Jericho

            Missions is an important topic. No bible believing Christian would deny its importance. Jesus made the mission clear- go and make disciples. This is true for every child of God; we are to go and tell others the gospel. This isn’t just for preachers or other full-time minsters.

            God has given you a mission field. Maybe it’s your home or extended family, your friends, your co-workers, your neighbor, that waiter you always have at your favorite restaurant, your doctor, your mechanic, or anyone else God puts in your path. Again, this is true for all of us.

            For some, however, God has taken that mission field and placed it in some other city, state, or even country. Many men and women have taken up that call and gone to places perhaps they never thought they’d go and did things for the cause of Christ they never thought they’d do.

            Wherever your mission field, here’s the truth- you can’t do it alone. This is where I think the story of Jericho comes in. You probably know the story- the Israelites first test when entering the promised land was Jericho, and what a test it was. The city was highly fortified with walls that were essentially impregnable.

            God then gives them their test- walk; walk around the city- don’t attack. So, they did. They walked for six days, then on the seventh they walked around the city seven times and the walls fell. Through their obedience God made a way, however, now it was time to fight.

            “So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.” (Joshua 6:20)

            Now, the amazing thing is the nation as a whole came and took this city, yet later we read (Joshua 18:21) that the privilege of owning Jericho went to the tribe of Benjamin. When it came to this battle, Benjamin benefited more than the rest of Israel- but they couldn’t have done it without them.

            When it comes to missions- we can’t do it alone. Not only does it take the power of God, but it takes the prayers of God’s people, and in many cases, it takes the sacrificial financial giving of God’s people.

            Ultimately, it may not be you or I leading a person to Christ- that privilege may go to someone else- but it takes all of us for the gospel to be properly propagated. Furthermore, the plan is ultimately God’s, and while He may break down the walls to get us in the proper place- sometimes it’s up to us to take up arms and fight.
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            What we must understand is that when it comes to missions- it doesn’t really matter who gets Jericho (1 Corinthians 3:5-8). What matters is did we join in the battle, did we do our part, and did we do what it takes to take the city?