Mission.
City on a Hill • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 2 viewsNotes
Transcript
Whats our Mission
Whats our Mission
Introduction:
Mens meeting tmmrw night at 7pm...
Parents and Young adults. Today is the last day you have to submit all your forms in to Jeremy if you are going on the trip. No exceptions. Today is the day for that to happen if you plan on going.
Speaking of the young adults we have a special little treat for two of you....Its an honor if i can also invite jeremy and jennifer...
We have two of our young Adults that have graduated and we would like to present them with a gift but more importantly, we want to pray over them into the next new highly anticipated chapter of there lifes.
Please pray with me,
Our Father, God, how wonderful are the works of Your hands. As we gather here today to celebrate a step forward into new places with new people and new experiences, let us not forget the blessings that follow behind us. For this school, which has given us a safe place to learn and a strong foundation to build upon as we take this next step into Your world. For our teachers, who have so richly loved and cared for us, even at our worst. For our families, who have cheered us on to the finish line and stood by our side’s through the many bumps in the road. And on this day especially, we thank You for the friends that we have found among our classmates. For all the jokes that we will laugh about in years to come, for the hardships and tears we have endured together side by side, and for Your Love which has been made evident through the relationships we will carry with us beyond these walls. Just as our school verse says, let us continue to lay down our lives for each other just as You gave up Your life for each of us. Let us love each other fearlessly and seek Your will earnestly all the days of our lives. In Your Name we pray.
Amen.
— From Trinity School Durham and Chapel Hill, an independent Christian school for students in transitional kindergarten and kindergarten through grade 12
Thank you guys....Now lets watch this video as we get ready to rock and roll this morning.
we talked last week about a renewed heart and we today will see what that heart turns out to look like.
Its a servants heart. .
Where we are going this summer, we are setting up right now for who we are.
set a date for All In Membership Class: Sunday Night. 30 minute class…OR Sunday Morning.
Now listen…This isn't a Wednesday night class, this isn't a sunday school lesson, this isn't a mid week service and i havent written a book yet...
Because those things arent where i see most of you....But Now listen.....BUT IF I CAN over the next few weeks paint you a picture....Even if i sound repetitive, even if i look silly, So when i see confused faces ima say it again…untill we can all in just the next few weeks write down not in your own words…but in the words of our mission,
Listen I love Leadership…because you get to lift someone up when they do great!
Listen i Love leadership…because when i mess up i can take blame for it and .....FIx it....
SO the next few weeks im going to be trying my best....to show....not with my word alone....not with scripture alone…but with a true application.
Honestly i dont know what all that intels. Today is different..This summer is different…Because I know…that the image in my mind is from God…I also Know…90% of you dont see that image…Ive been expressing it to our leadership as far as our board members are going…ive been talking to other pastors to see how i can paint something clearer....
So Today we start with the basics. Whats our Mission? And What does it mean for the church?
Picture Slide Show....
Pull mika up…we had then…changed our lives from the destination we wanted to head. And bowed our knee to the Kings plans. We said yes. Prematurely and then with confirmation. We said yes.
But our yes wasn't anything other than our hearts being prepared to serve.
Having no scope or sequence for how overwhelmed we would be right away.
How much we would cry out in silent for God to take this responsibility from us.
How aggravated we would get at things.
How we would come to understand in this journey how weak our flesh is.
How we will want to say this is enough.
but listen…as many days as we’ve had that can describe whats above, we know that
the sacrifice we make, dealing with the above stress’ have nothing on the fullness of God’s call.
We need to come to a place that the call is bigger then the sacrifice.
Our mission is to serve those who feel left out and identify people that feel unknown, by leading people to Jesus.
Our mission is to serve those who feel left out and identify people that feel unknown, by leading people to Jesus.
Today I want to walk you through the biblical narrative not only of how Jesus did, but how a follower of God can fullfill this mission as a lifestyle instead of like another job.
See when we decide to be a part of Ignite Fellowship were not a part of a church. were apart of Christ.
