Essential Ingredients of Missions

Well, I think I've already done all the introducing. So come on up if you would at this time, Caleb. Yes, sir. Good evening. It is a pleasure once again to be with you all.

Thank you so much for having us in and giving us the opportunity to share our hearts for Japan. You guys have been a wonderful church. You guys really have made us feel welcome talking with you guys. You guys just you can really tell that your pastor has communicated a heart for people just by the way that you guys come and talk to us about our heart for people. And you guys really have an awesome pastor, a real gem.

He's so gracious. So what was that other thing you wanted me to say? Humble. That's right. Humble.

Humble is the one. And now in all seriousness, your pastor has really been awesome to us. And you guys really do have a wonderful pastor, a real gem of a pastor. So if you will turn in your bibles to Romans chapter 10. Growing up, my family, we like to bake a lot.

And whenever we baked something, there was always like two or three of us in the kitchen. So, like, whether mom was baking banana bread, my sister and I were baking cookies, there was always like a group of us in the kitchen. There was this one time, my sister and I, we were baking chocolate chip cookies. And we started putting all the ingredients in and got it mixed up in the bat all the batter mixed up and started to dish it out, but something didn't look exactly right. We couldn't figure out what it was, so we just decided, you know what?

We're gonna just gonna put the first batch in. When it comes out, we'll taste and see what is missing, and we'll fix it from there. So we put it in and the cookies came out and we noticed that something was still not right. We tasted it and you know what? It's like, there's really nothing that we're we're missing, but it just doesn't look right.

And so we went to look at the back of the Nestle chocolate chip bag where we were at looking at the recipe when we realized that the chocolate chip bag was left unopened. We missed an essential ingredients in chocolate chip cookies, the chocolate chips. Now I'm not gonna say whose fault it is, but my sister was in charge of putting everything in the bowl. When it comes to the area of missions, there are some essential ingredients. So if you're taking notes and you wanna write down a title for this message, it's the in essential ingredients of missions.

If you found your place in Romans chapter 10, if you will stand for the reading of God's word, if you are able. Romans chapter 10, we'll start in verse number 12. It says, for there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him on whom they have not believed?

And how should they how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear except without a preacher? And how shall they preach except they be sent? As it is written, how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings of good things. Let's bow our heads in a word of prayer.

Dear Lord, I pray that you would be with us this evening. Lord, I pray that if there's any area in our life that we are spiritually lacking or spiritually deficient, Lord, I pray that you would point it out. And, Lord, I pray also that we would be tender to your word and that we would be willing to get it right with you. Lord, use this message in my life as you've in someone else's life as well, Lord. We pray all this for your honor and for your glory.

We pray all this in your holy and precious name. Amen. You may be seated. When it comes to the essential ingredients of missions, the first thing I wanna see is the people of missions. And the first person I wanna see is the savior.

Verse number 12, it says, there's no difference between the Jew and the Greek for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. The first person and first the person that should take the priority when it comes to the area of missions is Jesus Christ. First Corinthians one twenty three says, but we preach Christ crucified unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness, but unto them which are called both Jew and Greeks, Christ, the power of God, and the wisdom of God. First Corinthians three eleven also says, for other foundation can no man lay that than than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Pastor alluded to this in the morning message.

First Corinthians fifteen one through four gives us the gospel. How that in verse number two, it says that Christ died for our sins according to the scripture and that he was buried and rose again the third day according to the scripture. Acts four ten through 12 says, be it known unto you all and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand before you today whole. This is the stone which is set at naught of you builders, which is become the head over the corner. In verse number 12 says, neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under having given among men whereby we must be saved.

When it comes to the area of missions, the person that takes priority is Jesus Christ. I think of the the song, my hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name. Jesus is the priority. Jesus should take the the front.

So we see the first person of missions is the savior. Secondly, this passage we see the sinner. It says in verse number 13, for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. I love this concept of the whosoever because the whosoever is all inclusive, none exclusive. It is for everyone and anyone.

