"To the Ends of the Earth"

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"To the Ends of the Earth"

Message by Dr. Mark Bumpus in Mineral Wells the Sunday after returning from Spain & Portugal.

(Acts 1:8)

Our choir, plus several others, has just returned from “the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). That phrase, “the end of the earth,” found in Acts 1:8, has a geographical connotation. “You shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Since Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria are specific places, then what is the location of “the end of the earth?” In the first century world, it was commonly understood to mean Spain.

In the first century, the world had 4 ends-to the east, it was India; to the north, it was the Arctic; to the south, it was Ethiopia…and to the west, it was Spain, or the most western region of the Iberian Peninsula, the most western region of Europe, which ended near the Rock of Gibraltar-the region to which our choir traveled last week.

When Luke was writing the book of Acts, his mind was moving west. One of his main reasons for writing the book of Acts was to show that in the first century, the Gospel of Jesus Christ had spread from Jerusalem westerly to Rome. The Gospel had spread from Jerusalem to the “center of the earth”-Rome, the capital of the Roman Empire. The Gospel had spread from Jerusalem to the very center of civilization…and the Gospel had within its sights, through the ministry of the Apostle Paul, the western regions of the Roman Empire.

The Apostle Paul himself had the desire to take the Gospel to Spain. He said so in Romans 15:24 and 28: writing to the church at Rome, he said, “When I take my journey into Spain, I will come to see you” (Romans 15:24). On the way to Spain, I will stop in Rome. The second most important city in the Roman Empire, behind Rome, was Cadiz, Spain. Paul had a strategy of taking the gospel to large metropolitan cities, cities located on well-traveled roads, cities of commerce and trade, with the belief that once planted in these cities, the Gospel would be taken from that city to the uttermost ends of the earth by travelers leaving the city, like ants leaving an anthill-so he planted the Gospel in the large trade cities of Philippi, Thessalonica, Corinth, Ephesus, Rome…and no doubt, he wanted to go to Cadiz, Spain-the second largest city in the Roman Empire, located near the Rock of Gibraltar-the gateway to the Atlantic Ocean-the gateway to Africa in the south and Europe and Britain in the north.

The western end of Europe, where our choir traveled, was such a strategic location that Prince Henry the Navigator set up a School of Navigation, and mapmaking, in the 15th century at the most southwestern point of Europe. Our choir, by bus, traveled past the location of this ancient school for mariners on the southwestern coast of Portugal, west of Gibraltar. Prince Henry the Navigator blended religion with his great interest in the sea. As a devout Catholic, he was alarmed at the rise of Islam in the world, so he sought to take the Gospel to the unconverted lands of the earth-seeking a sea route around Africa to India. In doing so, he dispelled the fear that the water to the south of Africa turns into boiling hot water, just as the water in the north turns into freezing ice. He paved the way for Vasco Da Gama to sail around the tip of Africa for India in 1498.

In the first century, the Apostle Paul had his heart set on Spain, the “end of the earth.” He had plans for a Spanish mission. Some believe he made it to Spain, though it is not recorded in the New Testament that he did. The first century writer Clement, however, said of Paul,

Having become a preacher in the East and in the West,…

Having reached the limits of the West,

And having witnessed before the governing authorities,

Thus he departed from the world,

And was received up into the holy place…

indicating his belief that Paul made it to Spain before his execution in Rome.

Whether Paul made it to Spain or not is debatable, but there is no debate: our choir traveled to “the end of the earth” and back last week.

Like Paul, of whom Clement said “witnessed before the governing authorities,” so did our choir. Through the efforts of another preacher, David Borgan, our choir came before religious and governing authorities. And we truly learn from the life of David Borgan that

I. Christian diplomacy can get a person a long way in life.

On Thursday, March 18, I did what I recommended to you recently in the sermon about “Don't Ever Quit Reading Your Bible.” Thursday, March 18 was a busy day, so I turned to Proverbs 18 and simply read that chapter of Proverbs for my devotional reading. My eyes fell on Proverbs 18:16, and the words there describe the philosophy and approach of David Borgan in ministry:

“A man's gift makes room for him and brings him before great men.”

