The Mission of the Church Part Two

Vision: The Mission of the Church Part Two

This article is written from a message to Victory Outreach La Puente.

Scripture: Joshua 1:8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

The second lesson found in our passage is God’s people must go forward scripturally.

Notice the condition if they were going to be the recipients of the blessings. Meeting the conditions gives results only if they were obedient. Not maybe or possible success, but it is a promise if you follow these precepts that are in the word of God. You will have success! God wants us to be successful people, God wants us to be victorious people, but I want you to know this morning. God was not only interested in what they did, but also how they did it. He is still interested in our obedience to him. Sometimes we think that by doing an activity we can please God, “Obedience is better than sacrifice”

God is looking for people that will obey Him. If we are going to serve the Lord, we need to serve Him according to the book. We need to come into obedience to the will of God. There are some people who have not received the blessings of God even though they go through many spiritual experiences. They are involved in many activities within the church, but they fail to take into account God’s divine will for their lives  We must move with God according to His will for our lives, we must move according to His word. There are no short cuts in God! We need to be obedient to His will.

Now the mission that God has given to us as a church is threefold. The same way it was given to Israel, it is the same mandate, same commission to us. First of all, we need to understand that God has called to minister first to Him. God is more concerned about your relationship with Him than what you do for Him. In another word the relationship that He wants you to have with Him is a relationship like what the Apostle Paul “That I may know Him” (Philippians 3:10) a desire inside of you.  You see Paul was effective he did great exploits for God because his priorities were right. His whole desire was to please God. His whole desire was to know God in a personal way.

The most important thing in your life is your intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. You can come to church and go through the spiritual exercise the question is “How is your heart? Is your heart far from God? Are you close to God? Do you talk to Him? Does He talk to you? Do you spend time with Him?

This is the desire God wants from you, God wants from us. That we come to an attitude of worship. That we may be able to Him and praise Him. That we may have communion with Him. This is what God desires of us as a people as a church and as a movement! Many times, we come to God and we come with the “give me give me” asking. Think about your prayers.

What type of relationship do you have? Do you only come to Him when there is an emergency? Is your relationship always one of asking, petitioning God for something, but there are times He wants you to come when there is no need in your life.  Come to say Lord I don’t have a need all my needs have been met, but I come and stand before you with a heart of gratitude. I want to let you know that I love you I want to serve you all the days of my life. That is what you call, really appreciate what you have done in my life! making love to Jesus.

Even myself self there are times when some people don’t even say hello. I know how that is, only when they bring you problems. There have been times when I have needed a word of encouragement. One of the loneliest experiences been and ministers have them. You be surprised how many ministers have to just be alone with God and isolate themselves many times and cannot even share their problems with people. But they need to be before the people like if there are no problems, they smile and continue to bless the people. One of the greatest blessings has been when someone came to me in a time of crisis, in my life. “Pastor Sonny I want to talk to you, I want you to know that for a moment I did not come here with any problems, I want you to know Pastor Sonny that I love you and appreciate you!” Timely words where I had to hold back my tears, from falling apart. I and our ministers alike appreciate that.

Imagine Jesus hearing that from you. The thing He wants from you is that intimate relationship with Him.

The second is to Minister to the saints. Ephesians 4:11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,

 The whole purpose of the fivefold ministry within the church is to equip the saints so, in turn, they can do the ministry. This is what our desire has been. As the Mother Church, we feel the tremendous responsibility the reason we are the Mother Church giving birth to other churches is because of a number of things. Number one we talk about equipping people for the ministry we need to be dedicated that there is an impartation of vision. What I am speaking to you this morning I am trying to impart vision. Vision is not something that is taught in a classroom, you can teach principles in a ministry. You can not teach vision it is caught! It’s contagious.

When people are in a visionary church, then the people catch the vision they get a hold of it, the very same heart of their pastor or the vision of their ministers they get it and it becomes their vision not just the pastor’s vision. They internalized the vision that God has given to the church! This is why we have planted many churches. People getting a hold of what God has for them personally, our church, and movement.

