Title: Mission and Evangelism (John 18:36-37)
Content Mission is carried out through the Christian presence. This is the confessional presence of the sent one. Among them, there is evangelism expressed in words, which is also called “evangelism”. The text is a verse that well informs missions and evangelism.
First, the Lord came to Galilee to evangelize.
It is recorded that after John the Baptist was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee to preach. An important factor in evangelism is choosing a base for evangelism. After John the Baptist was arrested and imprisoned by the rulers, Jesus set the base of evangelism in Galilee. Galilee is the northern outskirts, far from the center of power. It is an area where the poor, marginalized and oppressed and the powerless live. It was here that Jesus began to preach the gospel of liberation (Luke 4:18,19). This is the hometown where Jesus grew up and where he chose his disciples.
Even after his resurrection, Jesus went here to refresh his disciples and ascend to heaven (Matthew 28:10). It must be said that the Lord's precious evangelism policy was to set the base of evangelism in Galilee.
Second, Jesus said that “the time is fulfilled” while preaching the gospel of God.
It means that God's time is fulfilled. In everything, time is important. There is also an opportunity for evangelism. Even if the human time is fully prepared and the time is mature, the door of evangelism will not open unless the time of God is not fulfilled. Because evangelism is God's work, not man's work. The fact that God's time is fulfilled means that God's work of redemption has entered into the sinful work of man. In evangelism, when God's time is fulfilled, God's truth is revealed, and God's saving grace is revealed. The time of God is the chastity that shows the presence of God. The evangelism policy requires wisdom to realize and interpret the fulfillment of God's time.
Third, the gospel of God is a proclamation that the kingdom is at hand.
The kingdom of God is the world of God ruled by God. It is a state full of God's love, peace, justice, and unity. This kingdom of God began in the human world through the birth of Jesus, the prince of the kingdom of God. Therefore, mission is not the growth of the church, but the growth of the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is growing among us (Matthew 13:). The church is a witness for the growth of the kingdom of God. Therefore, church growth is meaningless without the growth of the kingdom of God. The church is a witness who participates in the mission of God working for the growth of the kingdom of God. The gospel of God exists by being preached. It is the same thing that exists because fire burns. Mission policy is to testify to the urgency of the kingdom of God.
Finally, the Lord told us to repent and believe the gospel.
The kingdom of God can be entered by those who repent and believe in the Gospel. Repentance and faith are based on the grace of God. Therefore, missionary policy should emphasize repentance and faith. Repentance is an enhancement of consciousness. This is the meaning of the Greek word "metanoia". It is to raise the thoughts and ideologies that one has so far. Human thoughts and ideologies cannot escape their selfish greed. Therefore, the improvement of consciousness is not in self, but in Christ. It is to bring about a change of consciousness with the thoughts and ideas of Christ in Christ. This is a born-again life, a holy life. It is also the life of a new person changed from selfish prejudice. It means that the people of this world have a certain sense of belonging to the country. If there is only repentance and no faith, it is like being set free from sin and evil, but not becoming a person of the Lord and committing sins again. Turning away from the world is repentance, and entering the kingdom of God is faith.