The mission is still the same after 2000 years

This month, October, is JCC Mission Month 2023. We thank God for the Goshen Initiatives that have allowed JCCians to be connected to our neighbours. This has opened doors for us to sow the gospel seeds in the tangible form of care and love for the community.

In the book of Acts, we read about how the early Christians were passionate about sharing the gospel with others. As a result, the gospel spread from Jerusalem to Judea and Samaria, and then to reach many nations. This is a remarkable story of how God is using ordinary people to accomplish His extraordinary purposes.

Missiologist David Bosch says, “Mission is not primarily an activity of the church, but an attribute of God. God is a missionary God.”   And, “Mission is thereby seen as a movement from God to the world; the church is viewed as an instrument for that mission. There is church because there is mission, not vice versa. To participate in mission is to participate in the movement of God’s love toward people, since God is a fountain of sending love.”

Yes, the word “mission” comes from the Latin word that means “to send.” When we talk about the mission of the church, we’re talking about God sending us to participate in His mission.

God’s mission is to reconcile people with Himself and with one another. He sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for our sins, so that we could be forgiven and have a new relationship with Him. He also calls us to participate in His mission by sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with others and by serving those in need.

In Mission Month 2023, we will be focusing on the following three aspects of God’s mission:

• Ministry of reconciliation with God — We will be looking at the ways in which God has reconciled us with Himself through Jesus Christ and how we can help others to experience this reconciliation as well.
• Ministry of reconciliation with one another — We will also be looking at the ways in which God has called us to reconcile with one another and to build relationships that are characterized by love, forgiveness, and unity.
• Ministry of restoration of the broken — Finally, we will be looking at the ways in which God is restoring the brokenness of our world and how we can participate in this work.

All three of these ministries are related to the story of Adam and Eve’s relationship with God. When Adam and Eve sinned, they broke their relationship with God and with each other. The world became broken and corrupt.

But God loves us and wants to restore our relationship with Himself and with one another. That’s why He sent Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins. Jesus’ death made it possible for us to be reconciled with God and with one another.

We are called to participate in God’s mission by sharing the gospel with others, helping people to forgive one another, and helping people to overcome the effects of sin in their lives.

What can you do?

Here are some ways that you can get involved in Mission Month 2023:

• Pray for missions and missionaries — Pray for the missionaries that JCC supports, as well as for all missionaries around the world. Pray for their safety, health, and wisdom. Pray that God will bless their work and use them to bring many people to Him.
• Give financially to missions — Investing in missions is a way to show that you are serious about God’s mission. Consider giving a special gift to missions during Mission Month 2023.
• Serve in your local community — There are many ways to serve in your local community. Look for opportunities to meet the needs of those around you and to share the love of God with them.
• Get hands-on with missions — Make a direct impact on missions on the ground by joining mission trips (this year end) and helping out with the seafarers’ mission.

The mission is still the same after 2,000 years. God is calling us to participate in His mission to reconcile people to Himself and to one another and to restore the brokenness of our world. Will you join us?

Blessings in Christ!

Rev Anthony Loh