Introduction
November is set aside as a month of mission and evangelism. Few years back, the Sydney Diocese has some emphases on mission and evangelism targeting to raise Sydney Anglicans by 10% in few years time. Some of you might be aware that Mission Areas were set up to cater for mission implementations. St Mark is placed in the Mission Area of Parramatta. For the past 2 years, as we do not have a rector and therefore did not involve much in the program. However, it is never too late to start doing something now and pick up.
Church growth is not impossible with God’s help. After the Lambeth Conference in 1998, the Anglican Church of Nigeria began to launch evangelism and mission by creating 10 dioceses. 10 years later, in the 14th Lambeth Conference, it was reported that the Church of Nigeria has 25 millions Anglicans (17.86 % of the total population of 140 million), and became the second-largest province in the Anglican Communion, as measured by baptized membership, after the Church of England.
The Church of the Province of Uganda (or Church of Uganda) has thirty-one dioceses. As of the 2002 Census, 8,782,821 Ugandans (35.9% of the population) consider themselves affiliated with the Anglican Church.
These African Churches set targets and strategies in reaching out the unchurched people and we have a lot of things to learn from them.
The gospel passage today is about the end time signs when Jesus returns. Before the end time comes, let us grasp every opportunity to reach out our friends and relatives. Some of you may ask why should we involve mission and evangelism?
1. The Promises
Before Jesus was crucified, raised from the dead and ascended to heaven, he promised that he will return one day to receive his people. Jesus said, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. “(John 14:3)
When Jesus returns, he will place us by his side and reign the world with him for a thousand years. (Rev 20: 4 I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.)
Afterward, we shall inherit eternity in the new heaven and new earth. (Rev 21: 1 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”)
2. What is our mission then?
a. Mission is about fulfilling Christ’s commands. As Jesus said, “Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” (Matthew 28:19-20).
Jesus’ mission is to save the lost souls.
“For the Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:10) ““My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” (John 4:34)
We are charged to go and not to wait for people to come to church. We are charged to make disciples of all nations and baptise them. We are charged to teach the people God’s word. And Jesus promised to be with us forever.
b. Mission is about meeting people’s needs.
“And Jesus went about all the cities and the villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of disease and all manner of sickness. But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion for them, because they were distressed and scattered, as sheep not having a shepherd.” (Matthew 9:35-36)
Jesus went about all the places. He taught in synagogues. He preached the gospel of the kingdom. He healed all manner of disease and sickness. He was moved with compassion because they were distressed and scattered as sheep without a shepherd.
c. Mission is about saving souls from the fire of hell.
Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne; and books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead that were in it; and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14 And death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death, even the lake of fire. 15 And if any was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.
This is about the second death in the lake of fire. The biblical truth is – if we born once, we will die twice; if we born twice, we will die once. That is to say, all who born naturally will face this second death as described in Rev 20:14. But for those who received the second birth spiritually as described in John 3:3 (Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.), will not face the second death. The second death is the judgement of works while salvation is free gift of God. We are saved by grace and grace alone. Works has no part in God’s salvation. At the end time, God will receive those who acknowledge Christ’s salvation. As Jesus said, “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven.” (Matt 10:32) Rom 3:24 - and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. Whoever rejects Christ will be judged by their works. And of course we know that there is not a single person is able to stand before God and say, “I am worthy of your salvation.” Rom 3:23 - for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Rom 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. We know that there are some good people out there. But all their good deeds is far beyond the standard of God. No good deed is able to save a person. Everybody needs Christ!
Conclusion
I challenge you to join our mission training on 27th Nov. I will give training on how to do evangelism and later on will lead the parishioners to do door to door evangelism. I remember during the past 7 years serving at a Chinese church, I set up teams to do door to door evangelism. We managed to visit 500 people and brought more than 300 people to Christ. Some of these new converts are now involving in mission and evangelism and even became evangelists. In our areas (Parramatta, Granville, Auburn, Merrylands, Guildford etc) there are 50,000 residents. If we are able to reach 1% of them, that is 500 people. If the successful rate is 10%, that is 50 people. If we are able to retain 40 new comers, we will have the church full of people just in few years time.
This is only about the local mission. We need to think about the world mission too. Don’t just give a few dollars to mission organisations and satisfied. Let us walk out from the four walls of the church, walk out of Granville, walk out from Sydney and Australia and reach out to the people all over the world. Let us pray for church growth and offering our parts in mission and evangelism. Let us respond to God as Isaiah did - Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” (Isa 6:8)
