A message for Akron Alliance Fellowship Church, Akron OH for Sunday, November 12, 2023.
For the “Live in Church” audio of this message (additional content included), click here.
Do you know when God is speaking to you?
It’s not intended to be a difficult question, but it is one that you can either readily answer, or perhaps not.
How do you know if you hear Him? Is the communication clear?
Consider that many people may be ignoring God altogether. If you choose to live your own way, God will eventually let you do just that.
I want to paint a picture for you as to why I am leading with this information in today’s message.
The recent election in Ohio involved adding abortion rights to the state constitution and approval of the recreational use of marijuana. According to the Ohio Secretary of State’s website, about 49 percent of registered voters participated statewide. Both issues passed by 13 point margins. 1
The people have spoken, and they want what they want. It’s not hard to conclude that the election results are indicative of a society moving further and further away from God. By the way, this is not merely a political statement—it is a statement about society’s moral decline. For many, living with decency is less and less important, and a lot of people just don’t seem to care anymore.
So what about you? The world’s point of view has deeply impacted many people in the church.
We cannot allow the world to push believers in Jesus into a place of indifference.
Here’s the deal…some of us need to wake up, repent and ask God to forgive us for our indifference. Indifference reflects a form of being self-centered, which is not what Jesus wants from us.
2 Chronicles 7:14-15 NIV
14 If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.
Our mission, as a church, is to lift our hearts and minds to Jesus in prayer. He hears our earnest prayers. Even while the world chooses to live, as John notes, according to the world’s viewpoint (1 John 4:5), we are to always draw upon the love of Jesus.
1 John 4:4 NIV
You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
Furthermore, Jesus has called us to not stay down-in-the-dumps, but to get up, shake it off, and be lights in the world as we share of His goodness:
1 John 4:21 NIV
And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.
There are people all around us who need to hear about how much God loves them. It all begins with God’s love. His love is the catalyst that drives His gospel around the world.
John 16:33 NIV
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
People need to hear about Jesus because He has already overcome the world. He has the victory.
With this good news, we must share the good news as we live and breathe. We must, from today going forward, participate in missional living.
By definition, missional living is a Christian term that essentially describes living a missionary lifestyle. Being missional involves embracing the culture, practices and behaviors of the people in order to reach others for the gospel. 2
Missional living means living in this manner every day, everywhere you go. It could be at home entertaining guests, walking around the block on the street where you live, at the grocery store or at a Target or Walmart, or even when you’re on vacation. In all instances, you have to become a part of the environment wherever you are. Your most familiar place is where you live. It’s your neighborhood—where your neighbors are. How do we best reflect the love of God? It starts right in our own neighborhood.
Matthew 22:36-40 NIV
36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Jesus is reminding us how we can become less self-focused with our obedience to God’s commands and allowing love to be the catalyst in our communication with our neighbors.
I have a confession to make. Over my lifetime, I have lived in eight neighborhoods for a year or longer, and while I was able to communicate with some next-door neighbors, I don’t remember any of them. I didn’t become truly missional until three years ago when my lovely bride and I got out of the house and starting walking in the neighborhood. We now know a number of the neighbors by name and can lift them up in prayer. Only a handful of them have a relationship with Jesus, so we are intentional in keeping up those relationships and building on them.
Living missionally means starting right where you live. Check in on your neighbors. Take walks in the neighborhood and say “hello” to them when you see them. This is great practice for those of you who are more inclined to keep to yourself. I just want to remind you that Jesus does not want you to keep to yourself. He wants you to pray for a little courage and put yourself out there. He wants you to be missional in a world that already likes to keep to itself.
We are to be missional in order to be a part of Jesus’s mission for the world. His desire is for all people from all walks of life, worldwide, to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4), because our God is a missional God.
Ralph Winter notes in his coursework, Perspectives on the World Christian Movement:
“God is a God of global purpose. He has already put in our hearts the longing to be a friend to a great God, to somehow become a co-worker with Him, living in the dignity of a purpose larger than ourselves. We really want to serve God in the biggest way we know how.” 3
Perhaps you are still questioning your own purpose as you ponder being missional for Christ. No problem. Consider God’s promise to Abraham. He revealed His purpose, which was personal and yet, global:
Genesis 17:1-7 NLT
1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life. 2 I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants.”
3 At this, Abram fell face down on the ground. Then God said to him, 4 “This is my covenant with you: I will make you the father of a multitude of nations! 5 What’s more, I am changing your name. It will no longer be Abram. Instead, you will be called Abraham, for you will be the father of many nations. 6 I will make you extremely fruitful. Your descendants will become many nations, and kings will be among them!
7 “I will confirm my covenant with you and your descendants after you, from generation to generation. This is the everlasting covenant: I will always be your God and the God of your descendants after you.
Abraham was chosen by God because God was keenly aware of the heart that Abraham had for Him (Genesis 15:6). The reason that Abraham was given so much began with how much he believed in God—plain and simple. Abraham loved God because we are reminded that he was declared righteous by God as he was given his life purpose by Him.
