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What does God expect of us in light of global suffering?
Mar 24 | Pastor J.D. | 4 Comments |
The below is from a chapter in my forthcoming book GOSPEL: Recovering the Power that Made Christianity Revolutionary (due out October 1).
Contrary to popular opinion, the Great Commission does not begin with “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel.” The Great Commission begins with “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and in earth.” Before Jesus gives the Great Commission, He reminds us the Apostles the ultimately the Great Commission is His. He is the One with the ability to build the church, and He is the One who must do it through us. I love the words of Michael Horton here: The Great Commission begins with the Great Announcement.[1] Only by believing in the sufficiency of the God of the Great Announcement will we ever have the confidence to attempt bold things for the Great Commission. Jesus did not tell us to build His church, and to let Him know when we needed some help. He told us that He would build His church, and He will tell us how He wants to use us in that mission. That’s a big difference.
We often talk as if God has asked us to take over His job as it relates the salvation and healing of the world. Saying we will “eradicate world poverty,” “build the Kingdom of God,” and “finish the Great Commission” is to speak as if we were deity. “Faithfulness” is language more befitting of creatures and servants. Certainly, God commissions us to work faithfully for His kingdom and to do our part. But this is not the same as taking upon ourselves the weight of what God has said that He alone can do. At one point the Psalms, God even tells David to “be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations.”[2] The completion of His purposes on earth is a responsibility He takes upon Himself, and there is a time to be still and reflect on that.
In other words, responding to the needs of the poor and giving to the Great Commission are secondary matters for us. Our first response is to God. What has God given to us, and what is a faithful response? In light of how generous God has been to us, and the needs of the poor and the lost in our world, what should we do with the time and money He has given to us? Faithfulness and response are the responsibilities of servants.
So, meditate on the humbling but liberating truth that “God doesn’t need you.” But then, think about how generous God has been with you and how great the needs in the world are. Do you not eagerly desire to be used by God in His rescue operation? Do you not yearn, like David did, for the grace that has been given to you to come to others? Do you not want the resources that God has placed in your hands to be used to bring help, healing and salvation to others? If so, you will find yourself saying naturally, with Isaiah and the earliest Apostles, “Here am I, Lord, send me!”
Have you ever offered yourself to God in grateful response for His grace and asked Him to use you to bring healing and salvation to the millions dying body and soul apart from God?
What are you doing in response to Jesus and what He’s done for you? When you stand before Jesus on that final day, what will you point to and say, “That, King Jesus… that is what I sacrificed as a response to what you gave up for me.” Will you feel good, on that day, with what you have to offer?
[1] http://www.modernreformation.org/default.php?page=articledisplay&var1=ArtRead&var2=1201&var3=main
[2] Psalm 46:10.
4 Responses to “What does God expect of us in light of global suffering?”
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No, I don’t believe I will feel good on that day with what I have to offer. Even if I plant 1,000 churches and spread the Gospel to every nation I don’t believe I will feel good about what I have to offer. I imagine all my works will look like a “filthy rag” in front of the almighty God, that I will feel utterly worthless of his presence, and that I will be infinitely grateful and in awe of his grace, mercy, and sacrifice.
That being said, I still want to plant thousands of churches and see the Gospel spread to all nations. But like you say, it’s God that enables these things to happen, we could do none of these things on our own. We are swept away in His will and His Great Commission as a response. I don’t believe one who loves God has any control over this response, however. I could no more extinguish the desire in my heart to see God’s will carried out than I could extinguish the sun. It’s that overpowering and I’m just as helpless in any attempt to control it.
I was really surprise you ended that excerpt on that note. I know that you don’t believe in works-based salvation, and I know the Bible makes mention of crowns in Heaven as incentives for good works…that we should store up treasures in Heaven and not here.
Still, it does have an air of superficiality in light of Christ’s sweet work on the cross. Thank you for all you do Pastor!
Yes, the Great Commission is HIS Commission not ours. As much as I want the world to know Jesus, our Lord and Savior who died on the cross for us, I cringe at the marginalization of the Commission in many people’s minds.
Anyone going on a mission is given a special standing, praises before he or she goes and the words that they will not be the same coming back.
All this is great, but what about our own backyard. What about our own lost city, what about our own lost state and country. Are we waiting for someone else to reach out, what ARE we waiting for?
The Great Commission is not a one time or even many times event. Its a life style in Christ Jesus, it’s a readiness to preach the gospel at all times.
I fall short of this, I know, who am I anyway?
The Great Commission starts with us, with love for each other, compassion, caring each others burdens, prayer and fasting with each other. Without community we can have 1,000 churches and be as effective as a little ant without an ant hill, without help from other ants.
Raleigh churches are not far from being very lifeless. Oh many bodies come, but no communication and no love is found.
No wonder the Word of God says that HIS eyes roam over the earth searching for the one HE can use.
We cannot control our life, we need to submit to God and be even more submitted in humbleness in the good times and in the bad.
Only HE can show what each one of us should do, but there is not question that each one of us should love, BUT where is the saints love?
Well said claudia.