Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God. For they have gone out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth.—3 John 5–8

Note: This (Fill These Cities 25 x ’25) video was played just before the sermon. 

Introduction

Many of you witnessed the call for three groups of people to come forward last weekend as part of our Global Focus missions call: (1) current global partners, (2) people currently in the Nurture Program, and (3) people sensing a new stirring for missions. Of those who responded to the call to come forward, 60 were new people. More than 100 people are now in the Nurture Program.

At Missions in the Manse, I was struck not simply by the great number of people, but even more by the caliber of these people. I totally lost it when Pastor Todd (Rasmuson) asked how many of them were seriously praying about going to unengaged people groups—32 people raised their hand!

I lost it because this was not a slaphappy moment. It was a sobering moment with a ton of both gravity and gladness—32 people are praying about taking on a greater physical and emotional risk and burden. There is no guarantee that everyone we send will come back. There is no such thing as martyr-proofing our missionaries.

If we are going to send, then we need to know how to send well. There is no better text in the whole Bible on this theme than 3 John 5–8.

Outline

1. Goers (v. 7)
2. Senders (vv. 5–6) 
3. Fellow Workers (v. 8)

Main Point: The church must support those who are sent out for the sake of Christ’s name.

1. Go-ers (v. 7)

For they have gone out for the sake of the name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles.

This verse says three things about those who go: First, they go out (“they have gone out”). Second, they don’t make money from the people who profit from their gospel ministry. Third, are marked by a certain motivation (the sake of the Name).

First, these gospel ministers leave all that is familiar in order to take the gospel to places that lack sufficient gospel witness. Verse 6 speaks of “sending them on their journey.” They have to pack up and go somewhere else because Christ is not known there. This is a full-time endeavor, and they are not able to support themselves with full-time work. They are engaged in full-time gospel labor (spreading the gospel is their focus).

Second, the church needs to support this gospel ministry because unbelievers are not willing to pay for it—they don’t want it. Unbelievers will not see the value in this gospel proclamation. Christians see the value of it and so they must support those who go—not those who do not know God.

Third, they go and proclaim the good news for the sake of the Name. Please take note of this point. They do not go out merely because the need is great. They go out because the name of Christ is great. They want the fame of the Name to spread. They go forth with a prayer rising up in their hearts that the name of Christ would be esteemed and hallowed as the name above every name. Worship is not only the goal of missions, but also the fuel.

In 1996, Pastors John Piper and Tom Steller wrote a vision document called “14 Driving Convictions Behind Foreign Missions.” I would commend it to everyone. These convictions cannot get buried in historical dust. They need to be fresh and fiery. Listen to conviction #2: God is passionately committed to his fame. God’s ultimate goal is that his name be known and praised by all the peoples of the earth.

• In Romans 9:17, Paul says that God’s goal in redeeming Israel is “that [his] name may be proclaimed in all the earth.”
• In Isaiah 66:19, God promised that he would send messengers “to the coastlands afar off that have not heard my fame or seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the nations.”
• We believe that the central command of world missions is Isaiah 12:4, “Make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted.”
• The apostle Paul said that his ministry as a missionary was “to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of [Christ’s] name among all the nations” (Romans 1:5).
• The apostle John said that missionaries are those who “have set out for the sake of the name” (3 John 7).
• James, the Lord’s brother, described missions as God’s “visiting the nations to take out of them a people for his name” (Acts 15:14).
• Jesus described missionaries as those who “leave houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake” (Matthew 19:29).

2. Senders (vv. 5–6)

Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God.

These two verses raise a very good question: how do you send well? The banner phrase flying high above all faithful sending is this: Sending in a manner worthy of God (v. 6). What does that mean?

The word “worthy” means that something has weight or value or glory. The Bible talks about walking worthy of God. That means that the way we live accords or aligns with the weight and worth of God. How we live is in accord with what we believe about God. In the same way, the way we send shows how much we think God is worth—how valuable he is. We sometimes say, “That was so hard, but it was worth it.” That is what John is saying. Sending people out to proclaim the truth may be costly, but God is worth it! 

Story of the Missionary Closet

Andy Johnson tells the story of a friend who grew up as a missionary kid in Europe. He and his family once made a visit to a church while on home assignment in the U.S. He was around 9 years old at the time. When they arrived, one of the church members invited him to come and get some toys and other things from the church’s “missionary closet.” He was so intrigued and excited as a bright-eyed, 9-year-old boy. Then the gleam in his eye went away and his countenance fell when the church member opened the large closet. It was chock full of “worn out clothes, obsolete computers, and cast off toys with missing parts.” Needless to say, the 9-year-old boy was crushed (Andy Johnson, Missions: How the Church Goes Global, p. 37).

I think we can all agree that this way of supporting missionaries does not match a manner worthy of God. God is not a Father who gives his children leftovers—his low-class, hand-me-down junk. God is not stingy or tight-fisted—that does not fit our Father’s heart!

So we must avoid a mismatch between who God is and how we send. We don’t mobilize well when those two things don’t line up well. God is not a little village god, not a tribal deity, but the God of global glory who is the Creator of all things and the King of the Universe. 

