Where We Have Been. In The Series 20/20 We Have Been Working

Before hearing about the need in different parts of our world, I never considered going on a mission trip. Last summer during show choir camp, our choreographer told us about a charity called Thirst Project. Thirst Project is an organization that builds wells in Africa so the citizens can have clean drinking water. Knowing that there are people out there drinking brown, gunky water filled with animal feces breaks my heart, because there are steps that we can all take to help solve that problem. For me, one of those steps is going on a mission trip. If I could help even one person live a higher quality life, I will be satisfied, knowing that I have made a purpose to my life. Another time that my eyes were opened was this summer. One of my friends went on a mission trip to Haiti with her church, and seeing pictures from their trip moved me to have an even stronger desire to go on one myself. Both the children in Haiti and the people serving them were both so joyful,

The Upper Room Discourse (John 13-17) marked the end of Jesus’ three-year ministry and served to be Jesus’ farewell address to the beloved apostles. During Jesus’ final moments with the apostles, Jesus would proceed to institute a new blood covenant (Luke 22:20; Mark 14:24) and provide final instructions and encouragement to the apostles before facing the sorrow, rejection, betrayal, and death for which Jesus had come into this world (Houdmann, n.d.). Thus, the final moments between Jesus and the apostles revealed countless theological truths that were demonstrated through word, deed, admonishment, and prophecy (Douglas & Tenney, 2010).

Last Sunday at church Father Ron said something that hit home for me. He said that a mission begins with an invitation. I grew up in a rural area in the highlands of Nairobi, Kenya. Life was not easy and I always made a point of maximizing the opportunities I got. I grew up knowing that I wanted to be in a profession that really helped people improve their wellbeing. When I got the opportunity to go to university I choose to do Biomedical Science because I was very good at science and I thought that being a scientist was my calling. However, becoming an adult and having varying experiences like volunteering in a children’s home, working in the field doing research, working in a laboratory and currently working as a nurse aide has taught me

1) Mark 16:15 says, “He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.”

“God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son and Holy Spirit “- Matthew 28:18-20 (The Message)

Chapters 3 and 4 of Tim Keller's Every Good Endeavor expanded vastly on the idea of work and the way God sees it as well as it's purposes. Chapter 3 begins with Keller describing to us our greatest work given to us by God namely our call to "fill the Earth and subdue it”. He expands on this idea of "subduing” the Earth by explaining it as more of a cultivation process. This idea makes the task itself more of a caretakers responsibility rather than a conquerors territory. We are God's representatives called to follow His pattern of development by fulfilling our individual callings. Keller also includes that we are called to creativity just as God called Adam to come up with names for the animals he wants us to create just like Him. and again

 Jesus then asked the twelve, "You do not want to leave too, do you?" (John 6: 67).

The purpose of man is to praise and worship God, proclaim his glory, and to accomplish his will."… And whom I have created for My glory, …” (Isaiah 43:7 New International Version). God created all things in harmony. He established a perfect creation that he loves and over which he rules. The highest honor is given to mankind as the only part of creation made in God’s image. Humanity was created to love as God loves, to worship and praise his glory and commune with him as he does with us.

n Timothy Keller's book Every good Endeavor he explains the concept of aligning your personal work, calling, or vocation with God's. In the first chapter Keller starts it off by describing the "Design of Work” as the chapter's title mentions. Using scripture straight from the book of Genesis he points out that work was one of the first things that God put in place when he created mankind and creation. Much of what Keller is trying to communicate simply points to the idea that man was made to work. One particular instance where Keller points to this is when he says, "it is part of the blessedness of the garden of God.” He is explaining that work was not intended to apart of the punishment for sin, but rather that work was in place before sin

Despite the fall of humanity, man’s purpose is to find its way back to the original creation. God made a way for Human’s to restore that connection by sending his son, Jesus Christ for the atonement of humanity. When God poured himself into a man, he was the perfect lamb sacrifice. The path Jesus Christ provided was for man to confess their sins, repent, redemption, and renewal of their soul (Chapter 6, In the Beginning of Wisdom). This allows man to worship and fellowship with God.

For this mission trip I will be traveling to Puerto Nuevo, Mexico with nine other people to help fill a small orphanage with the necessary supplies they will need. While doing this we want to spread the Word of God to the children and workers of the orphanage. We will be focusing on those are eighteen and younger, and will be making sure we give them an abundance of supplies, so the orphanage can use the supplies we give them for years. Once we fully supply the orphanage, we will be there for the children. We want to make them feel safe in an unsafe environment and introduce God into their lives to let them know that he will always be watching over them.

Isaiah 43:21 reveals God’s purpose in creating us; to give Him praise through worship. As a leader/minister, preaching the gospel, teaching, providing an environment conducive to growth and flourishing, reproducing the character of Christ, and leading others to worship and delight of God is my real responsibility. Matthew 28:19-20 says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the ages.”

Before Jesus left, He said to his disciples, "You tarry in Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high." And He said, "You will receive power after that when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And then you will be my witnesses, in Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria and to the utter-most parts of the earth."

The point of this assignment is to discuss the passage chosen, as well as information regarding the historical/cultural background of the passage and applying it to my life as a human being. It is also important that I apply this information on the passage to the Christian life or church ministry. The passage I have chosen for this assignment is from Matthew chapters 5-7 and is labeled “The Sermon on the Mount”. The Sermon on the Mount is the longest and most prominent of the five discourses of Jesus in Matthew. The whole point of the Sermon on the Mount was to show people who converted to Christianity how to live. It is to show how Christians should live in their actions, words, thoughts, and others ways of life. With that being said, this way of life was preached by Jesus Christ as he “went up on the mountain” to deliver his powerful message. The information for this passage is in, of course, the bible and our textbook “Encountering the New Testament”, as well as many other resources on the web that are related to the bible and passage.

"And he said unto them, 'Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these SIGNS SHALL FOLLOW them that believe; In my name (Strong 's G3683 "onoma"-authority & character) shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly things, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and thy shall recover. ' So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and CONFIRMING THE WORD with signs following. Amen. " Mark 16:17-20