“The Fruit of Mission”  Isaiah 11:6-12; Mt. 10:5-19

                It is easy during tough times to think we ought to shrink back, circle the wagons, and protect what we have from those who would take it away- or from the stock market. I know hindsight is 20-20, but I sure wish I had given away the money I had to missions rather than lose it for no good reason or donate it to the government.  I love America and our government.  I don't mind paying taxes.  But I also don't want to give more than I have to when there are other things I'd like to support.  I wish I had had more faith and less fear.  I always wish that.  We are in a fearful time.  It is hard to trust God in a time like this- but that is what we are called to do by Him.  It was in a missionary context- when he was sending them out that Jesus said, “freely you have received, freely give.” 
                My uncle was known as one of the wealthiest men in Oconee County.  But he grew up with nothing in Columbia.  But he began his road to wealth when he took the money he earned as a sailor in WWI and invested in things during the Great Depression when some of the wealthiest people were hiding their money in a mattress.  He bought coca cola stock for almost nothing, and sold it three years ago for about 7 million.  He bought land- so he owned half of downtown Walhalla.  He also believed that everything he had was a gift from God.  He gave so much to the church.  When he died, he gave his entire estate to Columbia Seminary.   But it all began in the Great Depression by his willingness to be bold when others were afraid.
                It would be easy for us at Lake Murray Presbyterian to do less than nothing.  We cannot pretend that nothing new is happening in our world- and go on in the same routine.  But we were put here in this place at this time for such a time as this.  There are needs we need to try to meet- many of these needs can be met without money--  Needs like praying, like reaching out to a neighbor who is hurting with the love of God; inviting a friend to call out to God in their time of need.  Maybe it is volunteering at We Care or at the HUB or GOoDWorks. 
                Missions is our calling.  Dr. Rice, President of Union Seminary and moderator of our GA when the church was strong and about to take off said, “The church is a missionary society.  When we cease to do missions, we cease as a church.”  Marj Carpenter, another moderator, was asked how do we heal the church, and her answer was to focus on what we are supposed to do- missions, missions, missions!  The church exists for missions as a fire exists for burning.  We exist to be a witness to God- here and around the world- that God is alive, that He is a God of mercy, love, and offers hope- even when things appear hopeless.
                But there are also things we can do that cost us something.   These are sacrifices that we make to our God- out of faith.  It may be the bags of food you bring for We Care to keep people from going hungry in our area.  It may be giving to the missions fund.   Through your gifts we are able to help people with their housing needs.  Last year we fixed up a trailer, that, if we left it alone, would be unlivable by this time today.  We took an old house someone gave away and moved it, fixed it up, and now it is a home.   We support young people like Beth Washington Moody who has felt God’s call into full time Christian service.  We are giving clean water to people in Peru who were forced to drink water that was making them sick- talk about giving someone a cup of water in his name- we are going to be giving thousands of cups every day!  The disciples didn’t have much.  But the message was clear- freely you have received, freely give.
                There are two religious forces at work today that take the air out of the missions balloon.  One is religious fanaticism, and the other is religious pluralism.  Fanaticism is irrational zeal that would (if it could) compel belief and eradicate unbelief.  Religious pluralism does the opposite saying it doesn’t matter what anyone believes.  In the middle is the biblical view that people need to hear about the God of grace, peace, love, and forgiveness.  The balance of scripture lies in the middle ground.  No one is to force anyone to believe- such belief is shallow and meaningless.  But neither are we to say it doesn’t make any difference.  If you know that Jesus Christ and faith in Him have helped you in this life- that is a reason to share it.  I have heard so many of you talk about your faith, and how God saw you through tough times.  This is another tough time.        
                In my last presbytery we had an offering for missions called two cents a meal.  It really came from Burma.  The Christians in Burma really wanted other people to know about Jesus, but they had no money at all.  So what they did was count their rice out.  For every ten grains of rice they had, they would give two grains to missions.  In this way, they could equip a missionary to go over to the next village to tell them about Christ.  They had nothing – but they gave.  This has been the Christian way since our beginning.  Can you imagine being a disciple sent out by Jesus?  He told them to go out without any money, without any extra clothes, without making plans for accommodations.  They went out in shear faith and not in fear.  Really every missionary does that.  Leaving home, culture, language, comfort, good jobs to go to a different, poorer place for Christ is a tough step.  Many sacrifice the comforts of being with their own children who have to go to special missions schools.  They have to live by faith and not fear.  You and I are placed here by God as lights, as salt, as little missionaries to our area.  We cannot live in fear, but we must live in faith or our light goes out, and our salt loses its saltiness.
