Mark 16:15
“And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.” (Mark 16:15)
My friend, this world is filled with people on their way to destruction. And it’s quite possible just to sing a little louder and drown out their cries. But not if we are in this world as he is – to love as he loved. He’s given his marching orders, so we better be intentional about it. Oh, none of us can single handedly change the world. We can’t bring the big story to the last chapter, but we can make a difference. Every one of us.
And what is the big story? Well, every tribe, every person, he said. God loves the world. If your life story does not track with His life story, what’s your excuse? By the Spirit, he’s given the orders, so the only question is, will you obey? Or will your life story be sort of a beautiful footnote to the big story? There are many roles to play, many tasks to do, and all are equally legitimate. Notice they are not equally important. No, some roles are far more important than others. That’s why Paul said, “first apostles.” (1 Corinthians 12:28)
We don’t need to envy others the greater role they have in the story. You may be assigned a bit part, or perhaps a supporting role. Not many play lead roles, even fewer are stars. But your role is legitimate. If it’s God’s assignment for your part, it’s more than legitimate, it’s significant. You can make a difference. Whatever your role, your responsibility is to see that it advances God’s big story – the evangelization of the world.
On the other hand, don’t settle for a bit part if God wants you to play a major role. Maybe God will use you to change the world. Don’t shrink back from that. The need of the hour is like it was in the first century; for a Timothy or Barnabas, those who go to the front, to plant the church where Christ is not yet known.
I’m sure someone may say wait a minute, that’s all in the past. Now it’s over to the Developing World churches. They’ll take care of the mopping-up operation now. I thank God for the way the younger churches are now taking responsibility for the big story. But do you know that even with all of those commitments from Korea and Brazil and Nigeria, the Philippines, and Southern India combined with all of those who go from this country, we can’t finish the task.
We don’t know how many people would be needed. Probably 200,000 people to train to go to the yet unreached peoples of the world. You ask how many unreached peoples there are. Nobody really knows. My estimate is it’s more than one in four alive today on planet Earth who have not heard the gospel in a way they could understand and savingly respond to. Of course, many of those live within reach of the gospel or of gospel witness. But the scary thing about the unfinished story is this, at least a billion immortal souls live out of reach of present gospel witness. They live in language groups or cultures isolated from the storytellers. So if someone doesn’t go from the inside of the church to those places, they have no way of hearing the story at all. Why not aspire to that role?
But in whatever role God puts you, make very sure that God’s mission is central. A reported survey on the components of the healthy church cited spiritual maturity, outreach, evangelism, fellowship, relationship community, and mature leadership. The missing ingredient? Missions. A healthy church without God’s central passion, the Spirit’s first purpose for his church, was last on the list or missing altogether from the healthy church.
Are you going to participate fully and finish the story? Perhaps you will inspire and raise up dozens of storytellers to go where you can’t. Perhaps you’ll invest at least as much in supporting them as you do in building your own edifice. Will you lead people to stop playing at prayer and get involved seriously with God in finishing the story?
Many people don’t like to make commitments, especially long-term commitments. Where would we be if Jesus felt like that? So where are you today? Secure in the familiarity of home. Is it time to consult with God, to see if down the road he has a plan for you to leave home to a foreign realm so God can finish his story there? Well, surely, at least with Jesus to do the Father’s will.
But maybe in these days you’ll come to your own Jerusalem, set your face toward your destiny. No matter how demanding. No matter how painful. No matter how costly to bring salvation to the world. But perhaps today is Gethsemane – God is calling you. Everything in your life is pointing in the direction of playing out your role at the frontiers. But you shrink back naturally. Jesus shrank back. “Father, must it be? You can do anything. Please give me another role nevertheless. Not my will. But yours be done.”
Is God calling you to move your story just a step further incrementally? Not a big leap all at once perhaps. But today, if you’re still comfortably at home, not even thinking of anything beyond, you can say “Yes, Lord. I’ve got to be about your business, your story.” Or have you come closer to discovering your destiny? Committing to it. Perhaps it will be your Gethsemane. Maybe you need to commit to full participation by finishing the story as a pastor or leader in a local church. Why not commit to build a truly Great Commission church?