Jesus Incarnational Ministry - A Paradigm For Missions Today by Dr.Kelvin Chen dated 14.7.2013

Dr. Chen background

Dr.Kevin Chen is the Deputy of SIM (Serving in Missions) East Asia based in Singapore.  Dr.Chen is a medical doctor having practiced for 12 years in the public and private in Singapore before joining SIM in his first mission to Egbe, Nigeria for three years.  He served there with his wife and children.

SIM seeks to glorify God, evangelize, discipling, minister to human needs and partner local churches to serve the people.  You may read their website : sim.org

   

The sermon

Dr. Chen’s sermon is based on Matthew 9:35-38.
³⁵ Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. ³⁶ When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. ³⁷ Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. ³⁸ Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

V.35 Jesus walked through the town and villages may seem casual in the above reading, but it was not as Jesus mingled with the people in each town and village.  He interacted with the people there.

Incarnational

-          Jesus assuming human form and He was fully human.  Like described above He went about the towns and villages interacting with the people. The word “harassed” and “helpless” in Greek interpretation “harassed and helpless” in Greek means Jesus mingled with the crowds.

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-          Application

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-          We are to build relationships based on equality because human are created in the image of God.  Dr. Chen said when church support missionaries in another location, the representatives of the church must visit these missionaries so that they understand what happened in the mission fields. Missionaries must also know the culture and languages of the people they are serving.  Prayers for these missionaries can be more meaningful and appropriate.

Compassionate

         Jesus saw the “helpless and harassed” and He responded.  Compassion is the sense from deep within us and it is not just a feeling but also actions.  No point feeling compassionate for the needy and yet we do nothing.

Application

Pray to God for compassion for the needy and also to help others.  Sometime you cannot even trust the agency that sent the missionaries but you can trust God.  Dr. Chen shared a story of an African Bishop whose house was broken into and yet he served the robbers drinks and foods, and yet they robbed him.  But this Bishop was not anxious at all because he said God has always provided for him in the past, present and he trust God for the future.

Action

Jesus than called His disciples to action:

a)       Pray

b)       To minister, preach, heal, cleanse, cast out demons ( Matthew 10:7-8)

Jesus' advice:  freely you have received freely give. ( V.10 )

Challenge 1

Dr. Chen shared the story of Robert Moffet.  When he was very young he already knew he wanted to offer his whole life to God.  One Sunday in church, he asked the usher to put the offering plate on the ground.  The usher was kind and gentlemanly and he just did that.  Once the plate was on the floor, young Moffet stepped onto the plate.  The usher asked what he was doing.  He replied that he was offering his whole life to God from that moment.

 Challenge 2

He shared another story of the Fachhai’s family from Northern India.  Mrs. Fachhai was a very poor single mother.  She could not give any offering to her church, but she said she was ready to offer his children to God.  She had two sons.  Knowing that clergy earns very little yet she was willing to offer both his sons to God.  You must realize that men are valued in their culture as they can earn a living for their families.  But both her children were dedicated to God.  Mrs. Fachhai trusted God to provide for her family without any reservation.

The Challenge to our church

Are we willing to serve God in the mission fields?

Dr. Chen quoted a statement which is food for thought for us.
Truth of Life

“God does not want your money, neither is He interested in your time.  But what God wants, and deserves – is your LIFE!”.  Are you (and I) willing to give Him, who gave His only beloved, begotten Son for you, your (and my) LIFE?

Consider Roman 12:1 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.”