October 21, 2007

Why?

Why Missions?

Acts 16:6-10

Opening Words: There are five basic questions. There is who, what, when, where and why. Each question is important but the most probing question is the question of why. When you ask why it means you are digging below the surface. It means you are trying to understand the complete situation or concept. It means you are using the brain that God has given you. Never underestimate the question of why?

This is the fifth sermon in a seven part sermon series I have called, Why? Why does the church cling to certain practices and beliefs? There is more to it then simply tradition. To date we have looked at Jesus, the Bible, communion and baptism. In the weeks to come we will look at fellowship and the church, itself. Today, we answer the question, why missions? We are instructed this morning from the sixteenth chapter of Acts.

Acts 16:6-10 ⁶Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. ⁷When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. ⁸So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. ⁹During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." ¹⁰After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

Did you know the great missionary David Livingstone was married to a woman by the name of Mary Moffatt? Mary’s father was Robert Moffatt, who actually inspired David Livingstone to go to Africa. The Dark Continent dominated Mary’s life. She was born in Africa. She married David in Africa in 1845. They had their six children in Africa. They sacrificed for Africa. If anyone deserved a blessing, it was Mary Moffatt Livingstone but the blessings never came. She only knew hardship. The mission field was hard and Mary failed in many ways in that setting. In time, Mary and the six Livingstone children would return to England. With Mary’s blessing, John stayed behind to continue the work. It made perfect sense but that plan did not work. Back in England, Mary and the children lived in poverty. She aged far beyond her years. She continued to fail. The hardships and long separations from David took their toll on Mary. Her ending came far too soon. She died at the age of forty-two. In my opinion she deserved much more out of life. However, those who were closest to her said she died without regret; she would have not changed a thing.

In a competitive world missions really don’t make a great deal of sense. In a world where it is hard to survive, in a world where it is hard to break even, in a world where obtaining more and more is so often the goal, in a world where we hunger to be the star, missions don’t make sense. The truth is the church, itself, doesn’t make a great deal of sense. The church has always run contrary to society. The church is the only organization that exists for the benefit of its non-members.

Everyone who is part of this ministry should be able to answer the question “Why Missions?” Have you ever stopped to consider how much time we spend dealing with missions in the life of this church? Have you ever donated a can of food or a paper product to help the poor in this community? Are you a member of the United Methodist Women? The reason they exist is to promote missions. Have you ever baked a cookie that became part of a prison ministry? Have you ever taken a tag of “The Giving Tree” during Advent or “The Resurrection Tree” during Lent? Have you ever bought something to support the youth mission trip? Have you ever gone on a mission trip with our youth? Have you ever donated an item to one of our mission trips to Russia? Have you ever gone to Russia to be part of such a trip? Are you excited about Mill Creek Workcamp? Mission are a big part of the ministry of this church so you should be able to answer that question “Why Missions?”

My goal today is to help you answer for yourself that question Why Missions?” In order to help you let me give you three words to ponder. Each one of these words in illustrated in the text for this morning from the sixteenth chapter of Acts. Each one of this morning’s words begins with the letter H. If you are ready to answer the question “Why missions?” for yourself say, “Amen!”

HEART

The first word is the word heart. Missions are important because they are the very heart of God. From Jesus’ perspective missions are important because missions were at the very heart of his ministry. The back drop for the entire book of Acts is the expansion of the church, taking the Gospel message to people who were in need. Sometimes the need is spiritual, many people in that period of time where ignorant of the Good News. Sometimes the need was physical. The spirit directs Paul to Macedonia because the people are starving. Regardless, the church was birthed to take the Good News to people who are in need. If you read the entire Book of Acts you find the faith is always moving out. It happened in stages. It started in Jerusalem (Acts 2) but it moved to end of their known world, Rome (Acts 28). The church was never meant to be stagnant, worrying about itself. The church was meant to be in motion, responding to the needs of the world that are around them! Missions are important because they are the very heart of God. And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”

During the Thirty Year's War in Europe (1618-1648), the King of Sweden, Gustavus Adolphus, was slain while his troops were winning the Battle of Lutzen, in what is now Germany. Sweden was thrown into mourning, and government officials met to determine how to replace the king. Some suggested a republic; others thought the crown should go to Adolphus' cousin, the king of Poland. The chancellor of Sweden arose and said, "Let there be no talk of a republic or of Polish kings, for we have in our midst the heir of the great Gustavus, his little daughter, who is 6 years of age." Some protested that they had never seen her. The chancellor said, "Wait a minute, and I will show you." He brought in Christina, daughter of the king, and placed her on the throne. One of the representatives who was especially suspicious of the move pressed forward and gazed intently into her face. Then turning to the assembly, he exclaimed, "Look at her nose, her eyes, her chin! I see in the countenance of this child the features of the great Gustavus. She is the child of our king!"

