Looking at Questions in God’s Word – 7

 Looking at Questions in God’s Word – 7

Subject – Whom Shall I send?

By Rick Welborne

Job 38:1-4 (NLT2)
¹  Then the LORD answered Job from the whirlwind:
²  “Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words?
³  Brace yourself like a man, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.
⁴  “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much. 

Luke 6:46-49 (NKJV)
⁴⁶  "But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say?
⁴⁷  Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like:
⁴⁸  He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.
⁴⁹  But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great." 

Isaiah 6:5-8 (NKJV)
⁵  So I said: "Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The LORD of hosts."
⁶  Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar.
⁷  And he touched my mouth with it, and said: "Behold, this has touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away, And your sin purged."
⁸  Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: "Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me." 

--It was great hearing from Missionaries Sam and Shelly Bowdoin and hearing about what God is doing in the Philippines and Asia. Thank the Lord we were able to help rebuild churches there.

--Also, what an honor to be challenged by our General Treasurer Doctor Pastor Choco DeJesus. We believe he is God’s man to lead us into greater things for the Kingdom and for missions and finances in the AOG.

--They challenged you to be faithful to the call of missions here in the US and abroad. Thank God we are doing much for the Kingdom until you compare it to the unfinished task. The Gospel preached to all nations.

--Let’s look at the Bible today as we continue the series on Looking at Questions from God’s Word and see what God is truly saying to His people.

1. Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?

--Job is trying to defend himself and he steps over some lines. This question needs to be put in the front of every book promoting evolution or every book on geology.

Job 38:3-4 (NLT2)
³  Brace yourself like a man, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them.
⁴  “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much. 

--Never in my lifetime have I seen such arrogance and pride from so many. We see it in our nation’s leaders on both sides of the aisle. Left and right. Even in the church. 

Proverbs 16:18 (NIV)
¹⁸  Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. 

--Our nation was birthed with a great understanding that without the help and intervention of Almighty God we were doomed to destruction. 

Thomas Jefferson - "God who gave us life gave us liberty. And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are of the Gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep forever..."

--I personally believe the mission of America and of a Christian is that once you have found freedom and liberty, you should be willing to help others do the same. 

--It is past time for America and those who call themselves Christians to come down from our haughty places and humble ourselves before a great and awesome God.

--Humble yourselves before God and He will lift you up. We act like we are drunk on religious formulas that tell us just to declare what we want when God’s is calling us to repentance.

--God says, “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?” Why don’t we again acknowledge God to be Lord and Savior of all. Then, do what He says…reach the earth He created. 

2. But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say?

Luke 6:46-49 (NKJV)
⁴⁶  "But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say?
⁴⁷  Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like:
⁴⁸  He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.
⁴⁹  But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great."

--Here we see Jesus making a contrast between two different people. One person does what Jesus says to do and the other does his own thing.

--One person, through his obedience, assures himself of having a good and solid foundation. When the storms come, and they will come, his house will stand.

--The other person, through their disobedience, assures himself of being on a foundation that is nothing more than shifting sand. When the storms come, and they will come, his house will crash.

--Okay, Pastor Rick, where are you heading with this? We know you have something on your heart and it probably has to do with missions. You are so perceptive. 

--It has been my observation through the years that those who are obedient to the Great Commission in their witnessing and giving (sending) missionaries are extremely blessed and established on the Rock.

--It has also been my observation through the years that those who are disobedient to the Great Commission in their witnessing and support of missions, struggle financially and in other ways. No secure foundation.

--It has also been obvious that churches who are faithful in their support of missionaries all around the world and they give sacrificially to missions, God blesses them and establishes them even during a pandemic. 

--I have also seen churches who claim to be Spirit-filled Full Gospel Churches struggle because they say they cannot afford to give to missions. You know what, they were right.

--Until there is a willingness to call Jesus Lord and do what He says in regards to the Great Commission, they will always be too poor and on shaky ground. Again these are people who claim to be filled with the Spirit.

Matthew 7:21-22 (NKJV)
²¹  "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
²²  Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?'

--So what are you saying, Pastor Rick? But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say? Don’t call Jesus Lord and try to convince me how spiritual you are if you are not willing to send missionaries around the world. A reminder:

Romans 10:14-15 (NKJV)
¹⁴  How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?
¹⁵  And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!"

3. Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?

--The Lord is talking to Isaiah and He is telling him that He needs representatives on this earth who are willing to go and to speak on His behalf. Missionaries. 

Isaiah 6:8 (NKJV)
⁸  Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: "Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?"  

--Once Isaiah got a glimpse of Who God really was he went thru a process of repentance. Unfortunately, if we have a vision of God, it causes us to see how great we are instead of how great God is. 

Isaiah 6:5-7 (NKJV)
⁵  So I said: "Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The LORD of hosts."
⁶  Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar.
⁷  And he touched my mouth with it, and said: "Behold, this has touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away, And your sin purged." 

So what is the result of this encounter and repentance. "Here am I! Send me." Once we have been transformed and cleansed by God we become His missionaries. Sharing Christ wherever we are.

--The Lord says, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Who is willing to stand today and say…

Here am I! Send me!