Many different methods for doing things. You may bake a cake a little different than somebody else. You may fix a car a little different from someone else. But it's usually kind of wise to pay attention to the person who's done it for a long time and knows what they're doing. It may be wise to listen to the person who built the motor or built the car when you're going to fix it.

They may know a little more about it than you do. And there may be something to the method. Maybe the method matters. In this case, the method matters greatly. There are different methods people have used, engaged to to reach people for Jesus.

But I think we need to do things whose way? God's way. God's way. There's a lot of room to within God's way to do things a little different here and a little different there. However, I believe God does have a method of missions.

I believe God has a plan of which we are just a part. And if we are going to reach the lost for Jesus, if we're gonna see lives across this world come to know Christ as savior, when we better do it God's way. Because God knows what he's doing. And we need to understand what God's way is because sometimes not a matter of, well, I'm just not gonna do it God's way. We just aren't don't know God's way.

We haven't studied it or we haven't heard it or we've seen it done the wrong way. And doesn't matter whether it's missions or or worship or other areas and aspects of the Christian life. It's important that we get to know God's will and God's way and endeavor to do it. In Romans 10 here, the verses I just read, well, they kinda spell out God's way. God's way.

What is God's way to heaven? That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be what? Saved. Is there any other way to heaven? The answer is no.

Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the father but by me. There's only one way to heaven. And missions is all about that way to heaven. And that way to heaven is a person.

And that person is Jesus Christ. So the first thing I want us to see this morning is the person that makes missions possible. First thing I want us to see this morning is the person that missions is all about. The first thing I want us to see this morning is the person whose mission this is, of which we're just privileged to be part. So when it comes to God's method of missions, point number one is this, the person of missions is Jesus.

It is his mission. His mission. Not my mission. His mission of which praise God, I've been given the opportunity to be a part of. Jesus Christ, he is the gospel.

He is the way to heaven. He is the one who died and rose again and saves all those who come to him by faith to be saved as Paul so clearly tells us here. In first Corinthians 15, Paul spells out the gospel for the church in Corinth. He said, this is it. Here is the gospel.

Jesus Christ came and he died and he was buried. And after three days, he did what? He rose again. That's the good news. The good news is the savior came and he he is the son of God.

He died on this for our sins on the cross. And to prove it, he did what no one else has done. He foretold his own resurrection and he raised just like he said he would. He appeared to hundreds of people and then before his disciples' eyes, he ascended up to heaven where he lever ever lives to intercede for those who come to him in faith. This is his mission.

Philippians two tells us that though he was equal with God, he left that behind and he left heaven and became a human. He was made in the likeness of men and finding himself as a servant. He humbled himself and became what? Obedient to death even the death of the cross. Why?

Well, Paul tells us right here, so that you might be what? So that you might be saved. John one, it tells us, in the beginning was the word, that's Jesus. The word was with God, the word was God. It tells us all things were made by him.

And then it tells us in verse 14, and the word became what? Flesh and dwelt among us. Why? So that we could know God. But not only that, so that Jesus in the flesh could pay my price on the cross that I might be saved.

He left heaven for this purpose, for this mission that we who are his enemies might become his children. That he might do for us that which we could not do for ourselves. That he might redeem us back from sin and Satan, that he might pike us part of his kingdom and his family. This was his mission long before it was ours. He's the one who paid the price.

He's the one who left heaven. He's the one that's back there interceding for all who choose to do as Paul wrote here in Romans 10 and trust in him as their Lord and savior that they might be saved. We have all been commissioned by him to carry on this mission here on earth. Jesus is doing his part in heaven. He has asked us to do our part where?

On earth. He has commissioned us. Matthew twenty eight twelve, Mark sixteen fifteen, right here. And he said unto them, go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. What does the word preach mean?

It means tell them that they might be saved. It's not referring to an office of the church, it's referring to an activity. And that activity is telling others about Jesus. Matthew twenty eight eighteen through 20, Jesus came and spake unto them saying, all power is given unto me. That word power there in Greek means authority as well.

All authority or power is given unto me in heaven and earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and the son and the holy ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. And lo, I am with you always even into the end of the world. Amen. And with that, Matthew concludes his gospel.

Why conclude it with those verses? Well, verses are very what? Very important. Before Jesus went back to heaven, the last thing he told his disciples was, you got a job to do. Now, I commission you.

