MISSIO DEI

Discipleship Point

WHAT IS THE MOTIVATION FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE MISSIO DEI? 

We focus on part one of this section:

How do we motivate ourselves and others to participate in the Missio Dei? That is another big question. The answer to this last Missio Dei catechism question is essential.

The devil, the world, and our flesh tempt us by trying to deceive or lure us into apathy, anarchy, disobedience, distraction and preoccupation with self. The devil, the world, and our sinful nature would love nothing more than for Christ’s beloved to evade His call, His sending. These sin-filled three love to see members of the faith community weak and tired, to be satisfied with old mindsets and habits.

Is motivation essential for participating in the Missio Dei? Yes!
Moreover, one way that evil loves to deceive Christ believers is to motivate them with the law and its curbs and commands, taking the believers’ focus off the Gospel. We can be deceived by fear – threats that you will get what is coming to you or threats of God’s wrath and judgment on the unbelieving world. We can be deceived by seeming goodness of pure doctrine, piety, volunteerism. These are good things, to be sure, but without the love and mercy of the Gospel, they are meaningless. Motivation from Christ alone moves believers to participate in His sending (mission) – His love, His work! Yes, God’s sending. …

Conclusion: The Gospel, which is centered in the sending and saving activity of Christ, moves the individual Christian and congregation to participate in Christ’s sending! This catechism question ends where it began with Articles I to III, the Gospel essence of God’s sending, the Missio Dei.

See the following Scriptures in your bible or on pp. 286-288 of The Great Sending book: for part one: See Luke 14:23, Acts 1:8, 16:9, Matthew 24:14, 28:19-20 John 10:10,

For conclusion, see: John 3:16-17, John 17:2-3, John 17:18, Romans 1:16, Matthew 9:2,6, Luke 19:10, John 10:11, John 10:14, 2 Corinthians 5:18-21, John 1:29, Matthew 28:18