Doesn't matter your skin color, your hair type, it doesn't matter who you voted for, it doesn't matter where you came from, how much money you have in your bank, that whosoever includes you, and that whosoever included me. And this concept of the whosoever is reiterated in Matthew ten thirty two, which says, whosoever confesseth me before men, him will I also confess before my father. Mark nine thirty seven, whosoever receiveth me receiveth not me, but him that sent me. John three sixteen, whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life. John four fourteen, whosoever drinketh drinketh of this water shall never thirst.

John eleven twenty six, whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. And it's continued on in acts two twenty one, Romans ten eleven and thirteen, first John four fifteen, and first John five one. I think that whosoever's are important. Because the whosoever's is not just the people out in this world, it's the everyone that's here today. I think the whosoever's are very important.

So we see this savior and the sinner. The second person that we see is the speaker. It says, how shall they call on him in whom they have not believed, and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard, and how shall they hear without a preacher? Now let me ask you this. Who's the preacher?

Well, you could probably say, well, mister Kehoe Watt, you're you're up there preaching. You're the preacher. Yes. But no. If they say, well, pastor Polar, he he's the pastor of this church.

He's the speaker. Yes. But no. Second Corinthians five twenty and twenty one says, now then we are ambassadors for Christ. As though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christ that be reconciled to God.

Acts one eight says, and ye shall be witnesses unto me. So let me reask this question. Who's the speaker? It is everyone in here that would say, I know Christ as my Lord and savior. Guess what?

You're the speaker. Acts one eight is a ye shall be a witness. Not a you might be, you can be, you ought to be, but ye shall. Romans 12 would say it is a reasonable service that you are going to be a speaker. Again, second Corinthians says, now then we are.

It isn't understood that as a person with a testimony of Jesus Christ saved me from hell. I was a sinner on my way to hell, but by God's grace and by God's mercy, he saved me. With that testimony, you are an ambassador. So we see the savior, the sinner, the speaker. The fourth person I wanna see is the sender.

In verse number fifth 15, it says, and how shall they preach except they be sent? Now let me ask you this. Who's the sender? Well, to answer that, let's turn to Acts chapter 13. Well, you don't have to turn.

But Acts chapter 13 verses one through three says, now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers as Barnabas and Simeon, which is called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, separate unto me bar separate me, Barnabas and Saul, the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, they laid their hands on them and sent them away. This passage gives us a twofold sender. The first sender is the Holy Ghost.

In verse number two of that chapter, it says, as they as they ministered unto the Lord and fasted, the holy ghost said, separate me Barnabas and Saul. Many times, especially in bible college, where I went to college was a ministry school. So everyone there was planning on going into some area of of the ministry, whether pastor, evangelist, missionary, song leader, everyone there, the whole purpose of that college was to train young people to go into the ministry. But even four years being there, there are many many guys that were there that you can tell they were mama called and daddy sent. They didn't wanna actually be there.

They were just going for their degree, and then they're gonna do their own thing. Some ladies were only there for an MRS degree. They weren't there to go into the ministry. But, you know, in two thousand eight, I surrendered to go into full time Christian service under the preaching of doctor Ron Comfort. It was actually in Florida where I started to go to say, Lord, wherever you want me to go, whatever you want me to do, I'll do it.

Can I take my drink? Sure. I'm sorry. I'm not sure if you guys enjoy my jacket rubbing up against the mic, but you know, I've never actually done this before, but my pastor my of the sending church would say the preaching starts when the jacket comes off of. So guess what?

I don't know how to do this without a jacket, but we'll we'll learn. No. I surrendered to go into full time Christian service in 2008. And when I surrendered to go into full time Christian service, it was really by the Lord's doing that missionaries would come through. And each time a missionary would come through, was almost like God was saying, hey, were you starting to go to this place?

