The mission. The mission. So, what is our mission? To answer that, we ask the question, what was, what is, Christ's mission? We find that in John chapter three.

In some verses that you are probably quite familiar with. John three verse 16. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved. Saved.

He that believeth on him is not condemned. He that believeth not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten son of God. Let's pray. Dear heavenly father, thank you Lord for your word today. Thank you for sending your son.

Thank you for dying on the cross for our sins. Thank you that we serve a risen savior. Thank you Lord for the opportunity to worship you and praise your name here today and we're pray if we pray if there be one here today that's never trusted Christ that today would be their day of salvation. Here it's in Jesus name we do pray. Amen.

As we discovered from scripture a couple weeks ago, I think it was the Sunday before Mother's Day if I remember right. Christ's mission in coming to Earth was to rescue or deliver people who cannot save themselves. And indeed, we cannot save ourselves. Our savior Jesus Christ came to Earth to save sinners. First Timothy 115, this is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation.

That means, all of us need to accept it. That Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners of whom Paul writes, I am chief. For those who would say, you know, I'm I'm I'm okay. I'm better than so and so and I'm better than so and so. Quit comparing yourself to other sinners.

We can always find a worse sinner so to speak. Start comparing yourself to the savior. Start comparing yourself to to God's commandments. See that you just don't measure what? You just don't measure up.

Praise God. There was one who did. There's one who does. Jesus Christ, the righteous one, who came into this world to save those who could not save themselves. Paul, most of all, and me, and you.

We indeed need a savior. It is absolutely necessary because we human beings, God's creation, made in his image chose to rebel against our creator. All the way back in the Garden Of Eden, Adam and Eve, they disobeyed. They sinned. The Bible tells us in Romans twelve five twelve, wherefore as by one man, who's that?

Adam. For as by one man, sin entered in the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men, all mankind, for that all have what? Sin. Not only did Adam sin but we sinned. You sinned.

The world sins. The world needs a savior. No matter what we do, we cannot stop sin. Man has tried many different ways of reforming himself. You would think after thousands of years of wars, we would be past wars.

Why? Kill other human beings. Why? Squabble over land. Because we're human beings who are what?

Who are lost in sin and desperately need a savior. We are separated from our God and are dead in trespasses and in sins. As we're told in Ephesians. We are under the judgment of death and hell for the wages of sin is what? Death.

Praise God. The gift of God is in Jesus Christ, our savior. In Revelation chapter 20, Revelation 20 verses twelve and fourteen. We're told this, It's called the great white throne judgment. In verse 12, we read and I saw the dead, small and great stand before God and the books were opened and another book was opened which is the book of life and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works and death and hell were cast into the lake of fire.

Verse 14, this is the second death. You know what it indicates there? Everybody that stands at this judgment, everybody that is judged according to their works will be cast into the what? Lake of fire. Why?

Because all are sinners. The only way to avoid it we find in verse 15 where it says, and whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast in the lake of fire. So, if you want to avoid the lake of fire, you have to get your name written where? In the book of life. And we'll talk more about that in just a few minutes because that's what Jesus came to do.

To get your name written in the book of life. To give you everlasting eternal life. You need a savior. I need a savior. The whole world needs a savior and that savior is Jesus Christ.

Thus, his mission in coming to save the lost. Only God can save his creation and that's why Jesus came. His mission and purpose in going to the cross was not to show us how to be faithful, not just to to show us how to sacrifice ourself for others. Not just to show us an expression of love though his sacrifice did do those things but he went to the cross to take the punishment that was mine. A song I I think I sang at the end of a service several months ago is entitled, I should have been crucified.

I should have suffered and died. I should have hung on that cross in disgrace but Jesus, God's son, took my place and your place. He went to the cross. He suffered the torture and the humiliation there. That should have been mine.

To redeem me from sin, to save sinners, that the world through him might be saved, to seek and to save that which was lost, to rescue us from ourselves, and deliver us from the bondage of sin and death and Satan into everlasting life by the grace and the mercy of God. Writer of Hebrews writes this in Hebrews two, for as much then, as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, that's us. He also himself, that's Jesus, likewise took part of the same. He became what? Flesh and blood.

