Why Biblical Motivations for Missions are Important

Why Biblical Motivations for Missions are Important?

In missions mobilization, we love the analogy of a tree. Thinking about the Body of Christ for example. There may be fruit on the tree and there’s the roots of the tree so it’s great when there is Missions fruit on the tree people who are ready to pray give and go. And yet if there isn’t Missions fruit on the tree we made a case elsewhere that shouting at the tree or shaking the tree is not going to help anything. If you want more fruit you have to deal with the roots. And so we’ve been trying to make a case for the missions mobilization not only being recruiting and picking good fruit but also dealing with root issues, worldview issues in the Body of Christ. So yes we need to be dealing with “the Biblical Basis of Missions”, do the people we have influence over have understanding of the Great Commission for example. But, second only to that, would be great for people to have “Biblical Motivations for Missions”. When it comes to missions people are motivated by all kinds of things guilt and fear and need and performance all kinds of stuff. What we like to look rate at Jesus and say OK Jesus was the first missionary. Jesus said as I said so I’m sending you. So what motivated Jesus? Whatever motivated Jesus all the way to the cross is what should motivate us.

And of course, I know he loves us, mankind, the lost, and laid down His life for us. Yes it’s true. But what was his deepest motivation. I think we get a glimpse of that motivation in the garden of Gethsemane. Where the pressure is really on a person their deepest motivation really comes to the surface and that pressure was so intense right there. There’s where the battle was actually won in His own heart and His choices and He said at that point “Father glorify your name!” He could have said Father they’re worth it I’m going to… I’m going to do it for them. But he actually said Father glorify a name, in other words I’m doing this for you. I love you. I obey you I will follow you. I will do what you’re asking me to do. And so that I think is what we need to continue to build into our missions mobilization presentations. That ultimately we are motivated by the worthiness of Jesus made the Lamb that was slain received the reward of His sufferings. And not ultimately, only about the lostness or the neediness of the lost. Yes God loves the lost and so we, but ultimately we are not laying our lives down for the lost. We are laying our lives down for Jesus and we are motivated by love for Jesus. So this is really important that we build this into the mobilization and equipping of those we mobilize. A Biblical Motivation for Missions that can sustain them for the long run.