Scripture Reading: Matthew 12:14-21
It is easy for individual churches to become so absorbed in their own local programs that the idea of missions plays a secondary, and not very important, role. After all, the programs of any church (Sunday School, children's groups, youth work, music, women's and men's groups, building maintenance) take a great deal of effort on the part of many people if they are going to be effective.
This is all well and good and absolutely necessary for the health of any congregation. But we must not forget that the ministry of a church has twofocuses. The inward focus is that we care for each other, through teaching and friendships and mutual encouragement. The outward focus is to care for those outside the church, including those who live in the far ends of the earth.
We are moved by world evangelization (and local evangelization) when we consider our personal relationship to Jesus and when we consider who Christ is to the nations, globally. Personally, He is the tender lover of our souls. He does not run roughshod over our fragile hearts. He cares for us in our brokenness and comforts us in our weaknesses (Mt 12:20).
On a global scale, Jesus is the hope of the nations. "And in His name the Gentiles will hope" (Mt 12:21). In Isaiah 49:6, God declares that to redeem Israel alone is too small a thing. The Father says to the Son, "I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth." This is the wondrous purpose for missions ... universal and eternal glory for God.
