Sermons on Missions
Matthew 28:16–20
If Jesus truly rose from the dead, what does that demand of us? In this sermon on Matthew 28:16–20, we move from the historicity of the resurrection to its unavoidable implication: the risen Christ commands his church to bear witness to him among all nations. Jesus begins the Great Commission by declaring that all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to him. His resurrection is the Father’s public vindication of the Son and the declaration that he…
Genesis 22:1-19 (Part 3)
In Genesis 22:1-19, and particularly verses 15-19, we see the confirmation of the climactic promise made to Abraham: the blessing of the nations. Here at the end of the Abrahamic narrative, at the climactic point of the climactic narrative we are told that the nations will be blessed, but with one new addition: it will be in Abraham’s singular seed that this will happen. This singular seed is Christ, the Savior of the world, in whom all the nations of…
Genesis 21:8-21
In Genesis 21:8-21 we encounter problems in Abraham’s family once again. Though Isaac is born, this causes tension with Hagar and Ishmael. Ishmael persecutes Isaac and the result is that both Hagar and Ishmael are cast out. God, however, shows mercy to both of them in the wilderness, foreshadowing the inclusion of the Gentiles through Christ.
Genesis 16:1-16 (Part 2)
In Genesis 16:1-16 Abram foolishly listens to his wife and takes Hagar as a second wife to produce a male child. Abram sins doubly by agreeing to the plan and then allowing his new wife to be sent away. Hagar sins in her pride over Sarai. Sarai sins in suggesting the idea in the first place. All of this leads to rupture in the family. Yet, in the midst of all of this sin, God comes graciously to Hagar and…
Genesis 12:1-3 (Part 3)
At the end of Genesis 12:2 Abraham is commanded to be a blessing. This marks a shift in the promises of God to Abraham. They are now focused on others. Abraham receives blessings from God that he might bless others. It is through the blessings given to Abraham that the entire world would be saved as in him all the nations of the earth are blessed. Those who bless Abraham throughout the world are blessed and those who curse him…
Isaiah 66:15-24
In Isaiah 66:15-24 Isaiah gloriously concludes his prophecy with a final appeal. There will be a great division between the godly and the ungodly. By describing this great difference Isaiah exhorts his readers to follow Christ and so attain to the blessings of the New Heavens and the New Earth. His description also contains a glorious prophecy of the preaching of the gospel among the nations in the time of Christ. This “Fifth Gospel,” like the others, ends with the…
Matthew 10:16-23
In Matthew 10:16-23 Christ tells the disciples that they will be persecuted as they bring the message of the gospel to the Jews. As it was then, so it is now. The church has been given the task of making known the gospel to the ends of the earth, but it will not come without persecution. Christians must be willing to suffer as they hold out the word of life to a lost world.
Matthew 10:1-15
In Matthew 10:1-15 Christ calls the twelve and gives them instructions for the preaching of the gospel to the Jews. At this point, the message of the gospel is to go to the Jews only because they were the people of God. This mission given while Christ was on earth parallels the mission given to the church after his resurrection, which is expanded beyond the Jews to the whole earth. What should the church preach? Is the message urgent? Christ…
Matthew 9:35-38
In Matthew 9:35-38, having completed a number of miracles that proved his authority, Christ now turns his attention to the propagation of the message of the kingdom. In this context he says that the harvest is plentiful but the laborers few. Though many will reject the message, Christ maintains that the harvest is plentiful. There will be many who believe. The propagation of the gospel is dependent on God sending preachers into the world. Therefore, all can be involved in…