Mission Improbable

This Sunday's special, "How Blessed," was brought to us by Brother Ryan Crawford.

Our Sunday morning message was brought by our senior pastor, Dr. Larry Crawford: "Mission Improbable." We stood for opening prayer and the reading of God's Holy word, with the opening scripture reading taken from Luke 10:1-11.

Doctor Crawford then went on to explain: "MISSION IMPOSSIBLE," was a well-known TV series of days gone past, and a popular movie series years after that. And no matter how IMPROBABLE, the show was, it was named IMPOSSIBLE. We have a mission today that may seem IMPOSSIBLE, but it can be IMPROBABLE if we so choose it to be."

"In Luke 10 Christ sends out 70 disciples to represent Him among the cities of Judea. He called out these disciples to go and make other people uncomfortable. We don't like to do that, do we? We ourselves are put off by false cults that may try to get our attention in an airport. Yet that is precisely the kind of "uncomfortableness" Christ might be asking us to generate as we represent Him in this world.

Have you ever felt inadequate to be Christ's representative? I'm sure we all have. But in Luke Chapter 10, we have five resources that God gives to those who He sends out -- resources that enable us to do everything that He commands and expects."

Because We Are Commissioned

Luke 10:1 After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.

"Yes, the decision to represent Christ is not made by us but by Jesus Himself. We cannot commission ourselves. Several years ago a man carrying a crown and a folding chair sat on the steps of our nation's capital and crowned himself king of the United States, but no one except the curious paid much attention. No, we cannot commission ourselves, but think of the awesome privilege of being commissioned by God!"

Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

"This means that we serve to please Christ, the One who has called us to be a soldier and a witness. We go forth with a spirit of dependency, knowing that we ourselves do not have the resources to adequately represent Him."

Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, he ye reconciled to God, 2 Corinthians 5:20.

Because We Are Protected

Luke 10:3 Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.

"When an ambassador goes to another country, he cannot be harmed without it becoming an act of war. In fact, American embassies are always on American soil, regardless of the country in which they may be located. In the same way, as Christ's ambassadors, we have the privilege of being His property; whoever touches one of us, touches the King Himself.

"When Christ said that we are like 'lambs in the midst of wolves,' He knew exactly of what He spoke."

Acts 20:29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

"We truly are 'lambs in the midst of wolves,' because sheep are so defenseless, their only hope is to stay close to the shepherd. If they stay close to the shepherd, the wolves keep their distance. In the same way, the closer we are to Christ, the less likely that we will be ravaged by Satan, who wants to destroy us.

Are you living with some hidden fears today? You may be looking at the wolves, and that indeed will incite fear. But gaze at the Shepherd, and spend time in His presence and everything will be all right."

Because We Are Provisioned

"Christ gave these disciples specific commands:"

Luke 10:4-6 Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way. And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house. And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shalt turn to you again.

"The same provisions apply to our particular situation, the fact is that Christ is asking His disciples to be vulnerable. They must, humanly speaking, take a "risk" in representing Jesus Christ. They have to step out in faith, knowing that He will provide every step along the way."

Matthew 6:8 Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

We Are To Never Worry

"Christ also sends them forth with sensitivity. He is saying, in effect, don't be discouraged if some people do not receive you. You must look for "a son of peace." This is a person in whose heart God has already been working. Let's remember in our individual witness that there are levels of openness. There are some people who are totally turned off to the truth of God; they do not want to hear a single word about Christ. Those are people whom we must simply love with our actions if not with our words.

But then there are others, such as Lydia, whose heart the Lord opened (Acts 16:14). These are people who already have a God-given bent toward the Truth. When we find a person like that, it is our responsibility to do all that we possibly can to give them more Truth. If we spend our time with those who are open rather than with those who are closed spiritually, we will be much more productive."

Because We Are Empowered

Jesus said:

Luke 10:11 Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

"Today, Jesus does not always heal people who are physically sick. Indeed, Christ Himself did not heal all those whom He could have healed when He was here on earth. He does not always promise deliverance from physical illness, but He does promise deliverance from sin. And when He speaks about giving His disciples authority or power ..."

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

"In the New Testament Peter said to a crippled man near the temple, 'silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.' Eleven hundred years later as Thomas Aquinas, the great theologian, was visiting Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome, he was shown the wealth of the church by one of the reigning popes. The story goes that he turned to Aquinas and said, 'We cannot say as did the first pope, silver and gold have I none.' And Aquinas is said to have answered, 'Yes, but neither can you say, rise, take up your bed, and walk!'"

Because We Are Secure

"In this instance the seventy-two returned with joy because the demons submitted to them. Indeed, Jesus says:"

Luke 10:20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."

"Just think of it -- our names are written in heaven. Our names may not be in the Encyclopedia Britannica; our names may not be in the local newspaper -- and yet, our names are written in heaven!

If you go to the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C., you will see many people trying to find the names of their loved ones on that impressive black wall. As a matter of fact, they have special guards stationed to help people find the name of their friend or relative. And when the name is found, those who are present frequently run their fingers over the engraving and break out in tears. It would be upsetting to have omitted one of the fallen soldiers from Vietnam and for his relatives to have discovered that his name was not included wouldn't it? And that has happened. Now think of Heaven: A whole host of names -- thousands, no, millions and there is your name! Yes, it is spelled correctly, and you will not be misidentified! Our names are important to God.

This particular passage from the Word of God ends with the disciples giving an account to Christ for how they spent their time and energy. Some day we will stand before God and let Him know how we used the resources that He committed to us. We will explain to Him how the money was spent; how our time perhaps slipped away, and what we did in His name and for His glory. The books will be opened, and in that day we will be exposed for what we are. The judgment will be individual.

You might remember the story of the church in Berlin that was bombed and the hands of the statue of Jesus were broken off. The workmen intended to repair the statue, but then they decided that they wouldn't. Why? Because they wanted that statue to remind them that Christ has no hands today -- except ours. Wherever you find yourself, you are His representative, His flesh, and His bones. And today He appoints us to speak and live on His behalf.

What an honor -- what a responsibility -- what a blessing that the Christ has provided us with all the resources necessary to do exactly ... what Jesus would do."

All verses quoted above are from the KJV, the King James Bible.

We now have two morning worship services. Our first service, the Early Morning Service, is at 8:30 a.m. with Sunday School at 9:45 a.m. After Sunday School, the second morning worship service the Mid-morning Service, will start at 11 a.m. The one exception is when we have our monthly Fellowship Supper when we revert back to just the one 11 o'clock morning worship service, followed by our shared, sit-down meal.

Monday evenings: 6:30 p.m. Altar Prayer service.

Wednesday evenings: 7 p.m. AWANA for children (meal provided), and Bible Study for adults.

Friday evenings: 6:30 p.m. "Through The Bible In A Year," and a pot luck meal.

Saturday afternoons: 3:30 p.m. Nursing Home Ministry, Golden Living, Anderson.

Please remember you can hear a rebroadcast of one of our pastors' services, on KURM radio, 100.3 on the FM dial, at 8:30 on Sunday mornings. Or listen to our pastors' services on our website at:

http://www.firstbaptistchurchpineville.com/Sermons.html

If you have no church home of your own, we would love for you to join us (off the northeast corner of Pineville square, just behind U.S. Bank) in ours. No friendlier, down home church, can be found anywhere in the four-state area.