That through death, his death on the cross, he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil, and deliver them, praise God, that's us, who through fear of death, were all their lifetime subject to bondage. We are in bondage to sin and death and hell but when Jesus died on the cross and rose again from the grave, he delivered us. That is all who come to him in faith. He's delivered us. From death, from hell.

Our names are written where? In the book of life. And he has rescued us from the lake of fire. This was his mission. He performed it perfectly.

He lived obediently. He went obediently and sacrificially to the cross. He rose triumphantly from the grave. He continues to perform it every day as our risen and ascended Lord who hears each repentant sinner's prayer of faith. Who saves their soul and intercedes for them in heaven.

Where he is preparing a place. For us. You want to you want to read a little bit about that read? Revelation twenty one and twenty two and read about the place that he is preparing. For you.

It is beyond imagination. It is beyond description. We even in reading Revelation twenty one and twenty two only have a glimpse of what heaven will be like. All purchased for us. All a gift to those who come in faith and humility to receive Jesus the risen savior is Lord.

Hebrews seven twenty five, wherefore, he is able. Also, to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever live it to make intercession for them. I serve a risen savior. He lives, he lives, I know he lives. He lives in my heart, yes, But he's also interceding on my behalf.

In heaven. But his mission is not fully complete. Until the very last soul is saved. For God is not, for God is long suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. Now, God has given us a free will to the extent to where we can reject his son.

We can reject his invitation and many will but God is not desirous that any. Should spend eternity in that lake of fire but that all should make that choice by faith to receive Jesus as Lord and God knows their names. Who will? And God's mission isn't through until that last soul comes to Christ but this is where you come in and this is where I come in. Few weeks ago, we looked at Romans 10.

Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the what? The word of God and how shall they believe on him in whom they have not heard and thou shall they hear unless somebody what? Unless somebody tells them. Unless somebody proclaims the good news. Unless there is a preacher, a proclaimer, a missionary, a witness, a friend, who will tell them of the love of Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ mission continues today. It continues in his church. We are tools, channels through which he works to share that message of what he did, what he is doing, and what he will do for all those who come to him by faith. So today, we look at part two. Our part in missions.

What is our part? Notice again the completion of Christ's mission includes others as Paul points out. People are saved only when they call on Christ to be Lord and savior of their life by faith. Romans ten nine, that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth, the Lord Jesus shall believe in thine heart that God has raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

If you don't put your faith in Christ, you don't call on him by faith to be your Lord and savior, then you are not what? Say, Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the father but by me. Is it compassionate? To tell people?

Well, you know, there's many ways to God. Is it compassionate to tell other people? You'll be okay in the end. Don't worry about it. Or is it compassionate to tell people, there is a savior?

Who died for you? Who rose again? Who offers you life? If you will receive him. Which is more compassionate?

The former or the latter? I dare say the latter. Is more compassionate. To let people know the bridge is out before they go flying off the cliff. And there is a way to be saved.

But people are saved only when they call on him. People only call on him when they've heard the gospel. In order for them to hear, someone has to tell them. Christ emphasized this in John twenty twenty one when he said, as the father has sent me, so send I you. This mission isn't over.

It's not complete. The fields are white under what? Harvest. Harvest of souls. Jesus said to the disciples, follow me and I will make you fishers of men.

The fish are many. The need is great. In Matthew two thousand eight hundred eighteen and twenty, before Jesus went back, he said this to his disciples, all power, all authority is given unto me in heaven and earth. Go you therefore and teach all nations. Baptizing them in the name of the father, the son, and the holy ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and low I am with you all way.

Even unto the end of the world, amen. Jesus says, the mission is now your mission. The baton I have passed to you. The message I have given to you. And now, take that message and go you into all the world and make disciples.

Make disciples by giving them. The good news of the gospel. Baptizing them. In the name of the father, the son, and the holy ghost, teaching them this book, all things. And Jesus said, I'll be with you and he is with us.

