This Sunday in church my pastor spoke on why Christ had to die for us. The scripture was Romans 5:1-11 and the quote that caught my attention the most was from D. J.I. Packer.
"Total depravity means not that at every point man is as bad as he could be, but that at no point is he as good as he should be."
I'll tell you why this sermon caught me so completely this week.
I have been really struggling and fighting against the term missionary to descripe what I'm about to do with the world race. I dont see myself as a missionary or a super christian. I only see myself as one person willing to serve with many others. Now you probably are thinking well Mary that is the definition of being a missionary…
But to me it isn't. For some reason I see a missionary as someone who doesn't mess up like I do.
I go weeks sometimes without reading my bible. And days without prayer. How can I possibly be a real missionary like that? So in turn I have become very uncomfortable with the word. I'm totally fine with servent but not with missionary. Odd but true.
So lets jump into the scripture; Romans 5:1-11
5:1 Therefore, since we have been justifie through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 thourgh whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hopeof the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, becasue God has poured out His Love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. 6 You see, at just the right imte, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! 10 For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved by his life! 11 Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. NIV
This passage of scripture just makes it clear to me that I'm right… I am a totally depraved missionary. Because through my works alone NOTHING will happen! But if I depend TOTALLY and COMPLETELY on Jesus Christ through whom I am SAVED and Reconciled and made into God's friend by. Then yes! I can go forth with my missions trip and be a dependant on Christ. He will make the lame walk again, HE will shower his love on the nations, HE will show His power! I will only have to say YES LORD and depend on HIS strengh. So I am willing to follow His leading and share his love with the nations.
But are you?
Will you share his love with that neighbor that sometimes annoys you?
Will you share his love with the woman in front of you at the check out who is holding up the line?
Will you share his love with old man in the park who justs wants to talk to someone?
I will. I choose today to be a missionary. In my home town. And in the nations.
Will you join me in this?
Thanks to Pastor Kyle for emailing me the sermon notes, to help make this blog happen.
