​“Your Mission, should you choose to accept it, is to” … “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation” (Mark 16:15).

The juxtaposition of twenty-first century fiction with first century fact may seem strange, but the analogy works.  The “Mission Impossible” tagline transitions seamlessly into the words of Mark 16:15 because of the difficulty and the scale  – the seeming impossibility – of the mission Christ gave his disciples.   The analogy follows through because in both cases we see a small dedicated group struggling to fulfill its mission – despite the machinations of evil forces bent on the group’s destruction and the thwarting of the mission it has been given.

We know the ending, of course.  We know the movie mission will be fulfilled, and that the Christian mission will likewise be fulfilled eventually, but that doesn’t stop us from living through some tense moments in the “mission” type movies we may watch, or in the “mission” lives to which we are called.  For many of us, in fact, there are days when the “impossible” part seems more real than the “mission.”
 
Sometimes it’s the difficulty associated with fulfilling the mission we are given, at other times it’s the sheer size and magnitude of the task.  But it is encouraging to remember this is how it has always been. If we backtrack to some of the earlier “impossible” missions recorded in the Bible, we find that they almost always involved moments of tension and doubt regarding either the  difficulty or the size of the task that God had given. 

The Book of Judges alone is full of such stories. Put yourself in Rahab’s shoes as she thought about how difficult it was going to be to explain to the king and his security forces where the Israelite spies were who they knew had been staying in her house (Joshua 2), or think about how Gideon felt about the size of the task when he was told to cut his army by  almost 99 percent before a huge battle (Judges 7).   But God has the ability and the will to routinely turn the impossible into the accomplished.

Christ himself had to remind his disciples of this fact:  “… With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God” (Mark 10:27).  We know this intellectually and spiritually, but often it helps to look more closely at the mission briefing and remind ourselves that both the difficulty and the scope of the mission are possible: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8 ESV). 

Notice first that the difficulty of the job is covered in the promise to provide the necessary resources: “… you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.”  Next, notice that the Son of God could have just said “you will be my witnesses to the end of the earth,” but he broke the mission down into successive, bit at a time, stages – Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, the whole world. 

The mission parameters we are given specifically remind us that we will be given the resources we need to do the job – and they also remind us that we need to do the job a bit at a time.  The answer lies on the one hand with faith in the help we are promised, and on the other hand with our ability to successfully break down the mission and firmly grasp a workable part.  But we have not really accepted the mission if we accept it as an impossible-seeming task. 

Our mission, if we accept it, is to trust, and then to take on a small part of the job and make it happen.    Those are the two responses needed to fulfill the mission we have been given. What small part of the mission will you make happen today? 

We must never fall into the trap of thinking that Christianity is something that missionaries and ministers do, and that the rest of us are observers to what they do. 

The apostle Paul makes this fact clear in many of his writings, but perhaps nowhere clearer than in his epistle to the Philippians.  In fact, Paul’s letter to that church might be called “the message of Christian involvement”!

Paul begins his letter: “Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons” (Philippians 1:1), and although Timothy is not the “coauthor” of the letter, his inclusion sets the tone continued in the mention of all the believers as well as the elders of the congregation.  It is important to remember this stress on both members as well as ministers, laity as well as leaders, in reading what Paul continues to say.  Throughout the letter we find the apostle makes many statements based on equal involvement in the work of the faith, as we see in the following examples (emphases added) and many others:

In Chapter 1, Paul gives thanks for the church’s (read “everyone’s) “partnership in the gospel“ (Philippians 1:5.), and says that “all of you share in God’s grace with me” (vs. 7). He states that because of his own captivity “most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear” (vs. 14), and that “through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance” (vs. 19). Paul also says “…I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith” (vs. 25), and that they should all be “striving together as one for the faith of the gospel” (vs. 27) since they  were going through “the same struggle you saw I had” (vs. 30).

Chapter 2 continues from exactly the same perspective.  Paul speaks of the “…common sharing in the Spirit…” (Philippians 2:1), “having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind” (vs. 2). And he shows that this unity is expressed in all of the Philippians having the same goals and rejoicing in the same successes of the work:  “… I am glad and rejoice with all of you.  So you too should be glad and rejoice with me” (vs. 17). In this chapter Paul also speaks of the work of Timothy, and of “… Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs” (vs. 26), clearly showing the direct involvement of Epaphroditus and the congregation in Paul’s work.

