Vision: Mission – What Are We Supposed To Be Doing?

This Sunday morning we will focus on our Mission as Christians and as a local Church. When we speak about our mission we are asking the question: “What are we supposed to be doing?” Is our mission to serve the community? Deliver meals? Pick up trash? Provide clothing? Is our mission to meet once a week? Have Church Services? Sunday School? Small Groups? Is our mission to grow numerically and financially? Is our mission to have Church Committee meetings? What is our mission? What are we supposed to be doing? I like what the Westminster Larger Catechism says about this. It says that the chief end of man is to love God and enjoy Him forever. What are we supposed to be doing? We love God and enjoy him forever.

Love God

When you love God, you give Him the praise and honor He deserves and you live a life that is well-pleasing to Him.

You love God by giving Him the praise and honor He deserves. Romans 11:36 says, “For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.” We are made to worship our Creator. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says God has put eternity in our hearts and our heart is lost until it finds its rest in God. We are commanded to worship God. 1 Chronicles 16:28-29 says, “Give to the Lord, O kindreds of the peoples, give to the Lord glory and strength. Give to the Lord the glory due His name.” We exist to bring glory to God.

You love God by living a life that is well-pleasing to Him. 1 Corinthians 6:20 says, “For you were bought at a price; therefore, glorify God in your body.” 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” Colossians 3:17 says, “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” Ephesians 4:1 says, “I beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called.” Philippians 1:27 says, “Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ.” Who is the faithful servant? The one who does the will of His master.

Enjoy Him Forever

When you enjoy God, you want to be with Him and you want to tell others about Him.

When you enjoy God, you want to be with Him. God did not save you just to give you something good to do with your life. God did not save you just to give you a nice place to go when you die. God adopts you into His family and delights in you. God loves you and God saved you because He wants you reconciled to Him. We cannot overlook the fact that we have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. We know Him and He knows us. Psalm 73:25 says, “Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides you.” John Piper said, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.” Psalm 37:4 tells us: “Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.” As we delight in the Lord, the desires of our heart conform to what pleases Him and He delights in giving us what we desire.

When you enjoy God, you want to tell others about Him. We talk about those in whom we have great delight. If you don’t believe me, ask any grandmother to tell you about her grandkids. The Great Commission is built upon the desire of Christians to tell other people about Christ Jesus. Matthew 28:18-20 says: 

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

The Great Commission is fueled by great compassion for others and the great love of God for us and for the world. 

Next Steps

Those who love God and enjoy Him forever are men and women of faith. Are you a faithful person? Paul said to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:2, “And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” As we think about our mission, we need to prayerfully consider first this question: Am I faithful? Are you a faithful person? Walter Henrichsen gives a helpful summary of the qualifications of a faithful person:

1. A faithful person has adopted as his objective in life that same objective God sets forth in the Scriptures. Seek first the kingdom of God.
2. A faithful person is willing to pay any price to have the will of God fulfilled in his life. Resists being ensnared by the world.
3. A faithful person has a love for the Word of God.
4. A faithful person has a servant’s heart.
5. A faithful person puts no conscience in the flesh.
6. A faithful person does not have an independent spirit.
7. A faithful person has a love for people.
8. A faithful person does not allow himself to become trapped in bitterness.
9. A faithful person has learned to discipline his life.

John MacArthur recently said of Christians: “We don’t live in fear and we don’t live for safety. We live to be faithful.”