Sunday Message for Akron Alliance Fellowship Church, Akron OH, March 15, 2026.
There was a simpler time when we turned on the television in Cleveland to watch our favorite programs on only three VHF (very high frequency) channels and six UHF (ultra-high frequency) channels. The three main VHF channels—3, 5 and 8—featured national news programs at 6:30 PM after the local news at 6:00 PM. Does anyone remember The Huntley-Brinkley Report and the CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite? Most people in America watched Huntley-Brinkley or Walter Cronkite. The news programs were only 30 minutes, so there was only the coverage of the top stories of the day and usually enough time at the end of the program to feature a human-interest story before signing off for the evening. In that time, this was how we got our news.
Fast forward to fifty years later. We can get our news 24 hours every day. There are choices for news programming on the main networks, cable TV, YouTube TV or many alternative sources through social media. There’s so much out there that some news programs are no longer news but opinion-based programming because you can only repeat headlines for so long.
There’s a lot of programming, and that is not always a good thing, especially when examining today’s fast-paced world and its whirlwind of events. There’s a lot more to talk about these days than just the weather.
Here’s a cautionary note: The more information that is pumped out by media outlets, the greater the opportunity for information overload.
The greatest concern that we all should have in this information age is that the things of this world can become so dominant in our minds that we lose sight of who we are as followers of Christ.
When distractions, or even tensions seem to work their way into our hearts and minds, we need to make conscious efforts to turn back to the thoughts that matter most (in no particular order):
Psalm 105:4 NIV
Look to the Lord and his strength;
seek his face always.
Philippians 4:6-8 NIV
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.
All of us know that these passages represent the right approach in dealing with any conflict or adversity, but there is often a fleshly response that we must fight to overcome. We must resist leaning on your own understanding and putting Jesus behind you rather than keeping Him in front of you. We are often guilty of allowing our flesh to put us back into a default position of seeing life from a worldly perspective, and everything that goes with that.
So, for those of us who are in relationship with Jesus, who are we to be as difference-makers in a world of conflict and confusion?
A follower of Jesus Christ must avoid defaulting to human wisdom. The indwelling Holy Spirit is there to assure people that they have victory in Jesus. In spite of whatever is going on, we are to lean on the Spirit and camp out at the feet of Jesus and go beyond our human reasoning. We need to keep Him at the forefront and follow His lead. Paul said this to his church members at Corinth who had lost focus:
1 Corinthians 2:4-5 NIV
4 My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, 5 so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.
It is my prayer that we, as God’s children, can better emulate the leanings of the Spirit and conquer our fleshly nature of putting our faith into human reasoning and understanding. Human wisdom puts believers out of focus on what Christ would have us to do in fulfilling His mission for His people.
Thankfully, Jesus Christ, during His brief life on earth, never wavered from His purpose. He remained faithful and obedient to His heavenly Father. His purpose was fulfilled in His mission of service for all mankind, and it is still being fulfilled today. Jesus Christ is on mission to be our Savior, Sanctifier, Healer and Coming King.
The Mission of God
Jesus Christ’s mission involved two purposes. First, He made redemption possible for every person in every nation and every generation (John 3:16):
Romans 1:16 NIV
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. [2]
Jesus and only Jesus could accomplish this as He lived a sinless life, was crucified and was victorious over death and the grave. While on the cross, He said the words, “It is finished” (John 19:30). With those words, He declared that He had completed the first of His twofold mission as the eternal sacrifice for the sins of all of humanity. [3]
The second purpose of His mission was to instruct His chosen people to share His message of redemption:
Matthew 28:18-20 NIV
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
While Jesus gave these words as a mandate to His disciples, the strong and inseparable bond that Jesus had with the men compelledthem, in the power of the Holy Spirit, to move with power to proclaim the gospel.
Acts 1:8 NIV
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
With the enabling power of the Spirit, all followers of Jesus Christ would be compelled to share the message of good news to all people of all nations and all generations in order that they would know the truth and receive His gift of eternal life [4].
God’s Mission from Genesis to Revelation.
The execution and ultimate fulfillment of Jesus Christ’s mission is revealed in Scripture beginning in the book of Genesis and throughout the Bible to the final book of Revelation. When God created Adam in His image to fellowship with Him, his rebellion brought sin into the world. From this, God promised a redeemer to crush the serpent.
Genesis 3:14-15 NIV
14 So the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this,
“Cursed are you above all livestock
and all wild animals!
You will crawl on your belly
and you will eat dust
all the days of your life.
15 And I will put enmity
between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and hers;
he will crush your head,
and you will strike his heel.”
God is a mission-focused God who initiated a relationship and a covenant with Abraham and is also His redeemer by faith.
Genesis 12:3, 15:6 NIV
3 “I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.”
15:6 Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
God’s mission continues throughout the Old Testament as He calls Israel to be a holy nation and be a light to the Gentiles:
Isaiah 49:6 NIV
6 …he says:
“It is too small a thing for you to be my servant
to restore the tribes of Jacob
and bring back those of Israel I have kept.
I will also make you a light for the Gentiles,
that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”
The life of Jesus is prophesied throughout the Old Testament, especially in Psalm 22-24 and throughout the book of Isaiah. He centered His earthly ministry in Israel and witnessed to the Jews, but He also spoke to the Gentiles: The Roman centurion (Matthew 8), the Samaritan woman (John 4), and the Syrophoenician woman in the process of healing her daughter (Mark 7:24-30). His signs and wonders were a testimony as to who He was—the Messiah—and of His mission to reach all peoples.