                What would happen if our church stopped doing missions?  As I have said, I believe we would cease to be the church.  But what else would happen?  You know, we don’t get headlines for our mission work- not even in the Chapin Times.  We may get in the paper for controversy, but rarely do we get recognized for the steady, faithful ongoing work we do.  The world would not notice if Lake Murray Presbyterian stopped.  Really we care more about what our Lord thinks than what the world values anyway.  But if missions stopped here this is some of what would happen.  I do not doubt that Christgate would shut down.  The eleven people who have a home would have no place to go- they would be homeless without it.  That would include the seven kids.  GOoDWorks probably wouldn’t be here (one of our members Brinkley Melvin founded it, and so many are active in it), but without us they would not be able to renovate houses as quickly, and the GOoDWorks Thrift store would have half the volunteers.  We are the largest church contributor to GOoDWorks.  No one would notice, maybe except for the people who would have had their houses fixed up.  We might miss a little bit of good will in racial relations as well.   Some of you would notice you had more time to relax, but you would also notice you don’t feel nearly as useful in your lives.  We Care wouldn’t have s much food- it would be down about 10-20%.  The church in Monclova Mexico wouldn’t have a full time pastor.  It would probably start shrinking instead of starting new churches like it has done.  I have no doubt that without our support of their staff the three new churches they started would not be going today.  The people in Iquitos Peru won’t have ready access to safe, clean drinking water.  They would continue to be forced to drink water from the Amazon that they bathe in, and go to the bathroom in.  They know the water makes them sick, but they have no choice but to drink it. The HUB wouldn’t have as many tutors for kids.  The Thanksgiving meal wouldn’t have any fruit or candy and it would take longer to put the meals together and deliver it- and I might say without Cheyrl the Thanksgiving meal may not happen. Newberry Boys Farm, Sistercare, Thornwell Home for Children wouldn’t get as much help.  The kids wouldn’t get shoeboxes of toys for Operation Shoebox.  Thornwell wouldn’t have gotten new appliances- they probably could have limped along on their old ones, but the new ones save electricity- and maybe the staff at Thornwell wouldn’t feel as good toward the church.  The church shows love to its neighbors and to its world.  We cannot measure the difference this has made in the lives of others, or in our own lives as we do this good work.

                I read the words of Roy Ahmaogak, a Presbyterian minister who took the Eskimo language and put it in writing so it would be preserved. He was commenting on those who were criticizing missionaries (like James Michener) who were saying missionaries destroyed culture.  He said, “If it hadn’t been for the Christian missionary there would not be a single Eskimo left on the arctic coast for the sociologists to study.  The white man came and killed the whales and at the same time taught the Eskimo to make hooch and they were drinking themselves to death.  The missionaries taught them to survive and to avoid drunkenness. 
                The classic story is of the fellow who wrote the London Times criticizing missionaries for getting in the way of commerce and trade.  One man wrote a long editorial in defense of missionaries.  He said that this businessman better hope that a missionary had arrived on the Pacific Island before him or he might be eaten for dinner!  The man who wrote those words was Charles Darwin.  In 1962-less than fifty years ago, cannibalism was still prevalent in South America and New Guinea.  Again, this was not solved by sociologists or governments, but by people going into dangerous places sharing their faith. 
                Missionaries teach people to love, to have longer lives, to read and write, to drink healthy water, that they have value.  One of the great stories Cody Watson told was of the Untouchables of India- the Dalits who were told they couldn’t have good jobs, couldn’t go to school because they were viewed as dumb animals, couldn't hold good jobs and were told they couldn’t even have a religion or faith.  The pluralist would say to leave these people alone.  The Hindu fanatic would and does compel them to stay as an untouchable.  Phliip Prasaad was an untouchable who went to a missionary school, became a Christian, and moved to the United States where he was a city manager for san Diego.  He went back to visit his people but couldn't leave them.  Tens of thousands come to Christ each month because of his ministry.  Christians are saying to these neglected people- you are made in the image of God.  You are valuable- Christ even came down and died for you.  It is not time to stop giving.  The spreading of God’s love is the greatest cause in the world.  It is an eternal cause- that affects people now, but also in the life to come.  I invite you not to shrink back, but to go forward.