This video is of Brad Buser speaking at a Church. Brad was a missionary in PNG and is one of the best missionary speakers we've ever heard/met. If you can find the time to watch it, it may change your life and it has ours...
Written form:The issue is that there is a world out there, and most of that world has only one translation or, even no translation, of God's word. But we have approximately 4,000 ways you can get a New Testament in the English language, not to mention churches on almost every corner of America as well as Christian radio nationwide.
While Jesus was here on earth, He addressed many different topics. He talked about responsibilities, how to handle finances, how to handle relationships, as well as many other things. But, at the end of His life, He had ONE topic that He came back to again and again. He said, "Take my message to the ends of the earth." This topic made up more than 50% of what Jesus said after His resurrection.
Matthew 28:18-20 "Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." With this verse, we have to realize that this is not a suggestion, this is a command given by Jesus to 'make disciples of all nations'. This is the only time in Scripture where Jesus uses the words "All authority in heaven and earth has been given to me" (signifying its importance). Jesus knew how to veil meaning with parables, metaphors, hyperboles, and allegories. Yet, with this command He choose to speak in a crystal clear manner.
Mark 16:15 "He said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation."Luke 24:45 "Then He opened their minds (supernaturally) so they could understand the Scriptures." Jesus was having a Bible study and He could have chosen to talk about whatever He wanted. He could have talked about anything: issues regarding the tongue, how to treat the poor, or even parenting. Yet, of the hundreds of thousands of topics Jesus could have talked about when He opened their minds, what He chose to tell them was... Verse 46' "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." The #1 theme of this Old Testament verse is that The Christ had to suffer, be crucified, and rise on the third day. His meaning here is that the supreme issue of the Scriptures isn't missions, it's the gospel. This is the pre-eminent theme of the whole Bible, that God looked down from Heaven and saw our need and didn't say "that's too bad, I can't help you." Instead, He sent His Son. In Scripture there is no such thing as a love that does not have action to it. The first mention of love in Scripture is with Abraham and Isaac. This is within the context of extreme human sacrifice.
Moving back to the latter part of the verse we read, "will be preached in His name to all nations." In context, "all nations" doesn't mean nations as we know them today. It means all people groups, every tribe, tongue, and nation. The number one theme of the Bible is that God sent His Son, and the number two theme of the Bible is, "Now take my message."
Acts 1:7-9 "He said to them: It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by His own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will by my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. After He said this, He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid Him from their sight." This was the last things Jesus said to them before ascending into Heaven. Of all the things He could have talked about before leaving to go to Heaven, He chose to burn the command of world evangelization into their brains.
Luke 4:42-43 "At daybreak Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for Him and when they came to where He was, they tried to keep Him from leaving them. But He said, I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent." Jesus didn't feel that He had to fulfill every need in every town that He was in. He felt it was His work to preach the good news of who He was to all that He could, and that meant going out where He had not been.For you to walk away from what you have always dreamed of, wanted, and desires in this life, and take what Jesus has said, and say "I'll do it", takes obedience to His command. You don't do this because you want to, not because you feel led, not because of a call, not because it feels good, but because God told you to. For you to walk away from your own personal dreams and embrace the passion of your Savior, will never be regretted when you check out of this life for eternity, having put aside your ambition for His ambition. God has commanded us, and His command is to take the gospel to the ends of the earth.
We can say "Lord Jesus I love you and appreciate you. I want to serve you I want to study your word/life I want to be like you and I want to give you my life but I don't know about this mission's thing." You cannot grow in your relationship and love for Him and cut off this which is so much a part of His heart and who He is. His heart loves all peoples of the world, and He sent His Son to die for that love. If your heart has not grown to that point, I would challenge your love and knowledge for the Lord Jesus Christ. At some point, if you love your Savior, you'll want to do what pleases Him, and that is being a part of spreading the good news of the kingdom of God to all people.
I'm not saying that if you're not an overseas missionary that you're sinning or that you're out of God's will. I am saying that God's heart is for all people and every nation to know Him, and He has commanded us to be involved in that. There are a lot of different places someone can fit in helping with world missions, whether being a goer or a sender there are many jobs to be filled. My challenge to you is to pray and seek out the Lord to find out where He would have you fit in with that plan...
"Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"
~Romans 10:13-15
How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"
~Romans 10:13-15
"Then I head the voice of the Lord saying
'whom shall I send? And who will go for us?'
And I said, 'Here am I. Send me!"
Isaiah 6:8
'whom shall I send? And who will go for us?'
And I said, 'Here am I. Send me!"
Isaiah 6:8
~Based off of Brad Buser NTBI Chapel 05'
