Briefing You on the Meaning of Life

• What is a Mission?
• What is God’s Mission?
• What is a Commission?
• God’s Great Commission
• God’s Purpose is Our Purpose
• Why Aren’t There More People Involved in Ministry?
• The Apostle Paul’s Transparency, Vulnerability, and Struggles
• God Has Shaped You to Fulfill His Mission

What is a Mission?

A specific service or an activity that is to be carried out.

What is God’s Mission?

God’s mission can be summed up in one word: relationship.

God paid the ultimate and unfathomable and incalculable price that God said must be paid for mankind to have a relationship with Him. This price was paid in full by Jesus Christ. God paid the price that none of us could ever pay. God has made everything right so that each one of us can have a personal relationship with Him and so that He can have a personal relationship with each one of us.

There are many Scriptures that directly show the heart of our Heavenly Father, and what He brought about to be in relationship with us and us with Him. God is love. Read these Scriptures to start to understand God’s mission, and how He went about fulfilling that mission in Jesus.

You Must be Born Again

³ Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3 NASB95

For God So Loved the World

¹⁶ “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. ¹⁷ For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3:16-17 NKJV

Jesus is the Door and the Way of Salvation

⁹ “I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.” John 10:9 NASB95

Everyone Who Calls on the Name of the Lord Will Be Saved

²¹ ‘And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ Acts 2:21 NIV1984

There is No Other Name Under Heaven That Has Been Given Among Men

¹² “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12 NASB95

At Just the Right Time Christ Died For the Ungodly and Demonstrated His Love

⁶ You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. ⁸ But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ⁹ Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! ¹⁰ For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! ¹¹ Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Romans 5:6-11 NIV1984

The Word of Salvation is Near You

⁸ But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: ⁹ That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. ¹¹ As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” ¹² For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile-the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, ¹³ for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Romans 10:8-13 NIV1984

God Wants Everyone to be Saved and to Come to the Knowledge of the Truth

³ This is good, and it pleases God our Savior, ⁴ who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. ⁵ For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, ⁶ who gave himself as a ransom for all, a testimony at the proper time. 1 Timothy 2:1-6 CSB

What is a Commission?

A commission is a formal order granting the power to perform the task. It is a charge with the authority to act.

God’s Great Commission

The Lord Jesus taught the first disciples how to have a relationship with God the Father through His example in all things. After He was crucified, buried, and raised from the dead, He told His disciples to go and do what He did. Tell other people the Good News! God wants a relationship with you! God loves you! He has already paid the price for you to be His child for all eternity! Because of Jesus, you can be in right standing with God! Because of Jesus, you will not be subject to the wrath God pours out on unbelievers at the proper time! Jesus paid it all! And He also made sure they understood that the power of the Holy Spirit is vital for someone to have a living and loving relationship with God. Jesus told them to love one another as He loved them.

¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20 NIV1984

¹⁵ And He said to them, Go into all the world and preach and publish openly the good news (the Gospel) to every creature [of the whole human race]. Mark 16:15 AMPC

Mark 16:15 is termed The Great Commission from God to us.

God has given us the power and abilities to perform His MISSION because He has personally COMMISSIONED us.
You have been given talents and gifts by God to personally fulfill His mission.

³⁶ For when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his fathers and his body decayed. Acts 13:36 NIV1984

Life’s real value is found in our personally completing God’s purpose.

After David served God’s purpose for his own generation, he died! Some people finish early. Some people you can’t figure out what’s keeping them alive!

God’s Purpose is Our Purpose

He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.” Mark 16:15 NIV1984

⁹ [For it is He] Who delivered and saved us and called us with a calling in itself holy and leading to holiness [to a life of consecration, a vocation of holiness]; [He did it] not because of anything of merit that we have done, but because of and to further His own purpose and grace (unmerited favor) which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began [eternal ages ago]. ¹⁰ [It is that purpose and grace] which He now has made known and has fully disclosed and made real [to us] through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, Who annulled death and made it of no effect and brought life and immortality (immunity from eternal death) to light through the Gospel. 2 Timothy 1:9-10 AMPC

Why Aren’t There More People Involved in Ministry?

Fear-based thinking is generally the greatest obstacle to people getting involved in doing the work of the ministry.

1. Fear of being hurt.
   Reaching out risks disappointment and failure. You place yourself in a vulnerable position to be a leader, and to be a servant. Most people want to be just in the middle with little or no commitment. The servant is accountable for whether the job is done well. The leader is accountable to see that he has given the tools and good instruction to the servant. But in between there is no commitment.

2. Fear of losing their current position or power.
   For some people to face their personal mission in life and receive it or embrace it may mean releasing what you are doing now to take on the real mission for you.

3. Fear of facing your true identity. Some people are afraid to admit that they enjoy working with children because of the commitment it takes. Some people are afraid to admit that they have trouble with personable relationships, therefore they deny it and stay in the middle and never grow to being better and then teaching others how.

4. Fear of being rejected.

5. Fear of your inadequacy in talking about the gospel being exposed.

6. Fear of exposing your own feelings.

7. Fear of exposing the flaws in yourself or your spiritual life.

8. Fear of saying the wrong thing.

9. Fear of being stereotyped and labeled as intolerant.

10. Fear of losing friendship.

11. Fear of failing.

12. Fear of adding more stress to your busy life.

13. Fear of negatively affecting your family by involving them with the unbelieving culture.

14. Fear of being contaminated or losing holiness.

15. Fear of living outside your comfort zone.

16. Fear of other believers’ disapproval.

17. Fear of losing your life as you know it in order to gain your true life in Christ.

18. Fear of the enemy’s attacks and war against you and your family.

19. Other fears?

The Apostle Paul’s Transparency, Vulnerability, and Struggles

We must overcome our fears to be a person invested in God’s mission.

The Apostle Paul is an awesome example of how he learned to rely on God to preach and live the message of the Gospel. He realized that regardless of his reputation, background, and knowledge, all of that meant nothing when it came to being able to effectively preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He dealt with many fears about preaching the Gospel in the same way that we do today. There is much for us to learn and to apply from his example.

Read 2 Corinthians 1 and 2 Corinthians 2, then continue reading below. In summary, Paul knew that he could put no confidence in the flesh, even though from a flesh perspective people might say he had a lot to boast about and put confidence in. What God taught him about how to preach God’s Gospel of Jesus Christ according to God’s way of communicating the Gospel of Jesus Christ is revealed in what he wrote to the Corinthian believers on different occasions.

¹ You’ll remember, friends, that when I first came to you to let you in on God’s master stroke, I didn’t try to impress you with polished speeches and the latest philosophy. ² I deliberately kept it plain and simple: first Jesus and who he is; then Jesus and what he did—Jesus crucified. ³ I was unsure of how to go about this, and felt totally inadequate—I was scared to death, if you want the truth of it— ⁴ and so nothing I said could have impressed you or anyone else. But the Message came through anyway. God’s Spirit and God’s power did it, ⁵ which made it clear that your life of faith is a response to God’s power, not to some fancy mental or emotional footwork by me or anyone else. 1 Corinthians 2:1-5 MSG

• He came to the Corinthians to tell them about the testimony of God (God’s master stroke: Jesus). He didn’t come to them to tell them about his testimony.
• He didn’t try to impress them with polished speech or the latest so-called philosophy.
• He deliberately kept the testimony about Jesus plain and simple: who Jesus is and Jesus crucified.
• He realized that in and of himself he could not speak and demonstrate God’s message, and that nothing he could do on his own would impress anyone.
• God’s Message came through because the Spirit of God and the power of God gave the message.
• Because God’s Spirit and power gave the message about Jesus, people understand that their life of faith is a response to God’s Spirit and God’s power and is not a response to something that was human made.

