“They immediately left their nets and followed Him.” (Mark 1:18)
“In the beginning God…” (Gen. 1:1)
God’s Mission in the World
Since Creation and the fall of man, God is on a mission in the world!
God’s mission is necessary because of man’s sinful condition and its consequences.
Adam’s transgression plunged the entire human race into sin, corruption, and condemnation.
- Romans 5:12— Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—
- Psalm 53:1–3— 1 The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity; There is none who does good. 2 God looks down from heaven upon the children of men, To see if there are any who understand, who seek God. 3 Every one of them has turned aside; They have together become corrupt; There is none who does good, No, not one.
Every person is spiritually dead, estranged from his Creator God, and liable to eternal judgment for his sin. He is corrupt and incapable of rescuing himself. If mankind in general or any individual person in particular is to be saved, then salvation must be provided by someone other than himself.
God loves His fallen creation, pursues people in their sinful condition, and seeks their restoration to life and fellowship with Himself.
The first words spoken by God after man sinned were “Where are you?” (Gen. 3:9). God desires man’s restoration and seeks him in his sin; He has taken the initiative to provide a way for sinful people to be saved from the consequences of their own sin.
- Genesis 3:21— Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and clothed them.
God himself sacrificed an animal—a lamb—to demonstrate that the only means for the forgiveness of sin is through substitutionary sacrifice. God himself must provide that sacrifice, ultimately at His own cost.
God’s choice of Abraham and his descendants—the Jewish people—demonstrates historically His initiative in pursuing men and providing for their salvation. Abraham declared his faith in this fact when he said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering” (Gen. 22:8, cp. 14). Furthermore, God’s particular covenant with the Jewish people at Mt. Sinai made it possible for them to experience His presence in the Tabernacle/Temple through the sacrificial worship system which He prescribed. These Old Testament sacrifices were prophetic pictures that God would someday provide that promised sacrifice. God spoke in the Old Testament Scriptures and promised to send a Messiah—a Savior—who would save people from their sin.
God’s sent His own Son into the world to offer Himself as a sacrifice for human sin and reconcile sinful people to Himself.
The ultimate demonstration of God’s love for sinners and His mission to save them is seen in the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
- Galatians 4:4–5— 4 But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
- 1 Peter 3:18— For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God…
- John 3:16–17— 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
- Luke 19:10— …for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.
- 2 Corinthians 5:19— God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself…
“Make disciples of all the nations.” (Matt. 28:19)
Christ’s Commission to the Church
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“Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant…” (2 Cor. 3:5-6a)
Christ’s Personal Call to Discipleship
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“Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant…” (2 Cor. 3:5-6a)
· The Opportunity ·
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