We had a missionary from Ireland come through, and he's like, hey, were you starting to go? And I said, alright. Sure. I'll go. Few moments later, missionary from Italy came through and he was like, hey, we Caleb, will you start to go to Italy?

He's like, sure, God. If you want me to go to Italy, I will go to Italy. And for the next four years, missionary would come through, and every time that missionary would come through, it like, hey, would you return to go to this place? And I was like, yes. I wherever you want, God, I'm ready to go.

And in 2012, a missionary from Japan came through. And again, just like all those other missionaries, God was really working on my heart saying, Caleb, what about Japan? Are you surrendered to go to Japan? And the for the first time in that though in four years, I said, you know what, God? You've had other missionaries come through.

If it's just gonna be like all those other missionaries, no. I'm not gonna go. I'm not gonna surrender. That was strike one. That summer of two thousand twelve, I was able to go to the Wilds Christian Camp in North Carolina for the first time in my entire life.

And my counselor just so happened to be a missionary skit from Japan. Benjamin Milton, Pat's grandson. And again, it was like, God was saying, seriously, Caleb, what about Japan? Were you would you surrender to go there? And I told God, you know what?

I play the violin in the orchestra. My violin mates were missionaries kids to Taiwan. On Wednesday nights during the summer, I play soccer with missionaries kids from South Africa. If this is just gonna be like all those other missionary kids, no, I'm not gonna surrender. You've you've had other missionary kids in my life.

This is just gonna be like all those other ones. No, I'm not gonna surrender to go to Japan. That was strike two. Strike three came when that missionary came through again and again. I didn't have an excuse this time.

Again, said, seriously killed. Will you go to Japan for me? And I said, no. I'm not gonna do it. Well, I was able to go back to the wilds for the last week of teen camp.

And on 07/05/2012, God got ahold of my heart saying, Caleb, you know exactly where I want you to go and what I want you to do. You're just being too stubborn and too selfish just to surrender, just to go. So I said, alright. Even if you decide to change it in the next month, two months, three months, whatever, if you want me to go to Japan, I'll go. Fast forward two years, I went to Ambassador Baptist College, which is where I met my lovely wife, Kristen.

And she can attest every time I would introduce myself, I would say, hey. My name is Keil Kehewat. I'm a missions major. I'm I'm gonna be a missionary to Japan. And it really came to a crux in 2017.

As part of our degree, we went to we had to do a mish an internship with a missionary on the field. Well, I was saying I was gonna be a missionary to Japan, so I decided to go, hey. I'm gonna work with someone in Japan. At this time, Kristen and I had we're dating. We weren't married yet, but she decided to do an internship in Japan as well.

But because we weren't married, our church wouldn't let us to go together. So she went to one part of Japan. I went to a different part. And I was able to spend ten weeks in Japan. It was probably the best ten weeks of my entire life.

I loved it. I loved learning the culture. I love eating the new foods. If you wanna hear a food story, I have one later. But the best part of the ten weeks wasn't the food.

It wasn't the culture. I was able to have about halfway through that internship, I was able to have a ten week a conversation with an unsaved Japanese man. I was trying to witness to him. He was just giving me the lowdown of what they believe. And he was telling me that they believe in all these different spirit spirits, possibly millions of spirits.

We were in the middle of a park and he said, you know why this park is so so clean? Because there could be a spirit in this park. And so we don't wanna offend the spirit of this park. And so we will take care of it. And he continued going even deeper into even something like a a piano.

They'll take care of this piano. Make sure it's tuned. Make sure it's clean. Make sure that it is working in good order because there might be a spirit of the piano that they don't want to offend. After that conversation that night, I I got before God and saying, Lord, how does the Roman Road fit into that?

I grew up I I've gone to college to learn how to witness to different religions. I you didn't prepare me for this one. Lord, how do you want me to do this? Well, God answered me the very next morning when I was doing my devos. I got to was reading in Isaiah chapter 45, and this theme is seen all the way through this that chapter.

