Tag: Religion

Abraham: A Model For World Missions

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn Evangelism, PracticalLeave a comment

Have you ever thought about how Abraham, a Jew, serves as a model for the Gentiles mission? I have been doing some reading and thinking in this area lately. Here is what I have discovered.

No Distinction Between Jews and Gentiles

In Galatians 3:27-29, we learn that there is no distinction between Jews and Gentiles. All who put their faith in Christ are offspring of Abraham. They are kingdom citizens who are grafted into Israel, and, as such, are heirs to the promise God has made to Abraham (Rom. 11:11-24; see also Eph. 3:1-6; Rom. 4:13-17).

This means the kingdom of God is a multinational community of faith, which includes Jews and Gentiles alike. That means us, all those who are non-Jews. We are apart of God’s kingdom. We are the offspring of Abraham. As his offspring, we are apart of God’s mission to bring redemption to the world.

Abraham: Our Model

In Genesis 12, Abraham teaches us how we might accomplish our mission. God comes to Abraham and tells him that He will bless him if he would leave his country and go to a land that the Lord would show him. In Genesis 12:4, we are told that Abraham listens to the Lord and leaves. In doing so, he exercises faith and obedience to God (Rom. 4; Gal. 3:6-29; James 2:20-24; Heb. 11:8-19).

If we use Abraham as our model, we learn that to be successful in, and apart of, God’s mission, we too must exercise faith and obedience. This means that Abraham’s faith and obedience to God are not merely models for personal piety and ethics. They are also the essential credentials for effective participation in God’s mission [1].

Christopher Wright says,

“Those whom God calls to participate in his redemptive mission for the nations are those who exercise saving faith like Abraham and demonstrate costly obedience like Abraham” [2].

He continues by saying,

“So then, what God promised Abraham becomes the ultimate agenda for God’s own mission (blessing the nations), and what Abraham did in response to God’s promise becomes the historical model for our mission (faith and obedience)” [3].

Questions for Reflection

  • Why do you think it is true that the faith and obedience of Abraham is a historical model for our mission?
  • Do you believe, like Abraham did, that God will use you as His kingdom agents to bring redemption to the nations?
  • How are you doing with exercising faith that God will use you?
  • How are you doing at being obedient to God’s command?

Resources

[1] Christopher Wright, The Mission of God’s People, 80.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ibid.

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God’s Heart for the Nations

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn Devotionals, Evangelism4 Comments

Did God’s plan for Israel fail resulting in Him creating another plan that included the nations? Let me say right off I believe the answer is no.

God’s Plan Has Always Included the Nations

Even though the Old Testament is primarily focused on the nation of Israel, we see a glimpse of God’s desire to save all nations. Resulting in His mission as always being focused on, and including, the nations.

Since God’s mission has always been focused on the nations, we, as God’s ambassadors, are to take up His mission to reach all peoples with the gospel.

With that in mind, let’s look at some key verses that I believe shows God’s heart for the nations.

Key Verses Showing God’s Heart for the Nations

Genesis 12:1-3

Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

God tells Abraham that all the families of the earth will be blessed in Him. He then is the source of blessing. From him comes the Messianic seed, Jesus, who is the Christ. It is Jesus who will bring redemption to all nations and all peoples (Gen. 22:18; Gal. 3:17; Matt. 1; Acts 3:26).

In Psalm 22:27-28, we are told that the Lord will rule over all nations and all nations will worship Him. Granted some will bow down unwillingly, but many will bow down willingly to God as their Lord and Savior.

All the ends of the earth shall remember
and turn to the LORD,
and all the families of the nations
shall worship before you.
For kingship belongs to the LORD,
and he rules over the nations.

In Psalm 67, the Psalmist prays that God would bless the nation of Israel, so that His blessing on them would cause all the nations to know He is the one true God and worship Him.

May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face to shine upon us,
that your way may be known on earth,
your saving power among all nations.
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!

Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you judge the peoples with equity
and guide the nations upon earth.
Let the peoples praise you, O God;
let all the peoples praise you!

The earth has yielded its increase;
God, our God, shall bless us.
God shall bless us;
let all the ends of the earth fear him!

In Isaiah 56:3,6-7, the foreigner is not kept from joining Himself to the Lord. Rather, he will be brought into God’s holy mountain. His  sacrifices will be accepted, and he will experience the joy of the Lord.

Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say,
“The LORD will surely separate me from his people”;
and let not the eunuch say,
“Behold, I am a dry tree.”

“And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD,
to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD,
and to be his servants,
everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it,
and holds fast my covenant—
these I will bring to my holy mountain,
and make them joyful in my house of prayer;
their burnt offerings and their sacrifices
will be accepted on my altar;
for my house shall be called a house of prayer
for all peoples.”

In Zechariah 2:10-11, we are told that many nations will join themselves to the Lord.

Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for behold, I come and I will dwell in your midst, declares the LORD. And many nations shall join themselves to the LORD in that day, and shall be my people. And I will dwell in your midst, and you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you.

So then, after reading the verses above, we are not surprised at what Paul writes in Ephesians 3:1-6

For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles—assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

As well as we are not surprised that in Galatians 3:28-29, Paul tells us that all those who believe in Jesus Christ will be saved, and that all those who believe in Jesus by faith are Abraham’s offspring.

Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.

Conclusion

The nations were not an afterthought. The Gentiles were not God’s Plan B. He has always had a concern for the nations. His desire has always been for them to experience salvation.

While Israel is God’s special people, experiencing special privileges, they are not God’s only people. Rather, they were the way in which God deemed right to bring salvation to all peoples. In short, Israel was God’s first ambassadors. They were how God manifested Himself to the nations. They were God’s light to the world.

Through God working in Israel the gospel has been made known to the Gentiles. As well as the gospel has been believed by the Gentiles because they were also foreordained to be God’s people.

So then, God has always had a heart for the nations. It has always been His plan to bring salvation to both Jews and Gentiles alike.

Application

Now that we know God’s mission, we are to take up His mission. We are to be His ambassadors, bringing the message of the gospel to all nations, so that all nations will experience salvation.

Questions for Reflection

  1. How are you doing at being a light for God where you work, live, and play?
  2. If we took our mission seriously, do you believe there would be more people reached with the gospel?
  3. Are you allowing the world’s comforts to stop you from sharing the gospel with others?

Resource

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What I Learned at Royal Ambassador’s Camp

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn Devotionals, Family, Leadership2 Comments

I spent this last week at Camp Copus with four of our boys from church who are in the Royal Ambassadors Program. I had never been before, so I did not know what to expect, but what I learned was significant. Here are just a few things.

What I Learned at Camp

(1) We need godly men to train boys to be godly men

After attending camp all week. I noticed the heart of the RA program is for godly men to train boys to be godly men. There were many godly men at camp this last week, but more are needed. More are also needed in our churches.

While there are many godly women who participate in church activities, we need godly men who are willing to step up and train the future generation.

In short, we need godly men who are not only following the biblical mandate to train up their own children and grandchildren in the way of the Lord, but we need them to participate in our churches as well (Ephesians 5; Deut. 4:9-14).

(2) Scripture memory should be a regular diet in our churches and families

At camp they made a big push for the campers and counselors (that would be me) to obtain a power band. The way you get your power band is by memorizing and reciting the Romans Road (Rom. 3:23; 6:23; 5:8; 10:9-10; 10:13).

As I committed these verses to memory and helped my boys do the same, I saw first hand the value and importance of memorizing God’s Word. Not only because it is God’s Word, but because, when you do so, Scripture is always there with you. No matter what situation you are facing, you can quickly recall a verse that could help you. In the case of the Romans Road, you are always able to tell others how they might be saved, since it is the plan of salvation. So may we all be spurred on to regularly memorize Scripture.

(3) You cannot talk about the gospel enough

At every service and every activity that we attended the gospel was presented. Not only was the plan of salvation presented, but how the gospel affects the way we live our everyday lives. You see the gospel is not the ABC’s of the Christian life. It is the A to Z. Everything stems from the gospel. Since this is true, we cannot talk about the gospel enough.

(4) Children can understand deep theological concepts

After a day of hearing different aspects of the gospel, the boys and I gathered each night for a devotional. As I led them in a devotional every night, I soon realized they were really wrestling with deep theological concepts. Even though they did not use these terms, they asked questions about God’s Fairness/Justice, God’s Love, Mercy and Grace, God’s Righteousness, Substitutionary Atonement, Heaven and Hell.

As I fielded their questions, I was both encouraged and shocked that they were thinking on such a deep level. Which leads me to believe we often forget that children can and do understand biblical concepts. As a result, we can go deep with them as long as we find a way to relate the concepts to their world.

(5) Churches need to invest in their children’s theological education

While most churches have a children’s program, these programs offer nothing more than man-centered principles for living a good life. We need to do better. We need to go deeper. We need to understand that our children can and do understand the gospel. They can and do understand theological concepts. They can and do wrestle with the same questions adults have.

As a result, we need to present these concepts to them in ways they can understand and let them wrestle with it. As well as we need to make time to allow our children to ask us tough questions. When they do, we need to have a good response for them. So then, we need not only invest in their education, but ours as well, so we can answer the tough questions. But more importantly, we need not sell our children short.

Resources

Here are a few books and a Scripture memory tool that can help you to begin training your own children:

Identity: Where do you find yours?

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn DevotionalsLeave a comment

Where do you find your identity? That is a great question to ask yourself. If you are like most Americans you probably find your identity in your career, your family, your success, or your possessions, just to name a few things. But these things will fail you.

In Surprised by Oxford, a past professor offers up this crucial advice concerning identity to Carolyn:

“What is important is that my identity doesn’t lie primarily in being a professor, or being a wife, or even in being a mother. Those things will always fall short. Entire careers get swept away at a moment’s notice at the presentation of a pink slip, a vote of the elders, an accusation of a student, a cut in the budget. Marriages face infidelities, for instance, and end up like car wrecks from which people can recover but are never again the same. Children grow up and move far away and forget to write or call – as they should.” She smiled wistfully.

