The Master of Cross-Cultural Missions

Where did Paul learn this missionary strategy? From the Master: Jesus Christ. The divine Son of God emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men (Phil 2:7).

Talk about a cross-cultural experience! He came from the transcendent glories of heaven and was incarnated as a man in a fallen world. He, in sinless perfection, ministered among diseased and polluted sinners. He did the works of Kingdom power, and proclaimed the message of Kingdom victory, summoning sinners to repentance and faith, promising love, giving hope and life eternal. His ultimate service was to take to Himself the penalty for the sins of His people and to die as our substitutionary sacrificial Lamb.

How did Jesus understand His own cross-cultural strategy? I am among you as the one who serves (Lk 22:27c). How did Jesus maneuver in this fallen culture of sinners? Here was Jesus’ modus operandi: I am among you – I’m not from here. I’m a foreigner. My citizenship is of another country. I am governed by an authority other than that which is operative in your culture. But am am among you – as one who serves. I am here as your servant. I will do the most menial task assigned to me by my Father so as to minister grace to you so that you might enter into and prosper in the Kingdom of God.

Immediately we envision Jesus on the eve of His death. Although He was fully aware that He was about to return to the glory of His Father and be enthroned in sovereign supremacy over all creation, He

rose from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself about. Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded (Jn 13:4-5).

Jesus, confident of His sonship, assured of His privileged status and on the verge of eschatological glory – in that liberty and freedom, He assumed the role of a servant. He washed feet. He sacrificed Himself. He spoke words of gospel truth and love. He delighted in mercy and grace and served sinners by dying for them and paying their penalty of death. He serves us by rising in victory and sending us His Spirit that we might receive the blessings of His saving work. There is no Lord like our Lord! He was among men as the one who serves.

Here is Christlike missions. We are to enter all foreign cultures, even into American culture, as a servant sent from heaven. We need to ask ourselves what culture we promote among men. Youth culture? Americanism? The company’s culture? We need to remind ourselves of our heavenly citizenship. We have an eternal inheritance far beyond what we can imagine. We are united to Christ and are Christ’s free men.

For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another (Gal 5:13).

Let us be like Jesus and be confident that His method of self-denying service will be owned by the Spirit to enable us to win the more for Christ’s glory and men’s eternal good.

Let us penetrate American culture and every culture by voluntarily assuming the role of a servant. Let us creatively reach into the lives of our family, friends, class-mates and work-mates and people of every kind with deeds of sacrificial service, demonstrating in ways that they can understand, that we are among them to serve. Let us imitate the missionary method of our Master and implement the strategy of Paul:

For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win the more.