But I was reading and I got to verse number six and where God kinda said, like, Caleb, stop. Read that verse and really pay attention to it. And Isaiah 45 verse six says, that they may know from the rising of the sun and from the west that there is none besides me. I'm the Lord. There is none else.

When I got alone with God and God showed me that verse, it was almost like God said, Caleb, you just had a conversation about with a Japanese man where they believe millions and millions of spirits. Well, they will accept Jesus Christ as just another great spirit to worship. Right next to Mohammed, right next to Buddha, right next to name your religion. They will accept them as a just in case mentality. And you're wondering, how do you witness to people like that?

Why do I want you to go here? That's why. That they may know that there's none besides me. And that was the proverbial nail in the coffin for me saying, Lord, I answered the call saying, if you want me to go to Japan, I'll go. But now I can't not go to Japan.

I have to go. If it takes two years, five years, ten years, however long, Lord, I gotta go. I can't stay. Unbeknownst to me, the Lord was doing the exact same thing in her heart, confirming Japan in her heart. So undeniably for us, God has called us to Japan.

We can't not go. We cannot stay. Ever since I've been back, I've been I've been I've been rearing to go back. Japan has a such a special place in my heart that as much as I love my country, I can't stay here. I need to leave.

I need to go there. God has called Christian Kristen and I to that work in Japan. So the first sender is the holy ghost. The second sender we see in verse number three. It says, when they, the church that was at Antioch, fasted and prayed.

They laid their hands on them and sent them away. The second sender is the local church. We are sent out by Faith Baptist Church in Kannapolis, North Carolina. Our pastor is pastor James Paulie. Everything we do, everything we go, every time we have another church say, hey.

We're supporting you. He's the first person I call saying, hey. We had another church. He's like, praise the Lord. Can't wait to send you guys out.

Our church is so gracious to us. Every every time we're back, they're like, hey, when when's your next meeting? Where are you going? And what percentage are you at? Like, just wants to know, hey, what can we do to get you guys out?

It's gonna it's gonna be a sad, but a happy sad day when we actually can say we're at a 100%. We're headed to Japan. We gotta leave this church. Though tears may be exchanged, They're gonna lay their hands on us, they're gonna pray, and they're gonna send us away. So that's the that's number one, the people of missions.

Second thing I wanna see is the place of missions. If you will turn with me to acts chapter one. Acts chapter one and verse number eight, it says, but you shall receive power after that the holy ghost has come upon you. And you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in Judea and in Samaria and then to other most parts of the earth. I love the way that my missions professor put it.

He he he viewed this in a very geological standpoint. I so your Jerusalem, that's where you are right now. If you're gonna be a witness well, since you're going to be a witness, you gotta be a witness where you are right now. Clearwater, Florida. Uh-oh.

For this church, this your Jerusalem is Clearwater, Florida. Your Jerusalem is your is your city. It's where you are. What are you doing trying what are you doing to try and reach your city for God? Your jurors your Judea, you you expand your scope a little bit.

That's your state. What are you trying to do to reach Florida for Christ? When was the last time you prayed for your governor, for your state legislation, for the people that are in charge of your state. What about for other churches in Florida? In some other part that you're not in.

Your Samaria, keep expanding out. Your Samaria is your country. When was the last time you pray prayed for your country? Not just your country. When was the last time you prayed for your president?

Joe Biden needs prayer. When was the last time you prayed for your congressmen? They need prayer. Your representatives, the people in charge of running this state. When was the last time you prayed for evangelists that you know that are traveling around The United States preaching, trying to win souls to Christ, to revive churches, to get people reinvigorated for God.

When was the last time you prayed for them? And, of course, the outermost parts of the world is the outermost parts of the earth. When was the last time you prayed for your missionaries? When was the last time you called or emailed your missionaries saying, hey, what can I pray for what prayer request do you have? What can I pray for you about?