This ongoing pattern is found throughout the rest of the epistle.  Paul mentions other members of the congregation who were deeply involved in his work – members such as certain women who “… have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are in the book of life” (Philippians 4:3). He tells us that the Philippians shared in his troubles (4:14) and sent him help (4:16), and when Paul closes his letter with his blessing on the Philippians, he includes “all God’s people” – both all of them and all of his own group (4:21). 

If you ever doubt the importance of every Christian’s involvement in the ongoing work of God as well as the personal acceptance of the gospel, read Philippians. You will see that Paul includes all of God’s people in this work – including you.

The New Testament Book of Acts contains many fascinating stories of the growth of early Christianity. One of those stories tells of the conversion of an African man from Ethiopia whose coming to belief had great significance for early Christianity – more than we might realize ...

“Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road – the desert road – that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him …” (Acts 8:26-31).

Reading the story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch it is hard for us, as modern readers, to grasp the way in which the story would have been perceived by its original hearers in the early Church.

In the ancient world Ethiopia epitomized the idea of remoteness.  The Greek poet Homer spoke of the inhabitants of Ethiopia as the “farthest of men” – the most remote known peoples (Odyssey 1.23), and the term Ethiopia  was often used by classical writers to mean all of unknown sub-Saharan Africa – to “the ends of the earth.”

This sense of the exotic and distant land from which the eunuch came was heightened by other details of the story – the fact that the inhabitants of Ethiopia were dark-skinned was exotic in itself. The fact that the man was a eunuch also placed him in a small minority of Jews or  Gentile proselytes  to the Jewish faith. Even more exceptional was the nature of the eunuch’s position as an important official in a distant land perceived to be “ruled by women” (a number of the Kandake queens ruled Ethiopia  during that era). All these factors would have come together in the minds of early Christians to form a very vivid  image of a man from the ends of the earth. 

We see how these facts would have been perceived when we apply them to the wording of the great commission given by Christ to his disciples before his ascension: “…you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8B).  Acts records that commission being fulfilled in Jerusalem (Acts 6:8-8:3), in Judea and Samaria (Acts 8:4-25) and, in the story of the Ethiopian  eunuch, to “the ends of the earth” (Acts 8:26-40).  That is doubtless why, out of all the thousands of people that were converted at that time (Acts 4:4, etc.), the story of the Ethiopian eunuch was selected to be told in detail. The commission certainly was to take the Gospel to all the Gentile world, not just to Ethiopia, but the early readers of Acts would have immediately recognized in that account how God was working out His purpose and beginning to fulfill His intentions. 

There are many exemplary lessons we can see in the story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch: the willingness of Philip to follow the Spirit’s prompting to do the work of God, the devotion of the Ethiopian to travel the huge distance to Jerusalem to worship, the humility of the powerful  man in the way he asked Philip’s help  to understand God’s word, and many more.  But a lesson we should not forget is that if we keep in mind the plan and purposes of God, we will see them being fulfilled in and around us if we are observant.  If we look for them, we will see the signs of God’s work being done and be strengthened by them, as the word continues to go out to “the ends of the earth.” 

The idea of a fountain of life or rejuvenation has captivated humanity for a long time.  Stories of such a fountain are known from around the world and dating across many centuries.  

The idea is mentioned in the writings of the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, and others. It was common in many areas of Europe and Asia, and among the native peoples of the New World when it was discovered in the 16th century of our own era.  It was at that time that the legend became particularly prominent in the quest of the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León, who sought the fountain of life or youth in Florida in 1513. 

Many other individuals have tirelessly hunted for such a fountain over the centuries –some spending fortunes and lifetimes searching – but the  fountain has remained as elusive as it is legendary.  Today we may view the stories as quaint relics of bygone ages, but they are also sad testaments to the fact that human beings so often search for their deepest desires in all the wrong directions.

Unlike the many disenchanted explorers who admitted defeat in looking for the elusive fountain, David, king of ancient Israel, felt that he had found it. Speaking of the God of Israel, David wrote: “For with you is the fountain of life” (Psalm 36:9).   His son, the wise king Solomon – who spent much of his reign searching for what brought happiness and life – speaks repeatedly of the fountain of life in his proverbs, showing different aspects or ways in which it is experienced:

“The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, turning a person from the snares of death” (Proverbs 14:27).

“The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life …” (Proverbs 10:11).

“The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life…” (Proverbs 13:14).

“Prudence is a fountain of life to the prudent …” (Proverbs 16:22).

