Christ

 “Christ for the world for the world needs Christ.” (Eric Liddell)

¹⁸ Then Jesus came close to them and said, “All the authority of the universe has been given to me. ¹⁹ Now go in my authority and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. ²⁰ And teach them to faithfully follow all that I have commanded you. And never forget that I am with you every day, even to the completion of this age.” (Matthew 28:18-20, The Passion Translation)

 

But the Holy Spirit will come to you. Then you will receive power. You will be my witnesses—in Jerusalem, in all of Judea, in Samaria, and in every part of the world.” (Acts 1:8, International Children’s Bible)

 

There are two different ways that God chooses to call you:

You are called to reach out (and minister) outside the U.S. to all parts of the world.

 

You are called to reach out (and minister) to people different from you.

You must remember this:

You can accomplish your mission in the authority of Jesus, who can set people free from their sins. (See Matthew 28:18-20 above)

 

You can accomplish your mission with the power of the Holy Spirit.  (See Acts 1:8 above)

You can accomplish your mission with the strength emotionally of those saints (living and deceased).

 

We have all these great people around us as examples. Their lives tell us what faith means. So we, too, should run the race that is before us and never quit. We should remove from our lives anything that would slow us down and the sin that so often makes us fall. ² We must never stop looking to Jesus. He is the leader of our faith, and he is the one who makes our faith complete. He suffered death on a cross. But he accepted the shame of the cross as if it were nothing because of the joy he could see waiting for him. And now he is sitting at the right side of God’s throne. ³ Think about Jesus; He patiently endured the angry insults that sinful people were shouting at him. Think about him so that you won’t get discouraged and stop trying. (Hebrews 12:1-3, Easy-to-Read Version)

 

How could God be calling you to reach the world for Him? Here are some ideas to think about:

 

Pack an Operation Christmas Child shoebox this holiday season for a child in a foreign country. (www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child)

 

Sponsor a child in a foreign country.

 

True spirituality that is pure in the eyes of our Father God is to make a difference in the lives of the orphans, and widows in their troubles, and to refuse to be corrupted by the world’s values. (James 1:27, The Passion Translation)

 

When COVID 19 is under better control, take a mission trip to a foreign country (or serve locally, or throughout the U.S.), to serve those in need. (In the mean time, prepare for that reality.)

 

Support missionaries (in the U.S. and throughout the world) on your own and through the church you attend.

 

Show hospitality to international college students (www.ifipartners.org)

 

Always remember to help people by welcoming them into your home. Some people have done that and have helped angels without knowing it. (Hebrews 13:2, Easy-to-Read Version)

For when you demonstrate the same love I have for you by loving one another, everyone will know that you’re my true followers. (John 13:35, The Passion Translation) [i]

 

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[i] Inspired by the sermon “Go to the World: Go” (installment four, final) Sunday November 15, 2020, Pastor Josh Boyer (CPLC).  All CenterPoint churches are open in-person at 10am. They will continue to meet online at facebook.com/centerpointchurches or centerpointchurches.com/live.