Scripture: 2 Cor 5:17-20

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, that person is a new creation: The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.

In light of Christ's soon return, we have been challenged to:

Review our life
Repent of our sins
Reset our priorities and values
Restart our lives anew, living to honour and glorify God
Ready to meet God

To honor and glorify God, we must:

Live a holy and godly life – 2 Pet. 3:11-12
Live missionally for God – 2 Cor. 5:17-20

3 important things to take note of:

1. You are a MISSIONAL Person

"a new creation" (v.17)

You have a new set of values and priorities
You are saved, set apart and sent by God
You have the gospel message to tell others
You have a testimony to share

2. You have a MISSIONAL Ministry

"the ministry of reconciliation" (v.18)

You are Christ’s ambassador (v.20)
You must tell others what you have received in Christ and what God has done for you
You are to invite the sinner to faith in Christ
God will make His appeal through you (v.20)

3. You have a MISSIONAL Message

"the message of reconciliation" (v.19)

You have a message of

Hope
Redemption
Reconciliation
Restoration

Living missionally for God starts by understanding and obeying the Great Commandment and the Great Commission.

1. The Great Commandment

30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:30-31)

A. Love God with your heart, soul, mind, and strength

wholeheartedly, completely, unashamedly
holding nothing back from God, not even your life

B. Love your neighbor as yourself

Being a blessing (and not the bane) to others
Living with a calling and purpose

2. The Great Commission

18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 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, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

A. Participate - "go"

pray, preach, proclaim, present

B. Purpose - "make Disciples"

C. Place - "all nations"

Acts 1:8 – be God’s witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, ends of the earth
Local: home, neighborhood, community, school, camp, workplace, social circles –relatives and friends, city, nation
Overseas: Other countries

D. Pursue – “baptising them…”

E. Persuade – “teaching them to obey…”

F. Promise – “Surely I am with you always…”

Missions is a mandate

not a choice
not an option
not a matter of personal preference
not one alternative among several

What must we do?

If we truly believe that hell is real and people without Christ are headed there, according to the Bible, then we should:

Present ourselves as living sacrifices
Pray for the lost – loved ones, relatives, friends
Plead for the souls of men/women
Preach to the lost
Persuade them to believe in Jesus and accept Him as their Lord and Savior
Place them in a God-honoring church for discipling and equipping

Ask God for His anointing and power to live missionally for Him.

Ask God for His special covering and courage to reach out to the lost - here and beyond - quickly.

Time is short and Jesus is coming back soon.

Be ready to meet God with no regrets.

By: Rev. Glen Lim

Living Missionally For God