Other biblical verses equate the flowing water of life with wisdom, knowledge, and truth, and these verses all show that the fountain of life can at least be approached by walking in the way of God.  But these aspects  are all, admittedly, a reflection (or perhaps more accurately a “trickle-down”) of the true fountain of life itself.  In his teaching, Jesus showed how that fountain can actually be gained:  “… whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:14 NKJV).

That fountain which flows from God Himself will not disappear like a myth in the mists of time. The Book of Revelation shows it will be there beyond this age in the new heaven and earth:  “.. the Lamb who is in the midst … will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters...”  (Revelation 7:17 NKJV). That is the true fountain of life that exists and lasts far beyond humanity’s wildest dreams or hopes. 

It is sad indeed that, over the centuries, many have spent great fortunes and much of their lives looking for this world’s imaginary  living fountain.  But it’s worth asking ourselves – what are we, who have found the only true fountain of life, spending of our time, energy, and resources to hold on to it and to lead others to it?

The apostles and early Church did not understand the concept of the expanding universe, of course. In fact, their concept of the universe itself was doubtless limited to what they could see with their own eyes without the help of today's astronomy and theoretical physics. But the early Christians’ concept of their expanding universe was a clear one. We see this in some of the final words of Christ to his disciples: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

The expansion of the Christian universe was indeed a clear one. Starting in Jerusalem, the beginning of Christianity’s “Big Bang,”  the word surged outward throughout the land of the Jews, then further through the areas of the culturally-related Samaritans, and finally into the lands of the Gentiles – outwards toward the ends of the earth. Obviously, this is to over-simplify the analogy with the expanding physical universe (which appears to be expanding from every point), but the analogy works at the basic level of the concept of expansion. This certainly meshed with Jesus’ earlier teachings of the Kingdom of God growing and spreading throughout the world (see our article on Christ's parable of the mustard seed here).

We may (depending on translation) perhaps see this expansion of the Kingdom in Isaiah 51:16:  “I have put My words in your mouth, … in order to plant the heavens, to found the earth, and to say to Zion, ‘You are My people.’" (Holman). If this translation is followed, the expansion of the message of God seems to be viewed in reverse here – from the heavens themselves – back to earth – back to Jerusalem.

What is clear about the expansion of Christianity is that – as in our analogy of the expanding universe – there are two competing forces at work: expansion and entropy.  The force that appears to continually expand the universe  is countered by the principle of entropy, of the running down of energy and the lapsing into lack of motion, stillness, and eventual energy-death.  In the expansion of Christianity we see the same thing. The word has come to many, but not all continue the expansion.  Viewed this way, although we may see some of the evils of this world as primary forces holding back and attempting to slow down the spread of Christianity, how much more is the expansion slowed by the millions who know the name of Christ, and accept His teachings, but who are hindered in expanding the Kingdom of God through their own entropy and inaction.

This is part of what we find in the parable of the talents – of the servant who simply buried his part in the kingdom’s expansion in the ground (Matthew 25:24-30). On the other hand,  Christ talked about the opposite – the potential for true expansion we all have – in saying: “… whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these…” (John 14:12).  While we may get caught up in wondering how we can do greater works than Jesus himself, we miss the point that if we are part of the expansion, then we will be doing work toward the same goals.

So it’s a decision that we, as Christians, must make each day: What will my day be today? Will I be part of the entropy, or part of the expansion? 

Gideons International is a Christian organization, founded in the United States in 1899, which has grown into a powerful force for the worldwide distribution of free Bibles, New Testaments and other scriptures. If you have ever found yourself without a Bible in a hotel room far from home, you know what a help the Gideons have been to millions of travelers and others – many of whom first read a Bible provided by that organization. 

The group takes its name from the Biblical figure Gideon, who is depicted in Judges 6 in the story in which flaming torches were placed inside clay jars –  such a jar being the well-known logo of the Gideons, found on the cover of each scripture they distribute.

Today, Gideons International provides Bibles not only for hotels and motels, but also for schools, hospitals, medical offices, military bases, prisons, abuse safe houses and many more venues where they might be appreciated, as well as in sidewalk distribution in many cities.  The “Bible Blitzes” they regularly organize are named after the Second World War “Blitz” of intensive bombing of certain areas – but referring now to intensive coverage of selected areas with Bibles! 

