In this sermon, Brother K.P. Johannon discusses the importance of authentic missions and the focus on the message of Jesus Christ. He shares a personal experience of his early days as a pastor in a small church and the emotional moment of leaving that church. He emphasizes that true missions is not about impressive words or worldly power, but about living a life that reflects the message of Jesus. He references Ephesians 3:1 and Acts 17:6 to support his message and encourages listeners to seek a deeper understanding of God's plan for missions.

Understanding God's Plan for Missions, next on The Road to Reality with Brother K.P. Yohannan. Let me ask you, what does authentic, effective missions look like? And the answer is wonderfully simple. Welcome to The Road to Reality with Brother K.P. Yohannan, the President of Gospel for Asia. Today, we're going to bring you a message simply entitled Authentic Missions, What Does It Look Like? And he'll take us to a few more verses that help to clarify God's purpose in missions. Here's Brother K.P. to read Ephesians chapter 3 and verse 1. Ephesians chapter 3, beginning of verse 1. For this reason I, Paul, the President of Christ Jesus, for the sake of you Gentiles, surely you have heard about the administration of God's grace that was given to me for you. That is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, and I have already written briefly regarding this. Then you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to men in other generations, as it is now being revealed by the Spirit of God's holy apostles and prophets. This mystery is that through the Gospel, the Gentiles and heirs together with Israel, members together of one body and shares together in the promise in Christ Jesus. Verse 10. His intent was that now through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms. Just one more verse. 2 Timothy 2.10. Therefore, I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. Just one more verse. Ephesians 5.32. This is a profound mystery, but I am talking about Christ and the church. What is mission work? What is this anyway? What is the purpose of it? I think if you take the whole Bible, the 66 books, you divide that into two parts, the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament is the account of a nation and the New Testament is the account of a man, Christ Jesus. The nation he called for the purpose of bringing about a man, the Son of God, the Messiah. That's the whole Bible. But then, one more question to be asked, maybe several more. What is the purpose of Christ coming to the world? The answer, you know, he came to die and to rise again. I mean, you now Bible words are floating through your head like a computer screen scrolling, I'm sure. John 3.16 and all kinds of Bible verses. And when he died, according to 1 John 2.12, his death paid for the sin of the whole world, am I right? From Adam to the last individual. None should perish, God warns. Behold, the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of 10,000 people, the whole world. Yet, not all will enter into this narrow road. Broad is the way. If God knew from all eternity that the death of Christ and his resurrection will not result in the salvation of the whole world for which he died and paid the price, what was he thinking? Please think about it. I submit to you, God who knows all things from eternity past, he knew, he saw the choices man will make. And he saw only a minority, a small group will respond. And that small group became the object of all God's plans and provisions and creation and purpose and everything. It was for them that he created the universe. It was for them he created the earth. It was to find that small group of people he created man. It was for this he entered into the human race and was born as a man. And this group is called the church, his body. Go further, not just church, the bride of the Lamb. He can read Bible verses Matthew 16, 18, Revelation 21 verse 9 and on like that. Now using the conclusive argument or residual argument, that is if you want to know the meaning and purpose of history or an action, you must look at the end result, the final outcome, the net result. Prophecy is the history written in advance. Am I right? When you read prophecy it is history written in advance. We have history's final chapter. You know where it is? In the book of Revelation, the closing pages. That is God the Father decided way back in eternity which he would not tell anyone, a mystery hidden in the heart of the Father. That someday he is going to have a creation, this earth, Adam, mankind. What will happen but through all this to find the eternal companion for his son, the Lord Jesus Christ. A bride sportless without blemish and sin to be with him, to reign with him forever and ever. The heavenly bridegroom upon a throne of the universe ruling and reigning with him over an ever increasing and expanding kingdom. He came for this one purpose, to claim his beloved. Revelation chapter 19 verse 6 and 9, chapter 21 verse 7, 9 and 10. Thus the church and only the church is the key to the explanation of history. You look at all the bible history and secular history and whatever really when you really look at there's no such thing as secular history. It's God sitting in heaven saying oh I don't know what to do Hitler is doing this and what's Nero is doing is I'm in big trouble. Can you just imagine scientists now with this weird telescope, Hubble scope, whatever they discover there are billions of galaxies out there somewhere. Even after another hundred thousand million light years, the light of those stars will never reach here. How great, how awesome is this almighty. You think Satan who was defeated, destroyed, key taken away, squashed, finished, all