Everybody who reads the Bible knows where James died. Most Bible scholars have a good idea where the Apostle Paul died. It seems not much thought is given to where the other Apostles went after this life. We might tend to think they died near their home church, like many of our recent church leaders. But where they died may help us reconsider our view of the local church, leadership, and world missions. They all died far from home, doing as Jesus commanded in Matthew 28:18-20.

Why spend your life investing in ministry, especially career missions?

The short answer is JOY: Jesus, Others, Yourself.

In Sunday School many years ago I was taught that JOY is found in putting Jesus first, others second, and yourself last.

Each is an important part of bringing joy into our lives. None can be neglected. Missions motivation is found first and foremost in the identity, person, purpose, and plan of Jesus, aligning our hearts with His. Second is His design for us in regard to other people — loving them and serving them as He has directed. The third part is that God has good things for us that are entirely dependent on our active responses of faith in Him and obedience to His word.

Jesus

The Glory of God

  • God’s identity is motive enough in His mission. He is the author of creation, the provider of every good and perfect gift. His character is beautiful goodness beyond description. He is the owner and designer of everything. All power and authority are His. His promises are irrevocable. His love is immeasurable. Who better to revere and obey? There is none else.
  • Knowing God’s purpose on earth and the wonder of His person, the goodness of His plan, and the role each of us play in it, as written for all to know in the Holy Bible, it is only reasonable that we who believe Him should wholeheartedly engage in His purpose and design for our lives.
  • His mandate for us is to go everywhere to tell about Him.

Others

God’s Heart for People of All Ethnicities

  • Psalm 67 — Let the peoples praise You, O God; let all the peoples praise You.
  • Luke 2:10 — And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
  • Mark 16:15 — And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
  • Matthew 28:19 — Go ye therefore, and teach all nations (ethnos), baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
  • 2 Corinthians 5:19 — To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
  • Galatians 6:14 — For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
  • 2 Peter 3:9 — The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

The Destiny of the Lost

  • Eternity is a long time to be separated from all that is good. (Jude 1:13; Matthew 25:46)
  • Hebrews 9:27 — And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.
  • Revelation 20:9-15 — And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. I saw a great white throne and the one sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from his presence, but they found no place to hide. I saw the dead, both great and small, standing before God’s throne, and the books were opened, including the Book of Life. The dead were judged according to what they had done, as recorded in the books. Death and the grave gave up their dead and were themselves thrown into the lake of fire — the second death. Anyone whose name was not found recorded in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire.

Yourself

Crowns of the Saints

Revelation 3:11 — Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

  • Crown of Victory — 1 Corinthians 9:25 — And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
  • Crown of Life — James 1:12 — Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
  • Crown of Righteousness — gained for ourselves by faith in Christ, and received also by those who believe because of our testimony. 2 Timothy 4:8 — Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
  • Crown of Rejoicing — people won to Christ through our testimony. 1 Thessalonians 2:19 — For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? Philippians 4:1 — Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you must stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.
  • Crown of Glory — for Christian leaders and shepherds. 1 Peter 5:4 — And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

In the USA alone, there are roughly 36,000 Evangelical Christians for every unreached people group. What keeps that many believers from obeying Christ and working together to reach even one unreached language group with the Gospel? Perhaps a need for a clear foundation concerning God’s character and heart. Perhaps a need for vision about what actually needs to be done. Perhaps a need for a settled understanding of personal responsibility. Or perhaps simply a lack of knowledge of who the unreached ethnolinguistic groups even are.