Two recent Blitzes conducted by the Gideons show the scope and extent of their work. September 13-19 the organization conducted the “New York City Bible Blitz 2014” which distributed some 236,238 Bibles and  Testaments in all five boroughs of the Metro New York City area in less than a week.  Gideons also spoke in over 100 churches in the city, explaining their ministry and  encouraging congregations to consider supporting their work through prayer, giving and involvement.

Further from home, a two-week International Scripture Blitz was also conducted this September in Nairobi, Eldoret, and Kisumu, Kenya. There, the Gideons had set a goal of distributing some 400,000 Scriptures in hospitals, schools, and other venues, but by the end of the Blitz the Gideons’ teams had exceeded their goal and had distributed over 600,000 free copies of God’s Word in Kenya.

One has to stop and think about the numbers involved to begin to understand the amazing accomplishment of these Blitzes. The Gideons work in almost 200 countries and have distributed scriptures in over 90 languages.   More than 1.9 billion Bibles and New Testaments have been distributed by the organization since 1908.  On average, numerous copies of the scriptures are distributed every second of every day through Gideons International, and it is anticipated that the organization will give away its two billionth Bible or testament in 2015.

This is clearly an organization doing wonderful work that is worthy of our support. You may find it inspiring to take a look at the Gideons International website some time.

“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father” (John 14:12).

The words of Jesus are clear, yet we may wonder how this can be.  Jesus performed miraculous deeds seen by many, healed the lame and the blind, raised Lazarus from the dead – how can we do greater works than these?

A key in understanding this verse in John is to realize the difference between the “signs,” “wonders,” “miracles” and “works” performed by Jesus.   There is certainly some overlap in the use of these terms, but generally speaking  there is a difference.  The words “signs” (Greek semeion), “wonders” (Greek teras), and “miracles” (Greek dunamis) are all frequently used of the miraculous deeds Jesus performed as signs of his Messiahship.  Jesus spoke of his followers doing such things, though usually in the context of faith – that if we have faith we, too, would be able to accomplish great deeds with God’s help.

But beyond these miraculous deeds, Jesus also performed many other works of teaching, guiding and helping his disciples and the crowds that followed him.  The word “works” (Greek erga) used in John 14:12 can include miraculous deeds, but it signifies other non-wondrous works as well. In fact, erga can include ongoing duties, works, business, rather than just individual acts; and the word certainly covers Christ’s ongoing teaching and guidance. 

When we look at the broader and often more ongoing sense implied by erga, we can see that Christ’s statement that his followers would do greater “works” than he had done likely refers to his work of teaching,  guiding, etc.  Such deeds were not entirely dependent on faith to accomplish them, and faith is usually not mentioned in the same context – as it is not in John 14:12.  These works would be “greater” than those he had done, and this can mean greater in extent rather than greater in type. 

Although Jesus taught large crowds, sometimes of thousands of people, we have only to look at the eventual effects of the printing press and, in our own age the internet, when used to spread the word of God and to explain its teachings to millions of people, to see the extent of these works has indeed been greater than any individual could have accomplished in the time of Christ.  But we should also remember that “no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him” (John 13:16) – the greater works that might be done in later ages by Jesus’ followers are still done by Him through us!

 “Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest’ “ (Matthew 9:37-38).

Although these verses are usually interpreted to mean that we should pray for more people to come to the knowledge of the truth who could join the work,  it seems to me that they may just as well mean that we should pray that laborers who are available, but not in the field, should get involved in the harvest. If that is the case, then we should all be praying for help to see what we can be doing, not just for others to come along who will do the work.

In any event, it is clear that we are told to pray earnestly (the Greek word is a form of deomai signifying “beseeching” or even "begging").  We can hardly pray in this manner without personal involvement in the need for which we pray.  How?  We can pray earnestly for more workers to be called, or to become involved, for their needs, and for the success of their work.  What else can we do?  Certainly we can help financially, as we are able, to support good work where it is being done [Note: TacticalChristianity.org  does not accept donations or gifts],  but prayer always must be the first priority.    That’s what Jesus stressed.  On the other hand, other scriptures do show the necessity of helping those workers who “go out” into the harvest.  Notice the words of John in this regard:

“Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are … You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God.  For they have gone out for the sake of the name … Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth” (3 John 1:5-8 ESV).

So, even if it is not our calling to personally go out into the “harvest field,”  there is much that we can do to support those who do go and to be “fellow workers.”  The “advertisement” for help needed has already been published.  It is up to us to respond today!