Matthew 16:13-17 NIV
13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”
14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.
After Jesus was crucified, died and resurrected, His mission was passed on to His disciples as He ascended into heaven. They were charged with sharing the gospel and began the Church Age in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth through the power of the promised presence of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8). Paul was called by Jesus to be the apostle for the Gentiles (Acts 9:15) and carried the gospel to different lands throughout Asia and Europe. He declared that carrying on the mission of the gospel and preaching the truth was a necessity in following the will of Jesus Christ:
Ephesians 3:8-11 NIV
8 Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, 9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. 10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 11 according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Today’s Church is being sent out on mission to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19). Finally, in Revelation, Jesus returns as a judge and completes His mission.
Revelation 5:9-10, 7:9 NIV
9 And they sang a new song, saying:
“You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
and with your blood you purchased for God
persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.
10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
and they will reign on the earth.”
7:9 After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.[5]
This mission of Jesus Christ is ultimately an eternal mission, and it matches His eternal love for you and me.
God’s heart and love for his world.
Jesus has been on mission for the people of this world because it has been in His nature and His character to love them. The evidence is from His love, His grace and His mercy, in spite of man’s sinful nature.
Romans 5:8 NIV
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
His grace and mercy reflect His foreknowledge that men and women needed a Savior (Ephesians 2:4-5). His eternal love is evident to those who seek Him in faith and recognize the sacrifice that was made through His death on the cross (John 3:16; 1 John 4:9-10). Paul was convinced of the expansiveness of God’s love for him and for those who believe in Him:
Romans 8:38-39 NIV
38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
There is nothing that comes between the love that God has for His people.
How we participate in Christ’s mission.
A healthy relationship in Jesus Christ is a growing relationship. The growth comes from a desire to be obedient to Him, and to act according to His will. These are the people that God uses to not only reach the unsaved, but also to build up others within the body of Christ. Every believer must aspire to grow in wisdom and knowledge in Christ in order to be able to effectively share the gospel with others. This is the missional spirit of a believer. The desire to share is a missional spirit rooted in one’s love for Jesus Christ and for all of His creation—especially the unsaved. God’s desire is also the heart’s desire of the missional person:
2 Corinthians 5:20 NIV
We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.
The mission of Jesus Christ equips every believer with the character of Christ from the presence of the Holy Spirit. He helps us to see the world in the manner that Jesus sees it.
We fulfill God’s mission by staying in prayer. In Matthew chapter 6, Jesus told His disciples to pray for God’s kingdom to come and for His will to be accomplished on earth (Matthew 6:10; Luke 11:2). Prayer is a way to actively engage in supporting the international workers in their efforts to share the gospel in foreign lands, and even for the lost who live in our own neighborhoods. When we share the gospel as the Spirit leads, we rely upon the Spirit to work in the hearts and lives of those we speak to. As we share, we are to remain engaged in prayer.
Next, we are to work in our abilities and capacities to care for the needs of others.
Galatians 6:10 NIV
Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
Our careers, professions or even volunteer activities provide opportunities to fulfill the mission for Jesus. Another group to consider in fulfilling the mission is to care for the elderly. The aging population is growing worldwide as people live longer, and in addition to our family members who need care, there are dozens of assisted living facilities where one can volunteer and provide assistance in a number of areas to share the love of Jesus.
Philippians 2:3-4 NIV
3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
If a believer has the capacity to give financially, he or she should pray about it and prioritize it and have a generous heart (2 Corinthians 9:7-11).
Finally, an important part of fulfilling Christ’s mission is in the value of church fellowship. The power of the body of Christ coming together in prayer, service, sustaining missions and supporting the members with encouragement and fellowship all play a part in living for Jesus. [7]
Hebrews 10:24-25 NIV
24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Jesus is on a mission to save His people. He compels His followers to shed human reasoning and focus on the power and presence of the Holy Spirit to share the gospel.
It’s time to live out your purpose on mission for Jesus.
Copyright © 2026 Melvin Gaines.
1 What we believe. Alliance 101 | What We Believe. (n.d.). https://101.cmalliance.org/module-3/what-we-believe/
2 Discipleship.org (Ed.). (2021, January 8). The two-fold mission of christ. Discipleship.org. https://discipleship.org/blog/mission-of-christ/
3 McDaniel, D. (2023, March 31). “it is finished” – the powerful meaning behind jesus’ last words. iBelieve.com. https://www.ibelieve.com/christian-living/the-power-of-jesus-last-words-the-meaning-behind-it-is-finished.html
4 Adams, K. (2025, June 4). Disciple-Making is Transcendent. Impactdisciples.com. https://impactdisciples.com/disciple-making-minute?page=2
5 All Peoples Church and World Outreach. (2025, September 18). From Genesis to revelation – the biblical basis for missions. All Peoples Church, Bangalore, India. https://apcwo.org/from-genesis-to-revelation-the-biblical-basis-for-missions#
6 Houdmann, S. M. (2016, April 10). What is the kingdom of God? GotQuestions.org. https://www.gotquestions.org/kingdom-of-God.html
7 DiMarcangelo, A. (2023, September 30). 5 ways for ordinary Christians to engage in the mission of christ. Crossway. https://www.crossway.org/articles/5-ways-for-ordinary-christians-to-engage-in-the-mission-of-christ/
Melvin Gaines 