I guarantee you, they have a list. There's no shortage of things to pray for in the mission field. I like to take, to see this in as a social standing or your a social circle. So your Jerusalem, it's the people that are right here. The people right within arm's reach, it's just your family members that are just right here.

Parents, it's your kids. Kids, it's your parents. It is your coworkers that you see on a daily basis. It is your neighbor that you talk with that are just right there, right next door neighbor, people that are within arm's reach of you. That's your Jerusalem.

Your Judea is a little bit further out. It's it's your neighborhood down the street that you've seen every once in a while, you've talked to every once in a while. You don't know that well, but it's them. It's that coworker that you see in passing, but you haven't talked to very well, very much. It's your extended family members, aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews, people that you might see every once in a while in a holiday.

This next part is the kicker though, Samaria. Let me ask you this, who was Jesus talking to in acts one eight? He was talking to a bunch of Jews. And in the eyes of Jews, the the Samaritans were the lowest of the low. They would actively avoid traveling through Samaria to get to the other to the other side.

They will go around Samaria. Your Samaria is your prejudice. It's the people that you just think they are so wicked, so evil, they don't deserve God. It is the Adolf Hitlers of the world, the Saddam Husseins, the Jeffrey Dahmers, the Charles Bundies, the people that are just almost evil incarnate that most a lot of people think. They still need God.

It is the Joe Biden's and Donald Trump's. The people that you just think they are just so wicked, whatever side of the spectrum you land on. They're just so wicked, so evil, so hypocritical. They they're just I don't wanna. Is the people in your mind that you say, I just don't want to.

Bible says you're supposed to be a witness to them. You're still supposed to be a witness to Samaria. And then, of course, the other most parts of the world is everyone else, the people that you are never ever going to meet. So that's we've seen the people of missions, the place of missions. Last thing I wanna see is the practice of missions.

If you will, turn with me to Matthew chapter eight 28. And I just wanna say for the record, I was thinking about this last night, but pastor, your message this morning kind of we're gonna be overlapping a little bit. Because in verse number 19 of Matthew chapter 28, in Matthew 28 verses nineteen and twenty, it says, go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father, and of the son, and of the holy ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and lo, I'm with you all way even unto the end of the world. Amen. There's two practices of being a missionary.

Two practices of missions that we see. The first one is the very first word in verse number 19. Go. One of the hardest things to to do is just take that first step of saying, okay, I'll go. Stepping forward saying, alright, Lord, I don't know where you want me to go, but hey, I'll go.

It is Isaiah saying, hear my Lord, send me. But I I I think it's it's funny. Oftentimes, think we when we see that, we see we see that as a a command, a command to go. But if you take a look at that in the the verse in the Greek and also in Matthew it's not Matthew, Mark sixteen fifteen. That go is not an imperative.

And then it is actually a present participle. Meaning, you can translate it, therefore going into the world, therefore. It is an understood thing that you're gonna be in the world. We're not supposed to be isolated in our own little spiritual box worrying about our own selves. It is an understood thing of you are going into the world.

So since you're going into the world, You could translate it. Since you're going into the world, the second thing, the second practice of missions is teach all nations. Pastor said it this morning that teach all nations is make disciples of all nations. And there's two ways that we do that. First off is baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy ghost.

Now I'm not saying that baptism saves you. Baptism does nothing for your sanctification. It doesn't get you to heaven. However, in order for someone to be baptized, they first must be saved. So the very first thing is there needs to be some evangelism.

Baptizing is submersing them in the name of the father what God has done. In the name of the son, what Jesus Christ died did for us on the cross, and of the holy ghost, what the holy ghost does in us when we accept Jesus Christ. There needs to be that baptism of the father, son, and the holy ghost. There needs to be a witnessing, an evangelizing, a sharing of the gospel. But the second thing, the second part of making disciples is teaching them.

There's baptizing, then teaching them to observe whatsoever all things whatsoever I have commanded you. That's what we would call discipleship. I think it's funny. If you if you look at verse number 20, it says, teaching them to observe all things whatever I have commanded you. Part of discipleship isn't just here's what the bible says.

