Making Christ Known
Jesus is not a means to some greater end. He is the great end. The cosmos exists for the sake of his glory. Every human being on planet earth exists for the sake of his glory. As the Apostle Paul told the Colossians, “All things were created through him and for him” (Col 1:16).
That’s why a life devoted to making much of Jesus is so satisfying. When our thoughts, feelings, and actions show other people just how good he is, we experience the joy of living in step with our fundamental purpose. Making Christ known is the global mission God has given to every Christian for the sake of his glory and our joy in his glory.
It’s also why we host an annual, International Missions Weekend (IMW) at KingsWay. We want to renew our collective vision for making Christ known among every tribe and tongue. We do not want to live as if the work of seeing people in Bolivia, Namibia, or Thailand amazed by Jesus is someone else’s job. It’s our job. It’s our responsibility. Yes, we play different roles. But no one gets to sit on the bench.
IMW22 will be held on March 5-6 as the culmination of a 4-week sermon series exploring our corporate priorities in the work of missions. We’ll begin with an overview from Phil 1:12-30 on what it means to live for Jesus’ sake, then focus the next three messages on the priority of prayer (Acts 4:23-31), going (Luke 10:1-20), and partnership (Rom 15-16).
There are two events outside our Sunday morning worship service to put on your calendar. The first is the Saturday evening session of IMW22 (March 5, 6:30-8:30pm). We will watch recorded updates from our supported missionaries, create care packages for their families, and intercede for the work of the gospel in specific nations.
The second is a series of family-friendly documentaries called “Dispatches from the Front” that will play in the Seminar Room during our Sunday school hour (8:45-9:45am) beginning on February 6 and finishing on March 6. Each video describes how the gospel of Jesus Christ is advancing in a particular nation or region of the world. There’s no need to register in advance. Simply attend as many sessions as you’re able. Prepare to have your faith strengthened in God’s power to save!
Our pastoral burden for this entire series, IMW22 included, is to guard us from wasting our lives as if our own comfort, convenience, or security is the best thing going. We want to be a people who live for Jesus’ sake, who gladly say with the Apostle Paul, “For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Phil 1:21).