1. INTRODUCTION. IN 1966 THE AMERICAN ESPIONAGE TELEVISION SERIES KNOWN AS MISSION IMPOSSIBLE CAME INTO FRUITION, AND IT INITIALLY AIRED FROM SEPTEMBER OF 1966 UNTIL MARCH OF 1973. THIS MAJOR TELEVISION SERIES CAPTIVATED THE MIND OF ITS VIEWERS ON A WEEKLY BASIS. THE SHOW CHRONICLED THE EXPLOITS OF A SMALL COVERT TEAM OF SECRET GOVERNMENT AGENTS, KNOWN AS THE IMPOSSIBLE MISSIONS FORCE, AND THEIR SOPHISTICATED METHODS OF THWARTING HOSTILE IRON CURTAIN GOVERNMENTS, THIRD WORLD DICTATORS, CORRUPT INDUSTRIALISTS, AND CRIME LORDS, AMONG OTHERS. THE IDENTITY OF THE AGENCY THAT OVERSAW THE IMPOSSIBLE MISSION FORCE WAS NEVER REVEALED, BUT REFERRED ON RARE OCCASIONS. THEY RECEIVED THEIR ASSIGNMENTS BY CRYPTIC MEANS, USUALLY A RECORDED MESSAGE THAT WOULD SELF DESTRUCT AFTER THE MESSAGE CONCLUDED. THE IMPOSSIBLE MISSION FORCE HAD THE ARDUOUS TASK OF CARRYING OUT THEIR SEEMINGLY IMPOSSIBLE ASSIGNMENTS. WELL MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, AS BELIEVERS UNITED IN THE SERVICE OF CHRIST, WE ARE NOT A COVERT TEAM OPERATING UNDER THE CLOAK OF MYSTERY, AND WE DO NOT RECEIVE OUR ASSIGNMENTS FROM A CRYPTIC SOURCE, BUT FROM CHRIST HIMSELF. AND WE LIKE THE IMPOSSIBLE MISSION FORCE DO NOT SEE THE FACE OF HIM THAT GIVES US OUR ASSIGNMENTS, WE HEAR HIS WORDS BY MEANS OF HIS RECORDED WORD, THAT DOES NOT AND CANNOT SELF DESTRUCT. UNLIKE THE IMPOSSIBLE MISSION FORCE WHO DID NOT KNOW THE IDENTITY THAT OVERSAW THEM, WE KNOW THE IDENTITY OF WHO SENDS US. AND WE ALSO HAVE THE ARDUOUS TASK OF CARRYING OUT OUR MISSION. OUR ASSIGNMENT COMES FROM A HEAVENLY AND DIVINE AGENCY THAT IS OVERSEEN BY GOD, INSTRUCTED BY JESUS, AND EMPOWERED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT; THAT AIR MORE THAN TWO THOUSAND YEARS AGO. I COME TO TELL US TODAY AS WE RECOGNIZE MISSION SUNDAY, THAT WE HAVE A MISSION THAT IS POSSIBLE!
2. THE TEXT. VERSES 31-34 RELATE TO THE JUDGMENT AND REWARDS BY CHRIST WHERE HE WILL SEPARATE THE SHEEP FROM THE GOATS.
a) VERSES 35-40 RELATES TO THOSE WHO HAVE EFFECTIVELY AND FAITHFULLY CARRIED OUT THE CHARITABLE ACTS OF KINDNESS OF THOSE WHO ARE UNTIED TO CHRIST.
b) AS CHRISTIANS WE ARE CHARGED TO BE A BLESSING TO OTHERS.
c) WHEN WE DEMONSTRATE KINDNESS TO OTHERS, WE REFLECT THE ACTIONS OF OUR CHRIST, AND IT IS AS THOUGH WE ARE OFFERING KINDNESS UNTO HIM.
d) WHEN WE ARE A BLESSING TO OTHERS, CHRIST HAS ARRANGED THAT WE WILL BE BLESSED IN RETURN, GAL. 6:7, “BE NOT DECEIVED; GOD IS NOT MOCKED: FOR WHATSOEVER A MAN SOWETH, THAT SHALL HE ALSO REAP.”
e) THE QUESTION THAT I WANT TO ASK YOU TODAY IS “DO YOU WANT TO BE BLESSED?”
f) MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WE HAVE A MISSION THAT IS POSSIBLE!
3. WHAT IS OUR TASK? SIMPLY PUT, OUR TASK IS TO GLORIFY GOD BY BEING OBEDIENT TO HIS WORD AS OUTLINED IN MATT. 5:16, “LET YOUR LIGHT SO SHINE BEFORE MEN, THAT THEY MAY SEE YOUR GOOD WORKS, AND GLORIFY YOUR FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN.”
a) ALL OF US HAVE A LIGHT THAT NEEDS TO BE SHINED IN THE DARK, DISMAL, AND DESPERATE TIMES IN WHICH WE LIVE. THE QUESTION I WANT TO ASK AT THIS POINT IS, “ARE YOU SHINNING YOUR LIGHT?”
b) ALL OF US CAN BE A BLESSING TO SOMEONE.
c) THE NEXT TIME THAT YOU SEE SOMEONE STANDING ON THE CORNER, LEND THEM A HAND. I KNOW WHAT YOU’RE THINKING BECAUSE I CAN SEE IT ALL OVER YOUR FACES.
