THE GREAT COMMISSION (PART 2) - THE DUTY OF EVERY CHRISTIAN

Dear Members in Christ,

The Great Commission (Part 2) - The duty of every Christian

The Lord Jesus Christ gave His disciples the great commission, to teach and preach the Gospel. The disciples were also instructed believers in all aspects of their faith, thus we have the record of the Lord Jesus speaking to the disciples prior to His ascension to heaven.

“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” Matthew 28:18-20

In a previous article, the first part of this series on the great commission, we dealt with the authority which was given to the Lord Jesus to commission believers to teach and preach the Gospel. The believers are also given the assurance by the Lord Jesus that He will be with them even till the end of the world. This comfort ought to spur us to greater height in our effort to do the work of missions and to strengthen the faith of believers.

The question one might ask is, what are the practical ways in which we as members of Calvary Jaya direct our effort for missions? The short answer is to participate in the work of missions. I will outline below two areas where members of Calvary Jaya can channel their effort.

A. Pray for the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us to areas of mission service

We are urged to pray without ceasing. For a Christian, nothing must be attempted without first seeking God’s will in prayer. For those who feel the urging, the burden in your hearts to do the work of missions, pray that God will lead and guide you, and show you how you can direct your resource and effort for mission work. The early church was recorded as praying and submitting to God’s will for their mission work. Subsequently, Saul and Barnabas was sent for the first mission journey, and we read the following,

“Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.” Acts 13:1-3

The church fasted and prayed, and God showed them the way. That kicked off the first missionary journey of Paul, first to Cyprus, and then to Asia Minor. As they went, they preached the Gospel, and taught believers and planted churches.

Dearly beloved, pray for God’s leading for you. If you have the love for teaching children, there are ample opportunities to teach in the annual Vacation Bible School held at mission stations. If you have the gift of sharing the Word, there are always people hungering for the truth of the Scriptures, waiting to listen to the gospel of salvation. Brothers and sisters, pray that God will move the hearts of Calvary Jaya members to do His bidding. 

B. Participate in the activities of our mission stations

The work of teaching and preaching in mission stations is a continuous and ongoing labour. In Miri, our dear sister Marilyn has been laboring faithfully for many years. In addition to the weekly worship services, there are outreach activities in the neighbourhood of the church. These activities run throughout the year and the effort is aimed at growing the faith and life of the believers.  

One notable event is the annual Vacation Bible School, usually around September. There is always a need for teachers, helpers and assistants to help in the logistics of this event. Another annual event is the Miri Anniversary, usually held on the last weekend of November. In conjunction with this event, a seminar on a selected topic of interest is usually held on a Saturday. Throughout the year there are visits to Bukit Lambir, and sometimes teaching seminar conducted by visiting preacher – usually centered on family or Christian life issues.

Brothers and sisters, there’s no shortage of activities for Calvary Jaya members to participate in for mission stations. The crux of the issue is motivation and the stirring of the hearts to “rise up and build!” The Lord Jesus says,

“Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.” Matthew 9:38

I pray that God will move the hearts of men and women to come forward to serve and help in the missions. May God’s work flourish and be strengthened. Amen.   

In His Service,
Rev. Lim Seh Beng, Pastor