When the people of this community look at us what do they say? Do they see a stagnant group, who is only worrying about themselves? Or do they see in us God, a group responding to human need? East Ohio Resident Bishop John Hopkins said it best several years ago. He asked, “Are we an institution, majoring in our own rules and regulations? Or are we part of a movement, who is taking Jesus to the world who is in need. I can not answer that question for you. I can only answer that question for me. I want to be part of a movement who is taking Jesus to the world. Missions are important because they are the very hear of God. And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”

HELP

The first word was the word heart. The second word is the word help. Missions are the help of the condemned. In the text for this morning Paul is trying to discern God’s will. God speaks to him in a vision. Verse nine says Paul sees a man from Macedonia. He looks at Paul and says, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." The man is asking for help because the man can not help himself. Have you ever asked for help because you couldn’t help yourself? Has anyone every asked you for help because they could help themselves? How many people do you think need some help in our own community? How many people do you think need help in our world?

Several years ago I was on a mission trip to Belarus. That forgotten country is north of the Ukraine and west of Russia. It was once part of the Soviet Union but became an independent state when communism fell in 1991. Belarus is an extremely poor country. Of all the countries in the world Belarus suffered the most from the nuclear accident at Chernobyl. That nuclear power plant was supervised by the Soviet Union and physically located in the Ukraine. Belarus did nothing wrong, the wind just happened to be blowing to the north that day. The radiation fell on innocent civilians in Belarus. The effects of the radiation were sudden and long lasting. In addition to countless lost and disfigured lives, they lost one third of their farm land for the next three thousand years.

The trip itself was hard. The orphans were sick because their immune systems were suppressed from the radiation. There is no hope in site. We worked with sick orphans on the trip. But one day we visited a local politician one afternoon. (I do not know if he was equivalent of a Belarusian mayor, a county commissioner or the governor.) We sat in his sterile office and he spoke to us. My Belarusian is a little rusty. I didn’t understand a word but I could tell how upset he was by his actions. The interpreter told us later he was begging for help. He said his country is very poor and they struggle to handle to basics. They receive no help from the Ukrainians, the Ukrainians hate them. They receive no help from the Russians. They ignore them for leaving the Soviet block. They receive no funds from the United States because Belarus offers no military or political advantage to America. They have been described as the poor neighbor or the black sheep in the family. He begged us to go home and contact our government so they would help them. Have you ever been so desperate that you have to beg a stranger?

Historians tell us U.S. Grant and William Tecumseh Sherman had strong personalities but they became fast friends during the Civil War. In 1865 Sherman wrote a letter to U.S. Grant following his march to sea: "I knew wherever I was that you thought of me, and if I got in a tight place you would come--if alive." Wouldn’t it be great if our community, our world, knew they could count on us in their time of need? And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”

HEALTH

The first word is the word heart. The second word is the word help. The third word and final word is the word health. Missions are the health of the church. What I find the most intriguing about the scripture lesson is Paul’s spiritual maturity. He is trying to discern God’s will. Verse six says the Holy Spirit prevented him from traveling to Asia. Verse eight says the Holy Spirit prevent him from traveling to Bithynia. Verse nine says Paul was directed to Macedonia. Paul was so spiritually healthy that the Holy Spirit was directing him. Spiritually healthy people are directed by the Holy Spirit and involved in missions.

It was during the week of the fourth of July that twenty people from this church went to Rhode Island to participate in a Group Workcamp. As is our custom, when they returned they gave a report. When the report was over I stood in the hallway. Someone passed me with an upset look on their face. I said, “What is your problem?” He looked at me square in the face and said, “Why do we always have to help people in other places? We have people right here in Youngstown that need help. Why don’t we help them? I said, “Your timing is great! We are going to host a camp here in Youngstown next year! We are calling it Mill Creek Workcamp. Would you like to help us?” The gentleman’s face dropped and he said, “No! I am too old!” Then he walked away. Can I tell you something? I hope I never get that old. I hope I am never that old that I don’t care about the needs of the people of the world. Spiritually mature people are involved in mission because they understand there is more to life then themselves. And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”

J. T. Seamands could answer the question “Why Missions?” He had a heart for missions. He had served in the missions fields of Asia for decades. When I met him he was aging and was content teaching classes at Asbury Seminary. He always told us the story of a fellow missionary who was contacted by Standard Oil years ago. The oil giant wanted him to come and work for them. They offered him an enormous sum of money to help them find oil reserves in Asia. The missionary turned them down. So they doubled the salary offer. He turned them down again. They said, "What do you want? We can't give you anymore more money. He said, "The money is fine. It is the job itself that is too small." Why missions? Because missions are big enough to hold the very heart of God! And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”

Why Missions?

Acts 16:6-10

1. Have you ever served on the church’s mission committee?

2. Have you ever served meals at a soup kitchen?

3. Do you know anyone who gets upset about the church’s involvement in international missions?

4. Have you ever met an international missionary?

5. What is your earliest memory of the church being involved in missions?

6. Have you ever been part of a mission trip?

7. Have you ever found yourself dependent on a stranger?

8. When was the last time you helped a stranger?

9. Do you think mission activities should stress physical needs or spiritual needs first?

10. What mission activities should Western Reserve consider in the future?