d) YOU’RE THINKING, PASTOR WHY SHOULD I GIVE MY MONEY TO SOMEBODY THAT’S GOING TO BUY BEER OR DRUGS? AND THE ANSWER IS NOT COMPLICATED. IT’S AN OPPORTUNITY TO POUR GOD INTO THEM. YOU NEVER KNOW THE IMPACT THAT YOU CAN HAVE ON THEM.
e) GAL. 6:10, “AS WE HAVE THEREFORE OPPORTUNITY, LET US DO GOOD UNTO ALL MEN, ESPECIALLY UNTO THEM WHO ARE OF THE HOUSEHOLD OF FAITH.”
f) SAD BUT TRUE, THAT MANY WILL HEAR WHAT THE WORD OF GOD DECLARES AND WILL LEAVE HERE TODAY WITHOUT TAKING HEED TO HIS COMMANDS!
g) PROV. 21:13, “WHOSO STOPPETH HIS EARS AT THE CRY OF THE POOR, HE ALSO SHALL CRY HIMSELF, BUT SHALL NOT BE HEARD.” THE MEANING IS THIS, THAT IF WE DON’T BLESS OTHERS, WE ARE NOT READY OR WORTHY TO RECEIVE GOD’S BLESSINGS.
4. WHAT’S AT STAKE? THE LIVES OF THOSE WHO ARE LESS FORTUNATE THAN WE ARE. THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN DISENFRANCHISED BY SOCIETY AND EVEN THEIR OWN FAMILY MEMBERS.
a) THOSE WHO ARE LABELED AS OUTCASTS AND DOWNTRODDEN, WHO DO NOT HAVE THE ESSENTIAL OF LIFE’S BASIC NECESSITIES, WHO ARE ABANDONED, RIDICULED, DEMORALIZED, AND HUMILIATED!
b) AND WHILE THEY MIGHT HAVE BROUGHT THEIR DILEMMA UPON THEMSELVES, IT IS STILL AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE GOD WITH THEM AND THE POSSIBILITY OF WINNING THEM TO GOD!
c) NOT ONLY ARE THE LIVES OF THOSE THAT I HAVE MENTIONED ARE AT STAKE, BUT OUR REWARDS ON EARTH AND IN ETERNITY ARE AT STAKE.
d) WHAT WE DO OR DON’T DO HERE WILL HAVE AN IMPACT ON WHAT WE RECEIVE HERE AND IN ETERNITY!
e) NOT ONLY THE LIVES OF THE HOPELESS AND HELPLESS, AND OUR REWARDS AT STAKE, BUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE USED BY GOD, AND TO BRING GLORY TO HIS NAME IS AT STAKE.
f) I WANT TO ENCOURAGE ALL OF US TO SET OUR HEARTS AND MINDS ON BEING MORE FRUITFUL FOR THE LORD.
g) NEVER GET TIRED OF DOING THE RIGHT THING, GAL. 6:9, “AND LET US NOT BE WEARY IN WELL DOING: FOR IN DUE SEASON WE SHALL REAP, IF WE FAINT NOT.”
h) WHY? BECAUSE WE HAVE A MISSION THAT IS POSSIBLE!
5. THREE POINTS/CONCLUSION
a) ONE, WE MUST ACTIVELY LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE OTHERS, AND COMPEL THEM WITH THE DIVINE INVITATION TO GET TO KNOW JESUS, LUKE 14:23, “AND THE LORD SAID UNTO THE SERVANT, GO OUT INTO THE HIGHWAYS AND HEDGES, AND COMPEL THEM TO COME IN, THAT MY HOUSE MAY BE FILLED.”
b) TWO, DON’T JUDGE THOSE THAT YOU ENCOUNTER, BECAUSE IT IS ONLY BY THE GRACE OF GOD THAT WE ARE NOT WHERE THEY ARE! TO SOME DEGREE, WHEN WE JUDGE OTHERS WE BECOME SELF-RIGHTEOUS. LUKE 6:37, “JUDGE NOT, AND YE SHALL NOT BE JUDGED: CONDEMN NOT, AND YE SHALL NOT BE CONDEMNED.”
c) THREE, WE MUST FAITHFULLY DO OUR PART AND LET GOD FILL IN THE BLANKS, 1 COR. 3:6, “I HAVE PLANTED, APOLLOS WATERED; BUT GOD GAVE THE INCREASE.”
d) SO NOW MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, JESUS IS COUNTING ON US TO…
• MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF OTHERS
• LIFT A HAND UP AND A HANDOUT TO THOSE WHO HAVE THEIR HANDS OUT
• COMFORT THE SICK, THE LONELY, AND BEREAVED
• BE AVAILABLE FOR SERVICE
• TELL OTHERS ABOUT HIS GOODNESS, HIS MERCY, HIS GRACE, AND HIS LOVE
• WE HAVE A MISSION THAT IS POSSIBLE
• WE MUST…
• STAY ON THE BATTLEFIELD
• PRESS ON IN HIS SERVICE
• GO WHEN WE DON’T FEEL LIKE GOING
• DO WHEN WE DON’T FEEL LIKE DOING
• REMEMBER THAT OUR MISSION IS POSSIBLE AND THAT IT WILL NOT FAIL
• WE MUST SPREAD THE WORD THAT JESUS…
• HAS HOPE FOR THE HOPELESS
• HAS LOVE FOR THOSE WHO DON’T FEEL LOVED
• HAS A PARDON FOR THE PRISONER
• HAS STRENGTH FOR THE WEAK
• HAS SALVATION FOR SINNERS
• HAS PEACE FOR THE WEARY
• HAS BLESSINGS FOR THE BURDENED
• HAS ETERNAL LIFE FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE
