We
were asked to write a blog about how we were called to this mission trip. Here
is my story…
I
was once told to, “Tell of His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds
among all the peoples.” I wouldn’t have thought
much of it had it not been for the One telling me to do so.
Several thousand years ago, God
flooded the earth because of man’s wickedness. Before He did, He called a man named Noah to build a massive boat so
that Noah and his family could repopulate the earth. The bible says that Noah was a righteous man
and a drunk.
A little while later, God’s people
were enslaved by the Egyptians. God
called Moses, a onetime murderer with a killer lisp, to lead His people out of
slavery. Moses’ speech impediment was so
bad he had to talk through a translator.
were enslaved by the Egyptians. God
called Moses, a onetime murderer with a killer lisp, to lead His people out of
slavery. Moses’ speech impediment was so
bad he had to talk through a translator.
When the giant, Goliath, was mocking
God’s army, David killed him. David was
just a child at the time, not even large enough to wear the armor he was given. David killed Goliath with a slingshot, and a
single stone.
God’s army, David killed him. David was
just a child at the time, not even large enough to wear the armor he was given. David killed Goliath with a slingshot, and a
single stone.
Then there was Jonah. God called Jonah to go and preach repentance
to the people of Nineveh. Jonah would
rather have died than to see the people of Nineveh repent. In fact, upon God’s
call, Jonah ran the opposite direction of Nineveh and it wasn’t until he was
eaten by a fish that he decided he would do it.
to the people of Nineveh. Jonah would
rather have died than to see the people of Nineveh repent. In fact, upon God’s
call, Jonah ran the opposite direction of Nineveh and it wasn’t until he was
eaten by a fish that he decided he would do it.
When Jesus chose His disciples He
started with Andrew, James, John, and Peter. These guys were uneducated fisherman, and that was long before shows like The Deadliest Catch made fishing cool. Then, Jesus called Matthew, a tax collector,
to follow Him. As a tax collector,
Matthew’s job was to raise money to fund an occupying army that had murdered
and raped many of his countrymen.
started with Andrew, James, John, and Peter. These guys were uneducated fisherman, and that was long before shows like The Deadliest Catch made fishing cool. Then, Jesus called Matthew, a tax collector,
to follow Him. As a tax collector,
Matthew’s job was to raise money to fund an occupying army that had murdered
and raped many of his countrymen.
And the Apostle Paul? Prior to
meeting Jesus and writing a large chunk of the New Testament, Paul killed
Christians.
meeting Jesus and writing a large chunk of the New Testament, Paul killed
Christians.
So, why is it that God always seems
to call the wicked, the messed up, and the weak? It is because in using these men, God has
proved himself all the more glorious. None of these men could take credit for anything that God did through
them. All the glory belongs to God. It wasn’t really because of Noah’s
righteousness that God used him to repopulate the earth; it was because of God’s
mercy. It was God that delivered His
people from slavery. God that defeated
the giant of the Philistines. It was
because of God’s lovingkindness the people of Nineveh repented. Why did men listen to the preaching of Jesus’
disciples? It certainly wasn’t because
of who they were.
to call the wicked, the messed up, and the weak? It is because in using these men, God has
proved himself all the more glorious. None of these men could take credit for anything that God did through
them. All the glory belongs to God. It wasn’t really because of Noah’s
righteousness that God used him to repopulate the earth; it was because of God’s
mercy. It was God that delivered His
people from slavery. God that defeated
the giant of the Philistines. It was
because of God’s lovingkindness the people of Nineveh repented. Why did men listen to the preaching of Jesus’
disciples? It certainly wasn’t because
of who they were.
So, why would God use me to call men
to repent of their sins, when they could easily point to sin in my life? Why
would God call me to love on strangers and orphans and widows and AIDs patients
and gypsies and prostitutes when I fail to love the people that love me the
most? And why would God call me to go and to preach the Gospel around the world,
when I haven’t even been bold enough to proclaim it to all of my friends and
family members?
to repent of their sins, when they could easily point to sin in my life? Why
would God call me to love on strangers and orphans and widows and AIDs patients
and gypsies and prostitutes when I fail to love the people that love me the
most? And why would God call me to go and to preach the Gospel around the world,
when I haven’t even been bold enough to proclaim it to all of my friends and
family members?
Maybe it is because the Gospel is
not about me. It is about Him. It is
about Christ and what He did. His glory. That He bore my sins. He died the death that I deserve. He was crucified, and on the third day He
rose again. He defeated death that all who repent and put their trust in Him
might enjoy Him for eternity. He has
called me to the mission field, not that men might look to me, but that they
might look to Him.
not about me. It is about Him. It is
about Christ and what He did. His glory. That He bore my sins. He died the death that I deserve. He was crucified, and on the third day He
rose again. He defeated death that all who repent and put their trust in Him
might enjoy Him for eternity. He has
called me to the mission field, not that men might look to me, but that they
might look to Him.
But, I guess that doesn’t fully
answer the question of how I was called. It’s actually pretty simple.
answer the question of how I was called. It’s actually pretty simple.
God commanded me to proclaim the
Gospel that men might repent of their sins and put their trust in Him, and that
I should baptize them in the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Gospel that men might repent of their sins and put their trust in Him, and that
I should baptize them in the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit.
God said He would give me such a
love for people that upon seeing the lost and distressed without the hope of
knowing Him, I would be moved to compassion and action.
love for people that upon seeing the lost and distressed without the hope of
knowing Him, I would be moved to compassion and action.
God promised me that His name would
be made great among the nations, and that in Central America men would worship
Him, and that in Southeast Asia prostitutes would make offerings to Him, and
that in West Africa orphans and AIDs patients would sing of His greatness, and
in Eastern Europe even the gypsies will give Him glory.
be made great among the nations, and that in Central America men would worship
Him, and that in Southeast Asia prostitutes would make offerings to Him, and
that in West Africa orphans and AIDs patients would sing of His greatness, and
in Eastern Europe even the gypsies will give Him glory.
“For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing,
but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, ‘I will destroy the wisdom
of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever I will set aside.” Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God
made foolish the wisdom of the world?
For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come
to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message
preached to save those who believe. For
indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ
crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those
who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the
wisdom of God. Because the foolishness
of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For consider your calling, brethren, that
there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many
noble; but God has chosen the foolish
things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of
the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the
world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may
nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God. But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus who
became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and
redemption, so that, just as it is written, ‘Let him who boasts, boast in the
Lord.'”
1 Corinthians 1:18-31
“Tell Of His Glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all the peoples”
Psalm 96:3
