40
the implementing,
38:40
and the evaluation
38:41
of what we do.
38:43
Scripture is very clear
38:45
that the only way
38:47
to wage war
38:48
is to do it wisely.
38:50
It says in Proverbs 15,
38:52
without counsel,
38:54
plans fail.
38:55
But with many advisors,
38:56
they succeed.
38:58
In Proverbs 20,
38:59
plans are established
39:00
by counsel.
39:02
By wise guidance,
39:03
wage war.
39:04
So we want to be
39:04
careful about
39:06
where we send money
39:07
and who we send
39:08
to go and do
39:09
specific things
39:10
in different places
39:12
of the world.
39:14
In the book,
39:15
Helping Hurts,
39:15
Steve Carbert said,
39:17
by definition,
39:18
short-term missions
39:19
have only a short time
39:21
in which to show
39:23
a profit,
39:24
to achieve,
39:25
predefined goals.
39:27
And this can
39:28
attack our American
39:30
idols of speed,
39:32
of
39:32
comparatualization,
39:36
that's a big word,
39:36
money,
39:37
achievement,
39:37
and success.
39:39
Projects become
39:39
more important
39:40
than people.
39:41
That's often how
39:42
we can be in America.
39:43
We don't want to
39:44
put in something
39:45
so we can get
39:46
a quick response
39:47
or a quick profit back.
39:48
We've got to be
39:48
prepared to deal
39:51
with the long
39:52
haul in certain
39:53
things.
39:55
So there's a few
39:56
principles here
39:57
as to how we can
39:58
help make the most
40:00
out of short-term
40:01
missions.
40:02
And one is
40:03
engage with
40:05
the locals
40:06
and long-term
40:07
people that are
40:08
in certain countries
40:09
and ask them
40:10
to be a part
40:11
of the planning
40:12
and the implementing
40:14
and the evaluation
40:14
of what's going on.
40:16
And we want to do
40:17
what they think
40:18
is best for
40:19
the communities
40:20
that they're ministering
40:21
in and not what
40:21
we want to do
40:22
or what we think
40:23
is best.
40:25
Because
40:26
at the end of the day
40:27
it's not about us,
40:28
it's about
40:29
the loss
40:30
and reaching the loss.
40:32
So if that means
40:33
like
40:33
the money
40:34
that we would use
40:35
to actually spend
40:36
to get to the location
40:37
would be more
40:38
beneficial
40:39
just to give
40:40
to the people
40:40
that are there
40:42
long-term
40:42
so they can use it
40:43
and spend it
40:44
which way they think
40:45
best,
40:45
we'll do that.
40:47
But if they say
40:47
hey we really
40:48
could use some help,
40:48
we could use
40:49
some faithful people
40:51
to come and help us
40:52
for this period of time
40:54
and doing this
40:56
and teaching English
40:58
or training
40:58
or there's multiple things,
41:00
serving,
41:00
building,
41:01
we want to be able
41:02
to be a part of that.
41:05
And we want to even
41:06
help train
41:06
and prepare people
41:07
before they go
41:08
on these trips.
41:11
And so
41:12
also
41:13
in this book
41:14
I recommend
41:15
this book
41:15
by the way
41:16
when helping hurts.
41:17
I haven't read
41:17
the whole thing
41:18
but it's been
41:19
very good
41:20
practically
41:21
in learning
41:22
how to apply
41:23
missions
41:23
but
41:24
he has
41:25
three things
41:27
I think
41:27
would be helpful
41:28
for you to write down.
41:29
General principles
41:31
for helping
41:33
without hurting
41:33
and
41:35
there's three kinds
41:37
of things out there.
41:38
One is relief.
41:39
Okay,
41:40
we want
41:40
there's
41:41
a crisis
41:41
in the world
41:42
and we go
41:42
and we provide
41:43
relief.
41:44
And that means
41:44
there's an urgent need
41:46
and we need to go
41:47
now
41:47
and stop
41:48
the bleeding
41:49
of whatever
41:49
is going on.
41:51
That's relief.
41:52
The second one
41:53
rehabilitation
41:54
and that starts
41:56
when the bleeding
41:57
stops
41:58
and you help
41:59
people get back
42:00
to a pre-crisis
42:01
condition.
42:03
And then
42:03
thirdly
42:04
development
42:04
which is
42:05
an ongoing
42:06
effort
42:07
to help
42:08
people
42:09
and come
42:10
into a right
42:11
relationship
42:11
with God
42:12
and help
42:12
establish them
42:13
where they are.
42:14
So that's the things
42:15
we wanted to see
42:15
but
42:16
in the book
42:17
he says
42:17
one of the biggest
42:18
mistakes
42:18
is that
42:18
North American
42:19
churches make
42:20
by far
42:21
is in applying
42:22
relief
42:23
in situations
42:24
in which
42:25
rehabilitation
42:25
or development
42:26
is appropriate.