A second principle for sending well is “faithful” sending. What does that mean? Here there must be a correspondence between claiming to care for the truth and caring for those who proclaim the truth. Caring about the truth without caring for those who proclaim the truth would be a contradiction—it would be living a lie. One cannot claim to have a commitment for the truth without a corresponding commitment to support and send those who proclaim the truth.

This correspondence and coherence between loving the truth and loving those who spread the truth is called “faithful” (“it is a faithful thing you do,” v. 5). What does John mean by “faithful”? It appears that John is saying that Gaius’ love and truth cohered together—there was a faithful coherence between Gaius’ beliefs and behavior (“all your efforts for these brothers” v. 5). Verse 6 is going to summarize the work of Gaius as “love” (v. 6). Another way to say verse six is love for the truth should be matched with a love for those who proclaim the truth.

3. Fellow Workers (v. 8)

Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth.

Supporting the spread of the gospel is not an option; it is a moral obligation. That is the concluding command in this section: “Therefore [based on everything I have just said], we ought to support people like these.”

Lots of Christians share the gospel, but one group in particular has a moral claim upon our money: Those who do gospel labor among non-Christians who are not going to pay for that labor. They can only make their living from the gospel if gospel church’s partner with them.

Goers and senders are fellow workers. The supporting those who spread the gospel of truth means that we become partners for the truth. The truth of the gospel is proclaimed, but only if each part of the equation does its part.

A study in John’s epistles is instructive in terms of what John means by the phrase “fellow workers for the truth” (v. 8). Perhaps the best way to understand this phrase is to look at its polar opposite in 2 John.

In his second letter, John warns about false teachers who are deceivers (2 John 7) because they go out and spread the lie that Jesus is not the Christ, the Son of God, come in the flesh. To receive one of these false teachers is to “share in his wicked work” (2 John 11). 

On the contrary, these evangelists bring with them the truth that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God come in the flesh. Therefore, receiving them and supporting them is cooperating with the truth. Their role is spreading the truth; the church’s role is supporting those who spread it.

Let me quote one more time from our document on driving convictions behind foreign missions. I read through it again in preparation for this sermon. It is solid gold:

Conviction #13 – Our aim is not to persuade everyone to become a missionary, but to help everyone become a World Christian.

As we said earlier, there are only three kinds of people: goers, senders, and the disobedient. It’s not God’s will for everyone to be a “goer.” Only some are called to go out for the sake of the name to a foreign culture (e.g., Mark 5:18–19).

Those who are not called to go out for the sake of the name are called to stay for the sake of the name, to be salt and light right where God has placed them, and to join others in sending those who are called to be cross-cultural missionaries.

In God’s eyes both the goers and the senders are crucial. There are no first and second class Christians in God’s hierarchy of values. Together the goers and the senders are “fellow-workers with the truth” (3 John 8).

So whether you are a goer or a sender is a secondary issue. That your heart beats with God’s in his pursuit of worshipers from every tribe and tongue and people and nation is the primary issue. This is what it means to be a World Christian.

Main Point: The church must support those who are sent out for the sake of Christ’s name.

Application: ‘Fill These Cities: 25 x ’25’

See the the Fill These Cities: 25 x ’25 site.

1. Unengaged People Groups

I gave an update from Global Focus at the start of the sermon. Let me say something about the numbers. I don’t share numbers so that the name of Bethlehem would be great. We are not boasting in numbers. We boast in Christ. We go and we send for the sake of the name.

I want to share with you a couple of really encouraging details and ask you to make these things a matter of persistent prayer. One of the most wonderful surprises about missions at the manse was the announcement of how many prayer groups have popped up among our people for the unengaged. People at this gathering spoke of three separate prayer groups that have already formed.

Leadership is developing even within the Nurture Program. This is not something that is merely staff driven. Those who are going out for the sake of the name are banding together and challenging and nurturing and caring for each other. They have a joyful sense of camaraderie.

Please do not forget about the role of small groups in this process of nurturing and sending. Small groups will have the opportunity to do life-on-life together and speak into their lives and marriages or relationships. 

1. As we meet for worship here, one of our members is in India, investigating options for his family to serve with unengaged peoples.
2. Four of our members have recently been appointed to mission agencies, and they are looking into options to be part of teams to engage the unengaged.
3. One of our global partners is praying about mentoring a SE Asian pastor to take the gospel to an unengaged area.

There is a great need: 1,510 unengaged people groups have no one who has come to share the good news of Jesus. The work of missions is urgent, but that is no excuse to be frantic. Frantic work will not last the test of time because we will be sloppy and careless. We don’t want to simply see people groups go off the list only to go back on again. We want to see these people groups go from unengaged to engaged and then unreached to reached, and see pastors go from untrained to trained. We are not interested in planting churches and then quickly abandoning them.

2. Church Planting

We now have four approved church plants. Two churches were planted in 2016 (Word of Grace church in South Minneapolis; Northfield Community Church in Northfield, Minnesota). The elders approved two more in 2017 (Adam Pohlman, Redemption City Church in Rochester, Minnesota; Ryan Eagy, Table Rock Church in Boise, Idaho). 

