"Missio Dei - The Mission of God"
July 28 - September 1, 2024

"Missio Dei" - July 28

​God creates humanity out of love and gives us a call to follow God. Not only does he call us to follow him, but he invites us to participate in some of the work he does! We learn something poignant about the nature of God by his invitation for us to be co-creators (populate the earth) and missionaries on his behalf, despite our sin. This means God can and will use imperfect people! We matter to God. To spread the good news to the corners of the earth,as Jesus commands his disciples after he is resurrected, we must first come to know the good news message. Secondly, we must transform our worldview to see ourselves as “on mission” in spreading this message. God could have easily kept his own mission for himself... but that is not the case. The heart of God, as revealed in scripture AND in Jesus, desires to include and call us into mission.

"Missio Ecclesia" - August 4

​An essential part of the Christian faith is the necessary “communal” aspect. Baptism isn’t done alone in a back room, rather is required to be done before the assembly of the church! Choirs aren’t soloists, rather are many voices singing the same truth together. Worship is inherently communal. The mission of God is also communal. God didn’t just invite Abraham into the mission alone... but rather he promised that all his descendants would be part of this invitation and mission. The creation of the church has been part of God’s mission all along. When God breathed life into Adam in Genesis 2, he knew the church would one day be made. When God sent the flood and preserved Noah, he knew the church would exist someday. When Peter denied Jesus in the Garden, God knew the church would exist and share that very story. “God created the world in order to create the church”—Simon Chan. Last week we discussed how God gives us each a personal invitation to engage in the Missio Dei, as individuals. This week, we see how the creation of the church is the communal necessity to life of worship, of following God, and leading others to God.

"The Prayer Jesus Taught Us"
August 11

​When we hear mission, sometimes we think of actionable, missionary focused projects (ex: like swinging a hammer at habitat for humanity). Mission can be understood within the social order as: seeking the right, just, and true way forward for the Kingdom of God practically and socially embodied here in our world today. This world ought to see the heart of God via the church’s outpouring of mission focused work and identity – in seeking to pray, support, change, and bring about new ways to experience God’s loving-kindness. The Lord’s prayer is a key to this practical expression as we see the exact words that Jesus taught his friends to pray. While it is necessary to include this description in the overarching definition of Mission, it is important to remember there is more to mission than the material... Next week we will talk about the lens of defining mission through the emphasis on the spiritual.

"Even the World" - ​August 18

​Sometimes we get so laser-focused on treating “mission” like a check-list... as if it is something that we can “accomplish”. The reality is that the missio dei from God incorporates so much more than this. God’s mission is about redeeming the world from the brokenness of sin and reconciling all of creation back to himself. God creates humanity out of pure love and desire... so of course it would please God for every soul to seek Him; a mutually loving relationship. How can we take inventory of how is it with our soul? Where do we notice that we are either seeking or rejecting God? No matter our response, through prevenient grace and God’s eternal love, God will never leave us. God’s mission is to seek and save the lost.

"Heaven on Earth"
August 25

​Mission is about both the social order AND souls, for us Wesleyans. We mustn’t feel the need the select an isolated definition, but rather we are encouraged to adopt a new framework by starting with the end in mind. Turn your attention to the biblical theme of “Heaven on Earth”. Someday, the glory of united souls with God and righteous justice of the social order will all coalesce in the reality of the pure and holy reign of God’s kingdom made fully manifest here on earth. Until Jesus returns, our deep calling within the missio dei is to work to bring about as much of the heavenly order of life, here and now.

"Transformation on Mission"
September 1

​One of the most pivotal moments in the Gospels is when Jesus is transfigured. To be transfigured doesn’t mean to be changed into something brand new....no, rather it means to be changed and revealed for something that is already there! In the transfiguration account, the men on the mountain with Jesus receive the opportunity to see Jesus as he truly is: full of glory. It is in these moments when God feels so near, when we feel inspired to grow and dive into the next chapter...that we are energized. There is an electric type of excitement when we can see clearly, because then it motivates us to GO and DO something about what we have seen or learned! The missio dei is not static, it is active.