Go do it. Join in my mission to win the world to Christ, to save lost souls. It's your turn to go and give it. Matthew twenty twenty John twenty twenty one, Jesus said this, peace be unto you. As my father hath sent me, so send I you.

The father sent Jesus to earth to die on the cross to make the way of salvation and the son who came and gave his life for us has turned around and said, as the father has sent me, so now I send who? I send you. I send you into this world to be a light and a testament. I send you into the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ. I send you to your neighbors and to your friends and to your loved ones.

I send you in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the uttermost part of the earth. Jesus said, I now send you. I have that authority. Now go. His disciples went.

We're here today because they did and many many generations following. It's now whose turn? It's now our turn. It's now our turn to go. It's now our turn to be that light.

It's now our turn. We have been sent to our neighbors, to our friends, to our relatives, to our coworkers with the message of Jesus Christ. And it is Jesus who died who has sent us. Again, it all comes back to who? It all comes back to Jesus.

He is the one who gave his life. He is the one who saves lost souls. We're the messengers. Messengers are important. We can't save the lost, but we can certainly introduce them to the one who can.

Not only did Jesus come and die on the cross to make the way to heaven, not only, did he commission us to carry on that mission here on earth, but he sent us a helper. He sent us a helper. You say, pastor, I can't do this. I've been there. I can't I can't I I'm not good at speaking to people.

I I don't know what to say. That that's not my gift. Well, the Holy Spirit is your gift. And Jesus said, if you will, go and take a step in faith that the Holy Spirit will be there to what? He'll be there to help you, to to give you the words to say.

John fifteen twenty six and twenty seven, Jesus said, when the comforter, the holy spirit has come, whom I will send unto you from the father, even the spirit of truth which proceedeth from the father, he shall testify of me and ye also shall bear witness because you have been with me from the beginning. Acts one eight, Jesus said as he just before again, sent it up into heaven, but ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost has come upon you. You shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth. They had to go back to Jerusalem to wait for the coming of who? The Holy Spirit to indwell and baptize them in the body of Christ and empower them in service for the Lord.

Christian, if you are a child of God, you don't have to wait. You have him. You have him right now. He lives inside your heart. He's there to help you.

Sometimes we forget that. Sometimes we don't we don't feel like he is because we're not listening, because we're not trying, because we're not trusting. Jesus promised that when he went back to heaven he would send a helper. And he sent the helper. And when you got saved, you got the helper, a partner in the ministry.

The Holy Spirit sent from heaven. It's not all about me. It's all about him. He died. He commissions.

He sends the strength and power and the guide to help us. And he is the one who gives the increase, the harvest. I have planted Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth, but the God that giveth the what? The increase.

This is God's work. But in order for God's work to work, we have to be willing to go. That's missions. We have to be willing to share. That's missions.

We have to be willing to give. That's missions. It's Christ's church. It's his bride. But he needs you.

He wants you. And he wants others to hear about him. He has chosen you to be the person to reach someone or someone's for Jesus. Which brings us to our second point this morning. The person of missions is Jesus.

The instruments of missions are who? Us. We are the instruments, imperfect instruments. In many ways, quite imperfect instruments but crucial nonetheless. And if we are willing to be used, beneficial.

John fifteen sixteen, Jesus said to his disciples, you have not chosen me but I have chosen you. And ordained you that you should go and bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remain, that whatsoever ye shall ask of the father in my name, he may give it to you. Jesus said, I have chosen you to be my instruments to reach the world with the good news of the gospel. You are my instruments. Yes, you're imperfect, But I can use you if you let me.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Who said that? The apostle Paul. An imperfect instrument? Oh, yeah.

But greatly used. Greatly used by God. I think sometimes we allow the devil to get in our head and say, yeah, you can't be used. Don't listen. Don't listen.

Listen to God instead. Turn with me to first Corinthians one if you would. It's not far after Romans here. Just goes Romans and then first Corinthians. Romans one verse 23.

What kind of instruments does God choose? Does he choose perfect ones? Does he choose great and mighty ones? Does he choose the ones with the best personalities and the and the highest IQs and the most money? Now let's see what the Bible has to say.

First Corinthians one twenty three. Paul says, speaking of himself and those who minister with him, but we preach Christ crucified under the Jews a stumbling block and under the Greeks foolishness. But under them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men and the weaknesses of God is stronger than men. For you see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called.

But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty. The base things of the world and things that are despised hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not to bring are not to bring to not things that are. That no flesh should glory in his presence. Who has God chosen?

