REDEMPTION ACCOMPLISHED REDEMPTION APPLIED
I wish to borrow the above title of a book written by John Murray for the purposes of this short encouragement. Another book title I would like to borrow is “THE INCOMPARABLE CHRIST” written by J. Oswald Sanders. These two titles express the central person of missions-the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ is the agent of our redemption and the sole person able to accomplish it. There is no other person even capable of redeeming mankind. Of all the persons claiming to be able to redeem man:Only Jesus is perfect man Hebrews 2:9-14
Heb 2:14 Since then the children are sharers in flesh and blood, he also himself in like manner partook of the same;
Heb 2:16 For verily not to angels doth he give help, but he giveth help to the seed of Abraham.
Heb 2:17 Wherefore it behooved him in all things to be made like unto his brethren,
Only Christ is completely God Hebrews 1:8-12
Heb 1:8 but of the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever
Only Jesus Christ is the God-Man 1 Timothy 3:16
And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
Only Jesus is absolutely sinless II Corinthians 5:21
Him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in him.
Only Jesus was a willing and sufficient sacrifice I Peter 2:24
who his own self bare our sins in his body upon the tree, that we, having died unto sins, might live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed.
Only Jesus Christ rose from the dead I Corinthians 15:1-8
1Co 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which also I received: that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
1Co 15:4 and that he was buried; and that he hath been raised on the third day according to the scriptures;
1Co 15:5 and that he appeared to Cephas; then to the twelve;
1Co 15:6 then he appeared to above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain until now, but some are fallen asleep;
1Co 15:7 then he appeared to James; then to all the apostles;
1Co 15:8 and last of all, as to the child untimely born, he appeared to me also.
Only Christ is the meditator between God and Man I Timothy 2:5
For there is one God, one mediator also between God and men, himself man, Christ Jesus,
Only Christ is our sin bearer II Corinthians 5:21
Him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in him.
Redemption has been completely ACCOMPLISHED in our behalf!
REDEMPTION is APPLIED to our hearts only by faith in His finished work.
Eph 2:8 for by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
Eph 2:9 not of works, that no man should glory.
Tit 3:5 not by works done in righteousness, which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy he saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
THIS MAKES THE CENTRAL MESSAGE OF MISSIONS CLEAR !
Rom 10:13 for, Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Rom 10:14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
Rom 10:15 and how shall they preach, except they be sent
Because Christ has paid the penalty for our sin in His own blood, there is nothing that we need to do except PREACH THE WORD AND PRAY! WE don’t have to depend on personality, seminary education, money, good looks, persuasive words, nothing in ourselves. Just the simple preaching of the Word of God!
1Co 1:17 For Christ sent… to preach the gospel: not in wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made void.
1Co 1:18 For the word of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us who are saved it is the power of God.
1Co 1:19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And the discernment of the discerning will I bring to nought.
1Co 1:20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
1Co 1:21 For seeing that in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom knew not God, it was God's good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save them that believe.
1Co 1:22 Seeing that Jews ask for signs, and Greeks seek after wisdom:
1Co 1:23 but we preach Christ crucified, unto Jews a stumbling block, and unto Gentiles foolishness;
Which program we use is not the issue. We can use the Roman’s Road; Evangicube; 4 Spiritual Laws; gospel blimps; stand on a street corner with a placard; or never leave the preaching of Jn. 3:16, but we must do something!
Someone has said:
“Your either a missionary-or a mission field”
“Millions dying have never heard-because millions here have never cared!”
“God commands: “$end missionaries“-
Take away $-end missionaries”
“The church’s goal has not been reached-until the unreached have been reached!”
“Jehovah’s witnesses don’t believe in hell-and neither do most Christians!”
"Christians don't tell lies they just go to church and sing them" - A.W. Tozer
Is it possible we have a problems with missions? Is it possible we do not like how much it costs to send missionaries to live in foreign lands? Is it possible we not want to send our sons and daughters to labor among the lost? Is it possible we not wish to go ourselves and leave the comforts of the our modern world?
Missionaries need not sell themselves. Our goal is not to build big churches, and certainly not to build American churches all over the world. Our goal is not to have fine houses or make ourselves famous. “We preach Christ crucified and risen!” He is the one who has Accomplished our redemption. “We preach the foolishness of the cross.” It is only by the application of the blood to the door posts of our hearts that Redemption is applied to our lives. It is the Incomparable Christ that is at the heart of missions. He is the Head of the body. Missions is about Christ.
Of course you are sending sinful missionaries abroad. Of course they lack wisdom. Of course they are often ‘rude and crude.’ Of course they get sick. But what else does Christ have to work with in this earth other than sinful creatures-vessels of clay-like ourselves- saved by His grace? What you send are ambassadors in whose hearts dwells the Spirit of the living God. Do they fail you? Do they disappoint? Of course they will. Tell me, Who will carry this message of the Incomparable Christ if they do not? Beloved, you send Christ to them when you send missionaries. Never forget that. If you want a better representative-go yourself! Hey, now there's a novel idea.
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