2-23-25 “Jesus’ Mission and Our Mission”
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“Jesus’ Mission and Our Mission”
(Stewardship Month # 4)
I want to start with something funny that I found an internet site: A pastor asked a farmer, “If you had 100 cows, would you give 50 to the Lord?” The farmer said, “Of course!” The pastor continued, “If you had 10 cows, would you give 5 to the Lord?” The farmer nodded, “Absolutely!” Then the pastor said, “If you had 2 cows, would you give 1 to the Lord?” The farmer frowned and said, “Now, hold on a second, Pastor—you know I actually have only two cows!”
The Letter of James 2:19 says, “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.” This verse teaches us that faith without action is dead. Simply believing in God is not enough—even demons acknowledge His existence. True faith is demonstrated through love and action.
Do you know when the word “Christian” was first used and why?
Acts 11:26 says, “The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.” The word Christian means “a follower of Christ.” Interestingly, the believers in the Antioch church did not give themselves this name—outsiders did. People observed how they lived, noticed their love, faith, and service, and realized they were different. So, they called them Christians.
Today, many call themselves Christians, but a true Christian doesn’t just believe in Jesus—they live like Jesus. It’s not about church attendance, but it’s about Christlike action. It’s not just about knowing the Bible, but it’s about loving people. Faith without action is meaningless, just as saying you love someone, but never caring for them is empty. Even demons believe in God (James 2:19), but they don’t obey Him. To be a Christian means: Loving like Jesus – even when it’s hard. Serving like Jesus – even when no one sees. Forgiving like Jesus – even when it’s undeserved. The world is still watching us today. Would people recognize us as Christians by the way we live?
Today, as we conclude our stewardship sermon series, I want to talk about “Jesus’ mission and our mission.” If we are Christians—followers of Christ Jesus—we must understand both His mission and our own. Last Sunday, we reflected on how God’s stewardship begins with our confession that God is the owner of our very lives. This includes our abilities, time, ideas, skills, money, family, friends, loved ones and all of creation. God entrusted these gifts to us to manage well.
Genesis 1:27-28 (TLB) tells us: “So God made man like his Maker. Like God did God make man; Man and maid did He make them. And God blessed them and told them, ‘Multiply and fill the earth and subdue it; you are masters of the fish and birds and all the animals.’” Did you catch that? God made human beings in His image and entrusted them with authority over creation. However, humanity failed to keep God’s commandments and sinned by eating the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. Since then, all people have sinned, and creation itself has suffered due to human greed and overuse.
Because of this, God sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to save not only humanity, but all of creation. As John 3:16 reminds us: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Jesus obeyed God completely, even to the point of dying on the cross. Philippians 2:6-7 says:
“Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.”
Jesus’ mission was one of healing, caring, reconciliation, and service. Now, it is our turn.
If Jesus came to serve and not to be served, then He calls us to do the same. As Christians, our mission is to care for everything God has entrusted to us—our abilities, time, ideas, skills, resources, relationships, and even creation itself—for the glory of God, until Christ returns. But what does this actually look like?
Today’s scripture gives us a powerful example. Jesus, the Son of Man (NRSV), the Messiah (TLB), will return in glory with His angels to judge all nations, separating them like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. Are you confident that you will be on the right side of the Lord, among the sheep?
Jesus tells us: “Then the King will say to those at His right hand, ‘Come, you that my Father blesses, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave Me food; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you welcomed Me; I was naked, and you gave Me clothing; I was sick, and you took care of Me; I was in prison, and you visited Me’” (Matthew 25:34-36). The righteous will ask: “Lord, when did we see You hungry, thirsty, a stranger, naked, sick, or in prison and care for You?” And the King will answer: “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of My family, you did it to Me.”
In this passage, Jesus defines true discipleship, not by what we say or believe, but by how we live. He identifies His followers by their acts of compassion—feeding the hungry, welcoming strangers, clothing the needy, caring for the sick, and visiting prisoners. Jesus’ mission was to bring the Kingdom of God to earth, not just in words, but in action. He healed, fed, welcomed, and suffered alongside the broken. His mission wasn’t about power or prestige—it was about stewarding God’s love in a way that transforms lives.
If Jesus is our Shepherd, then we are called to be under-shepherds—caretakers of His mission. Stewardship isn’t just about giving money—it’s about living as disciples. It means: Our time is not just ours—it’s an opportunity to serve. Our resources are not just ours—they are meant to bless others. Our church is not just ours—it is a lighthouse for the lost.
Jesus says something profound: “Whatever you did for the least of these, you did for Me.”
Imagine how differently we would live if we truly saw Jesus in the faces of the hungry, the homeless, and the forgotten. When we welcome the stranger, we welcome Christ. When we share what we have, we honor Christ. When we advocate for justice, we walk with Christ. Stewardship is not a duty—it’s a privilege. It’s an invitation to join Jesus in His mission and see His face in places we never expected.
So, what does it mean to be a steward of Christ’s mission? Living generously with our time, talents, and treasures. Serving faithfully by loving the least and the lost. Following boldly as we see Christ in those in need. The Good Shepherd calls us to not just believe, but to act.
May we be found among the sheep—not because we sought our own gain, but because we loved as He loved. Let’s go forth as stewards of Jesus’ mission. Thanks be to God. Amen.