One the main aspect of this discipleship in verse number 20 is you gotta live it. If you're gonna train someone up in the things that's of God, guess what? You're gonna have to be living it yourself. Paul would say, follow after me as I follow after Christ. Which means, you know, if I'm discipling someone and I have to say and I say, you must be a witness to people.

Guess what? I gotta be a witness to someone. If I say, you gotta grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and savior, all scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, instruction, and righteousness. You gotta be in the God's word and grow in Christ. Guess what?

I gotta be in God's word and growing in Christ. Part of teaching something is living it. Saying this is what the bible says is easy. Living what the bible says is hard. In closing, the story I'm about to tell, I got permission.

She's not gonna kill me after the service. But when we first got married, my wife, we were given strawberries and lemons. And my all time favorite dessert in the world you can say you you like chocolate cake, you like key lime pie, whatever. My all time favorite is lemon bars. I love lemon bars.

I've never had a bad lemon bar. But there was this one time we were given lemons, and I had gone off to work and my wife decided she was gonna surprise me with some lemon bars when I got home from work. I didn't know this at the time, but I was just going through my day at work and I get a call and I and I hear, hey, Caleb, I'm I made a mistake. When I went to squeeze the lemons, I forgot to put a bowl underneath, and all the lemon juice had gone down the drain. Now I remembered that there was some Minute Maid lemonade in the fridge.

So I said, hey. You could possibly use Minute Maid lemonade. That might possibly work. You could give it a try. She's like, alright.

But it might not turn out the way you you think it's going to. And so I hang up. I finish my shift as a as a guard, so I start driving home. Next thing know, I get another call. And, again, it's Kristen.

She says, Caleb, it is not looking right. It's not setting. I don't think the Minute Maid lemonade works. So when you get home, you don't have to try it. Now, again, this was within the first year of marriage.

I'm going to try it. I'm a I'm I told myself I'm gonna be a good husband. She has not made anything that I have disliked so far. And besides, it's lemon bars. What's the worst that could happen?

So I finally get home. She greets me at the door and says, Caleb, seriously, you do not have to try it. It is not looking it's not doing what it's supposed to. Please do not try this. I said, no.

I'm I'm gonna be a good husband. I'm gonna try these lemon bars. So we I go to the oven and I take it out and set it on top of the stove as it's sloshed. I got one of those tasting spoons because I know it's lemon bars. It's lemon.

What's the worst that could happen? Well, we found out what's the worst that could happen. It did not taste right. And we found out there's a reason why you're supposed to use freshly squeezed lemons. It's counteract the salt.

It was salty. We tried to substitute an essential ingredients and it didn't taste right. Now let's apply this to the area of missions. If you try to substitute any of these essential ingredients, any of the people of missions, any of the places of missions, any of the practice of missions, your missions ain't gonna look right. It's gonna leave a bad taste in the mouth.

You cannot substitute any essential ingredients. They're essential for a reason. So in closing, let me ask you this. Do you have all your ingredients? Are you substituting any of your essential ingredients?

How does your missions look? Let's bow our heads in a word of prayer. As the instrumentalists come, I just wanna close with the leave this offer of invitation. If there's anyone here that will say, brother Caleb, I don't have any of the ingredients because I'm not saved. If there's anyone like that, we ask that you come forward and pastor or someone will show you from the bible how you can know that you're gonna go to heaven.

If there's anyone here that would say, brother Caleb, I I'm saved, but I don't have all the ingredients. I'm substituting some of my ingredients, but I wanna get that right with you. If there's anyone like that, I pray that you will come forward and get that right with God. Dear Lord, I pray that you would use this message, show us any area that we are spiritually lacking. If there's anyone here that is missing some of the essentials, I pray that they would get that right with you.

Lord, we love you, and we pray all this in your holy and precious name. Amen. Pastor? Amen.