We Are Commissioned 

Scripture Reading: Luke 10:1-12

Memory Verse: "Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest unto God..." (II Corinthians 5:11).

INTRODUCTION: Every believer has received a command from the Lord (Mark 16:15), a directive that has commonly come to be called "The Great Commission." We are called to share with others the good news of what God has done in our lives. We are called to be ambassadors to the world. We are "citizens of heaven" (Ephesians 2:19) sent to a foreign land, the world (Hebrews 11:9-10, 13) with a specific message from our King--the good news that reconciliation has been made possible through the Lord Jesus Christ.
  We are motivated to share the gospel by understanding the value of a lost soul. "Likewise, I say unto you there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth" (Luke 15:10). To Judas, a man's life was worth 30 pieces of silver (Matthew 26:5). A certain man valued his life as being worth many goods (Luke 12:13-20). But God set the greatest value on man: the life of His Son (Matthew 13:44-46; 1 Peter 1:18-19).
  We also see the importance of witnessing when we understand the consequences of sin. "For the wages of sin is death..." (Romans 6:23). "Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire" (Revelation 20:14-15).
  The death spoken of here is not only physical death, but also separation from God. The consequences of sin is complete eternal death and eternal separation from God. An understanding of this fact gives urgency to our responsibility to spread the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ to everyone.
  We are God's hands and feet in this world. God has chosen to work through His church, the Body of Christ. We have the privilege of being God's fellow-workers in the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:19-20; 6:1; 1 Corinthians 3:9).

LESSON QUESTIONS:

1. What is the calling God has placed on our lives? I Corinthians 7:22,23; 6:19,20; Ephesians 6:6.

2. Why does God call us? I John 5:19; Matthew 9:36; Ephesians 3:10,11; John 4:35.

3. How are we called? Matthew 4:19; Jeremiah 18:1-10.

4. How does God prepare us for our calling? John 14:26; I Corinthians 2:12; I John 2:27.

5. What action must occur for us to begin reaching out with the gospel message? Isaiah 6:8; Acts 13:2,3; Mark 16:15; John 14:26.

6. Describe God's calling of Moses (Exodus 3:1-12), Samuel (I Samuel 3:1-19), Ezekiel (Ezekiel 2:1-7), the disciples (Luke 5:27,28 and Matthew 4:18-22), and Saul (Acts 9:1-9).

7. How did Moses, Samuel, Ezekiel, the disciples and Saul have their lives interrupted by God's call?

8. What prerequisite does Jesus identify that is necessary to acknowledge before going out to witness to the lost? Matthew 28:18,19.