Week of November 8, 2026

Missions

Three days from this week's sermon on missions, considering how Jesus' authority spreads, how God sends missionaries through His church, and why the goal of missions is the gospel and healthy churches among every nation.

Spreading the Authority of Jesus

Acts 13:1–3

Key Thought: Christian missions is about spreading the authority of Jesus, not simply spreading out geographically.

When we think about missions, our minds often go immediately to faraway places. We picture missionaries traveling to Africa, China, or other countries to share the gospel. While reaching people in distant places is certainly important, the Bible gives us a bigger picture of what missions really means.

Christian missions is about spreading the authority of Jesus.

In Matthew 28:18, Jesus declares, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” Jesus isn’t simply claiming authority over certain people, countries, or circumstances. He is Lord over everything and everyone. There is nowhere we can go that falls outside His authority.

But Jesus doesn’t intend for His authority to remain an abstract idea. He commands His followers to go, make disciples, baptize them, and teach them to obey everything He has commanded (Matthew 28:19–20).

This means missions is about more than telling people that Jesus exists. It is about introducing people to their King and helping them become faithful followers of Him.

And missions doesn’t always require traveling across the world. There may be people right in our own communities who have never been introduced to Jesus or connected to a faithful church. The need for missions exists wherever people need to hear the gospel and learn to follow Christ.

As Christians, we should want to see the authority of Jesus spread everywhere. That begins with our own willingness to follow Him and share His good news with others.

Questions to Consider

When you think about missions, what comes to mind? Does your understanding go beyond traveling to another country?
What does it mean that Jesus has all authority in heaven and on earth?
Who in your community might need to hear about Jesus?
Are you actively helping others learn to follow Jesus?

Prayer Prompt

Thank God that Jesus is Lord over every nation, community, and individual. Ask God to give you opportunities to share the gospel with people around you. Pray for people in your community who do not know Jesus. Ask God to help you live under the authority of Christ in every area of your life.

God Sends Missionaries Through His Church

Acts 13:1–3

Key Thought: Missionaries are made through the work of the Holy Spirit and the ministry of the local church.

Who makes a missionary? The obvious answer might be God. After all, Acts 13:2 tells us that the Holy Spirit specifically called Barnabas and Saul to missionary work.

But if we look carefully at the passage, we discover that the local church played an important role, too.

Acts 13 begins by describing the church at Antioch. These believers were worshiping the Lord and fasting when the Holy Spirit called Barnabas and Saul. The church responded by continuing in prayer and fasting, laying hands on them, and sending them out.

This gives us an important picture of how biblical missions works. Missionaries aren’t simply individuals who have a spiritual experience and decide to go somewhere to preach. Their work grows out of the ministry of the Holy Spirit within the local church.

The church recognizes God’s calling, supports the missionary, prays for the work, and sends people out to serve Christ.

This also means missions is not something reserved for the few people who travel overseas. Every Christian and every local church has a role to play.

Some may be called to go. Others may be called to give, pray, encourage, and support those who go. A healthy missions ministry involves the entire church working together to spread the authority of Jesus.

Our churches should regularly hear from the missionaries they support, pray for their work, and develop a growing vision for reaching the nations. We should be a people who are eager to send others out with the gospel.

The question isn’t simply whether you are called to be a missionary. The question is whether you are participating in the mission God has given His church.

Questions to Consider

What role did the church at Antioch play in sending Barnabas and Saul?
Why is it important that missions grows out of the ministry of the local church?
What are some practical ways you can participate in missions without traveling overseas?
How can you become more intentional about praying for and supporting missionaries?

Prayer Prompt

Thank God for the local church and its role in spreading the gospel. Pray for the Holy Spirit to raise up faithful missionaries. Pray for the missionaries your church currently supports. Ask God to show you how you can become more involved in supporting missions. Pray that your church would develop a greater passion for reaching the nations.

Missions Is About More Than Doing Good

Acts 14:21–23; Revelation 5:9–10

Key Thought: The goal of missions is to proclaim the gospel, establish churches, and see people from every nation worship Jesus.

It is easy to think of missions as simply helping people in need. Feeding the hungry, providing shelter, caring for the sick, and meeting practical needs are all good things. Christians should have compassion for people who are suffering. But is that the ultimate purpose of Christian missions?

When we look at the missionary work of Paul and Barnabas in Acts 13 and 14, we see that their work involved much more than traveling from place to place and preaching sermons. Acts 14:21–23 tells us that after preaching the gospel and making disciples, they returned to establish churches and appoint elders. Their mission had two important goals: proclaiming the gospel and establishing churches. Why? Because people need more than temporary help. They need to know Jesus, become His disciples, and participate in a local church.

Missionaries today aren’t called to go to foreign nations and simply do good. They are called to establish Jesus’ authority in those nations. Jesus’ authority is best represented by His churches. Therefore, every clinic offered, every shelter they opened should be moving people toward the gospel and establishing a local church. This work can be long and discouraging. Missionaries may serve for years without seeing a single convert. It can feel like pushing something uphill, wondering if our efforts will ever make a difference.

Revelation 5:9–10 reminds us how the story ends. John describes a scene in heaven where people from every tribe, language, people, and nation are worshiping Jesus. The mission of the church will not ultimately fail. Jesus’ claim of authority will be firmly established. Jesus is gathering His people from across the world, and one day they will all worship Him together.

That means our work is not wasted. Every prayer, every act of evangelism, every missionary sent, and every church established is part of a mission that Jesus will bring to completion. We don’t work toward an uncertain victory. We serve a King who has already promised the outcome. One day, His authority will be the song of every nation!

Questions to Consider

What are the two primary goals of biblical missions?
Why is it important that missionary work leads to established churches?
Have you ever felt discouraged when sharing the gospel or praying for someone who doesn’t seem interested?
How does Revelation 5:9–10 encourage you to keep participating in God’s mission?

Prayer Prompt

Thank Jesus for the promise that people from every nation will worship Him. Pray for missionaries who are working in difficult places with little visible fruit. Pray that your church will keep the gospel and the establishment of healthy churches at the center of its missions efforts. Ask God to give you compassion for those with physical needs while keeping their greatest spiritual need in view. Pray for opportunities to help spread the authority of Jesus in your community and around the world.

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