On Mission – What’s My Mission? What’s My Message – Sermon

We don’t know his given name. He may have used the name legion a long time. That is the way people knew him. Legion, swarmed by a cloud of demons. Now he was healed, free and in his right mind. – I want to call him Marty. we’ll find out why later.

Marty wanted to follow Jesus. He wanted to be close to Jesus. Marty wanted to live a life of radical obedience. But Jesus told him to stay, not to go. Do not follow me.

As Jesus got into the boat Marty began to beg Jesus to let him go with Him. I can imagine he walked into the water and stood holding on to the side of the boat pleading for Jesus to let him climb in with Jesus and the disciples. Did the disciples look at each other hoping Jesus wouldn’t let this seemingly, once crazy man in the boat? Or, did they think with his testimony, it would be easier to draw the crowds? He was the perfect one to leave everything and join in on Jesus’ mission. He had no belongings, no real tie to the village. He was an outcast, a loner, everyone had written him off a long time ago. No one, not even Jesus said a word about his family. He wouldn’t be missed. He was the type of man that the military recruits for dangerous missions– they have nothing to lose. It is also the type of person we expect to on foreign missions and share the gospel. Send her, I have family, a job, friends, a reputation, I have roots here and I won’t do well being transplanted in a foreign country. Besides, I don’t like to speak in front of crowds. I don’t have an amazing story of healing or insight like this man. Send Legion or what’s his new name? Marty, send Marty. It’s a win-win for everyone. He’s worn out his welcome here and you can take the one formerly known as Legion and how to him, to everyone, Jesus said “You can’t go with me”

“Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” Mark 5:19

Jesus said go home. Even though he may have thought he had nothing, Jesus knew he still had a home to go to. He also had friends. He had a place to go and people to talk to. Did you catch what happened here, Jesus gave Marty a mission. “Go and tell”.  
That is why I name him Marty–because the Greek word for witness is Martyro. Jesus essentially tells this man “You still have a family. You have people who care. A place to go. Tell them your story – Tell them what the Master did, Tell them how I had mercy on you.”
Church, here’s the first point I want to confront you with this morning. You see, telling the Good News is not just for foreign missionaries, or for pastors. It is for each of us. In our homes and neighborhoods, with our friends, we have a story to tell about Jesus.

I want to give you 4 reasons why we should tell the gospel to friends, close to home, even why we should tell others who are already Christians.

1. Because the Gospel is a message to be given, not just received.

Mark 16:15 “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.

Matthew 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,

Luke 24:47 repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations,

Acts 1:8 you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Jesus said He would make the disciples fishers of men, and He told them to pray for laborers for the harvest. This isn’t rocket science – You fish where the fish are and labor where the harvest is. Where we start is where we are. That’s where Jesus sent Marty to tell the good news.

Another reason to tell the Gospel to each other is the matter of discipleship. We’ve talked about this before – I once saw a t-shirt that said: “Fishers of Men, we catch em, God cleans em.” While it is true that Jesus alone saves by God’s grace through faith; we are apart of Gods Gospel revealing plan. Part of that cleaning can only happen as Christians share their stories.

Proverbs 27:17 Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.

Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

I would submit to you today that an important part of ‘The Church’ is missing today. In addition to bible Study and worship, true discipleship – the making of disciples who make disciples –  is an often overlooked but incredibly important growth experience for every follower of Jesus.

2. We encounter Jesus face to face.

When I am reading the Bible, I try to understand the people in the story. I ask who, what, why, when and how questions. When I understand Legion/Marty, it helps me to understand my own place in God’s Kingdom. When others see Jesus in your life, it very often gives them the hope that they too can encounter Jesus face to face. Jesus is a personal Savior. It is one thing to talk of the Jesus of the Bible. It is a whole different experience to describe the Jesus of my relationship. Do you know what else happens when you do this? When we communicate with someone else we are communicating a more organized and tangible impression to ourselves. We gain confidence as we repeat our story. We are drawn back into a personal encounter with Jesus as we help others experience Him face to face.

A lot of Christians struggle at telling their story of Salvation. They claim Jesus as the Lord and Savior, but agonize over telling that to another person saved or not. There are a lot of Christians who can tell you where to meet them at their favorite restaurant after church, but can’t put into words how to meet Jesus.

That’s often because, we assume everyone knows the Gospel.- this is my third point.  The reality today, especially in the western church, is that just because Christians are attending church services, or a bible study, or are showing a joyful disposition, does not mean they are well-versed, actively speaking and living out the gospel. I have ministered in 3 churches over the past 25 years and I have no issue telling you that there are a lot of Christians who feel spiritually that they are barely getting by.

Let me ask you, are you regularly inspired with the immensity of God’s glory, holiness and even His wrath?

Are you honestly at rest in the all-sufficient power and comfort of the grace of Jesus?
If we go about assuming that all our Christians friends are OK, then we are neglecting the very real truth that we are all deeply sinful and flawed. I know this makes a lot of us uneasy, to speak about our personal relationship with Jesus. The world out there would rather us talk about the different names of Jesus or how He told off the Pharisees. That is why it is so important to tell others the Gospel, to tell other Christians what Jesus has done for you, so that they can know what to expect what Jesus will do for them. You have a very powerful message to share.

At First Baptist Church Kingsville, we are:

Disciples – following Jesus Christ as revealed through Scripture, and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Missional People – making Christ known through words and deeds, and inviting others to become His fully devoted followers.

People of Prayer – depending on our Sovereign God in all circumstances.

Relational People – loving authentically with integrity, valuing and encouraging everyone because they too are created in the image of God.

Repentant People – humbly acknowledging our sinfulness and freely receiving the gift of forgiveness and grace, and extending the same to others.

Servants – men and women living generously out of our giftedness as a response to God’s grace in our lives, serving God wherever and whenever He call us to join Him.

Worshippers – authentically responding to God personally and as a church family of all ages.

We need to be like Marty. Jesus didn’t abandon Marty. As Marty went and told what Jesus had done for Him, he would realize what Jesus was continuing to do for him and in him.

Marty and Jesus, they had a history. Every time Marty told of that history, he realized that he also had a Jesus filled future.

Church, you and us together – we have a Jesus filled future too – next week, somethings we feel called to do – ON Mission