GREAT EXPECTATIONS

Isaiah 42:1-9; Acts 10:34-43; Matthew 3:13-17

Introduction

Companies carefully choose competent personnel for each task to be fulfilled. Choosing people without the right qualification for the mission or task is a recipe for failure. Therefore, the right person must be chosen for the mission of the Father.

At the request of a young boy, the grandmother and mother joined him to play in a sandbox in their front yard. He equipped them with shovels and pails. The two women got drowned in conversation and they began to notice how people passing by were curious to see what they were doing in the sand. It was at this moment they noticed their boy had left them and moved to the backyard to play whiles they were busy talking.

It is easy for you to lose focus on what you are doing and why you are doing it. This is how many churches have forgotten the mission of the Father and are involved in all sorts of activities and programmes that do not serve the mission. We must remain focused on the Father's mission for which we have been chosen.

1. The Chosen One

God has always sought to develop a special relationship with humanity and give out a specific mission to be fulfilled for Him.

God depends on humanity to execute His goals and purpose. It is obvious that we have always disappointed God giving Him a broken heart every time. However, in our failures, He lovingly holds and draws us to the right path.

"I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you." (Isaiah 42:6) In God's righteousness He has chosen you. The chosen one is expected to walk right with God. "And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased.”" Matthew 3:17. God is pleased to equip you with His fatherly love to fulfill His mission, therefore, remain focused. 

The chosen one of God is first covenanted to God as a son or daughter (John 1:12-13), then covenanted to the mission of the Father. Remember your covenant last Sunday.

"I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations." (Isaiah 42:6)

Before this covenant is established, God waits on your willingness to accept the Son and His message to receive the power therein and faithfully do so. "Receive the Lord Jesus Christ today, and you shall be saved". Beloved, put it into prayer right now to receive Christ into your life.

if you sincerely did accept the call by praying, you are now my brother or sister. You can keep in touch as we grow in Christ together to fulfill God's mission.

2. The Mission

In Luke 24:44-49, We must proclaim repentance for the forgiveness of sins in Christ's name to all the nations, in the power of the Spirit.

The mission of the Father is to proclaim repentance for the forgiveness of sins in Christ's name to all the nations on the earth (Matthew 28:18-20).

When the way to repentance is shown to the world for forgiveness,  then the church becomes "light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness." Isaiah 42:7

Those of us who have been chosen by responding to the call of God must note that our focus on the core mandate of proclaiming repentance in Christ is what brings the miracle of giving sight to the blind, prisoners from dungeons, and light to those in darkness.

Let us call people to come to Christ for repentance for the forgiveness of sins and not for signs and wonders. We are chosen for the Father's mission.

Few points to note about the Father's mission.

a) The source of the Mission is the Word of God.

On the road to Emmaus, Jesus explained the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures to the men (Luke 24:27). 

"Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.”" Luke 24:44

One key thing Jesus did was, "...He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures." (Luke 24:45). We cannot fulfill the mission without the understanding of Scripture. 

My father used to tell me, "half-cooked food is more dangerous than uncooked one." We do more disservice to the mission when we lack the proper understanding of the Word. 

Pray with me today that God would open our minds to understand the Scriptures in order to rightly divide the Word of truth.

b) The content of our mission is the work of Jesus Christ on the cross.

As witnesses, our message is about the saving works of Christ Jesus. Spurgeon has a sermon entitled, "Christ First and Last Subject", in which he explains that Jesus began His mission by preaching, "Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand" and He ends by sending us to proclaim repentance. 

Repentance is our subject matter, all others must lead to repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

c) The whole world is the scope of the mission of the Father.

Beginning from where we find ourselves, we must spread out to the whole world. "Make disciples of all nations".

The world today is described as a global village. Reaching people in different parts of the globe has become easier. Let us use these mediums to reach everyone for Christ. 

The twerking, provocative comments, pictures, and the many other things we spend time doing on social media must be directed to fulfill the mission of the Father.

Conclusion

God has chosen us for His mission as He equips us with all the necessary power. Let us (individuals and church) remain focused on the core mandate so that we do not keep disappointing God as always.

Our mission is sourced from the Word, the subject is Christ's works and the whole world is our scope.

Shalom aleichem...