During the month of May, we held an essay contest on the subject of “God’s Sovereign Purpose in Global Missions.” Today, we are happy to announce that Aaron Kiefer of Louisville, KY has won the 1st G3 Conference pass for January. Below you will find his essay as he submitted it. We hope you enjoy his essay and remember to spread the word and register early for the G3 Conference (January of 2013 and limited to 1,000).
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Essay by Aaron Kiefer
Luke 19:40 proclaims: But he answered and said to them I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.
Johnathan Edwards shows us that the end for which God created the world is that God would be glorified. God created the universe for himself and from himself so that he would be glorified. It is through this magnificent perspective of God that his saints are charged to preach the gospel to further Gods glory. Thus, we can draw three main conclusions from our pursuit of gospel missions: primarily, it is Gods sovereign work that fuels our missions. Secondarily, it is a command from Christ. Finally, Gods creation demands that we preach.
Throughout the Bible we see Gods sovereign hand working out events for his glory. In the Old Testament the Psalms display God guiding his sheep through joy and suffering. In the New Testament all the way to the Cross we see him guide his Son to die for the sins of his people. God sovereignly uses this same power displayed throughout the Bible to save sinners through divine preaching of his holy, inspired, and infallible Word. God accomplishes this through sovereignly bringing his people to himself. The gospel of John makes this clear: All that the Father gives me will come to me (6:37). Our mission is fueled by an unrelenting trust in Gods sovereignty to bring his people to repentance and to keep his people until the day of resurrection.
It is also a command from Christ. Matthew 28:19 states Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. If Gods Word and our salvation wasnt enough to make us cry out to the world that hope changes everything, our Lord Jesus commands us to go out into the entire world to preach the glorious gospel of grace to all. Christ laid down his life for these words to be fulfilled; we should expect nothing less than to follow him with joy.
Finally, Gods creation demands that we preach. Paul explains in his letter to the Romans that all creation groans for transformation from the curse (8:19-22). Jesus also describes the rocks crying out if his disciples were to remain silent over this universe changing teaching. If we were to stay silent, Gods creation would swallow us up in death through the curse that is already engulfing us. Creation is demanding that it be restored through the preaching of the Gospel. Thankfully, these passages are to be fulfilled in the new heavens and the new earth the great climax of Gods glory foretold in the Scriptures.
All of this is to be accomplished through missions. Gods saints are empowered by the Holy Spirit in order to preach the transforming power of the gospel with the realization of Gods sovereignty, Christs command, and creations demand for hope.
