Foundations for Christian Mission, Mentor's Guide, MG04

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F O U N D A T I O N S F O R C H R I S T I A N M I S S I O N

yet;” it has already come in Jesus’ fulfillment of the Messianic promise but will be consummated at his Second Coming. Today in this world and in our age, the Church of Jesus Christ is both the sign and foretaste of the Kingdom present, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, the pledge of the full inheritance. The Church is now authorized to proclaim and demonstrate the victory of Christ over Satan and the curse as his agent and deputy. Mission proclaims that God is presently reasserting his rule today over his universe in Jesus Christ, and through his agent, the Church. Our objective for this segment, Mission as the War of the Spheres , is to enable you to see that: • The motif of Mission as the War of the Spheres is perhaps the most dynamic image of mission in Scripture, and deals directly with the establishment and proclamation of God’s kingdom rule in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. • A brief overview of the warfare motif in Scripture begins with Yahweh as creator and sustainer of all. At some time in the ancient and distant past, the mystery of iniquity occurred (i.e., the satanic rebellion in the heavenlies), which resulted in the temptation and fall of humankind, and the curse. Still, God placed hostility between the Seed of the woman and the serpent, and sovereignly and graciously promised to crush the head of the serpent through the Seed of the woman. As a result of the Fall, the universe is at war and God has declared himself at war with the serpent and those who side with him. • Some of the major points of God as divine warrior include the image of God defeating evil symbolized as a river and the sea, as well as God as man-of-war defeating Pharaoh and his armies, and leading his people into victory over the nations of land as the great Lord of armies. Unfortunately, the Lord also had to fight against his own people because of their disobedience and rebellion. Also, Israel’s prophets pictured God as a divine warrior who through his Messiah would finally destroy all evil once and for all time. • Through his promise of the Messiah as the son of David, God revealed his intent to provide a king who would restore the reign to his people, rule the nations with justice and righteousness, and bring a knowledge of God to the entire earth as Lord and King. This Messianic rule has been inaugurated in the person of Jesus, the heir from the Davidic line who is restoring God’s reign.

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