I pray to God that you get a hold of it! It will revolutionize your whole life. Un-Commitment is when people have not gotten a hold of what God has for them.  Secondly, as the Mother Church, there is involvement, you cannot walk out of this church and say you did not get an opportunity. We give a tremendous opportunity to people to minister. In other churches, it is the ministerial staff to do it all. In our church we take a low profile, give others an opportunity for people to minister to people. What a thrill to see brother Joey preach on a Friday service. It is called hands-on experience. This is what Jesus did, Jesus did not say I will do it all! He said to the seventy to go out. (Luke 10:1) they did not have a degree or a masters He said to them get out there and do the work. The seventy came back with reports of victory because of their hands-on experience. Talking about what they had received and put to practice. This is what we do in our church and will continue.

Number three Sponsorship. We need to be very careful when we talk about equipping. We as the Mother Church have a tremendous responsibility. How many of you are parents? Do you know why I exhort you on commitment? I do that to get you uncomfortable to eventually do something in this church. You are going to learn about commitment, vision because God has raised up this ministry to be a lighthouse in our community and throughout the world.

The reason why I continue to preach commitment is that we have a tremendous responsibility as the Mother Church. How many of you are parents? When your children have a need who do they come to? They go to their parents. It is the same thing that happens to us as a church. I have a role as your pastor. I am not only your local pastor but sometimes I am somewhere else taking care of our other churches. Meeting the need or taking care of a problem. We are the Mother Church whenever there is a need a financial need, they come to the Mother Church for help. In recognizing this if we are going to be effective and be the spiritual parents that God wants us to be then the Mother Church must be strong and the only way we can is to be committed to God! We need people that will be committed in every way.

What the enemy will try to do is to keep you from that commitment for the purpose and the work of God will not become a reality. God moves through the local church and through His people.

We as the Mother Church cannot shift the responsibility, that is what happens when you do not give when you do not tithe and are not committed. We need people that will pray, give their lives for the gospel! We sponsor many churches, how will we respond? Conformation laying hands on those who will go out and fulfill the calling of God in their lives. We as a congregation will confirm their calling. When the vision is transmitted there is a birthing taking place! God has called us to be a visionary church that will equip people.

The last thing is to minister to the world. The mission of Jesus Christ “I came to seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10) In Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria. God gave a mandate to Joshua. We also have received a mandate, to be a witness in our Jerusalem, Judea, and to the uttermost parts of the world! What we must do we must do it now! not tomorrow it is today!

Statistics say that after a certain age this is what more likely to happen. At age 25 1 in 10,000 will likely get saved. At age 35 1 in 50,000 at age 45 1 in 200,000 at age 55 1 in 300,000 will get saved at age 65 1 in 500,000 and at age 75 1 in 700,000 will get likely get saved!

Jesus said, “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.” (John9:4) So today we first must go forward, second go forward scripturally third go forward courageously. Listen to what it says in Joshua 1:9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

God knew beforehand all the problems they would face; this is why He told them to be strong and courageous. Even though He gives us promises of blessings promises of victory, nevertheless we are going to face problems, and there is warfare that is involved. God knew all about the Jordan river, God knew about it! He is telling them He knew about the walls of Jericho, He knew about the moments of failure within their lives and what He is telling them, what I have called you to do is not going to be easy. There are going to be great battles ahead mountains of impossibilities there are going to be adverse circumstances that are going to come before you. But I want you to be strong! Be not afraid nor dismayed I want you to go forward in my name even those giants in the land those mountains of impossibilities put your faith in Me!

Big problems mean big victories! That is what gives us testimonies powerful testimonies. If you never go through problems, you have nothing to testify about. When you go through the mountains of impossibilities and obstacles you can overcome. The greater the problem the greater the victory.

Last, of all, I conclude with this. Joshua 3:5 And Joshua said unto the people, Sanctify yourselves: for

tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you. This is what Israel needed to do. What does it mean? It means set apart, set yourself apart unto God! The reason why sometimes we do not have victory in our life is that you have not set yourself apart unto God. This is the solution to your problems, “Sanctify yourself” for tomorrow God will do great wonders in your life! Let me drive it home. Number one we are to sanctify ourselves to God and when we do this should be our attitude, once you come to this altar of commitment this morning whatever your problem you may be facing a situation you find yourself in whatever circumstance you may be facing declare yourself to Jesus. I dedicate myself to you, Jesus! Once we do that, we can start looking at what the bible tells us to do. Looking for miracles because I set myself to God. Either you believe it or are you going to continue doubting, and live defeated?

Witnessing miracle after miracle stops when we stop being obedient. Are you on a spiritual plateau? God wants us to go forward courageously set yourself apart unto God today!