the stupid things devil is doing, God is saying I just can't believe he's doing to me again. I tell you it is a choice God made to give freedom to Satan and all the demons, to help his bride to get ready through trials and tests, to qualify herself, to become holy, to reign with him forever and ever. You will never become holy without temptation and opposition. So when you talk about mission, what are we all talking about? To me it's very simple. Why it is so simple? Because I see the disciples of Christ, you know I mean if I were Christ, I'm so glad I am not. When I come on the scene I will go and recruit the smartest theologians of the day to promote my case. The high priest and the lawyers and sadducees and all the smart brains and politicians. But the only smart person he picked was Judas. He is the only fellow who was born on the right side of the track, who knew how to count money and he is the one who betrayed our Lord. And Peter and a whole bunch of them, when you study Greek if you do you will be amazed the kind of Greek Peter used to write his epistles. And these are fellows who will argue to no end before Christ would die who is greatest among us. Just normal simple little human beings who didn't know a whole bunch. But I tell you one thing, Acts 17.6, these those who turn the world upside down have come here also. In Philip's translation, these world revolutionaries have come here also. It was not the oratory, it was not the unbelievable words that nobody can figure out what they're talking about. It was not their money or power or good look. No, it was the way of life. All missions will have as its focus the message of Jesus Christ. This is The Road to Reality with Brother K.P. Yohanan, the President of Gospel for Asia. Now K.P. will be back in just a few moments with the conclusion of this study, simply entitled Authentic Missions, What Does It Look Like? We'd like to send you a free copy of Brother K.P.'s popular book. It's called Revolution in World Missions. Simply visit our website at gospelforasia.org or call us at 866-WIN-ASIA. We'd love to send you a copy. And now as we return to Brother K.P. Yohanan, he'll continue to bring you a message simply entitled Authentic Missions, What Does It Look Like? The sons of Sceva met this fellow who was possessed by a bunch of demons and said, in the name of Jesus whom Paul preaches, get out from these fellows. And they said, who are you? We know Jesus, we know Paul, but you fellows? And they jumped on and they streaked and ran away. That means heaven recognized Paul and demons trembled at his presence. That's a way of life. It was not a job that they are called to do. It wasn't, oh, all these poor people are dying and helplessness and I have to do this thing. I'm blessed. No, no. It was passion. It was their life. So they caught the beaten up and abused and said, don't you ever speak in his name. Please don't ask us to do that. You can kill us, no problem, but we cannot keep our mouth shut. As long as we live, we will keep on talking about his name. You put us in jail, beat us up, put us in jail and we're bleeding everywhere and hurt, but we'll sing in the middle of the night and someone will hear and get saved. Suffering, pain, agony, loss, martyrdom, nothing, nothing. Would dissuade them and stop them from what they had in them. It was not objective reality. It was so subjective you cannot cut it out. Wherever they went, they will pray for the sick, cast out demons, preach about Jesus, give a gospel tract, whatever it is. They were passionate because it was not they were hired by mission agencies to do something. It was my life is no more mine. It is Jesus incarnating and I am completely his. And why it is so important? Because when we understand the end of the story, we are able to keep going. Remember that verse Paul said, these light afflictions are nothing. I'm talking like an Indian now. These light afflictions are nothing compared to the glory that is to be revealed in us. What are you talking about? What is this light affliction? No clothes to wear, hungry all the time, in shipwreck, stoned and left to die, misunderstanding, being stoned, imprisonment, no money to buy a ticket to go to the next place to preach, forsaken by all. In the end, the very co-workers also run away because they can't get more money and power and position titles. What do you mean light afflictions? For us in America, light affliction is we can't get our soda pop on time. Our light affliction is, you know, they put me in the middle seat in the airplane. My light affliction is I go to the Lufthansa account and I'm waiting. They're going to upgrade to first class or business class and they don't even look at me. What a rascal they are. Don't they know I am a servant of God? What a world. I read second Corinthians once in six months, I recommend you. You know why? It brings me to that normal earth life. Compare, something to compare with. Let me say this to you, my brothers and sisters, mission work only makes sense when you understand the end chapter. That is, the Lord from eternity past saw you and saw me and hopefully a billion other people living in the 1040 window that never ever heard that someday there's a marriage supper of the Lamb, that they too are invited, but they never heard that. It only makes sense when you realize evangelism, just for this evangelism is not the end of it, but to see a local church raised up where they are made ready for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let me conclude this in the next six, seven minutes with an interesting experience I had. 1974 I came to this country. First two weeks I was totally spaced out, not on drugs, but just didn't know what was going on with me. I got over that. I was studying here