Series GOD’S MISSION, MY MISSION with Pastor Mark Finley |
Lesson 1: God’s Mission to Us: Part 1 |
Memory Text: 1: Genesis 3:9 – Then the Lord God called Adam and said to him, ‘Where are you?’ |
Content: |
1.1 The God Who Reaches Out to Us
This text reminds us that God created us in His image and likeness to have an intimate relationship with Him, characterized by love. He has also given us free will so that our love for Him is authentic, while providing us with clear instructions to protect us from the consequences of disobedience. Despite the entrance of sin into the world, God’s mercy and determination to fulfill His mission of redemption to save fallen humanity are evident. This reminds us that God always approaches us and seeks us, even in our most difficult moments.
1.2 The God Who Longs to Be With Us
God’s promises to Abraham and his descendants in the Old Testament repeatedly emphasize God’s deep longing to be with His people and to serve them. This shows us that God has a missionary nature and actively works to extend His love and blessings to the entire world. The establishment of the Old Testament sanctuary and the sacrifices therein were symbols of the coming work of Jesus Christ, which would ultimately fulfill God’s mission of redemption for humanity. This reminds us of how much God is interested in being with us and saving us.
1.3 The God Who Became One With Us
The Old Testament illustrates God’s missionary strategy, in which He implemented a plan through a chosen people to reveal His nature and purpose to the world. This strategy continued in the New Testament when God, through the incarnation of Jesus Christ, revealed a new dimension of His relationship with humanity. The birth of Jesus shows us that God concretely fulfilled His desire to be with us by coming in human form. The Incarnation of Christ emphasizes that God actively continues His mission of redemption by becoming one with us to show us the way to God.
1.4 The God Who Continues to Be With Us
The life and ministry of Jesus were a revelation of God that went deeper than anything before. In Christ, God’s missionary nature was fully revealed, and Jesus Himself declared His mission to seek and save people. John 3:16 shows how God’s love and mission are intertwined as He sent His Son to bring us redemption. The events of the last week of Jesus’ life, including His sacrifice on the cross and His resurrection, connected the hope of the past with the future. His death was part of the reconciliation process, and His resurrection defeated death. The Great Commission in Matthew 28:18–20 assures us that Jesus has all authority and is always with us as we engage in God’s mission.
1.5 The God Who Will Come Back for Us
John 14:1–3 is deeply connected to the end-time message of the Bible. This verse reveals the blessed hope that Jesus will return to take us to Himself so that we may be with Him forever. This promise reflects the Creator’s desire to be with His creatures for eternity. In Revelation 21:3, this hope is eventually realized when God will dwell among people, and they will be His people. This is the most uplifting picture of redemption in which the God of mission fulfills His ultimate plan to be with His children forever. It is a privilege to partake in this glorious reality.
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