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“Missions in the name of God ”
Text: Matthew 6:9
Preached by Pastor Don Hubbell at the
York First Church of the Brethren on New Year's Day, January 29, 2011



Read text here:

Introduction: “Youth mission trips,” “summer service projects,” and “summer work camps” are just some of the titles we have heard or used to describe organized acts of Christian mission to perform service with and for others in Christ’s name. Youth and adults give up summer vacation time and college students take a “work-cation” instead of spring break in order to live out servant discipleship.

There are numerous passages in the Gospels that demonstrate and speak to Christian service, but the prayer of Jesus offers us some of the most important lessons in how Christian mission is rooted in prayer and our relationship with our God.

I.) The Lord’s Prayer, or the “Our Father” as some faith traditions refer to it, is the most famous and most memorized prayer of the Bible.

A.) There are two versions of the prayer, found in Matthew 6:9-13 and Luke 11:2-4.
1.Because not all ancient biblical manuscripts of these passages are identical, notations are included in almost all translations in order to explain textual variations that are integral to translating and applying this ancient lesson in prayer.
2.Luke’s account opens the prayer with Jesus’ words: “Father, hallowed be your name,” while Matthew includes, “Our Father in heaven,” as the preface.
3.Jesus teaches that prayer begins with and is rooted in the acknowledgment of the holiness of the creator God.
4.Judaism, from its beginnings to today, teaches the sanctity and power of a name.

Example. Genesis describes God giving to humankind dominion over the creatures and created order and God allowing Adam to name all of the creatures as an act of co-creation with God. The creation story bears witness to the Hebrew understanding that to name is to have dominion over, hence the unpronounceable name of God, YHWH, (typically translated LORD in English translations).

B.) Of course, to do missions in the name of God carries with it the highest of expectations, clearly expressed in the third commandment: “You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God . . .” (Exodus 20:7).
1.God’s very name is holy.
2.Prayer is anchored in our holy connection with the God who first connected with us.
3.God speaks a divine word and the mere utterance brings life into being.
4.We offer our words in prayer to God to nurture this sacred connection.
II.) The Lord’s Prayer first declares that God is the holy creator of all, and our connection with God makes us holy too.

A.) As we are offspring of God and disciples of Jesus, what does the Lord’s Prayer teach us about missions?
1.Perhaps a better question might be, “What does it mean to do missions in God’s holy name?”
2.Certainly there is a distinction between the church’s mission and the missions we undertake to fulfill our calling or purpose to serve others as disciples of Jesus.
B.) The church’s mission, according to the Great Commission of Matthew 28, is to go into the world beyond the safety of our homes and meeting places and tell of the transforming power found in a relationship with Christ.
1.To “make disciples” is not a command to coerce people into belief in Jesus as the Christ.
2.To do so would not engender true faith, for faith in God comes by gracious invitation and an inspiring encounter, not by means of a demanding imposition and rigid expectation.
3. Jesus invited his first disciples, and invites us, into a relationship.
4.Jesus did not provide a formula—“Say these words and you can join the club”—but offered an example of Christian community.
5.The work of Christian missions is an extension of this relationship.

C.) Missions is both an act of discipleship (following Christ’s example of service and justice), and an expression of God’s redemptive and unconditional love.
1.We don’t earn salvation.
2.Neither do we earn the right or necessarily deserve to offer or receive an act of service; it is a gift derived from God and passed along by faith through God’s followers.
III.) Doing missions in the name of God requires an open acceptance of those whom we seek to serve.

A.) It demands that we start on the terms of those whose lives we strive to touch, and that means speaking in a way that all can understand. 1.We Christians have unique language that we use matter-of-factly and presumptively, expecting non-Christians to follow along with what some might call “code words.”

Example. For example, a church announcement might read:
“There will be a meeting of the membership class (translation: persons exploring their faith in Christ) following Sunday school (translation: Bible study classes typically held on Sunday mornings, but perhaps on other days and times as well) in the fellowship hall (translation: a gathering place for Christians to enjoy each other in a relaxed social setting where food is often included).

Illustration. I made a reference to fellowship one day while in conversation with a local rabbi, and he inquired about the meaning of the word. He had never heard of fellowship. He opened my eyes to words that the Christian community often takes for granted as part of our faith language.

Conclusion to message: God’s name is holy, and to do missions in the name of God requires serious and prayerful discernment coupled with selfless and humble action. Discipleship costs something. Sacrifices often must be made for something to have value. Whether building for Habitat for Humanity, helping earthquake victims on another continent, or holding the hand of an elderly woman living alone, Christian missions are our opportunity to once again make the Word become flesh. Let us do so with humility, in the name of the One who first reached out to us.