By Pastor John Mateos Ong
D.A. Carson once said, “If God had perceived that our greatest need was economic, he would have sent an economist. If he had perceived that our greatest need was entertainment, he would have sent us a comedian or an artist. If God had perceived that our greatest need was political stability, he would have sent us a politician. If he had perceived that our greatest need was health, he would have sent us a doctor. But he perceived that our greatest need involved our sin, our alienation from him, our profound rebellion, our death; and he sent us a Savior. ”
Man’s greatest need is sin so God gave you Jesus to save you. You are saved and the work is complete. But He gave you the task of spreading the good news to non-believers. Romans 10:13-14 says, “for Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” Everyone who declares that Jesus is their Savior is saved. But how will others know that if they have not heard about Jesus? That is your task. Nowadays, Christians do not take this to heart. They go to church every week but do not give importance to sharing the good news. If you are not seeking the lost, then the second coming of Jesus Christ will be delayed all the more. 2 Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” The Bible was written thousands of years ago. And it said Jesus will come soon. But only if everyone comes to repentance. Everyone. Matthew 24:14 says, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” If you do not do you work, Jesus will not come. He wants everybody to have a chance.
The mission and vision is the why and what of every organization. “Why are you here?” and “What do you intend to achieve?” Ants are very intelligent creatures. They do not talk but they seem to have a united understanding of their goal. You can block them but they go back to where they are supposed to be. That is what a mission and vision is supposed to do.
Why do you attend Revelation City Church? If you know why you are here, then more or less, you can also determine what can make you leave the church. Your why determines your what. Hellen Keller once said, “The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.”
What is a mission? It is the declaration of the purpose of an organization. Why does it exist?
What is a vision? It is the picture you see by doing your mission faithfully well.
The mission is what you do for the world; the vision is a clear picture of the future. The mission answers why you are here; the vision directs what you want to do. The mission is what you are doing today; the vision will be the future outcome. The mission can change; the vision almost always never changes. If you have achieved your vision already, you have two options - close the organization or do something else.
George Washington Carver once said, “Where there is no vision, there is no hope.” What are the advantages of having a clear mission and vision?
Everyone knows who belongs - the right ones get on fire and the wrong ones leave
Everyone knows where to go - no one goes off track
Everyone knows what to do - when left with a new task, you know what to do
Do you know the mission and vision of Revelation City Church? As Christians, you are not spectators. Jesus showed you that He came to serve. You are workers. Do not just be a recipient of blessings; learn how to bless others too.
1 Corinthians 3:16 says, “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?” The building is not the church. The pastor is not the church. Therefore, you are the church. God is in you. While the church can provide for your physical requirement, the people are the ones responsible in bringing God’s spirit into the building. Matthew 16:18 says, “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.” Since you are now the church, there is now enough power in hell to destroy the church in you. Jesus said this Himself. He is using the church/ but Hebrews 10:25 says, “not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Do not miss church and attending your dgroup. The goal is not to have perfect attendance but to be equipped for God’s use. If you know your enemy, you will not miss a single opportunity to learn about God. If you understand what is going on in the spiritual realm, you will attend church and dgroup all the time. You need every spiritual encouragement and boost you can get to last you until the next Sunday. Ephesians 3:8-9 says, “Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.” Paul was a worse Christian than you. Have you killed people because of their faith? But because of God’s grace, you are all qualified to preach His word. Ephesians 3:10-11 says, “His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.” God wants to use the church. You are the vehicle God’s wants to use to spread His message. What is the message? Ephesians 3:12 says, “In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.” Jesus is not just the way; He is the only way. You can go directly to Him.
Ephesus used to be the megachurch before. Now only ruins stand in its place. Revelations 2:4 says, “Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.” The have succumbed to the lies of the enemy and probably fell in love with religion, the church, the routines and the ministry. But their love for Jesus might have faded.
The mission of Revelation City Church is to free families from poverty in Jesus’ name. This is what is being done now. Luke 4:18 says, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free.” This means that you must set free those who are captives of the enemy. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 says, “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Poverty does not only mean financial poverty. This has to be addressed in a wholistic manner; body, soul and spirit. John 13:13 says, “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” Everything has to be done in Jesus’ name because only He has the power to fulfill this task.
The vision of Revelation City Church is to build a community of families who love Jesus and who unselfishly love and serve one another. Matthew 22:36-40 says, ““Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”” Is this easy? No. Everybody has needs that they need to fulfill. But with God’s love, everything is possible.
Acts 2:44-46 says, “All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts.”
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