Come on there some good things being said in the house of the lord this morning..
I said…when we decided to be a part of Ignite Fellowship were not a part of a church, were a part of Christ....
Some of yall need to read your bibles more often......We are a part of Christ...
Because listen Ignite our mission statement.. those are just words on our website unless we can learn to captivate it.
Now looking to our mission we see we want to go after the lost, It would be easy to go to lost son parable, or even to the lost sheep, even speak on another parable that speaks of planting seeds in the correct soil.
But you know its funny, our mission isnt speaking about half way around the world,
our mission isnt talking about the homeless in columbia sc,
our mission isnt specific for one hurting person inside of this town.
Joseph yall remember him…the boy who had a dream, a dream that lead his brothers to resent him, cast him out and sell him into slavery. A dream that was so thrown off course through slave trading, maid services, unrulely accusations, prison sentences, solo confinement…near death experiences....
Josephs dream wasn't about all of egypt,
josephs dream wasnt authority or power,
josephs dream was about his family.
And to think we dont boldly walk in our mission field in our family, or better yet to the strangers in our neighborhood should throw up flags in regards to how well we are fulfilling our mission as christians.....
You know this mission for many of us is where we came from...
Church mission statements aren't for money growth, church attendance.
Church mission statements are goals on which the body which HAS BEEN CALLED together by God should be proceeding....
17 Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches.
So what has God called this body to?
We wouldnt be a part of the body connected with Christ if we didnt have a Call.
Paul Says this in
1st. where does the mission come from. Well here in 2 corinthians we see, Our mission has to come from within us.
2 Corinthians 5:16–18 (NIV)
16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:
this message came from who paul was and what paul went through himself.
I make this a point to show you that We too have to keep things at our personal level.
2nd So where did our mission come from?
Well if you were one of the 30 people that sat with us in November 2021 then ....it came from the things weve walked through.
all of our hearts hurt for someone or something, we have all invited someone to church because we knew something was special here in this house, we all have gone through church healing without even knowing it, we want others to be apart of it.
We think of others who are hurt and we want healing.
We as a church from the beginning to the end want to reach.
We admit we dont have the knowledge, we dont have the resources, we dont have the ability, but we also are aware that we have the heart.
Everything else is just God needing to equipt us.
Which he has been doing. (we will get to that later)
Our mission is to serve those who feel left out and identify people that feel unknown, by leading people to Jesus.
Our mission is to serve those who feel left out and identify people that feel unknown, by leading people to Jesus.
Today I want to take you to a passage....found in Gen 18.
31 Abraham said, “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, what if only twenty can be found there?” He said, “For the sake of twenty, I will not destroy it.”
32 Then he said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?” He answered, “For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it.”
33 When the Lord had finished speaking with Abraham, he left, and Abraham returned home.
1 The two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. When he saw them, he got up to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground.
2 “My lords,” he said, “please turn aside to your servant’s house. You can wash your feet and spend the night and then go on your way early in the morning.” “No,” they answered, “we will spend the night in the square.”
3 But he insisted so strongly that they did go with him and entered his house. He prepared a meal for them, baking bread without yeast, and they ate.
4 Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom—both young and old—surrounded the house.
5 They called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them.”
Something i want to note here before we dive into our three things.
We have abraham talking with God going back and forth.
Abraham’s heart wasnt for a city but it’s people who after death had no chance of repentance.
----> Story of Stop light Spiritual Seeing....when in green van…<----
Abraham pleaded that if just some of them know you God can you save the town!
Abraham’s prayers seemed as if he is haggling, or negotiating with God. But Abraham was exploring, abraham is feeling his way forward in faith. Abraham was attempting to grasp the range of grace for this situation.
Pastor Ric: My pastor used ot always tell me when i was interneing with him.....
“A good pastor is a good janitor. He can clean the restrooms, the toilets, as well as he lead from the pulpit.” - At least it was something like that.
And you know what…I Saw him doing it.