You are called out of the world, as well. The Greek word for “called out” is ekklesia, and it also means “assembly.” It is synonymous with the body of believers that gather as a church. Missional people are called by God to move and proclaim the truth of Jesus Christ in the same manner as those who we send out on the mission field. We are to go in the strength of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
In his book The Purpose-Driven Life, Rick Warren notes that “the purpose of your life is far greater than your own personal fulfillment, your peace of mind, or even your happiness. It’s far greater than your family, your career, or even your wildest dreams and ambitions. If you want to know why you were placed on this planet, you must begin with God. You were born by his purpose and for his purpose” (Warren, p. 21, 2002). 4
Missional living is all about relationships. You can’t rush this. It takes time, and not everyone you come in contact with has a lot of time to do it. Always remember that God’s timing in building relationships is all that matters. He knows the hearts of all involved.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 ESV
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.
And yes, it may take years. Get a journal and write down the names of the people you make acquaintance with, and be patient while God works through it all as you stay in prayer.
Romans 12:12 ESV
Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.
Galatians 6:9 ESV
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
It’s time to get out of your comfort zone. Put yourself out there. Say “hello” to complete strangers. Talk to your neighbors. Engage with your co-workers—even your CEO. Schedule meetups for coffee or lunch.
Put effort into your relationships to make friendships.
There are more good reasons to live missionally. Making friends may be more difficult as you get older, but there are health benefits within good friendships, including better immune function, decreased risk of illness and injury, increased longevity and reduced stress. 5
3 John 1:2 ESV
Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.
Living missionally glorifies God while enhancing your health and well-being, and it means a great deal to others as you engage them and spend time with them (1 Corinthians 6:20b).
Now that we have discussed that we have a purpose as we live missionally for Jesus, He reassures us with His daily presence with the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. His love for us reminds us that we will never live as orphans. His words of hope are fulfilled by the presence of the Spirit (John 14:18).
The Greek word orphanous means “fatherless children.” In ancient biblical culture, orphans and widows were extremely vulnerable and could not care for themselves; as a result, God made sure that they would come under His divine protection (Jeremiah 49:11). 6
God has a heart for His people, and the manifestation of Jesus Christ is the culmination of His mission. He entrusts His followers to go and make disciples all over the world in the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit, and teach them what I have taught you (Matthew 28:19-20).
Missional living is selfless living. It requires a love of God and loving others as Jesus loves them. With this combination, we make a very compelling argument for having a relationship with Jesus.
1 John 4:6a, 7 NLT
But we belong to God, and those who know God listen to us.
Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.
When I finally determined my life purpose in my relationship with Jesus Christ, it gave me a new meaning to my faith and what I was striving to accomplish—not for my own benefit, but for the benefit of the body of Christ and for the purpose of winning people to Christ. The Christian and Missionary Alliance is very clear about this in their Statement of Faith (cmalliance.org).
A. B. Simpson’s conviction to serve and be obedient to God was ever apparent in his message, Service for the King. He notes that “God calls every one of you to some special duty. I mean that mission for Him which is the very meaning of life, and without which life will be a miserable mistake and prove a fraud at last; and all the wishes and desires you spent on yourselves were lost, and even you lost the thing you lived for—yourself” (Simpson, p. 11, n.d.). 7
A missional approach is far beyond living for oneself. A missional approach to life means that a believer loves God with obedience and reaches outside of his comfort zone for the purpose of proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ. Anytime. Anywhere.
Our world is declining daily and mired in apathy. Be the change in today’s world to draw people to Jesus. Put down your phones and turn off your Netflix. Get up and get out. Spend time with the people that Jesus wants to reach. Take walks in your neighborhood. Commit to fellowship in and outside of the church. And remember the international workers who are serving overseas with prayer and support as you live missionally right where you are.
Copyright © 2023 Melvin Gaines
1 LaRose, F. (2023, November 8). Ohio decides – election night reporting. Ohio Decides – Election Night Reporting. https://liveresults.ohiosos.gov/
2 Houdmann, S. M. (2010, January 14). What does it mean to be missional? GotQuestions.org. https://www.gotquestions.org/missional.html
3 Grandey, A. (2015, May 14). Seeing the world through god’s perspective. The Methodist Church in Singapore. https://www.methodist.org.sg/methodist-message/seeing-the-world-through-gods-perspective/
4 Warren, R. (2002). The purpose-driven life: what on earth am I here for? Zondervan.
5 Fehr, B., & Harasymchuk, C. (2018). The role of friendships in well-being. In J. E. Maddux (Ed.), Subjective well-being and life satisfaction (pp. 103–128). Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351231879-5
6 Houdmann, S. M. (2021, April 22). How should Jesus’ saying, “I will not leave you as orphans,” give us hope (John 14:18)? GotQuestions.org. https://www.gotquestions.org/I-will-not-leave-you-as-orphans.html
7 Simpson, A. B. (2014, March 14). Service for the King. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.
Melvin Gaines 