27th Mar 26 | 16:08
Studies by Book
03 Acts 09 32-43 THE MINISTRY OF PETER 14 Acts 09 37-38 Life Mission
📖 Acts 09:32-43
14 – Tue11Jun2024 – *Life Mission* - _Acts 09:32-43_ – THE MINISTRY OF PETER – _Romans 15:16_
_Acts 9:37-38 But it happened in those days that she became sick and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. (38) And since Lydda was near Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him, imploring him not to delay in coming to them._
Tabitha’s body was laid in an upper room. Probably because they knew many people would want to view the body and pay their respects, for Tabitha was a blessing to many in Joppa. They heard that Peter was at Lydda and they sent word to him to come immediately.
This is such a vital part of all cultures. We must remember the person who has been with us and who has now passed on. This is when we recollect the individual's contribution to others' lives.
A person’s life contribution or a person’s mission is understood at this time, for a summarisation of the person’s life is expressed. Sometimes we wonder if what is being shared by different people at these times is true, for we have had a different encounter with the person who is no more.
_Acts 13:36 "For *David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God*, fell asleep, was buried with his fathers, and saw corruption;_
*God has a plan for each of us of how we are to serve our generations. This is our life mission.*
*What would each of us desire to be shared by different people, about us, at our funeral?*
This is a disturbing exercise, but a valid one because it is a method to visualise the end. If we define our end then we can, in the enablement of the Holy Spirit, live a life that meets the description of how our life is at its end.
We are not living to get a good name from people. This is not the intention, but *the purpose of this effort is to know and fulfil the purpose of God for each of us in our lifetime*. The Lord has a purpose for each of us but many fail to accomplish God’s plan for us, in our time.
_I Corinthians 10:1-5 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, (2) all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, (3) all ate the same spiritual food, (4) and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. (5) But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness._
God had a plan for the people of Israel at the time of Moses, but the majority of them did not realise God’s purpose for them and perished in the wilderness.
Apostle Paul clarified the mission of his life, repeatedly. Centuries later, all of us know the purpose of God for Paul. Paul fulfilled the mission of God for his life, we have all benefitted. These are the ways of God.
In carrying out our life mission, we become channels of God’s blessing to people in our generation, as David was, and to ongoing generations.
Here is Paul’s mission statement. _Romans 15:16 that I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit._
Paul knew the target group for whom the Lord had chosen him and sent him. The target for Paul was the Gentiles. ‘The Gentiles’ was a broad categorisation, for within this group there were people of different persuasions. Paul had to know his audience for God was sending him to them.
Each of us must know the target group for whom the Lord has placed us in this world. If God has birthed us in a particular culture, language, and nation (ethnic group) then this is God’s primary design for us to reach our people. There are a few people whom God sends across cultures to reach them.
Each target group has peculiar needs. When we fulfil our life mission, we must know the needs of our audience and we must address those needs. This is why the Lord has placed us in this world. *We are not living for ourselves.*
From the place of need, we must move them to the place where the needs of our target group are met and they are transformed. This is the transformation of the Gospel. Tabitha was addressing the needs of her target group and she was bringing transformation through the Gospel. *She was moving her people from the place of need to the place of fulfilment.*
*Ministry is moving people from where they are to the place where God wants them to be.* To fulfil her ministry, Tabitha was taking the necessary steps or effort. People were recollecting all the effort that Tabitha took for them but what they were communicating was the ministry of Tabitha. *She had moved her audience from where they were to the place where God wanted them to be.*
Then, the life mission also includes our personal growth and development.
All these components can be seen in the life mission of Paul. ```I encourage each one, in the enablement of the Lord, to write out your personal mission statement, using Paul’s mission statement as a model.```