THE CHRISTMAS MODEL FOR MISSIONS
“As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.” —John 17:18
Christmas is a model for missions. Missions is a mirror of Christmas. As I, so you. For example, danger. Christ came to his own and his own received him not. So you. They plotted against him. So you. He had no permanent home. So you. They trumped up false charges against him. So you. They whipped and mocked him. So you. He died after three years of ministry. So you.
But there is a worse danger than any of these which Jesus escaped. So you!
In the mid-16th century Francis Xavier (1506–1552), a Catholic missionary, wrote to Father Perez of Malacca (today part of Indonesia) about the perils of his mission to China. He said,
The danger of all dangers would be to lose trust and
confidence in the mercy of God... To distrust him
would be a far more terrible thing than any physical
evil which all the enemies of God put together could
inflict on us, for without God’s permission neither
the devils nor their human ministers could hinder us
in the slightest degree.
The greatest danger a missionary faces is to distrust the mercy of God... (from Good News of Great Joy Daily Readings for Advent by John Piper - December 18 reading)
Isn't that the greatest danger that any person faces - to distrust the mercy of God? And, oh how the Enemy works at making it so. He will stop at nothing! He is not passive!! He doesn't care how he steals, kills and destroys our trust, only that he does! "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy!" (John 10:10a) His ways have not changed since the Garden of Eden.
But You came, Jesus, that we may have life, and have it more abundantly! (John 10:10b) Not just life - ABUNDANT LIFE!!
Lord, I believe! Help my unbelief! Help me to remember that this light momentary affliction is preparing for me an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. Help me to not look to the things that are seen, but to the things that are unseen. Help me to not lose trust and confidence in Your mercy! That truly is the greatest danger of them all! Help!
The greatest danger a missionary faces is to distrust the mercy of God... (from Good News of Great Joy Daily Readings for Advent by John Piper - December 18 reading)
Isn't that the greatest danger that any person faces - to distrust the mercy of God? And, oh how the Enemy works at making it so. He will stop at nothing! He is not passive!! He doesn't care how he steals, kills and destroys our trust, only that he does! "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy!" (John 10:10a) His ways have not changed since the Garden of Eden.
But You came, Jesus, that we may have life, and have it more abundantly! (John 10:10b) Not just life - ABUNDANT LIFE!!
Lord, I believe! Help my unbelief! Help me to remember that this light momentary affliction is preparing for me an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. Help me to not look to the things that are seen, but to the things that are unseen. Help me to not lose trust and confidence in Your mercy! That truly is the greatest danger of them all! Help!
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