There is so much more grace at work here as well. We have exciting prospects for 2019—we are now in a position to do three pastoral residents for 2018. Ask God to help us find three church planting and revitalization pastoral residents for 2018—one per campus. I once heard someone talk about church planting strategy as throw a bunch of church planting attempts up on the wall and see which ones stick. Here is the problem with that: The ones who fall and fail are real people who get wounded and hurt and broken. If we are going to do church planting, we want to do it in a manner worthy of God.

3. Strengthening the Core

This is the most far-reaching and important of our 25 by ’25 initiatives. Think about your core for a moment. If you have a weak core, you are not able to extend very far. The same is true of spreading. If the core of something is not strong, we will not be able to spread the gospel far and wide. If the fire is not hot at the core, the heat will not radiate very far. We need to be aflame at home if we are going to spread a flame abroad.

I recently saw a video clip of a group of people that formed a human ladder to reach down and rescue a guy and his dog that had fallen down an embankment. The waters were rising and they really needed to be rescued.

One of the biggest encouragements to me has been the financial response of the people. Thank you.

2017 YTD              8,330,644
2017 Budget          8,070,000
2016 YTD              6,868,907

4. South Campus Building

All contracts have been signed. The shovel was symbolically put into the ground in September. The land was cleared in October. It is happening. It is really happening.

The church is a family, and these are family pictures. This is a moment where we “put these on our church family refrigerator.”

South Groundbreaking on Sept 24, 2017. I'm flinging the dirt the highest!

South land as of October 18, 2017.

We have a burning desire to reach the South suburbs with the gospel and provide Christ-exalting care and discipleship for the South community. But we also want a strong and flourishing South Campus because we want a stronger, more robust sending base.

Conclusion

One Thing Missing in Our ‘14 Driving Convictions’ Document

I think one thing is missing in our “Driving Convictions” document. Let me get at it by asking a question. We have looked at what good mobilization is, but now we need to ask, “Who does it?” That question may seem obvious. “Who mobilizes people for missions?” Individual Christians. John is talking about what an individual named Gaius did for these Christians who had devoted their lives to spreading the gospel in a full-time capacity. But look more closely. Who mobilizes missionaries for missions? The church!

Notice several pieces of evidence for this: First, notice that John says these evangelists came back to John’s local church at Ephesus and testified to the love of Gaius, “who testified to your love before the church.” The church of Ephesus was their sending church, and Gaius got involved in supporting them, even though they were strangers to him.

Verse 8 reflects that point when it says, “We ought to support people like these.” The “we” is a joint venture between a local church and other individual Christians from other churches like Gaius.

I say that this point is missing from the Convictions not because the document would disagree with this point, but because it is implicit rather than explicit. When this point is implicit, we are prevented from drawing a direct line between building a South Campus and having a strong core at all three campuses. Look at what the local church is in Scripture:

First, it is the local church that makes clear who is and who is not a disciple through baptism and membership in the body:

So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.—Acts 2:41

Second, once the local church declares who and who is not a disciple, the ongoing work of building up disciples takes place in the context of a local church:

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.—Hebrews 10:24–25

Third, it is the local church that sends out missionaries:

Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.—Acts 13:1–3

Fourth, It is the local church that cares for missionaries after they are sent:

And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again.—Philippians 4:15–16

Fifth, Healthy, reproducing local churches are normally the aim and end of our missionary effort:

And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brothers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are. …” And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.—Acts 15:36, 41

This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you.—Titus 1:5

The local church is the place we pursue obedience, build up disciples, send out and care for missionaries and plant other churches. This same point about the role of the local church in the spread of the gospel is made powerfully by the apostle Paul in Ephesians 3:8–11. 

To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord.

What was this plan and this manifold wisdom that is being made known even to the demonic forces?

… In all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.—Ephesians 1:8–10 

“Consequently, any humanly invented organizations that assist in missions must remember that they are the bridesmaids, not the bride. They are stagehands, not the star. That position and honor and responsibility has been given by Christ to his church, and only to his church” (Andy Johnson, Missions, p. 27). Missions organizations come alongside and supplement what the church does—they don’t supplant or replace the church. 

Sermon Discussion Questions

Outline

1. Goers (v. 7)
2. Senders (vv. 5–6)
3. Fellow Workers (v. 8)

Main Point: The Church must support those who are sent out for the sake of Christ’s name.

Discussion Questions

• According to verse 7, what is the key mark or motivation of someone who is sent out to spread the gospel?
• What principles are found in verses 5–6 for identifying what it means to send well?
• How does the contrast between 2 John and 3 John help us understand what it means to become fellow workers for the truth?

Application Questions

• What are some specific ways that you are participating or engaging in the four initiatives of our “25 by ’25” vision?
• How can you personally get involved in sending in a manner worthy of God? What are practical ways to send that extend beyond financial giving?
• Why is it important to distinguish that it is the Church (and not just individual Christians) that supports the work of missions?

Prayer Focus
Pray for a grace to send in a manner worthy of God!