Text: John 17:18 = As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.
The order of God is: a) A Man b) A responsible Man c) A loving responsible Man
The reason of the order is because:
1) God is loving and responsible
2) Man is made in God’s image and likeness and therefore the Man reflects God and also acts like on his behalf.
In the delay of making woman, God’s intention is to develop the man’s character so that these 2 aspects of God loving and responsible may be strong in man. And then God gave a command (purpose) for man’s existence.
There are 2 and they are Gen 2:15 and Gen 1:28
1. Gen 2:15 is a command to Man and was inward looking.
(The Lord of God put took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it)
2. Gen 1:28 is a command to Man and woman and was outward looking
(God blessed them and said to them.” Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.)
As Christians, God gave us a ministry and mission
1. Your ministry- this is your service to the believers. It is Internal Affairs
2. Your mission- this is your service to the unbelievers. It is External Affairs
In Gen 2:15, God gave the Man a ministry which is the 1st step and then followed by a mission which is step 2. Lets look at mission POSSIBLE of man.
1. God says be fruitful (be fertile, be productive, profitable, be successful; consistent with John 10:10=The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full)
2. God says multiply (increase, grow, develop, reproduce; consistence with John 15:2=He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes {cleans} so that it will be even more fruitful)
3. God says fill the Earth (pack up, cram up, pile up; consistence with Matthew 28:19=Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Holy Spirit)
4. God says subdue it (conquer it t, defeat it, overcome it, subjugate it; consistence with Matthew 28:18=Then Jesus came to them and said, “All the authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me)
William Carey: Expect great things from God; and attempt great for God
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