"Have a Heart & Go Share Your Faith!" - Hearts For The Lost: The Podcast

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Why Kenya and the Great Commission

Why Kenya? Why now?

As our team prepares to head to Kenya at the end of this week it would be helpful to examine why it is necessary for them to go. It is a fair and practical question; one that no doubt the team members family, friends, and church may be asking themselves, especially in light of the increase of violence towards Christians and recent attacks in Kenya itself. Behind the question is love and concern for the team; this is understandable. It would do the team members well to put themselves in the place of those concerned in order to be sympathetic and understanding why some may ask this question. But there is another reason why this is a legitimate query. If the mission team is to fulfill its task in Kenya, it must first be able to answer the same question; why go? So here are three reasons why Kenya:

1. Because all authority rest in Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:18)

The Great Commission is Christ’s mission. During Jesus’ earthly ministry He summed up His undertaking in Luke 19:10 when he said that He had come to save those who had been lost to sin and restore them to a right relationship with Himself. This mission culminated in the atonement of Christ secured through His death and resurrection. Now those lost can experience a resurrection unto eternal life, freedom from the dead bodies they inhabit now due to the sin of Adam and their own. Christ imparts this mission to us, and because He has all authority He has the right to establish our marching orders[1]. We have been given the extreme responsibility to continue His mission to seek and save the lost. Best yet, we can have confidence that our work is not in vain because Christ has all the authority of heaven and earth to secure its success.

2. Because we are to make disciples of all nations. (Matthew 28:19)

One very unique condition about living in America is that it is a country of immigrants. Whether your family extends back to the colonial period or not, somewhere down the line you have a rich history of relations from other countries. Each one of these countries brings with it a heritage touched by Christianity; be it Europe, South America, or South Asia, some where there is a story of missionaries bringing the good news of Christ to its people. Aren’t you glad that God’s plan included bringing the gentiles into this story? We are called to make disciples of all nations. This includes our present nation but also nations across the globe; like Kenya. We should all be helping fulfill this mandate, be it supporting missions to the nations with our prayers and finances or going ourselves. We cannot escape that someone must go to the nations in order to make the nations disciples.

3. Because Christ is with us. (Matthew 28:20)

It can be a scary thing to approach someone to share the gospel with them in your own community much less across the globe. But we have a promise that Christ is with us. God explained this to Moses and Joshua as comforting words as they embarked on demanding missions: “just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.” (Josh 1:5) Today that same promise has been given to us. We have no reason to fear and more over we have reason to go because we know we are walking along side our Master as He guides us in His mission. Let’s not forget this mission is made up of two parts; those going and those supporting at home. Christ is with each providing this comfort to those who seek it.

Going with Joy

Having the ability to serve alongside our King in such a mission as one establish by God Himself should make us set back in awe and wonder. This mission to Kenya, and all others home and abroad that are birthed out of an ear towards obedience in this Great Commission can count on these three promises and be assured that our King’s efforts are never in vain. Let us serve our King with joy and praise!

[1] Craig Blomberg, Matthew, vol. 22, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1992), 431.