42:28
So
42:28
we're quick
42:29
to kind of
42:29
go and
42:30
provide the
42:30
wrong kind
42:31
of help
42:31
when this
42:32
is more
42:32
needed
42:33
than
42:33
what we're
42:34
trying to
42:34
give them.
42:35
So we want
42:36
to be very
42:37
careful
42:37
thought out
42:39
prayerful
42:40
seek out
42:41
wisdom
42:41
from those
42:42
who are
42:42
in those
42:42
countries
42:43
and the
42:44
long term
42:45
missionaries
42:45
that are there
42:46
and ask
42:47
them how
42:48
best can
42:48
we help
42:49
and Nathan
42:51
and I
42:51
or Wes
42:52
and Chris
42:53
run the
42:54
process of
42:54
putting together
42:55
you know
42:56
people that are
42:57
in different
42:58
continents
42:58
different nations
42:59
that we know
43:00
and we have
43:00
connections with
43:01
we want to
43:02
be able to
43:03
love and support
43:04
them in any
43:05
way that we
43:05
can.
43:06
But at the
43:07
end of the
43:07
day this
43:07
is all
43:08
about
43:08
declaring
43:08
the gospel
43:09
and the
43:09
glory of
43:10
God to
43:10
the ends
43:10
of the
43:11
earth.
43:12
So in
43:13
closing turn
43:14
to Acts
43:14
chapter 26.
43:24
Acts 26
43:25
and go down
43:26
to verse
43:26
17.
43:31
Paul
43:32
he declares
43:38
that this
43:39
was the
43:40
mission that
43:40
God sent
43:41
him to
43:41
do
43:42
and
43:44
he says
43:47
go to
43:47
the
43:48
Gentiles
43:48
to who
43:49
I'm sending
43:50
you
43:50
verse 18
43:51
to open
43:51
their eyes
43:52
so that they
43:54
may turn
43:54
from darkness
43:55
to light
43:56
and from the
43:56
power of
43:57
Satan
43:57
to God
43:59
that they
43:59
may receive
43:59
forgiveness
44:00
of sins
44:01
and a
44:01
place
44:01
among those
44:03
who are being
44:03
sanctified by
44:04
faith in
44:05
me.
44:07
This is
44:08
our aim.
44:09
This is our
44:09
mission,
44:10
our goal.
44:11
We want
44:11
people to be
44:12
set free from
44:13
sin so they
44:14
can know the
44:15
God that
44:16
created them
44:17
and walk with
44:18
them in a way
44:19
that will honor
44:19
him and glorify
44:20
him.
44:21
And at the
44:22
end of all
44:22
things,
44:24
one day a lot
44:24
of us in here
44:25
who know Christ
44:26
and have him
44:26
in our lives
44:27
will be
44:27
standing before
44:28
the throne of
44:29
God in
44:30
eternity,
44:30
praising him,
44:33
giving him
44:33
glory,
44:34
worshiping the
44:35
lamb who
44:35
was slain.
44:38
I watched
44:39
the opening
44:40
ceremonies in
44:41
the Olympics,
44:42
like probably a
44:42
lot of us
44:43
did,
44:44
and such a
44:45
beautiful,
44:47
cool picture
44:48
of what
44:49
eternity
44:50
could be.
44:51
All the
44:52
nations coming
44:52
together for
44:53
a particular
44:54
purpose and
44:55
coming in
44:56
with their
44:56
flags and
44:57
their languages
44:58
and all of
45:00
that,
45:00
as beautiful
45:00
as that is,
45:02
you know,
45:02
there's one day
45:03
we're all going
45:03
to come together
45:04
and we're going
45:04
to lay down
45:05
those flags
45:05
and we're all
45:06
going to take
45:06
on a new
45:07
identity,
45:08
have a new
45:08
name.
45:09
There won't
45:09
be any
45:10
barrier of
45:11
race or
45:11
culture or
45:12
any kind of
45:14
hatred between
45:15
us at all.
45:16
Christ will be
45:17
our all in
45:17
all and we'll
45:19
worship him for
45:20
all eternity.
45:22
This is the
45:23
goal, this is
45:24
what we focus
45:24
on, this is
45:25
global mission
45:26
and I hope
45:28
that some of
45:28
this has been
45:29
helpful,
45:30
challenging,
45:30
convicting,
45:31
encouraging.
45:33
If you agree,
45:34
disagree, it's
45:35
alright, you
45:35
can come and
45:36
talk to me
45:37
about it.
45:38
We just want
45:39
to glorify
45:40
Christ and
45:41
that includes
45:42
local and
45:44
global mission.
45:46
So let's
45:47
just turn to
45:49
the Lord in
45:50
prayer and
45:52
ask him to
45:52
help us.