What does it really mean to be sent by God? In this sermon from Romans 10:14–15, missionary Ben Anderson draws on 40 years of overseas ministry to unpack the heart of God’s mission — and what it means for every believer. From the crowded streets of Ethiopia and Nepal to the gospel-thirsty nations of Southeast Asia, this message challenges us to stop being a “dead sea of grace” and start being channels of the gospel to those who have never heard.
The Word “Go”
Pastor Ben Anderson — missionary with Things to Come Mission (TCM) for over 40 years — opens with a staggering reality: the unreached people of the world will not hear the gospel unless someone goes to them. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers so they cannot see the light of the gospel. This is spiritual warfare, and it demands a response.
Ben turns to Acts 22:21, where Paul summarizes his own missionary call:
“Go, I will send you far away to the Gentiles.”
— Acts 22:21
This short verse contains four ideas that define what mission is. First: Go. God uses the word “go” throughout Scripture to describe His mission. He told Abraham, “Go to the land I will show you.” He told Moses to go to Pharaoh. God is still calling people today to go — to leave comfort, learn a new language, eat new food, and live among people who have never heard the name of Jesus.
The Message of Reconciliation
The second idea from Acts 22:21 is I will send you. The word “mission” comes from the Latin mittere, meaning “to send.” God uses the church to send the gospel to people who have never heard it. Ben reminds us: the gospel is useless if nobody hears it. Good news that stays only with us is like $2 plane tickets nobody knew were available — they don’t benefit anyone.
Ben then unpacks 2 Corinthians 5:18–20, which he calls “the grace commission”:
“All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.”
— 2 Corinthians 5:18–19
The word “reconciled” appears five times in three verses. Only Paul uses this word to describe God and man coming back into relationship. At the Garden of Eden, sin separated humanity from God. But God sent His Son to bridge that gap. Grace means Jesus died for His enemies — not for His friends. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. And salvation is by grace through faith: without faith, it is impossible to please God.
But here’s the urgent part: people must hear the gospel before they can believe it. Ephesians 1:13–14 says it plainly: “When you heard the message of truth… when you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit.” God has already stepped into the ring of reconciliation. He has agreed. The question is: will the unreached?
Being Christ’s Ambassadors
Ben continues with 2 Corinthians 5:20:
“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.”
— 2 Corinthians 5:20
And verse 21 explains how reconciliation works:
“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
— 2 Corinthians 5:21
On the cross, Jesus took our sin and gave us His righteousness. That is the message we are ambassadors to carry. We represent Christ to the people of our world. God is not just sending us — He is working alongside us. As His co-workers, we have the incredible privilege of joining Him in His work.
Not Receiving Grace in Vain
Ben delivers a convicting challenge: God’s grace is like a river flowing from the cross to every person in the world. It starts flowing, and it comes to us — we say, “Jesus paid for my sins! I’m forgiven!” But then what happens? Do we become a channel of grace, or do we become a dead sea?
A dead sea receives water but has no outlet. Everything stays with it. Believers can enjoy worship services, fellowship, and the forgiveness of God their whole lives — and never tell anyone else. But grace that isn’t shared is grace received in vain.
“Now is the time of God’s favor. Now is the day of salvation.”
— 2 Corinthians 6:2
When Christ returns in the rapture, there will be no more evangelism in heaven. The clock is ticking toward the end of this age. We have only this time to do this work — and it must be done now.
Mission Makes a Difference
Ben shares story after story of how the gospel transforms nations. In Korea 100 years ago, there was virtually no Christian church. Today, Korea has the largest church in the world — Yoido Full Gospel Church with 880,000 members — and Korea now sends more missionaries internationally than any other country. What changed? The missionaries came.
Ben shows photos from Ethiopia, Nepal, the Philippines, Kenya, and across Southeast Asia — countries where TCM missionaries are training local believers, planting churches, and seeing the gospel take root among people who had never heard the name of Jesus. One Bible school student in Kenya has already planted three congregations in just two years, with a goal of five churches in five years on the coast. In Nepal, a young missionary couple — Ralph and Renolan Ferantes — is preparing to move there in January to begin the slow, faithful work of learning the language and living among the Nepali people.
These are not just statistics. They are lives, families, and futures being changed by the gospel. And it happens because believers here — like Grace Bible Church of Phoenix — say “yes” to being senders, and missionaries say “yes” to being sent.
The Heart of a Missionary
Ben closes with the words of George Verf — founder of Operation Mobilization — who, even in old age, said: “I’m still mega motivated to see everyone in the world being given the gospel at least once, to have the opportunity to hear about saving grace through our Lord Jesus Christ. And I hope I can right to my last breath continue to share that message.”
That is the heart of a missionary. That is the heart of the Great Commission. And Ben and Joyce Anderson have lived it for 40 years — and they are calling this generation to pick up the torch and keep running.
Scripture References
- Romans 10:14–15 — How will they hear without someone preaching?
- Acts 22:21 — “Go, I will send you far away to the Gentiles”
- 2 Corinthians 5:18–21 — The ministry and message of reconciliation
- Ephesians 1:13–14 — Marked with the seal of the Holy Spirit
- Ephesians 2:8 — Saved by grace through faith
- 1 John 2:2 — Christ is the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the whole world