Engaging Compassionately in Local and Global Missions

Devotional

Day 1: Engaging in Missions: A Personal Call

Christ's desire extends beyond salvation; He yearns for individuals to connect with a local church and pastor. This connection fosters spiritual growth and creates a sense of belonging. Engaging in missions is a personal call to action, a challenge to step out of comfort zones and actively participate in the work of the Kingdom. ([49:33](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0e4Ic_mGb-A&t=2958s))

Acts 1:8 - "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."

Reflection: How can you personally engage in missions within your local church and community? What steps can you take this week to connect more deeply with your local church and pastor?

Day 2: Seeing Souls, Not Just Faces

In the hustle and bustle of life, it's easy to overlook the eternal souls around us. Slowing down allows us to see people as individuals with eternal souls, not just faces in a crowd. Consider the people you've recently interacted with and how you can make a difference in their lives. ([52:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0e4Ic_mGb-A&t=3150s))

Luke 10:27 - "He answered, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"

Reflection: Who are the five people you've recently interacted with? How can you make a difference in their lives this week?

Day 3: Praying for Laborers

Praying for laborers, specifically missionaries, is a significant part of our Christian duty. It's not enough to pray for their success; we must also take action by witnessing to others and supporting them financially. ([55:12](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0e4Ic_mGb-A&t=3297s))

2 Thessalonians 3:1 - "Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you."

Reflection: How can you support missionaries beyond prayer? Can you think of a specific way to support them financially or through personal encouragement this week?

Day 4: Building Relationships with Missionaries

Personal involvement in missions extends beyond giving and praying. It involves building relationships with missionaries, offering encouragement, and support. ([58:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0e4Ic_mGb-A&t=3495s))

3 John 1:5-6 - "Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters, even though they are strangers to you. They have told the church about your love."

Reflection: Who are the missionaries you feel connected to? How can you start building a relationship with them this week?

Day 5: The Eternal Impact of Missions

Engaging in missions has an eternal impact. It's a call to be moved with compassion, both locally and globally. The work done today echoes in eternity, changing lives and transforming communities. ([1:01:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0e4Ic_mGb-A&t=3660s))

Matthew 28:19-20 - "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you."

Reflection: How can you contribute to the eternal impact of missions? What specific action can you take this week to show compassion locally or globally?

Sermon Summary

The sermon begins with the pastor emphasizing the importance of missions and challenging the congregation to personally get involved. Drawing from Matthew chapter 9, he highlights Jesus' compassion for the multitudes who are like sheep without a shepherd. The pastor underscores that Christ's desire is not only for people to be saved but also for them to connect with a local church and pastor. He encourages the congregation to reflect on their own spiritual growth and the role their local church and pastor have played in it. The pastor also stresses the need to see and interact with the people we are called to reach, rather than being solely focused on tasks and accomplishments.

The pastor then shifts his focus to the importance of slowing down and seeing people for who they truly are - individuals with eternal souls. He acknowledges that it is easy to get caught up in the busyness of life and fail to notice the people that God has placed in our lives for us to interact with, witness to, and encourage. The pastor encourages the congregation to think of five people they have recently interacted with and consider how they can make a difference in their lives. He also highlights the importance of prayer, reminding the congregation to pray for the harvest and for laborers to go out and plant churches.

The pastor further emphasizes the importance of praying for one another as a church. He encourages the congregation to bring their prayers, both big and small, before the Lord. The pastor highlights the significance of praying for laborers, specifically missionaries, and challenges the congregation to not only pray for their success but also to take action by witnessing to others and supporting them financially. The pastor emphasizes that while prayer is essential, it must be accompanied by action and giving.

In the final portion of the sermon, the pastor emphasizes the importance of personal involvement in missions. He encourages the congregation to reach out to missionaries, not just through giving or praying, but by building relationships with them. The pastor shares his own experience of connecting with a missionary and how they have communicated and shared ministry updates for years. He challenges the congregation to find missionaries they feel connected to and start building relationships with them, offering encouragement and support. The pastor concludes by emphasizing the eternal impact of engaging in missions and encourages the congregation to be moved with compassion, both locally and globally.

Key Takeaways

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Sermon Clips

1. "If we're going to be effective in missions, we have to take time to slow down and see people for who they are as someone with a soul, someone who's going to spend eternity either in heaven or in hell and we have an opportunity to make a difference in their life and to point them towards Christ."

2. "Think of five people that you interacted with... for you to witness to, for you to encourage. And so you may say well everyone I know are Christians well what about at the grocery store and what about the people that maybe you interact with that you don't realize you interact with... maybe they could be encouraged, maybe they need some sharpening, maybe they're discouraged or going through a hard time where we could be an encouragement to them."

3. "But we also see in this portion of scripture a burden of his that not only should they be saved but there should be a local church there for them to meet with, for them to have a pastor."

4. "We're called to reach the world but we can't reach the world if we don't see the world."

5. "You know one day that God answered all your prayers, how many people would it affect? Would the people in Israel right now know that God answered all your prayers? Would struggling missionaries throughout the world know that God answered all your prayers?"

6. "If you want to see someone saved, you can't just pray for someone to be saved and never witness to him. We see throughout scripture that when we're supposed to bring something before the Lord when we're supposed to pray, we're also to put some action."

7. "Not only do we have to pray, but we have to give. So I want to challenge you this morning, are you praying about your missionaries? Are you praying for your missionaries? Are you praying for laborers? But then also, are you giving for laborers? Are you giving to the laborers?"

8. "I want to challenge you to get personally involved in missions, not just through giving or praying, but by building relationships with missionaries. Reach out to them, ask how you can pray for them, and communicate with them regularly. You will be amazed at how much encouragement you can provide."

9. "We all have a role to play in world missions. While we may not all be able to physically go, we can all pray and use technology to connect with missionaries. Through these partnerships, the ministry will move forward and lives will be impacted."

10. "I've never met anyone who regretted giving to missions, praying for missionaries, or going on a mission trip. It may be challenging, but the impact and fruit that come from our engagement in missions are worth it."

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