He has given us the Holy Spirit to help us and aid us in this mission. But we must go. And we must speak. We must share the good news. In Acts one eight, Jesus said, but you shall receive power after the Holy Ghost has come upon you.

You shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and all Judea and Samaria and to the uttermost part of the earth. Praise God for the uttermost part of the earth because where you're sitting is the uttermost part of the earth. We're not in Judea and we're not in Samaria but praise God, they brought it across the sea and the message we have heard and trusted the Lord Jesus. What he did for us on the cross of Calvary because generation after generation of God's children shared the good news with someone who shared it with someone else, who shared it with you. And now you are on your way to heaven.

Now, we have been freed from the bondage of sin and hell. Now, we have everlasting life. And now we have a part in this mission also. This is not the mission of the disciples. It is the mission of Christ and as Christ clearly indicated, the baton has been passed to the church, not just the disciples, to the church.

That's you. Church isn't a building. Church is people that meet in a or maybe in a field. But the church is a congregation of believers. And that baton has been passed to us.

That message has been given to us. His church to be the visible, necessary, and verbal ambassadors for Christ and the gospel to the world today. The visible because Christ is not visible but you are. The necessary because if you don't give the gospel, How will they, how will they hear? Verbal because you must be willing to open your mouth and speak.

If you are to be a witness, I was standing Joshua and I were standing at the corner out here changing the letters on the sign a week ago. Just as I turned to the left for some reason, I'm not sure if I heard something but I turned to the left At that moment, a car speeding down Missouri Avenue, a white sedan, rammed some poor lady that was sitting there to turn left. Just full speed hit her car in the back, spun her car around. They went flying down the road and pulled in by the bank. Parts flew everywhere.

I mean, over where Joshua and I were standing, parts almost flew over there, all over the road. It was a good thing nobody was in the backseat of that lady's car. They would have been crushed because it destroyed the back end of that car. Praise the Lord. She seemed to be okay.

I went to police showed up and I and another man who were here went and talked to the police and we told them what we saw. We were witnesses but a witness isn't any good if you don't what? Speak up. Speak up. Now, I'm sure there were other people that saw that too but they didn't stick around and they didn't speak up.

It ended up the policeman took the other guy's name and phone number, not mine. I was okay with that. But but a witness that Christ is talking about here is not just someone who saw something or knows something but who's someone who's willing to testify to that. And that is what we are. Visible, necessary, verbal ambassadors of Christ.

To world today that desperately needs him. Christ's mission is our mission. It's not their mission. It's our mission. It's your mission.

So, We must ask the question, what can I do? What is my part in fulfilling Christ's mission? If you're a child of God who understands the stakes, the souls of men. And what Christ did. For you and for them.

You know that eternity is looming. If you understand that, and if you love the Lord and you love others, it must compel you to ask the question, what can I do? What is my part? Isaiah put it this way. He said, here am I.

Send me. Paul said it this this way, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? Well, God had a special special plan for Paul. Apostle to the Gentiles. He isn't likely to send you call you to be an apostle I believe there were only 12 or so of those However, he has something for you to do if you will dare to what?

If you'll dare to ask. Couple thoughts in closing this morning and one, I will leave for next week. Thought number one, what is our part? What will the Lord have us to do? Look if you would in Matthew chapter five.

Matthew chapter five. Look if you were would in verses 13 through 16. Lord, what will you have me to do? Well, he told his disciples here He says to them, you are the salt of the earth. But if the salt have lost his savior, wherewith shall it be salted?

It is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out and be trodden under the foot of men. Salt is something that's been around for a long time. Salt makes your food taste better. Salt is a preservative that makes your food last longer. Salt has many uses.

In Christ day, the salt was not like the salt that sits on your dining room table. The salt had a lot of impurities in it and if the salt got wet and if it was humid and over time, the salt, the the salty part, the part that mattered, the part that tasted good, it would dissolve due to the humidity in the water and then, it would leave behind what looked like salt but it had no what? It had no flavor. It was the impurities that were left and when the salt got to be like that, the only thing it was good for was to be what? To be tossed down the street and trodden under the foot of men.