“The point is, if you have your identity in any of these things, it’s surefire disappointment. Anything man-made – or woman-made, for that matter – will and does fail you. Having my identity in Christ first and foremost gives me the courage – yes, the courage – to live my life boldly, purposefully, in everything I do, no matter what that is.”

I believe her professor is right. Jesus Christ is the only One who will never fail us. Everything else this world has to offer will, but Jesus will be there forever. So why find your identity in anything else?

Questions for Reflection

  • Where do you find your identity?
  • Do you realize that everything else will ultimately fail you? Agree or disagree?
  • Are you willing to commit to finding your identity in Jesus instead of in the world?

Recommended Reading

Resources

Be an Ambassador

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn Devotionals, Evangelism3 Comments

Have you ever thought about your purpose in the world? Have you ever thought about what it means to be an ambassador? I am sure many of you have thought about your purpose in the world, but few of you have probably thought about what it means to be an ambassador, let alone if you are an ambassador.

In my last post, What is My Purpose in the World?, I answered the first question by concluding that,

When we image God to others by our actions and our words, we are taking up God’s mission to reach the nations with His gospel. When we take up God’s mission, then and only then are we accomplishing our purpose in God’s story, which means we have found our purpose in this world.

So we know what gives us purpose, namely, imaging God. It is possible for us to image God by reflecting His character and sharing His gospel because we are redeemable.

Why We are Redeemable

We are redeemable because we have been made in God’s image. Since we are made in His image, we are able to understand His actions in Jesus Christ, as well as we are able to understand His Word, which tells us what His actions in Christ mean.

My last statement brings up an important point. Without God’s Word, the Bible, we would not know the importance of Jesus’ actions. God’s Word is then a crucial aspect to our understanding of God’s plan, and it is what we must share with others. As God’s ambassadors, we are to share His Word with our neighbors and the nations.

We are God’s Ambassadors

An ambassador is someone who delivers a message on another’s behalf in their authority. The United States has ambassadors who travel to other countries to conduct business on its behalf. Just like the US has ambassadors, God has ambassadors. Those who are saved by Jesus Christ, who are professing believers, are God’s ambassadors.

In 2 Corinthians 5:17-20 we read:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

We who are reconciled by God through Christ are God’s ambassadors. Our job as His ambassadors is to implore (call someone earnestly) to believe in Jesus Christ, so that they will then be reconciled to God and enjoy the salvation we enjoy.

Looking Forward

In my next post, I will discuss our motivation and how we are empowered for this task. For now, let me give you some questions for reflection.

Questions for Reflection

  1. Do you see God’s Word as crucial for understanding God’s work in the world?
  2. Do you see yourself as God’s ambassador, or do you believe this is left up to the professionals?
  3. What are some ways you can begin acting as God’s ambassador right where you work, play, and live? (Need some ideas? Read: How to Meet the Unchurched.)

Resources

Bill Clem, Disciple: Finding your identity in Jesus, 11-35.

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What is My Purpose in the World?

On By Dr. Casey LewisIn Practical4 Comments

What is my purpose in the world? That is a question everyone asks at one point or another in their life. You may be asking this question right now. If so, I invite you to read along.

In my last post, I argued that we are not writing our own story. Rather, we are characters in God’s story. As a result, we need to know where we fit into God’s story. In other words, we need to know our purpose in God’s story, which will then tell us our purpose in the world.

Our Purpose is to Image God

Genesis 1:27 tells us that we are created in God’s image. Here is what the author writes,

So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.

This means that everyone has been created in God’s image, and it is everyone’s duty to image God to others.

God’s Rescue Mission

Even though it is our duty, everyone cannot image God, because they are corrupt, defiled, and sinful (Rom. 3:23). But it is God’s plan for mankind to image Him by taking up His mission to reach the nations, so He goes on a rescue mission. He send His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross, in order to redeem mankind. All those who repent and believe that Jesus is the Christ, their Savior, will be reconciled to God (Rom. 3:21-26; Jn. 3:16; 1 Jn. 1:3; 2:23-25; 3:23-24; 4:2, 15; 5:1, 5).

Redemption Leads to Imaging

Those who are redeemed by Jesus Christ are able to shine forth God’s image to their neighbors and the nations. They are able to show others God’s love, grace, mercy, justice, wisdom, etc. As well as, and more importantly, they are able to share with others God’s gospel. The same gospel that saved them from eternal destruction.

Our Purpose is Fulfilled

When we image God to others by our actions and our words, we are taking up God’s mission to reach the nations with His gospel. When we take up God’s mission, then and only then are we accomplishing our purpose in God’s story, which means we have found our purpose in this world.

A Purposeless Life

If our purpose is to image God, and the only way we can image God is by first being reconciled to Him through Jesus Christ, then those who do not believe Jesus is their Savior are living a purposeless life because they are not on mission for God.

Questions For Reflection:

  1. Do you see it as your purpose to image God to your neighbors and the nations?
  2. Do you desire to share God’s gospel with others?
  3. Do you share the gospel?
  4. How are you doing with imaging God through your actions? Do you love others, show grace to others, seek God’s wisdom in your actions, practice justice in your dealings with others?
  5. Do you believe purpose is only achieved when we are on mission for God?

Resource

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