Merely studying culture is not enough. Jesus not only observed Jerusalem and was broken to the point of tears over it; he entered the city and died for it (Luke 19:41).
Jesus’ call goes beyond studying Scripture and culture — we must enter into the world around us.
Studying Scripture and culture should make us people with broken, compassionate and truth-filled hearts who raise our voices, speaking the truth in love in our homes, neighborhoods, cities, workplaces, gyms, coffee shops and just about everywhere we go. Know that God’s mission is costly.
Mission is Costly for a Reason
Pastor Mark Driscoll has said on a number of occasions that good missionaries do four things: go, see, feel and do.
As you consider the nature of the mission to which God has called every Christian, know that it is costly. Certain things and experiences are valuable to you for a reason. They cost. You have to dig for diamonds, drill for oil and pray for rain. Mission is like that. Expensive.
However, God isn’t asking you to do something that he hasn’t already done himself. He sent his Son into extreme poverty (2 Cor. 8:9) to face rejection by his own people (John 1:11) and ultimately suffer an excruciating death on a Roman cross (Mark 15:24). God’s mission cost him the most.
Lost people will very likely interrupt your life.
Mission is Expensive, Inconvenient and Uncomfortable
Here are just three places where mission affects our lives:
1. Expenses. Do you budget to go to ball games, concerts and out to eat with folks who don’t know Jesus? If you’re on mission, plan financially.
2. Convenience. Have you noticed that those who don’t know Jesus oftentimes find themselves asking the deep questions of life well after the 9:00-5:00 workday? Consider the following: Jesus usually isn’t done on a whim. Lost people call in the middle of the night or on the weekend. They will very likely interrupt your life.
