Radicalis 2010, Part 6

How does the PEACE plan explain what Jesus came to do? How can we use this plan today to continue the spread of God's message to a depressed world? That's the subject of today's outline from Rick Warren. Enjoy!

Radical Mission

Jesus was given a radical mission in this world by His Father in Heaven:

In the same way that you gave me a mission in the world, I give them a mission in the world. John 17:18 (MSG)

With any mission we have to understand that prominence does not equal significance. Also, we should understand that power will corrupt those who think they deserve it. Look at what the Bible says about the plans of God:

The Lord 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 you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth." Isaiah 49:6 (NIV)

God's plans are huge! For us to get the big head about carrying out the plans of God belittles our faith in a Great God with a great plan. We have to recognize the significance of God who works through us because without God we labor in vain:

He said to me, "You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will display my splendor."
But I said, "I have labored to no purpose; I have spent my strength in vain and for nothing. Yet what is due me is in the Lord's hand, and my reward is with my God." Isaiah 49:3-4 (NIV)

God has global plans for His people. In fact, Eugene Peterson translates "ends of the earth" in Isaiah 49:6 as "so that my salvation becomes global."

God is a giant killer. Nothing is too big for Him. This is why I marvel at how small we set our sights as the body of Christ - who says we will go on to do greater things than Him through the empowerment of His Holy Spirit! There are giants in this world today that we need to get into focus.

Five Global Giants

• Spiritual emptiness (the cause of conflict)
• Corrupt (egocentric) leadership (self-serving leaders)
• Extreme poverty
• Pandemic diseases
• Illiteracy and lack of education

Tackling these giants is equal to the plans of God. We cannot do it without Him but through Christ we can do anything! That's a radical mission!

The PEACE Plan - What Jesus Did

• Jesus preached reconciliation (and planted churches)

Reconciliation eradicates spiritual emptiness. Where sin abounds grace is that much greater - do we believe this?

All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 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. 2 Corinthians 5:18-20 (NIV)

Reconciliation is God's desire to create peace with Him and peace with each other. If conflict emerges from spiritual emptiness, then God is the only one who can fill that void. As Paul says in Ephesians 2:16, Christ brings reconciliation through His death which puts to death hostility between us (is the church hearing this?)! Stop squabbling, and get back to your first love!

• Jesus equipped servant-leaders

Thoroughly equipped servant-leaders eradicate corrupt leadership. You cannot be self-serving if you are a servant! If we are leaders, we have to learn to serve God first. To serve God is to serve like Christ who came to serve us!

"You've observed how godless rulers throw their weight around, how quickly a little power goes to their heads. 26 It's not going to be that way with you. Whoever wants to be great must become a servant. Matthew 20:25-26 (MSG)

Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example. 1 Peter 5:3 (NLT)

Pass on what you heard from me—the whole congregation saying Amen!—to reliable leaders who are competent to teach others. 2 Timothy 2:2 (MSG)

• Jesus assisted the poor.

Assisting the poor eradicates poverty. He said that the poor will always be with us. So this is going to be an ongoing process until He returns in glory. We have work to do.

Those who oppress the poor insult their Maker, but helping the poor honors him. Proverbs 14:31 (NLT)

If you see some brother or sister in need and have the means to do something about it but turn a cold shoulder and do nothing, what happens to God's love? It disappears. And you made it disappear. 1 John 3:17 (MSG)

• Jesus cared for the sick

As a Christian this means we believe in the all sufficient grace of God and trust in His word when He tells us to go pray over the sick. Caring for the sick is the beginning to eradicating disease!

The Bible tells us that Jesus healed people of every sort of disease and illness (Matthew 9:35). Ezekiel reports from God how Israel had failed to care for the sick, and it brought enmity between them and God. Then Jesus gives us a beautiful snapshot of who He would return for in Matthew 25:39-40 - those who did for the least (the sick, poor, hungry, etc.).

• Jesus educated the next generation

Want to eradicate illiteracy and stem the tide of the lack of education? Teach the next generation.

When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Mark 10:14 (NIV)

He commanded our ancestors to teach them to their children, so the next generation might know them — even the children not yet born — and they in turn will teach their own children. So each generation should set its hope anew on God, not forgetting his glorious miracles and obeying his commands. Psalms 78:5-7 (NLT)

The definition of Radical Mission is "ordinary people, empowered by God's Spirit, doing what Jesus did, together, wherever they are!"

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8 (NLT)

Personal Peace - your mission to your personal world (your Jerusalem)
Local Peace - to your area (your Judea and Samaria)
Global Peace - to the rest of the world!

Notice that Jesus doesn't say "or"; He says "and". That means He wants us to be effective in all three areas!

Jesus Rules for Radical Mission:

1. Don't take a purse - don't through money at the problem. Teach the people and give them dignity!
2. Don't take a staff - staff = authority. People don't want us to come tell them how it's done back home! They want to see how much we really love and care for them.
3. Eat what's before you - adapt to the culture
4. Dust your shoes - don't start trouble. Go into each community looking for the person of peace. Influence them, and they will influence the others!

What do you think about Radical Mission? How have you acted upon it?