The Mission of GodThe Mission of God

Reading the whole Reading the whole Bible for missionBible for mission

A personal note

‘Biblical Basis of Mission’, or

Missional Basis of the Bible?

The missional roots of the BibleThe missional roots of the Bible

The whole Bible is the product of God's mission:

God's engagement with God's world

through God's people for God's purpose:

– the redemption of God’s creation.

““This is what is written”This is what is written”

Lk. 24:46-48

Read the O.T. scriptures in the light of:– Messiah– Mission

This is what is written: This is what is written: The Christ will suffer The Christ will suffer

and rise from the dead and rise from the dead on the third day, on the third day,

and repentance and and repentance and forgiveness of sins will forgiveness of sins will

be preached in his be preached in his name to all nations name to all nations

beginning in beginning in Jerusalem. You are Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these witnesses of these

thingsthings

Whose mission is it anyway?Whose mission is it anyway?

God with a mission

Humanity with a mission

O.T. Israel with a mission

Jesus with a mission

Church with a mision

God with a missionGod with a mission

The biblical worldview

Creation

Fall

New creation

Redemptio

n

Humanity with a missionHumanity with a mission

The image of God

The care of creation

– Ecological responsibility– Economic responsibility– Social responsibility

O.T. Israel with a missionO.T. Israel with a mission

The Old Testament vision of God

The Old Testament vision God’s people and why they exist

The Old Testament vision of God’s people and how they should live

The Old Testament vision of God’s future for all nations.

YHWH: unique and universal God

Biblical monotheism and mission YHWH is God and there is no other (Dt. 4:32-39)

YHWH owns and rules the whole world – not just Israel (Deut.10:14,17; Ps. 24:1; Ps. 96; Isa. 43:9-13, etc, cf. Rom. 3:29-30)

YHWH is Creator, Ruler, Judge and Saviour - of all. Jesus is and does all that YHWH is and does in the Old

Testament – as Creator, Ruler, Judge and Saviour (Phil.2:9-11 = Isa. 45:23; 1 Cor.8:5-6 = Deut. 6:4, etc).

God’s people: chosen for blessing of all

Biblical election and mission Gen. 12-1-3 (context of Gen. 3-11). “The gospel in

advance” (Gal. 3:8). God’s universal purpose – blessing all nations (Rev. 7:9)

God’s particular means – election of O.T. Israel Election is missional: for sake of all. If we are in Christ, we are in Abraham (Gal. 3, Rom. 4); if

we are the people of Abraham, we are blessed in order to be a blessing to all nations. Abrahamic blessing = Abrahamic mission.

God’s people: chosen to be different

Biblical ethics and mission ‘Walking in the way of the Lord’- Gen. 18:19 God’s representatives among the nations –

Exod. 19:4-6 A visible model to the nations There is no biblical mission without biblical

ethics.

God and the nations in the OT

Subject to God’s sovereign justice and mercyJer. 18:1-10, Jonah

Witnesses of God’s dealings with Israel

Ex. 15:15, Deut. 9:28; Ezek. 36:16-23 Beneficiaries of Israel’s salvation history

Ps. 47, 1 Kgs. 8: 41-43, Ps. 67 Ultimately to be included within Israel in blessings of

salvation and covenant.

God’s future for the nations

Biblical eschatology and mission Registered in God’s city Ps. 87 Blessed with God’s salvation Isa. 19:16-25 Accepted in God’s house Isa. 56:3-8 Joined with God’s people Zech. 2:10-11; 9:7 Rejoice in God’s new creation Ps. 96:11-13, Isa.

65:17-25; Rom. 8:18-21, Rev. 21:1-5, Col. 1:15-26

Jesus with a missionJesus with a mission

Simeon’s double recognition– The glory of your people Israel– A light to the nations

Baptismal identity : Israel and the world– Servant Isa. 42:1– King Ps. 2:7

The great commission

Church with a missionChurch with a mission

‘You are my witnesses’ Isa. 43:10, Lk. 24:48, Acts 1:7

‘Servant - light to the nations’ Acts 13:47 , Isa. 49:6

God’s priesthood among the nations 1 Pet. 2:9-12, Rom. 15:16

Reading the whole Bible for Reading the whole Bible for MissionMission

Read it in the light of:

God’s purpose for the whole creation God’s purpose for all human life The election and role of O.T. Israel in God’s

purpose for the nations The messianic identity of Jesus The mission of the church to the nations

The Mission of GodUnlocking the Bible’s Grand Narrative

“ The Bible renders to us the story of God’s mission through God’s people in their engagement with God’s world for the sake of the whole of God’s creation….

Christopher J.H. WrightInternational Director, Langham Partnership International (John Stott Ministries, in the USA)www.johnstott.org