His name will be great among the nation

We recently had a mission’s conference at Faith Baptist Church and we had an opportunity to hear from the missionaries what God is doing in the two mission points that we are currently establishing. This conference helped me to do some soul searching concerning missions. I was asking myself if at all proclaiming the name of the Lord is the primary mission in my life. If people were to sum up my life and what I am passionate about would they say it is making the name of the Lord great among the nations?

The Lord has purposed that his name will be great among all the nations, from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same his name will be praised and He tasks those who are his children to proclaim his name among all the nations (Malachi 1:11). You and I are ambassadors of God not only to proclaim the name of the Lord but to plead with everyone to turn to him and be reconciled to God (2 Cor 5:18-20).

God as a missionary God with a world-wide agenda: He calls us to “make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19-20). He has a people chosen by grace, whom His Son has purchased with his own blood, in every nation, language, people and tribe (Revelation 5:9). When He saves people from sin, He makes them “salt of the earth” and “light of the world” (Matthew 5:13-16), thus giving them a unique role that encompasses the entire globe. Until the gospel reaches all the peoples of the earth, the Lord Jesus Christ will not return (Matthew 24:14). Therefore, it is not enough to simply be evangelising the neighbourhood or the city; we must go beyond the townships of Kitwe, beyond the cities and town into the villages and beyond the comforts of our peaceful accommodating country into countries desperately indeed of the gospel.

This is can only happen when we are deliberate about missions. When we set it a priority in our lives, our homes and churches. Our participation in global missions comes in three ways. Going into the field and plant churches, Pray for the work and labourers in the field and support the work by giving generously and sacrificially. On the issue of going, Spurgeon’s plea to his students is worth hearing when he said:
I plead this day for those who cannot plead for themselves, namely:- the great outlying masses of the heathen world. Our existing pulpits are tolerably well supplied, but we need men who will build on new foundations. Who will do this? Are we, as a company of faithful men, clear in our consciences about the heathen? Millions have never heard the name of Jesus… We ought to put it on this footing — not “Can I prove that I ought to go?” but “Can I prove that I ought not to go?” When a man can prove honestly that he ought not to go then he is clear, but not else. What answer do you give, my brethren? I put it to you man by man

And while not all can go, we all must pray and pray earnestly to the God of the harvest to send labourers and to draw a people for Himself from all nations. We all must give and do so generously and sacrificially. Missions must be a priority in our personal, family and church budgets. The God we serve is a missionary God, so should we!