in the seminary and called to pastor church within six months time. I don't know on earth why they invite me. I don't think they understood one thing I said, but it was neat. It was not a huge church. My church, it filled up, would sit maybe 500 people, but not often that was filled up. I was there four and a half years and it was not a pleasant four and a half years experience. In the middle of my pastorate, there was a vote taken in the church when my wife and I had to leave the congregation because there was a debate if I should continue to be their pastor. The main problem was I prayed for a sick woman and the Lord healed her instantly. And a bunch of people rose up and said, he's bringing a false doctor into the church. And I was innocent, honest. I didn't do it. I just didn't know what to do. And in the end, four families, fairly prominent families in the church stood up against us and they left the church and the rest of them said, we want our pastor. So you think about the difficulties I had dealing with, and that was only worse experience. But I thought, what a creep, these crazy people, don't they know what I'm trying to do for them? What kind of church you are dealing with? That kind of problems. I wouldn't tell the name of the denomination, lest somebody would come after me now. It was an evangelical church, by the way, not unbelieving church. Finally, the Lord said to us, we must resign from our church and give our life for the sake of the lost world in India, in China, in Bhutan, Burma, people that never heard Jesus name. And I said, yes, Lord. And I remember I said, brothers and sisters, next Sunday is my last Sunday here. And that Sunday I preached a message, seven things you must not forget when I leave you. That's all. I still have my notes somewhere. It's the most weird thing. By the way, I'm not one of those spooky, wacko people looking for anything. I'm just normal hamburger, french fries, normal human being. And I remember after the church service over the last Sunday, my wife and my son, Danny, he was a tiny boy at that time. The church was kind of side of a main road. Then our parking lot for all the people was the other side of the road. You understand. So I remember not to walk down from the church to the road, to cross the road. There are about six or seven concrete steps, massive steps you walked on. Everybody was crying and so sad that I'm leaving all those things. And my wife and I, and with our little boy walking down. And as I came to the last step, the last step of the church, then stepping onto the ground. Of course, you know, as a pastor, I was wearing my tie, my jacket, my trousers, you know, suit. Literally, I felt somebody pulling off my jacket. It was most weird. I mean, I just can't explain this to you. I turn around, Gisela said, what are you looking at? I said, oh, nothing. All of a sudden, my entire feelings changed. And I said, this is strange. I literally could feel somebody peeling off my jacket. And so clear as I can hear somebody speak out loud. The Lord said, I placed you here. As a shepherd of my people. Your assignment is over. For this job, this mantle is going to be given to someone else. I never understood the sacredness, the holiness, the depth of God's heart for his church. Like I understood in that moment. Brothers and sisters, any kind of mission work, any form of Christian work that do not have a laser beam focus, to see people hear the gospel, baptized in the name of the Fathers and the Holy Spirit, be taught all what Jesus told about which is explained in all the letters from Romans on to Jude. And wait for the coming of the Lord, Revelation. And the wife, the bride made herself ready for the bridegroom. For this, he gave apostles, pastors, teachers for the perfecting of the saints, Ephesians chapter four. When we talk about world evangelism, authentic mission, may we never forget that we will keep our eyes on the coming of the Lord. And what is it we are trying to do? How we are spending our time, our resources? Do we have in our heart a dream, ambition to see a people called out from every tribe, every nation, every kindred, every color, that someday when we stand before him, it will not be just somebody who heard the gospel, but somebody who became his, his own, to be with him forever and ever. You've been listening to The Road to Reality with Brother K.P. Yohanan, the President of Gospel for Asia. And we've been listening to a message from Brother K.P. entitled, Authentic Missions, What Does It Look Like? If you would like to learn more about missions, then we'd love to send you a free gift. It's a book called Revolution in World Missions. This is the story of Brother K.P. as a young evangelist in India and his calling to launch a worldwide organization, Gospel for Asia. Now in it, you'll find stories of God's amazing work in the lives of people here in the West and on the Indian subcontinent. For your free copy, simply go to our website, gospelforasia.org, or call us 866-WIN-ASIA and request Brother K.P.'s book, Revolution in World Missions. A very recent addition to the Gospel for Asia library is called Reflecting His Image. K.P. Yohanan takes us on a journey back to God's original purpose for each of our lives, to reflect his likeness. And it reminds us that we don't have to be content with superficial Christianity. Again, the book is called Reflecting His Image. If you can't find it in your local Christian bookstore, you can obtain it through our website. Again, the web address is gospelforasia.org, or you can call us at 866-WIN-ASIA. The Road to Reality is sponsored by Gospel for Asia. Join us next week, won't you, for the conclusion of this message called Authentic Missions. Until then, may the Lord bless you and strengthen you.