Israel was chosen in the Old Testament to be the salt of the earth. For the Lord. And sad to say in many respects, the salt lost its what? Its savor, its flavor. Jesus said to his disciples, you are now the salt of the earth.

The followers of Jesus Christ, the believers in him. We are the salt of the earth to affect it and influence it for Christ. We must not lose our what? Our savior. Stay close to the savior and you will keep your savior.

And affect your world for Jesus. Be the salt of the earth. Be the the light of the world. You are the light of the world, a city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel but on a candlestick and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

Let your light so shine before men That they may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven. We're not just talking about what you say but we're talking about what you do. It's not being a witness for Christ fulfilling this mission isn't just about what you say. It is very much about what you do. Each and every day.

By the attitudes that you convey to those around you that they see. It's not just about giving them a track. It's not just about going to the Romans road. It's also about what you do. It matters.

If we are going to be salt and light. By our actions and attitudes which demonstrate to the world around us that Jesus is alive and living in who? In us. First Peter two nine says this, but you are chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people that you should show forth the praises of him who have called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. That word peculiar has been downplayed a bit.

Oh, you're special. You're a treasure but in the eyes of the world, indeed you are what? Peculiar. You know something? That's okay.

They don't need to see in us what they see in everybody else. They need to see something what? Different. The world is full of self centered, selfish, egotistical, greedy dishonest people because we're sinners. What they need to see in us is something different.

Different desires, different attitudes salt and light Let your light so shine that they may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven. Actions do speak louder than words. People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. Couple sub points under this number one When it talks about good works, I think God is talking about being holy. Being holy is being like who?

Jesus. Jesus is holy. God is holy. In our actions. Says in did I have that up here?

First Peter. First Peter one, I don't know what has to. First Peter 114 through 16. As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lust in your ignorance, Don't live and act like you did before you were saved but as he which hath called you as holy, so be you holy in all manner of conversation. Now, the word conversation means more than our word conversation in English means today.

It means manner of life. It means conduct. What you convey to others by what you do, not just what you say. In every area of life, God says, be you holy because it is written, be you holy for I am holy. Are you children of who?

God. If you're children of God, then, we need to learn to become more like who? Our father in heaven. Our father is holy. Other people need to see that in us.

See that what God has commanded is important to who? Is important to us. There's a lot of people out there. They they've read their Bible a little. They've heard a little here and there.

They've heard what God expects and they just don't what? They just don't care. But what should they see in you? Someone who cares. It does matter.

It does matter to me. What God wants and expects is genuinely important to me. It is of greater value than the praise of men. You want to ruin yourself in a heartbeat, get under politics, Start living your life for the praise of men and it's going to what? It's going to ruin you.

And we see that a lot in our politics today. And in our celebrities, and in our athletes, and you go on. The praise of men crowds out the will of who? The will of God. Your true self is revealed when you're under pressure.

I'm sad to say often the true self that's revealed is not a good one because again, we're sinners. Show the world that what God wants is important to you. Show the world that it's of greater value than the praise of man. When you must make a choice, choose who? Choose God.

Let them see that the spirit who lives in you is more powerful than the flesh that drives the rest of humanity. Walk in the spirit and you'll not what? Fulfill the lust of the flesh. Yes, the lust of the flesh lingers. It's like a ball and chain that we we carry around to the day.

We stand before God and it is no longer there. But let them see that the power of God is greater than the lust of the flesh. That living to the glory of God is rewarding, fulfilling, and enjoyable. Do it with a smile on your face. For indeed, if you know the Lord, his commandments are not grievous.

They're not burdensome. They're a joy. They're there for our good and in serving God, there is great reward. Psalm thirty seven four says this, delight thyself also in the Lord and he shall give thee the desires of thy heart. Let the world see.

That that is you. That you delight yourself in the Lord. That it is a joy in serving Jesus. And then in doing so, God gives you the desires of your heart. So, be you holy and also be loving.

Be loving. John thirteen thirty five, you might know that. You probably do. You might not know the reference. By this shall all men know that you are my disciples if you what?

