Teach for Gospel Workers

Do you know what God is doing in the world?  What is his plan that has been unfolding since the creation of the world?  And where is everything heading?  

Perhaps as you look at the chaotic state of our world you wonder whether or not there really is a divine plan.  We meet Job in the book of the Bible that bears his name, and he questioned over and over again whether or not God really did have a plan.  This was understandable.  He tragically lost just about everything in life.  His children, his wealth, his health, and even the support from his wife.  But after wrestling with these deep issues, and listening to the voice of God, he concluded to God:  "I know you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted." (Job 42:2)  In other words, even when we cannot fully understand the plans of God, God has a plan for the world, and nothing can prevent it from happening.

So what is his plan?  Well, the apostle Paul tells us that "with all wisdom and understanding, [God] has made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment -- to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ." (Ephesians 1:9-10)  Yes, we can understand and know the plan of God.  God's plan is to work "out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory." (Ephesians 1:11-12)  God's ultimate plan for the world is for people to put their hope in life and in death in Jesus Christ.  When people put their hope in Christ, for today and for eternity, they know that through his death and resurrection their sins are forgiven and their future is secure -- for this life and the next.  This assurance of salvation results in people giving praise to the glory of God.   As Paul tells us elsewhere, God calls people in keeping with this purpose, and his plan is that they become like Jesus.  Having been justified through faith in Jesus they also share in his glory. (Romans 8:29-30)

This plan of God is what drives church ministry and the need for us in the CRCA to raise up gospel workers.  In this series of articles we are looking at our sixfold strategy to raise up gospel workers.   This strategy begins with prayer.  But we need to add to our prayers teaching.  There needs to be a constant focus in local church preaching and teaching on God's global gospel plan to bring all things in heaven and earth under Christ.  God calls us to spread this message of salvation to the world, that all people may come to know Christ.   We see this in the early pages of the Bible when God called Abram to bless all peoples on earth.  (See Genesis 12:1-3)  God blessed Abram so that he could be a blessing to the nations around him.  This is wonderfully stated in Psalm 67:1-2 where we read:  "May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine on us -- so that [God's] ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations." 

We are blessed to be a blessing.  This is echoed by our Lord Jesus when he told us to "go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything [he] has commanded us."  (Matthew 28:19-20)   We engage in missions so that people will come to know Christ and bring glory to God.  All of this is heading to that day when we will see "a great multitude, 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.  And they cried out in a loud voice:  'Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.'" (Revelation 7:9-10)   Yes, as churches we reach out to the lost, make disciples, so that that these men, women, and children we tell about Jesus will be counted among those who fall down and worship God.

And salvation will come to the peoples of our world if we spread the Word of God.   As the Bible reminds us, "Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ."  (Romans 10:17)  This is why we need a glut of gospel workers.   We need them to spread the message of Christ in and through our churches so that more and more people will hear about Jesus.  As Jesus himself reminds us, "I have other sheep that are not this sheep pen.  I must bring them also." (John 10:16) 

Will you teach?   Will you teach your church about God's global gospel plan?   Not just occassionally, but constantly!  If we are ever going to raise up the gospel workers needed today and into the future, people need to hear about God's plan for the world.   This will require teaching.