Now then I use to think he was just trying to get me to clean. But now i Understand...
Exploring....Like abraham was doing...
IS exploring your passion, youre passions across this church today will be what brings depth to our mission.
Youre exploration may plant you cleaning toilets
will find you leading kids ministry
will have you opening the door for your friends and family as part of our first impressions team,
and the list can go on and on.
Exploring your part, what you could do for the body of Christ.
So abraham.....whom has showed himself a worthy leader for God’s great plan.
Pleads with God and when the time comes and the visitors come...
They meet Lot sitting at the Gate.
See what you and i need for us to obtain our mission is we need.....
1). We need Opportunity.
1). We need Opportunity.
for us to work into an opportunity we must be in the correct position...
Lot was standing at the gate vs 1. of cpt 19.
Lot was standing at the gate....
Lot wasnt smoking a cigarette on the outskirts of town. He was working.
Lot was in an authoritative role.
Lot was a man of standing in the political circle. He was in charge of visitors and guest. As God saw it fit to find 10 men worthy he found the one which should have taken the vistor’s to the rest of the believers..
Lot was as Joseph and Daniel were in there respective situations. They were of authority in a high official position.
However both to sodom and to God. Lot held a position but was totally ineffective of both. Holding a position without active authority isnt going to do anyone good.
Im say it this way so we get it in a few minutes…Holding a Position withouth active dominion isnt going to do anyone any good.
Look to your neighbor and stay ‘Lets get active”
Lets look at position in regards to Jesus.
1 “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations.
Jesus is a servant.
13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.
16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: king of kings and lord of lords.
13 “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence.
14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
Jesus’ position was of God.
He is the King of Kings
The Lord of Lords.
Jesus is fully a king with all authority, but has made himself a servant.
18 He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.
20 However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
When given an opportunity, know you are given Divine Dominion to Fight that battle.
Jesus was in the beginning and HE will bring the end of this heaven and earth. For from the time of creation God has been working on a new heaven and new Earth.
This Jesus is fully king who has submitted his authority …listen...
He has submitted his freedom....listen
He im talking about jesus...
HE has submitted his comfort....
HE had submitted living lavish
He had submitted his goals and dreams....
He hadnt experienced earthly marriage
He hadnt experienced going viral on social media for a silly dance
He hadnt sold his soul for fame...
He hadnt walked around in a new pair of shoes each year.
He ,Jesus christ, submitted his everything for the mission of God.
24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.
25 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?
If we can just learn from Jesus’ leadership...
if we can just follow in his teachings. like in Luke 12 16-21 where we see this young rich fool...
Storing up the labors of his own work, not being generous, not sharing his results but instead caring of the worldly things. Saving up the wordly items will lead you to death.
For jesus said be cautious for those who are not rich in what matters to God.
brings us to number 2.....
With out opportunity…or our position of servitude in this church we must represent the word of God.
By teaching the word of God.
Every opportunity of ministry that you hold in this house and in your personal one…we MUST know the word of God.
Look to your neighbor hold up your bible and say we Must know this word.
Look i saw 3 bibles....
“Let me ask you a question whats this? (Hold up cell phone) Whats this called?”
See this is your cell phone and it has the ability to pull up a bible…but its been a year and half of our churches existence and you aint been doing it…Bring your bible…learn your bible...
Because if not you could waste the opportunity God has made yours.....Dont allow your lack of knowledge to withhold spiritual freedom for someone else life.
2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.
See what you and i need for us to obtain our mission is we need.....
1). Opportunity....
2). The Word of God.
2). The Word of God.
2 “My lords,” he said, “please turn aside to your servant’s house. You can wash your feet and spend the night and then go on your way early in the morning.” “No,” they answered, “we will spend the night in the square.”
3 But he insisted so strongly that they did go with him and entered his house. He prepared a meal for them, baking bread without yeast, and they ate.
when we identify someone for the first time our response should not be to wait and see how they turn out. You take them, lead them, supply them with a way not to be overtaken by the enemy…not to be overtaken by the perversion of this world. You show them the same courtesy you would want extended to you.