You. Not too many noblemen in this room. Not too many millionaires in this room. Not too many public speakers in this room. Not too many 150 to 200 IQ scientists in this room.

But God chose you. And he chose you for a reason. And he called you for a reason. Do you trust him? Do you believe he knows what he's doing?

He doesn't choose maybe the way we would choose, but he never makes mistakes. He chose Peter. It was Peter. He was a rough, tough, brash fisherman. Yeah.

Dirty, stinky fisherman. That's who Jesus chose. He chose Levi. Who was Levi? Levi was a thief who used the power of an oppressing nation to steal and rob and plunder his neighbors, his own people.

He was a traitor. That's what Levi Matthew, you may know him as. That's who he was. Jesus chose him. He chose Paul.

Who was Paul? Paul was a hardheaded, stubborn person who was blinded by his own pride into being part of the execution and arrest imprisonment of hundreds or maybe thousands of Christians. And yet on the road to Damascus, who did God choose? He chose Paul. Yeah.

And he has chosen us. He may have not chosen you to be a pastor or a preacher, so to speak, or a Sunday school teacher, a deacon, or a missionary, a foreign missionary. But he has chosen you and called you to be a witness. He has empowered you by his spirit to be that witness. You are called.

He has a reason. He has a purpose. He knows what he's doing. Trust him. Trust him and heed the call because the day is quickly passing.

The night is soon to come. Our opportunities are brief here on this earth. You are his instrument. Let him use you. Trust him.

Yeah. You've got some rust on your tool implement there and maybe it needs a little bit of work. But let him start using you and you'll be surprised what he can do with imperfect instruments. And then three, this morning, he has given us tools. He has given to us tools to be used.

It says here in first Corinthians 10, for though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh. For weapons of our warfare are not carnal. You know, they're not they're not swords and shields and guns and wrenches and hammers and power tools or whatever. Weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. They're they're they're not physical weapons, but boy, they are what?

They are mighty. Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalted itself against the knowledge of God and bringing to captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Now I always applied that verse to our own spiritual strongholds and struggles that we have. And we do not have to be bound by them because we have victory in Christ Jesus. And God can help to pull down those barriers and to free us from those addictions and and habits and struggles.

But you know something, this also applies to those to whom you witness. His his weapons are powerful and they can pull they can open blinded eyes and they can change minds and hearts. They are powerful tools that you have at your disposal if you'll use them, if you'll let him use them through you. What tools have we been given? Well, obviously, the first is the gospel of Jesus Christ and the word of who?

The word of God. Paul says, I'm not ashamed of the gospel for it is the what? I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God and the salvation to everyone that believes. Paul says, I'm not ashamed because it's powerful. It works.

Share it. You'll be surprised how powerful it is. Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Hebrews four twelve says this, for the word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit of the joints and marrow and is discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. If you'll put it out there, watch.

It won't return what? Void. We have a powerful tool at our disposal. We have God's word. Now, you can't remember probably can't memorize it all.

I'm sure somebody almost has. I think people memorize the entire New Testament or something. I wish I could do that. But you know something? There there are 10 different ways to carry it with you today.

You can carry it with this, you can carry it on this, you can carry it on this, and you can carry at least some of it in where? In here. Share it with other people. It is power. And don't give up because they're probably not gonna listen very well the first time or the second time or the third time.

And sometimes you have to give it time to jail and work in their heart. And some people are just really hard headed and don't wanna hear it. But you never know, the next person you speak to might be the person that God reaches. And sometimes the people that you think are least likely to respond are the ones that do. We have the tool of God's word.

We have the tool of our personal testimony. I mentioned this in Sunday school. You don't have to know all these verses and you don't have to have gone through this class. You don't have to have all these methods and all this stuff to be a soul winner. Just tell somebody how you got saved.

You have your personal testimony. It is a powerful tool to bring people to Christ because you can share what happened to you. What happened to me? I was brought up in church. I sat in a service when I was nine years old.

Don't remember the message, but I remember the invitation. And I remember gripping the pew in front of me. And I remember feeling like if I don't go forward, know what's gonna happen. Jesus died for me. How can I sit here any longer?

And I went forward and I trusted Christ and he's changed my life and he's used me, this incredibly imperfect vessel. But he'll do that for anybody who comes to him. You have a testimony. If you don't have a testimony, well, then there's something else you need to consider. Make your calling and election sure.

