God's Missionary Heart

The last week has been an interesting intellectual journey for me. I was at ENC's PALCON (Pastors and Leaders Conference then this week I was reading Erwin Raphael McManus' The Barbarian Way to get ready for my small group. There was an interesting overlap in the discussion for me.

Roger Hahn and Ron Benefiel reminded me last week of the fact that central to the heart and character of God is His desire to reach all peoples with his love, mercy, and grace. In other words, God's heart is missional...that is a primary attribute of His character is mission. McManus reminded me that the uncivilized call of the gospel message on my heart is to give my life in love and sacrifice to those around me. John the Baptist, as he was between prison and platter, sent his disicples to ask the question, "Are you the one?" Jesus response was not new, in fact it was old news..."Tell John the blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. Blessed is he who does not take offense at me." Luke 7.22-23. After this, Jesus goes on to preach in Galilee.

Jesus left John in the dark place of Herod's prison. He would lose his head because he was faithful to the calling of God in his life. John lived the ultimate sacrifice for his faithfulness to the missional heart of God.

The higher way of the life of the disciple is to pour out our lives as an offering of love for Jesus Christ. That much we know. The rest of the story is that if we are indeed becoming like Christ, we are pouring out our lives into the lives of others that they may know the power of the resurrection within. We look with God's eyes of compassion on those who are lost, lonely, naked, thristy, hungry, and without a shepherd. The true measure of our relationship with God is how much we reflect his missional heart.