This weekend we complete our series we're calling, Life on Mission. For the past 5 weeks, we have tackled “what” living our life on mission looks like. This series is based on a book, written by Tim Harlow, that you can still purchase for $5 at our welcome center. It's also available through every major book distributor in print and digital formats.
Jesus’ final words to his disciples in Acts 1:8, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
It’s true that there is a worldwide scope to the mission of Jesus. Wherever people are to be found, anywhere in the world, there you’ll find the mission of Jesus. Jesus’ mission is for every culture, every people group. . . every tribe, tongue, and nation.
But notice where Jesus says our mission begins. It doesn’t begin half-way across the world. It begins right where we are. The apostles were “in Jerusalem.” And Jesus commanded them to start living on mission from where they were already planted.
We’re the wealthiest nation on earth. Our nation has done more to fund the worldwide mission of the church than any other. But we gotta take care of business in our backyard as well. The mission starts in our neighborhood. And there is no more relevant question than “Do you know your neighbor?”
One reason Jesus was always on mission is because there are people everywhere. Everywhere he went, there was a life that needed to be touched. In John 4:35 Jesus admonition to his disciples is they only needed to open their eyes, and look at the vast fields, that are ripe for harvest.