Even those that arent of the faith at one time or another have heard of or have personally met a missionary So what is a missionary? You can search the web and many definitions describe a missionary as one who is sent by a church to foreign soil to promote Christianity. This definition of a missionary is partly true but it does very little to grab onto the full depth of what it means to be a missionary. In order to fully comprehend and understand it we must look to the message of the Mission. After all a missionary is nothing without a mission and a mission isnt a mission without a message. To go further we look to the Author of The Message and His MinistryJesus Christ. In Luke 4:18-19 we see Him prophetically speak/fulfill the prophesy from the prophet Isaiah in Chapter 61 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; 19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”
This decree would kick off and IGNITE HIS 3 year ministry on Earth where He would draw men near to Him and He would call them His disciples aka followers. During these times He taught them about the Kingdom of God and demonstrated the Kingdom to them in signs, wonders and healings all by the Spirit of God. He taught them as a Father teaches his son and encouraged them to believe that all was possible by Faith in Him and His message. During the time together Jesus SENT them out 2 times to practice what He had taught themthe first in Luke 9:
Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases. 2 He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. 3 And He said to them, “Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have two tunics apiece.4 “Whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. 5 And whoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them.”6 So they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.
Secondly, in Luke 10 He increased the number of disciples sent out to 70 to do the same heal the sick, declare peace and proclaim to them that the Kingdom of God has come near to you. Interesting that now Jesus had His disciples delivering His message. These were the original missionaries and they best illustrate what a missionary is.
In Matthew 28 Jesus has been crucified & resurrected and is making himself known to His disciples before He is exalted to sit at the right hand of The Father God. He then gives out His mission statement where He ordains them to be part of the Great Co-Mission in verses 18-20.to partner with HIM by the Power of the Holy Spirit.
18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
Now that youve seen the model and the message do you see a connection? You see if youre a believer then youre called to be a disciple and if youre a disciple then youre called to be an ambassador of Heaven. Jesus said you and I are called to do the same things HE did and greater things..John 14:12. So the question isnt are you calledits where are you called? and it starts where you are right now. You are the missionary to your family, friends and your communityHow will they hear without a preacher(Romans 10) and how will they hear unless one is sent? Luke 20:21-As the Father has sent me I also SEND YOU. 1 can put a thousand to flight but 2 can put 10,000 to flight Have you not been Sent? Bless you!