¹ Therefore, since God in his mercy has given us this new way, we never give up. ² We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods. We don’t try to trick anyone or distort the word of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know this. ³ If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing. ⁴ Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God. ⁵ You see, we don’t go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus’ sake. ⁶ For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. ⁷ We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. ⁸ We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. ⁹ We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. 2 Corinthians 4:1-9 NLT

• God has given us this new way (ministry).
• Because God has given us this ministry, we never give up.
• We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods.
• We don’t try to trick anyone or distort the word of God.
• We tell the truth before God. His Word is truth (see John 17:17).
• All who are truthful know the truth and tell the truth.
• If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing because Satan, the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see and don’t understand the message.
• We don’t go around preaching about ourselves.
• God has made His light shine in our hearts, but we are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This is so it is clear to everyone that our great power is from God and not from ourselves.

⁹ Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. ¹⁰ That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. ¹¹ You have made me act like a fool. You ought to be writing commendations for me, for I am not at all inferior to these “super apostles,” even though I am nothing at all. 2 Corinthians 12:9-11 NLT

• God’s grace is what each of us needs.
• His power works best when we realize our weaknesses, limitations, and inadequacies and trust Him and His power.
• God is greater.

God Has SHAPED You to Fulfill His Mission

You fulfill God’s mission according to how God has SHAPED you.

• Spiritual Gifts
• Heart
• Abilities
• Personality
• Experiences

God’s mission consists of that which is of eternal value.

1. God’s Word.

³⁵“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” Matthew 24:35 NIV1984

2. God’s people.

¹⁵”…that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life." John 3:15 NIV1984

3. God’s love.

¹³ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13 NIV1984

4. God’s presence.

⁷ Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? Psalm 139:7 NIV1984

5. Souls.
   The greatest treasure in the universe is the human soul.
   The most important treasure on earth is the soul of man. So much so that the great powers of the universe are fighting for each man’s soul. Every man has a soul. No matter the color, the social status, the life source (even illegitimate). It does not matter. All men and women possess the greatest treasure in the universe: the soul.

¹² Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God– ¹³ children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. John 1:12-13 NIV1984

¹⁶ “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 NIV1984

6. Gifts.
   God gave us gifts that have eternal value. Teaching, preaching, ushering, greeting, cooking, smiling, driving a bus, cleaning, leading, directing, playing an instrument, singing, establishing a rapport with children, praying, helping, hospitality, knowledge….the list of gifts and talents!

²⁹ For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn; he will never go back on his promise. Romans 11:29 TLB

²⁹ For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. Romans 11:29 NKJV

⁷ But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.
⁸ This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men.”
⁹ (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions?
¹⁰ He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)
¹¹ It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,
¹² to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up
¹³ until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
¹⁴ Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.
¹⁵ Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.
¹⁶ From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:7-16 NIV1984

Your individual SHAPE is unique and matches God’s mission for life perfectly. Developing these spiritual gifts along with your heart, abilities, personality, and experiences to fulfill our part in the body of Christ must be priority! This is of eternal significance! THIS IS YOUR MISSION.

What a terrible day it would be to stand before God and come to know that you fell short of fulfilling the MISSION. He has commissioned us with a SHAPE…to accomplish the mission!

¹⁷ “And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; ¹⁸ they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” ¹⁹ After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. ²⁰ Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it. Mark 16:17-20 NIV1984

In verse 19 above, on His way up He led captives in His train and gave gifts to men.

Life’s real value is found in our personally completing God’s purpose. He has commissioned us to fulfill His purpose.

Does this mean that you always know what you are doing?

You will never be a whole person until you are doing what you were created to do.

We are created by God to:

• Worship and praise Him
• Commune with Him
• Serve Him
• Love Him
• Obey His commandments
• Bear His fruit
• Love one another
• Give Him the glory

Growing relationships with God and people… bringing salvation to all. That is God’s mission — your mission — and what God has commissioned each one of us to do and to fulfill.