Embracing Our Identity in God's Mission

Mission is not about where you go; it's about who you are. Mission isn't reserved for the spiritually elite, if you like. It's the invitation that's invited and extended to all of us who follow Jesus. But I think that that word association exercise is helpful because it acknowledges that we all bring different things to this topic and this word to the discussion. Our experiences, our stories, the way that we read and understand scripture—each of these shape the way that we come to and understand what mission is. [01:06:37]

Mission isn't an optional extra on the side, and it also isn't just part of our church's ministry and task. But instead, it is the very reason that we are being formed by all these other practices that we've explored: prayer and worship, Sabbath and rest, simplicity, generosity, community. These are all practices that help us form us into a people that are sent—there's that word—into the world with Jesus. [01:07:41]

When we think about mission, we often think as though mission is our task, it's our responsibility, it's the mandate that God gives us to take up and to run with. But I want to suggest that we need to step back and see how mission starts in who God is. Mission doesn't start with us. It is not primarily our responsibility. It is initiated and it's sustained by God. [01:11:40]

God sends Abraham to bless the nations—Genesis 12. God sends Moses in Exodus to liberate the oppressed. God sends the prophets to call people back. God the Father sends Jesus to redeem and to restore. And we'll see shortly Jesus then sends us to join that story. Where does mission start? God's mission doesn't start at the end of the gospels or with the disciples being sent at Pentecost. It starts in Genesis with God's action. [01:12:48]

The church's invitation and its response should be to do what God is already doing, right? To partner with God. So starting there is really important because it reminds us that mission isn't our idea. It's not our idea; it's God's idea. And because mission is God's idea and it's God's initiative, it's something we're invited to join. There's a subtle difference here, but it's really important. [01:13:52]

Mission isn't the responsibility of just the few. It's not for the specialists or the super holy or those who have time or availability to spare. It's not as though Jesus says to his disciples, "All right, Peter, James, and John, you can be the teachers. Andrew, Bartholomew, you can be administrators. Philip, worship leader, you're a good singer. Matthew, you're on the hospitality. And Thomas and Thaddius, well, you better be the missionaries. Just make sure this thing keeps on going, right?" [01:15:43]

The mission isn't a task for the few; it's an identity for all that follow Jesus. And that's why it's helpful to pause and just reflect on a shift in language that we sometimes need to make. We often talk about missions in the plural as if it's something separate or something that a small group of people do or a few different missions that we might be involved in. But Jesus isn't giving multiple assignments to a few; he's inviting the whole church into mission. [01:16:01]

Jesus's call and invitation to his followers is to what? To go, and the promise that he will be present by his spirit as they go and serve. The call is for all of us to go, to be missionaries if we want to use that term. We don't go to church and then go and do mission. The church is God's mission strategy. Every single one of us is sent. [01:18:03]

We are missionaries. Each of us, you, I, are sent to go as part of God's mission in the world. And none of us can avoid the call to go, as convenient as it might feel sometimes. All of us are called to go from where we are to where God is calling us. And that always, always will require movement, even if it's just across the road or over the fence or to the apartment next door. [01:20:57]

What does God's mission look like? What does the kingdom of God look like? Good news to the poor, the oppressed being set free, freedom for those who are enslaved—enslaved of any type—restoration, healing, justice, beauty, hope, wholeness. God's mission is redemptive. The mission that we're invited to take part in is transformative. [01:26:50]

When we think about mission, we can't just reduce it to sharing the right information to make sure someone gets into heaven or trying to entice them in with some food. If Jesus's mission was to bring good news to the poor, sight to the blind, freedom from the oppressed, then our mission has to reflect that too. Mission includes, absolutely must include, proclaiming hope and truth, but it needs to be accompanied by practicing justice, living generously, reconciling relationships, healing brokenness in every form. [01:28:31]

The invitation is there for all of us to join God in our own way in the places that he's called us to. None of you get to kind of get out another door, so you all get that reminder. And would you look up as you walk out today and be reminded of those words as you go? I want to land here today. [01:35:35]