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August 13
THE IMPORTANCE OF MISSIONS IN THE LOCAL CHURCH - PART 1

Scripture:   2 Cor. 8:1-5 “Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.  And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God."

    I want to try to show you today, just how important missions is to the local church. Trying to get the gospel message into all the world, should be a burning desire for all of God’s people.  Without the gospel message being preached, lost sinners, here at home and around the world will spend an eternity in that awful place called Hell.  We must see how important telling others about Jesus really is!
    Missions is said to be the very heartbeat of God.  That’s what it’s all about.  Telling sinners how they can be saved from the bondage of sin.  When the local church is promoting the gospel message to the world, then it shows that we are alive!  If the heart is still beating, we are still alive.  We show action, we are still doing something. We’re laboring to get the message out that “Jesus saves”.  When missions is the heartbeat of the church, it pleases God.  He’s pleased that we have the same feelings toward the lost that He does.  Is your heart beating missions today?
    We also find in the Scriptures that we are commanded to take this message of salvation to the lost.  In the book of Matthew 28, He tells us to go into all the world and tell people about Jesus. There are so many around the world today, that have never heard about the Savior.  We must answer the call and go and tell them before it’s too late.
    How else will they hear?  Romans 10:14 ask the question, how shall they hear without a preacher?  We must send missionaries to these people that are lost while we still can.  We must be willing to go ourselves if that’s what the Lord want us to do!  We must be willing to say, “Here am I send me”.  And we must also be willing to give to the work of God to support missions.