Missions Month 2024 (Part 1)

Ong Sing Lim & Douglas Choo

INTRODUCTION

Our mission as a church is to lead people to become fully devoted followers of Christ. “People” refers to people already in the church or even in Singapore and those living in the nations around us. The Jesuits first introduced the term “missionem” in the 16th Century to the Christian world, drawn from the root word “mittere,” meaning literally “to send out”.

As Full Gospel Assembly, we believe we are called to be an apostolic church. The word “apostolic” refers to the apostles appointed by Jesus. The apostles were discipled by Jesus and prepared in this manner to be sent out to spread the gospel. Our church today then looks to imitate the apostles in answering the call of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20).

In this season leading up to National Day, read/watch this devotion on the two-fold call of the Great Commission – Evangelism and Disciple-making by LoveSingapore.

DISCUSSION

  1. When and how were you called to follow Jesus?
  2. Read Luke 9:57-62.
    a.
    What are the three responses that these would-be followers give in response to the call to follow Jesus?(i) Why do you think each of them responded in the way they did?
    b. What does following Jesus mean to you today? 
    (i) Which of the three responses might you identify with?
    (ii) Why do you respond in the way that you do?
  3. Read Luke 10:1-16. Take some time (~3-4 min) to meditate on this passage in silence as a group.
    (a) Who do you identify with in this passage (e.g. those who are sent; those who receive the sent workers; Chorazin and Bethsaida)?
    (b) What might God be saying to you as individuals and as a group?
  4. Read Luke 10:17-20. As we follow Jesus, we will discover new gifts given to us by the Holy Spirit (see 1 Corinthians 12:8-10). Or we may already have many God-given talents from nature and/or nurture. 
    a. How do we view our abilities?
    (i) What do we think they are for?
    (ii) What happens if we fail to use them?
    (iii) Will good use of them draw us closer to God?
    b. Why do you think Jesus mentions Satan? See Isaiah 14:12-15.
    (i) What does this tell us about what our abilities might accomplish in the Kingdom of God?
    c. When those who were sent out returned, what brought them joy (v17)?
    (i) Were they right to feel this way? What did Jesus say should bring them joy (v20)? See Psalm 13:5 and 51:12 to see other Biblical sources of joy.
    (ii) What brings you joy today? How does it compare to the joy that Jesus says you should have?

WHAT WILL YOU DO

If your joy from the things of this world is greater than the joy of your salvation in Christ, would you repent and ask God to restore the joy of your salvation?

If the joy of salvation in Christ has been restored to you, would you take up your cross to answer the call of the Great Commission so that others may experience this same joy?

MEMORY VERSE

“Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?” – Matthew 16:24-26 (ESV)

FURTHER READING

Are we defining success as the world defines it, or as God defines it? Read/watch this devotion – How do we define success? by LoveSingapore.