If you love one another. Let me read it again. By this shall all men know that you are my disciples if you have love one to another. Little song I sang when I was a kid, they will know that you are Christians by your love. They will know that we are Christians by our love.

Is that a worldly statement or a biblical statement? That is a biblical statement. Now, the world misconstrues love. Does it not? Yes.

They make it mean other things than what love really means which means sacrificing and putting others before who? Before self. But when you take love for what it really means we would all be lost if we're not for the love of Christ but God commended his love toward us and the love of God that saves us is the love of God that indwells us and the love of God that others need to see. By this shall all men know you are my disciples. You have loved one for another.

By our love for God and our love for our neighbors, the first two and greatest what? Commandments. The Jews wanted to focus on the 10 and the 300 and the 5,000. Well, however many rules they had come up with. God said, would, let's get back here.

Let's let's just take these two. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and all your mind and love your neighbor as yourself. You know, if these two are part of you, if you focus on these, the others will take care of what? Themselves. You're not going to steal from your neighbor if you love them, are you?

You're not going to lie to your neighbor if you love them, are you? You're not going to take God's name in vain if you love God with all your heart, are you? Would hope not. Certainly not going to make any graven images and bow to them. See, how is the world going to see how how are we going to be salt and light?

Be holy, live different, honor God, serve him, but love him. Love him with all your heart. Let them see your love for God. And your love for others That's what that story about the good Samaritan's about. Jesus used that as an example to demonstrate what he meant by love your what?

Neighbor is yourself. I I have a movie at home. It's called Chefy. Anybody in here ever seen Chefy? Okay, three or four.

Really gotta see Chefy sometime. Chefy is about an itinerate pastor, preacher, in Southwestern Virginia, not too far from where I grew up. He traveled from church to church back in the hills where they didn't have a full time pastor and so he would preach at this church this Sunday and preach at that church the next Sunday and preach and he covered a lot of miles and he didn't have a car. He did it on horseback. One time, Shefi, this preacher was riding his horse.

His horse that he had owned for for many years. His horse that had taken him many miles to churches and to people that needed help. And he's riding his horse on the road and he comes across this family. They had a they had a a horse and and they've got a trailer behind it. They've got all their stuff on it.

They're they're in betwixt a long ways from one town to the next and their horse is gone lame. And their horse is useless. And here they are, this big trailer of stuff. They can't get to where they're going. They're stranded.

And Shefi walks away and he begins to pray for them and he says, Lord, I know what I need to do. Why am I still praying? And he goes over to Gideon, his horse, and he takes the bridle off of his horse, and he takes it over and he tells the folks, take my horse. I can walk to the next town. And off they went with Gideon Later in the movie, he's walking from one place to another and it's pouring snow and he meets this guy.

He's trying to get to another town to get work before his family dies, starves, and he's in the snow. He's got boots on, but he has no socks. His feet are are are all what do you call that when you get too cold? Frost bit. And Chefy sits down, he takes his boots off, and he takes his socks off, and he gives them to the man.

He can't do anything else for him at the time. But he gives him his socks. The man puts his socks on and off he goes. How will they know we're Christians? By our love.

Couple examples Be salt and light. To the world today Show them the love of Christ. Tell them of the love of Christ. But show them by your actions also. Let's pray.

Dear heavenly father, we thank you Lord for the love that you demonstrated for us when you died on the cross of Calvary. Lord, forgive us for being so often caught up In our own selfish ambitions. In our own issues and problems. Lord, to not recognize the needs of others around us, to not show them the love of Christ, to be overwhelmed by the lust of the flesh that we do not are not holy as you are holy. Lord, forgive us for not being the salt and light that we ought to be.

Lord, help us to be the salt and light that we ought to be. To tell others of the good news of the gospel before it is too late. And to show them that God does make a difference. In the lives of people. We'll make a difference in this world.

And will save their soul. For all eternity. And Lord, I pray if there's one here today that's not trusted Christ as savior yet. If there's anyone that's unsure, I pray today, they would not leave this place until they make sure. That they would come as we give this hymn of invitation this morning.

In Jesus precious name, we do pray.