What does that mean? Make sure you're saved because you should have a what? You should have a testimony of when Christ saved your soul, when you were born again. We have the tool, the powerful tool of prayer. Acts four thirty one says this, and when they prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together.

They were all filled with the Holy Ghost and they spake the word of God with what? Boldness. What did that what does that mean? That means they prayed and God empowered them and they went out and they told their neighbors and they told their friends and they told their relatives about who? About Jesus.

That is the primary evidence of the filling of the spirit. The working of the spirit in your heart is a burden to go and tell others. That is God's method of missions. First, it's Jesus, but it's also who? It's you.

Just telling other people about Christ, your neighbors, your friends, the doors you knock on, the the server who serves you at the restaurant. Leave a track behind. Tell them you are God's method. He has commissioned you to carry on his ministry. You need help?

You don't wanna find it? Bow your head and ask for it. If any man let lack wisdom, let him ask of who? God who giveth to all men liberally. Ask and it shall be given.

Seek and ye shall find. Knock and it shall be opened to you. But it's scary but I don't know how. That's okay. Ask God.

Try it. At least start with handing out a track. This is God's method of missions. Maybe God will call you to another place to be a witness. Maybe God will also call you to pray and help somebody else to go.

We have powerful tools. Not to speak of our own daily provisions that God provides. First Corinthians nine six and seven say this, but this I say, he was sowing sparingly shall reap also sparingly. He which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give.

Not grudgingly nor of necessity for God loveth the what? Cheerful giver. What is the provision, the possessions, the money that you have? It's a tool. It's what it is.

It's a tool to provide for your family. It's a tool to provide for the needs of others for whom you love and care. Acts two forty four and forty five, and all that believe were together and had all things common, sold their possessions and goods and parted them to all men as every man had need. The early church was immediately in a crisis situation and many people that had money and possessions, they sold them in order to save the lives of their friends and loved ones and their fellow brethren in Christ. They were given provision not only for their own good comfort, but so that when there was a time of need, it could be used as a tool to help somebody else.

God has given us these tools for our necessities, for the needs of others, and to provide for us those things which bring glory to him and souls to the savior. Missions conference is not about money. It is about taking the word of God to the world and souls to the savior. But for the people back there on the missions board for them to go and pour their heart into that, they need some support. Spiritual and financial.

God has given us these provisions so that we can also help with that. And by the way, you do. Increasingly over the past ten years, we have given more and more to missions because you give. Maybe some can give more. Maybe some can give the same.

Maybe you can't give as much, but you can give as he purposeth in his heart. As God calls, give. Give of your time. Give of your prayers. Give of your finances to the church, to the missionaries, to your neighbor across the street.

They need Jesus. Will you give of yourself? Will you be part of the mission? That's what this coming weekend is about. It's fun to see the slides and the video where these missionaries go and hear their stories.

But they're not here just to get your money. They are here to share with you their heart in prayer that their heart and the heart of the Lord will rub off on who? Will rub off on you and on me. The day is coming when the master shall return to see what has been accomplished with the talents with which we have been entrusted. The day is coming when we will stand in heaven and give an account for what we did with what Christ has given us.

How will you measure up? How will we measure up? Our life is but a vapor. It's here and it's gone. Whatever amount of time is left, you can pray, You can share.

Maybe you can give some too and see more souls come to the savior. Be a part of his mission. What a privilege we have. And if you're here today and you've not trusted Christ as savior, if you have any doubt, church is about missions. I'd love to meet you down here and share with you how you can be safe today and know it for sure.

If you'll come as we sing our hymn of invitation in just a moment. Let's pray. Dear God, thank you Lord for all your blessings, for the blessing, privilege of being part of this mission to win the lost, to bring souls into the kingdom, to bring souls to the savior, to save lives from ruin and hell, and Lord, to bring glory to the one who gave his life for us. Lord, I pray that you'd help us get our eyes off of other things that consume us. And Lord, that we might be burdened with the lost around us and the lost all around this globe who need Jesus.

Thank you, Lord, for those you have called to go other places to share the word of God and the good news of the gospel. Lord, bless our missionaries, each and every one this day in their ministry. Bless their families. Give them souls for their labor. Lord, give us a burden to help them.

More importantly, to help Christ and being the messengers, the instruments that you have called us to be, more so every day, week, and year. And Lord, if there'd be one here today that is unsure about their salvation, Lord, I pray they'd come so we can make sure when they leave this place, they know they have a home with you. In Jesus' name, do pray. Amen.