I went to a church service one Sunday, and the daughter of the pastor of that church gave a wonderful message: Passion for the Mission. I could not get it out of my head. It gave me such a charge. Because I had been doing a series on "I Need the Word (of God)," Paul, Stephen, and Jesus are good examples in the New Testament, and Ezekiel, Isaiah, and Joshua in the Old Testament. They all had a charge of Passion for their Mission. How about you, you and you?
Passion for the Mission. What do you think of or feel when this is said to you? Matt 28:18-20 says, " And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on Earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.'" Amen.
The great commission is what we're supposed to follow; it was a command that Jesus gave to us, and also the command Paul gave Timothy in 2 Tim 4:5. It's not going to be easy, but it's not always going to be hard. Passion does mean to suffer. Christ suffered for his ministry, and he also died for it. We could use a little more passion to show our faith and trust in Jesus.
Sometimes when I get afraid, I need a charge to get started, or to move on. We can get stuck because of disappointments of life. God will judge us for what we do, so we need a charge to do the things God brought us into life for. No matter what the reason. We have to give a charge to others by rebuking them correctly. Then they will witness for themselves Passion of Mission by the word of God (2 Tim 4:13). This will charge us too. "He who has an ear, let him hear what the spirit says to the churches" (Rev. 2:7).
Did Jesus have a passion for his mission? In John 13:15 Jesus said he was an example for us because he went and did what he came to do. So should we. If we see the truth, it should give us peace. In this life God is giving us the passion for the mission to bring joy to him and maybe someone else.
Have you been looking around and seen Jesus telling us to do the things that he has done: healing; giving sight; and finding the lost, because he had passion for the mission to show us how to have passion for our lives.
It is amazing how we want everything peaches and cream. Passion can bring fulfillment to life. No pain, no gain. If I go around and share the passion for my mission, I could give a charge or be an example to you, and then you could be an example to someone else. I could change you to have a passion for your mission.
As 2 Tim 3:16-17 says, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."
God has to breathe it into you, that you may be complete for the Work of God!
- Webb Smith, is the pastor at New Life Wake Up Ministries/Sojourner Truth Ministries.
