CHRISTIAN LIFE: Facing a Task Unfinished
Responding to the missionary challenge…..
In one of his books, Michael Griffiths describes an occasion when he met a group of elders in Sumatra and asked them, “What are you praying that the Lord will do for you?” A puzzled look crossed the men’s faces before they expressed their honest reply:- “We have never really thought about it.” (1) There was no real mission strategy.
Probably few of the readers of this website live in Sumatra, but I wonder how many of us have any sort of mission strategy in our local churches? Michael Griffiths was spot-on when he remarked, “So often, provided the building is kept in good repair and the seats reasonably full, that is regarded as an adequate measure of success.” Perhaps some of us must hang our heads even lower, for we somehow appear content even when the seats are not “reasonably full”! To be more correct we are really being complacent.
ENTER SIMON PETER
Simon Peter and his colleagues must have been feeling rather discouraged. A fruitless night had been spent on the Lake, their best skills having yielded not one fish! When Jesus had finished speaking to the crowd, He turned to Simon and told him to “launch out into the deep” (Luke 5:4). At first it must have seemed unreasonable. After all, if the fish were not there at night, what hope did the fishermen have in the daytime? To a man of experience the very idea did not make sense! “Master, we have toiled all night, and have taken nothing,” Simon remonstrated. “Nevertheless at Thy word I will let down the net.” (Luke 5:5). The result was the greatest possible catch of fishes and a humbled fisherman on his knees before the Saviour.
Often we are just like Simon Peter. “We’ve always done it this way!” we cry. “It must be right. How can we change?” One evangelist towards the end of the last century made the point well when he said that we have a first century Gospel for the twentieth century, but we insist on presenting it in a nineteenth century way. At one time in Britain unsaved people would readily attend a place of worship on a Sunday and would hear the Gospel preached. Nowadays few do. Like Simon Peter, are we insisting on “fishing” at the time when it has always been done instead of seeking (with the Lord’s help) a possible better time to reach them?
COMPLACENCY
The Lord detests complacency. In Zephaniah 1:12 He rebuked those who were “settled on their lees” (KJV). Surely the time has come for us to face Michael Griffiths’ question and be more specific in our prayers. The work of evangelism must continue until the Lord returns. Frank Houghton’s missionary hymn begins with the words “Facing a task unfinished, that drives us to our knees” (2) – and driven to our knees we must be, for without the Lord Jesus we can do nothing (John 15:5, emphasis added). But prayer must be followed by action – and in the words of the hymn we are “to go and make Thee known”. Using the imagery of Luke 5, Bob Whitmarsh said the remedy is “to go where the fish are.” He added: “You don’t catch fish in a puddle – they are in the river, the lake, the stream, the sea, and the bait is the living Word of God.” (3) Are we staying where we are and “fishing in a puddle” when the Master has directed us to “Go”? (Mt.28:19)
In the Book of Acts we can learn valuable lessons relating to evangelistic work. Antioch in Syria was the real centre for missionary enterprise in those early days, and Chapter 13 opens with a small but deeply concerned group of men praying and fasting. It was while they were praying that the Lord revealed the special ministry which He had for Saul and Barnabas.
There is a challenge here for us. We have been told to pray to the Lord of the harvest for labourers (Mt.9:38), but do we allow Him to show us the ones He is calling? It is one thing to volunteer one’s services, but in Acts 13 the Church was intimately involved in the work to which Saul and Barnabas had been called. The hands laid on them were an indication of approval and fellowship. In effect they were saying, “Brethren, we are with you in this. Distance will not mean severance.” How ready are we to give this vital encouragement to the Lord’s servants today? However, the best support that the Church could give was not enough. Power was also needed for service, and that was not found in themselves. The Holy Spirit of God had to empower them before they departed (Acts 13:4).
A PATTERN EMERGES
It is not possible in this short article to trace their journey in detail, but certain features do emerge. Generally they began their preaching in the synagogues – frequently encountering opposition which caused them to move on elsewhere. They did not visit every little village but concentrated their efforts upon the main centres of population. In this way the message of salvation could be taken out later from the larger centres of population.
Perhaps the most important thing to notice, in the present context, is the workers’ programme. First of all they “preached the gospel…. and made many disciples (Acts 14:21 NKJV). We, too, must preach so that people become disciples – for this is what the Lord Jesus has told us to do (4). Secondly, we find that Paul (as he was now called) and Barnabas “returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch” (Acts 14:21) – the very places from which they had made such a hasty departure! Why ever did they go back? There is only one answer. These new disciples needed further help and instruction: they needed “strengthening… to continue in the faith” (Acts 14:22 NKJV).
This verse illustrates the importance of follow-up. Since that time not a few missions have failed to achieve lasting results through inadequate follow-up work. This second part of the programme is vital.
Acts 14:23 outlines the third stage: They “appointed elders in every church” (NKJV). A local testimony had been established; the “disciples” are now called a “church”. Recognizing the need for shepherd-care, Paul and Barnabas appointed godly men to serve in these local gatherings. The need for such men of God is as great as ever. Elsewhere Paul shows us how we can identify them still. (5)
BACK TO BASE
A final lesson from the early Church is found at the end of Acts 14. Not only did outreach start in the home church; it finished there too. The mission over, Paul and Barnabas returned to Antioch, called the church there together, and “rehearsed all that God had done with them” (v.27). They saw the Christians at home as valued partners with them. One can well imagine Paul and Barnabas saying, “Thank you for your prayers! God has blessed the work and saved souls, and new churches have been planted. Let us rejoice together in what He has done!” The chapter closes with both men remaining at Antioch for a “long time” both “teaching and preaching the word of the Lord”. (6)
Today when missionaries return home on furlough they often find that a whirlwind deputation tour has been arranged for them, and soon they are more exhausted than ever! Much as we value missionary report meetings, might it not be better to follow this New Testament practice and allow the returning missionaries to serve the Lord at home again for a while? In this way ties with the home church could be further deepened before the missionaries embark upon another period of service.
THE WORK GOES ON
Whether we think of service at home or abroad, the task remains unfinished. Our textbook must always be the Word of God. Surely we need to consider afresh our own responsibilities in the light of these biblical principles.
END NOTES:- (1)Cinderella with Amnesia, Michael Griffiths: I.V.P. 1975. (2)Hymn 549 in HYMNS OF FAITH: Facing a task unfinished, by Frank Houghton. (3) Personal letter from open-air evangelist Bob Whitmarsh, 11-10-1987. (4)Matthew 28:19. (5)1 Timothy 3:1-7 & Titus 1:5-9. (6)Acts 14:28 & 15:35.