52 Weeks from now . . .

 

On Sunday, June 25, 2006 I preached a sermon on the Great Commission as found in Mark’s gospel. Here is an excerpt from the notes of that sermon.

“The summary of the Great Commission:

15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”

Even though technology has changed the world and shaped the culture in which we live, the primary means of transferring the love of God is from one person to another. Just as new born babies become sick and even die when deprived of human touch, in order for there to be spiritually healthy converts to Christ, there has to be mature believers to nourish, care for, and touch those who were recently born into the kingdom of God.

Through out most of history, those who left their familiar surroundings in order to take the gift of the good news to distant people in far away lands faced great uncertainty, risking everything including their life and their families, in many cases. Even in today’s modern world, traveling to and living in a foreign land involves some risks. And it certainly involves leaving family and friends behind. Who is making that sacrifice today? How can we help? Are we raising our children in such a way that they will seek God and be willing to respond to the calling should God choose them to go? What role models do we hold up before them, that they might aspire to make great sacrifice on behalf of the kingdom of God? Would we trust God enough to turn them loose and send them out as young adults into the far corners of the earth? “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel…”

In October of 2009, my son, Jeremy and his wife, Kandy attended a missions conference in Dalton, Georgia and learned about a missions training and sending agency called “To Every Tribe” based out of Los Fresnos, Texas. Over the next year, they felt the Lord confirm His calling upon their lives to dedicate the rest of their life to take the gospel to unreached peoples.

You read more about their story here:

http://sanderspartyoffive.blogspot.com/2010/12/new-beginnings.html

For the past two and a half years, our family has been preparing to “send” my son and his crew to the mission field. I have to honest, I don’t like it. But I am proud of them and I do believe God is calling them to this life and will therefore bless them and those they serve as a result of their obedience and sacrifice.

And if I really believe the words I preached in 2006, I have to thank God for it all.

In 52 weeks, they will be leaving the U.S. and, at least the parents, may never make their home here again, during my life. I realize we are fortunate to have much new technology that will make it easier to stay in touch and even to occassionaly “see” our family using the technology available today. However, some how that does not erase the pain of knowing they will be so far away from us.

 

I plan to post some additional comments over the next year as Sandra and I work our way through this experience in hopes that it may encourage some others who are considering God’s call upon their life, or if your children decide they are called to serve in foreign lands.