AS YOU GET GOING
World Christians In The Worlds Most Cosmopolitan City
(Matthew 28:19-20 - Jonah)
Introduction
Does God Care About The City?
- most people live in the city.
** TELL JONAH’S STORY
* NINEVEH -capital of the Assyrian Empire
- 120,000 – Gentile enemy to Israel
Outline of Jonah
Ch. 1 Jonah Runs From God
Ch. 2 Jonah Spued From Fish
Ch. 3 Jonah Preaches In Nineveh
Ch. 4 Jonah Angered By Repentance
- God had mercy on Nin. And Jonah angry. Lived in the shade of God’s mercy but reluctant to share God’s mercy with others.
LIVING IN THE SHADE OF GOD’S MERCY, ARE WE RELUCTANT TO SHARE GOD’S MERCY WITH OTHERS?
Illustrate:
I. God’s Great Commision Plan For Our City
1. In Love, God Redeems People Of The City
every tribe and nation
- God bringing every tribe and nation to this city.
Israel
- Redeemed them out of Egypt - Delivered from Slavery
- Promised land
** ISRAEL WAS TO BE DISPENSER OF GOD’S MERCY
Personal
- Delivered from the Slavery of Sin
- RECONCILED US TO HIMSELF.
2. In Redemption, God Reconciles The People of the City
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,
that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. (2 Cor 5:17-21)
* STRESS SIN’S SEPARATION FROM GOD
** GOD’S GREAT PURPOSE IN THE AFFAIRS OF HUMAN HISTORY IS TO RECONCILE LOST HUMANITY TO HIMSELF.
*********
For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (Jn. 3:16)
God demonstrates His love own love toward us in this, While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Rom 5:8)
3. In Mercy, God Sends His People To Bless The City
G o therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. (Matt 28:19-20)
** WHEN GOD REDEEMED US – HE REDEEMED US THAT WE MIGHT BE INVOLVED IN FULFILLING HIS MISSION THROUGHOUT OUR CITY AND OUR WORLD.
And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the LORD for it; for in its peace you will have peace. (Jer 29:7)
* One over powering reason for His GREAT COMMISSION. Is that -
II. All Lost People Matter To God
for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost. (Luke 19:10)
1. Toronto Matters To God
* Jews thought they the only ones who mattered to God.
* N.A. In Our Comfort Can Easily Forget Peoples Of the World Who Matter To God.
- Nineveh - great distance from Israel - mattered to God
2. The People’s Of Our City Matter To God
5 million people in GTA
– God sending people from every corner of the earth to Toronto.
- People who matter to God.
3. Your Family And Friends And Neighbours Matter To God
The Great Heart of God Passionately loves everyone of the 5 Million people in the GTA.
- knows each of them by name – hairs on head numbered.
III. Be A World Class Christian In The World’s Most Cosmopolitan City
A WORLD-CHRISTIAN IS ONE WHOSE LIFESTYLE AND OBEDIENCE ARE COMPATIBLE AND IN ACCORD WITH WHAT GOD IS DOING AND WANTS TO DO IN OUR WORLD.
1. Identify With God’s Heart For Our City
* Easy for us to fall prey to self-centred living
- Great heart of God is for lost people of our city and wants us to identify with His passion.
2. Commit To God’s Call For Us To Bless The City
And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the LORD for it; for in its peace you will have peace. (Jer 29:7)
4. Fulfill Your Call To The Marketplace
As you are going. Matthew 28:19-20
You are Christ’s representative where you work, shop, go to school.
Conclusion
Illustrate:
Now it came to pass that a group existed who called themselves fishermen. And lo, there were many fish in the waters all around. In fact, the whole area was surrounded by streams and lakes filled with fish. And the fish were hungry.
Week after week, month after month, and year after year, those who called themselves fishermen met in meetings and talked about their call to fish, and how they might go about fishing. Year after year they carefully defined what fishing means, defended fishing as an occupation, and declared that fishing is always to be a primary task of fishermen.
These fishermen build large, beautiful buildings for local fishing headquarters. The plea was that everyone should be fishermen and every fisherman should fish. One thing they didn't do, however; they didn't fish.
In addition to meeting regularly, they organized a board to send out fishermen to other places where there were many fish. The board was formed by those who had the great vision and courage to speak about fishing, to define fishing, to promote the idea of fishing in faraway streams and lakes where many other fish of different colors lived. Also, the board hired staffs and appointed committees and held meetings to define fishing, to defend fishing, to decide what new streams would be thought about. But the staff and committee members did not fish.
Large, elaborate, and expensive training centers were built whose original and primary purpose was to teach fishermen how to fish. Over the years, courses were offered on the needs of the fish, the nature of fish, how to define fish, the psychological reactions of fish, and how to approach and feed fish. Those who taught had doctorates in "fishology". But the teachers did not fish. They only taught fishing.
After one stirring meeting on "The necessity of Fishing," one young fellow left the meeting and went fishing. The next day he reported that he had caught two outstanding fish. He was honoured for his excellent catch and scheduled to visit all the big meetings possible to tell how he did it. So he quit his fishing in order to have time to tell about the experience to the other fishermen. He was also placed on the Fisherman's General Board as a person having considerable experience. Now it's true that many of the fishermen sacrificed and put up with all kinds of difficulties. Some lived near the water and bore the smell of dead fish. They received the ridicule of some who made fun of their fishermen's clubs and the fact that they claimed to be fishermen yet never fished. They wondered about those who felt it was little use to attend and talk about fishing. After all, were they not following the Master who said, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." (Matt. 4:19)?
Imagine how hurt some were when one day a person suggested that those who don't fish were not really fishermen, no matter how much they claimed to be. Yet it did sound correct. Is a person a fisherman if year after year he never catches a fish? Is one following if he isn't fishing?
The Harvest is plenty – labours are few
Bible Calls Us To Be World-Class Christians