Its said in the book of Isaiah 58 6-9
6 “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
9 Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. “If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
Jesus says in Matthew 25:31-40 pertaining to who will enter into the kingdom.....
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.
35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,
36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’
See what you and i need for us to obtain our mission is we need.....
Opportunity
The word of God
To handle the pressure
3). to handle the pressure
We need opportunity, to spread the word of God, and handle the pressures of this world.
Lot was dealing with it…he was respectful to his guest, he was trying to protect them in the situation. but he wasnt able..the pressures became to heavy for him. Scripture tells us that the very men he was trying to save…had to save him
9 “Get out of our way,” they replied. “This fellow came here as a foreigner, and now he wants to play the judge! We’ll treat you worse than them.” They kept bringing pressure on Lot and moved forward to break down the door.
10 But the men inside reached out and pulled Lot back into the house and shut the door.
The pressure got to lot, he was never able to do anything in sodom. (2 peter 2:7) Although Lot lived a righeous life as peter refers too. this very righteousness allowed him and his family to be saved.
But a waste of work for 20 years of living in sodom and nothing but the necessity to run away. Righteousness brings peace, righteousness brings God’s Favor, Righteousness brings His love.
But for those who arent familiar with the story…its okay ill give you some insight...
Gen 12 1 and Gen 12 4
God told abram to go.....alone....but he brought lot..
See lot was in a place for 20 years he should have never been in. Walking through trials and destruction he was never intended to face.
But when you are where God has placed you.....The burdens are still there, the wearness is still present, the aggrivation is still annoying....the desire to quit, throw in the towel, run away is ever more and ever present on your mind…however.....
When God calls.
the sacrifice we make, dealing with the above stress’ have nothing on the fullness of God’s call.
We need to come to a place that the call is bigger then the sacrifice.
As we close today lets look at Jesus as he is in the battle field found in
Mark 14: 32-42
before we read it let me Read to you
30 I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me,
31 but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me. “Come now; let us leave.
Jesus knows that the enemy is about to persue him. But watch at what happens between this and Jesus ACTUALLY being on the battle ground...
The world around him begins to fade.
Satan coming upon judas to set up a betrayal
Satan attack coming against peter
Satan silencing jesus’ followers voice
Satan increasing the voice of what SEEMED to be an surpressed enemy.
Now the Final attack against Jesus....
32 They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”
33 He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled.
34 “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.”
35 Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him.
36 “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
37 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep? Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour?
38 Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
39 Once more he went away and prayed the same thing.
40 When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him.
41 Returning the third time, he said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners.
42 Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”
Do you see the battlefield he is on.
Jesus faces these three prayers which are more in a discriptive manner in Lukes’ gospel.
Jesus’ - Mark 14:32-42
Jesus’ - Mark 14:32-42
Soul Overwhelmed
Cry's out to “take this from me”
Aggravated
Annoyed with his weak flesh.
Finally Jesus cry out “Enough....Im ready lets go”
But check this......The Heart of the Servant stayed attached.
Jesus heart didn't waver although the world around him was heavy, he didnt back down although things go to be alot,
jesus heart remained the same when those who were once reliable around him were no longer suffiecent.
let me ask you a question today. What happens if every heart in the church was a Servants Heart.
We serve the people, but we serve the people because God has ordained it so.
Invite Worship Team Up.
4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
6 But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.
2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”
Our mission is to serve those who feel left out and identify people that feel unknown, by leading people to Jesus.
Our mission is to serve those who feel left out and identify people that feel unknown, by leading people to Jesus.
We need opportunity, to spread the word of God, and handle the pressures of this world.
Serve, Identify, Lead
Serve, Identify, Lead
We Serve when given the opportunity
We Identify by sharing what God says: The Revelation of the Word, Identifies us correctly.
We lead by withstanding the pressures
See what you and i need for us to obtain our mission is we need.....
opportunity
the word of God
to handle the pressure