That is what David Borgan has done in both Spain and Portugal. He has brought gifts to the religious and governmental authorities, like cowboy hats, which gain a lot of attention, and these gifts open up the hearts of these leaders and David has gained a hearing with these people….Consequently, David gained for our choir, and choirs like the “Singing Men of Texas,” and the Hardin-Simmons Band, places to sing that otherwise would not be open: like Catholic cathedrals previously off-limits to Protestants in Spain; a state prison in Caceras, Spain (previous to this trip, but not this time); a military base in Caceras, Spain; the mayor's offices in both Caceras, Spain and Portimao, Portugal, the Municipal Auditorium in Portimao; an orphanage in Portimao…his gifts led to the mayors of both cities providing free lodging for the choir, free use of a chartered bus-one the entire time we were in Spain, the other, the entire time we were in Portugual, one of the buses which would have cost about $5,000 for its use-free use of the largest auditorium for singing in Portimao, Portugal-through friendly diplomacy he got the entire choir into the historical sites of Merida, Spain-savings of about $1,000…David was very simply, nice, to these people, and persuasive….Gift-giving and gift-exchanging is a big cultural practice in both Spain and Portugal, but David Borgan has perfected it by using Christian diplomacy. And the result is a fulfillment of Proverbs 18:16 which says,

“A man's gift makes room for him and brings him before great men.”

Even in our Christian interactions, have we forgotten to be nice? Maybe it would be wise for us to reconsider the words of Christ, commonly called the Golden Rule and “Do unto others as we would have others do unto us” (Matthew 7:12). That is a wise way to live…because it was recommended by Jesus Himself. In all of our interpersonal dealings, how do we treat people? By the way we treat people, could we be called “ambassadors for Christ” or would people describe us in less-favorable terms? Would our lives be described as being “full of grace” and cordial and friendly and hospitable?…or would people use other words to describe us?…It's not in the Bible, but it is true: “You can catch a lot more flies with sugar than you can vinegar!”…Abraham Lincoln said, “Heap coals of kindness on people.”…One man has said that every person on the face of the earth has 4 little letters tattooed across their chest: MMFI-“Make Me Feel Important.”

Christian hospitality. Do you realize that that is the main ministry approach of the Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia? That is the church where former President Jimmy Carter has his church membership. With so many people visiting that church only one time in their life, to attend Sunday School as President Carter teaches, or to attend worship with a former President, the church membership has concluded that the people who attend their church are like meteors shooting through their congregation only once, so their main goal is to extend Christian hospitality to the guests that attend. They realize they have only one opportunity to impact a person for Christ, so they put their best foot forward with Christian hospitality and they seek to be “nice” for Christ, whereas, if they viewed visitors as a distraction and a nuisance every week, they could, in their only chance, turn people away from Christ by their impatience or irritation, or callousness.

Christian diplomacy…and kindness…simply being nice for the sake of Christ…can open doors previously shut tight…it might even open the doors of salvation for a person….that is the desire of David Borgan in Spain and Portugal….that has been the desire of this choir on this mission trip…and that would be our desire in and through the ministry of this church in this place….Christian diplomacy…Being nice, as a Christian, for some, is a lost virtue.

II. Another lesson we learn from this mission trip is the simple injunction of Jesus to us: “Ask and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (Matthew 7:7).

Could it be that we need to be reminded of these promises of Christ? Could it be that the simple trust and example of David Borgan, that God will provide if He is asked, is a good lesson for us to re-learn? Living by faith. Believing, as Jesus said, “Your Father in heaven gives good things to them that ask Him?” (Matthew 7:11e) What is it that you need? What is it that we need in this church? Then, in simple faith, why don't we ask.

III. Another thing we learn from this trip. Christian people still go looking for those who are lost. That is the ultimate desire of this mission trip. The planting of the seeds of the Gospel and sometimes the reaping of a harvest of salvation. Since going to Spain, David Borgan and his family have seen several in the prison in Catheras come to salvation in Christ. Evangelistic copies of the Gospel of Mark were handed out to almost 600 soldiers in Spain; those who wanted a copy were given copies during the city-wide concert in Portimao; in a very natural, indirect way, the Flamenco dancers that performed for our choir in Spain were given copies of the Gospel of Mark-it just so happens that 20 performers were in that troupe....and we had exactly 20 Spanish copies of the Gospel of Mark left just before we departed for Portugal!…Maybe some divine math, there…and some of those who received the copies of Mark were obviously “inside themselves” as they pondered the words of eternal life.

