By Joseph Randall

Last week we thought about why we should support missions, but this week we want to ponder why we should not. One reason we should not support missions is if our motivation flows out of an unbiblical view of God. We should not support missions because we think God needs us or because we think His purpose for all the nations to praise Him is in jeopardy without us.

God doesn’t need our money; God doesn’t need New Life Presbyterian Church; He doesn’t need the Presbyterian Church in America; He doesn’t need Mission to the World; He doesn’t need anything! Listen to how the Apostle Paul says:

The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.Acts 17:24-25

If God wanted to raise up a great army of Christian missionaries from stones and pebbles from the parking lot outside our building in order to accomplish His purposes, He could. John the Baptist said, “Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham” (Luke 3:8).

Some of you may be thinking, “But if you say it like this, no one will support missions! If God doesn’t need us, then what is the motivation for missions?” To the contrary, one great, white-hot, passionate motivation for missions is a big view of God! Our God is a great God! There is no one like Him! He is from everlasting to everlasting; He had no beginning, and He has no end; He created all things and upholds all things by the Word of His power; He is more beautiful than the most beautiful object your eyes have ever seen; and He is more satisfying than anything in the heavens or on earth. And the Lamb of God is worthy to receive the reward of His sufferings! Though God doesn’t need us, He calls us all to join Him in mission to the world to spread the fame of His name. And He calls us to do this for our joy and for His glory! If you meditate long enough on the greatness of our Triune God, you will overflow with a joy, love, and wonder that cannot be contained! You will have to tell others about Christ; pray for missions; give to missions; and some of you may possibly even go on mission yourself. All God’s purposes will be accomplished. The question is: will you join Him in this most joyous accomplishment of those purposes? May God truly amaze us with Himself, and may we be faithful to do whatever He commands us to do!