Vibrant Communities: Sharing God's Love

5/05/2021 1:51:07 PM | Scott Pilgrim

Read: John 3:16 and John 1:14

“For God so loved the world...” The extraordinary truth of this is sometimes lost in our familiarity of the verse, but let’s be captivated by it again.

In John 3:16 we see that it starts with love. It starts with God’s love for the world and for us, just as we are. But it doesn’t stop there. We then see God’s action overflowing from His love, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only son...” God’s missional response is to open a way for humanity to experience life in right relationship with Him. To open a way for us to experience His love.

It’s an incredible reminder that mission doesn’t start with us. It’s not something that Global Interaction or your Baptist church can put a trademark on. No, mission begins in the very heart of God. Mission is birthed through a God of love, compassion and grace.

At its heart, mission is a response to God’s overflowing love for the world.

In 2020, Global Interaction sought God’s leading in establishing our 2021 - 2025 Strategic Roadmap. As we looked at the big picture of our ministry priorities and strategies for the next season, we also stripped it all back to determine what our underpinning ‘why’ is.

Why do we do what we do? The simple statement we articulated to answer that important question is, because nothing matters more than sharing God’s love for the world.

This is incredibly meaningful for us at Global Interaction - our intercultural teams are motivated by this every day - but it’s also beautifully universal. It’s the foundation that underpins all vibrant faith communities, locally and globally.

Wherever we are, God’s gracious invitation to us is to be His hands and feet. To partner with Him in sharing His love through word and deed. At Global Interaction, we have discerned to accept God’s invitation by working in difficult places. In communities where entrenched barriers hinder people’s opportunity to hear and accept the Gospel.

Why these communities?

Because 40% of the world is still yet to hear the Good News in their language and culture. And only 2% (or less!) of Christian resources are allocated to this significant missional need.

Together, as part of the Australian Baptist movement and only with your partnership, we are being God’s hands and feet in these Gospel-poor communities. It’s a matter of justice. And ultimately, it’s a matter of love.

Earlier in the Gospel of John, the grand narrative of the incarnation is captured in one verse. In the Message translation, we read that Jesus became flesh and blood and moved into the human neighbourhood. What a powerful picture! What a beautiful statement - the God of the universe breaks into human history with love and grace. Together, as part of the Australian Baptist movement and only with your partnership, we are being God’s hands and feet in these Gospel-poor communities. It’s a matter of justice. And ultimately, it’s a matter of love.

Earlier in the Gospel of John, the grand narrative of the incarnation is captured in one verse. In the Message translation, we read that Jesus became flesh and blood and moved into the human neighbourhood. What a powerful picture! What a beautiful statement - the God of the universe breaks into human history with love and grace.

TAKEAWAYS TO APPLY

Love Now: God loves the world right now. John 3:16 doesn’t say, for God was so disappointed in the world, or that He loved the few religiously faithful people of the world. No, His loves comes without pre-condition. This is a challenging missional example for us to follow. In accepting God’s grace-filled love for us, let’s extend the same love to our neighbours by meeting them where they are and sharing God’s love in a way they understand.
Good Neighbours: Jesus enters into the neighbourhood and engages with the people in that community. In whichever community God has placed us, He calls us to live as good and loving neighbours. To be present in that place. For our intercultural workers, this means embracing the culture, language and way of life in that community. It means participating in the everyday community activities and practices that are already happening. That’s where it begins. And for people in Australia? Being a good neighbour means exactly the same thing! It’s parents being present in the school community and building relationships with other parents, and it’s people doing life with their actual neighbours.
Alongside: Being good neighbours means journeying alongside people, sharing God’s love and inviting them to meet Jesus where they are. Because on earth, that’s where He met people! He met them in their culture, language and context.
For our Global Interaction intercultural teams, ‘alongside’ means humbly listening, learning and building authentic relationships. It means breaking down the barriers that are hindering people from getting to Jesus by communicating the Good News in ways that makes sense to them. It’s not about calling people into church communities that look like ours. But about coming alongside people and inviting them to meet a Jesus who speaks their language.
Respond: Experiencing God’s love in our own lives demands a response. How will we be Jesus’ hands and feet in our neighbourhoods? How will we partner with God’s mission globally and in our own backyards? Incredibly, God uses us - in all our weakness - as part of His redemptive plan. His gracious invitation to partner with Him in His activity around the world is a genuine invitation. Let’s accept it!

THEMATIC STORIES AND RESOURCES

Use these as sermon illustrations, discussion starters for small groups or standalone resources.

Your stories! What local mission stories can you share that speak to this theme or passage?
VIDEO story of the team sharing God’s love in South East Asia: https://vimeo.com/525874998 (contact Global Interaction for the password)
VIDEO story of a missional social enterprise in Warrandyte, VIC: https://vimeo.com/527099916
PODCAST episode 6 - Good Neighbours (Scott Pilgrim, Executive Director):
www.globalinteraction.org.au/Missioning

QUESTIONS FOR SMALL GROUPS

How have you witnessed people sharing God’s love? What’s been the impact?
What’s personally challenging for you in these verses? (John 3:16 and John 1:14)
Why does it change for you if it starts with love? And how does this impact the way you engage with people?
Do you find it harder to accept God’s grace-filled love or to give it? Reflect on the cultural values or life experiences that have shaped your response.
What do you take away from Jesus’ model of mission? How does it translate to your context?
Read, watch or listen to one or two of the above thematic stories. What excites you? How can you see God at work? What mission practices can you see the workers doing that you could do in your own neighbourhood?

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