Yes, it is good to know that Christians go looking for others. It fulfills the story of Jesus when He spoke of the shepherd who left the 99 sheep in the fold to go and find the one sheep that had gone astray. In the city of Trujillo, Spain, just off the city square, on the way back to the bus, I made a wrong turn (4 other people were with me). Those narrow, cavernous city streets all began to look the same…and with night falling, we felt more and more lost. We returned to the city square. While trying to make a phone call on a Spanish telephone in a restaurant where no one spoke English, it was comforting to suddenly hear from behind me, the simple words, “Mark Bumpus!”…It was Chrystal Coalson who had found us!…As several said, it gave a new definition to the phrase “Pastor Search Committee!”…In the city of Francisco Pizarro, who was able to sail all the way from Spain to Peru and discover the Inca Empire, we could not even find our way back to the bus!…Indeed, the Bible says, “There is more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner that repents, than over 99 righteous persons who need no repentance” (Luke 15:7)….Let us not ever forget the joy of being found…and turn that around, in our desire to see other lost people found and saved for the sake of Christ!…Jesus comes looking for us. We need to let Him find us in whatever condition of “lostness” we find ourselves in-before conversion or after.

When we asunder part, It gives us inward pain;

But we shall be joined in heart, And hope to meet again.

…Blest be the tie that binds Our hearts in Christian love…

IV. Well, we come to a final lesson. Those few lines of “Blest Be the Tie” remind us that we are in this Christian life together. The writer of “Blest Be the Tie” also said,

We share our mutual woes, Our mutual burdens bear;

And often for each other flows The sympathizing tear.

As Jim Clayman stated in his Baptist Standard article this week, he is facing a physical challenge in his life. As I said in my Baptist Standard article, he “made a courageous announcement to the choir and other members of the mission trip last Thursday night” as the choir prepared to sing the next night in the Municipal Auditorium in downtown Portimao. Indeed, “it was an emotional moment that riveted the hearts of everyone together.” And the anthem that the choir sings “He Never Failed Me Yet” became a kind of theme song for the whole week. And as the choir sang that song Friday night, I felt that there was a tremendous sense of solidarity and mutual concern for Jim and Kay and their family. And, indeed, we shall walk forward together with them as they, and we, face the future with the assurance of God's tender mercy and providential care.

There are many in this congregation who are facing particular challenges of your own. Some of these challenges we are aware of; some we are not, for you have chosen to bear these burdens alone. And yet, such things affect us all. In the Christian church, they really do.

I was reminded of this by a little parable a friend sent to me this week. It's the story of a little mouse. And…

CONCLUSION

(The) little mouse looked through (a) crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife opening a package. “What food might this contain?” he thought. He was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap.

Retreating to the barnyard, the mouse proclaimed the warning: “There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!”

The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, “Mr. Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me. I cannot be bothered by it.”

Frantically, the little mouse turned to the pig and told him, “There is a mousetrap in the house!” The pig sympathized, but said, “I am so very sorry Mr. Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. Be assured you are in my prayers.”

The mouse turned to the cow. She said, “Wow, Mr. Mouse. I'm sorry for you. But it's no skin off my nose.”

So the little mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer's mousetrap alone.

That very night a sound was heard throughout the house like the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey.

The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see that it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught.

The snake bit the farmer's wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital and she returned home with a fever.

Now everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the barnyard for the soup's main ingredient.

But his wife's sickness continued, so friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig.

The farmer's wife did not get well. She died; and so many people came for her funeral the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide enough meat for all of them.

So the next time you hear someone is facing a problem and think that it doesn't concern you, remember that when one of us is threatened, we are all at risk.

In the book of Genesis, Cain said to God about his brother Abel: “Am I my brother's keeper?”

Indeed, we are! We are all involved in this journey called life. We must keep an eye out for one another and be willing to make that extra effort to encourage one another….Nobody makes the journey alone….And we must remember, that concerning our God, “He Has Never Failed Us Yet.”