On Mission: Week 2 - Following God Together

On Mission – Following God Together

June 23, 2013

Acts 2:41-47

Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.  All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.  A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders.  And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had.  They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need.  They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity - all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.

The disciples trusted the Holy Spirit.  They stepped out on faith and spoke the message of Christ.  God honored this.  In one day three thousand people became believers.  A great way for the church to start.  Not only did these people become believers, their lives changed.  They devoted themselves to learning the way of Jesus, spending time in community with other believers, sharing life with other believers, and to prayer.  They gave their lives over to God as disciples.  This wasn't casual.  It took a great deal of time, attention, and money.  They shared what they had.  They sold personal possessions for the good of the church.  They sacrificed in order to live out and proclaim the message of Christ.  The same Spirit and faith that led those first few disciples to step out now became the norm among this larger group of disciples that formed the first church.  It is this Spirit and faith that needs to still be the norm for any group that calls itself “church”. 

This devotion and sacrifice brought great things into the lives of these believers.  Praise, joy, a deep sense of awe, generosity, goodwill, and miracles became standard.  It wasn't easy being a believer, but it was worth it.  When being a believer becomes easy we miss something.  When deep devotion becomes casual attention we miss out.  What would it look like to stand in awe of God as these first believers did?  What would it feel like to worship and praise God as these first believers did?  What’s missing? 

The work of the Holy Spirit gave strength to these first believers.  There was something very attractive about their devotion and lives.  Every day the Lord added to their number.  Every day new faces believed and lives changed.  God at work.  God wants to do this with us.  Will we follow Him?

On Mission: Week 2 - Taking Action

On Mission – Taking Action

June 16, 2013

Acts 2:1-7

On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place.  Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them.  And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.  At that time there were devout Jews from every nation living in Jerusalem. When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers. They were completely amazed. “How can this be?” they exclaimed.

The disciples had been given their mission.  They were to “go and make disciples of all nations”.  Jesus personally delivered this final command forever answering the question “so now what?” for all believers.  What makes a believer into a disciple?  Doing what Jesus says to do.  You cannot go wrong when following Jesus with an open and humble heart. 

This day of Pentecost is the first significant event following Jesus returning to heaven.  Language is often the focus of these verses.  However, the type of language is less important that what it represents.  At the Tower of Babel, God confused the language of the people and they dispersed.  On this day, language was no barrier and God brought all people together with the Good News of Jesus Christ.  People of all shapes, sizes, and beliefs were able to see and hear the true message of Christ.  The “all nations” part of the great commission is being fulfilled.  What’s more, God is the one who made it possible as the Holy Spirit filled worked through the disciples.  God still works this way.  How much focus do we give the Holy Spirit?  What does God want to do in our lives that we miss because we aren't looking for it?

Everyone came running.  People were amazed.  “What are you doing?”  “How can this be?”  The people are responding.  This isn't an action that was well planned and thought out.  It doesn't take place behind the walls of a church.  It’s real people living real lives going about their everyday business.  It’s disciples who are willing to take a risk and allow the Spirit to work through them no matter the possible cost.  It is action taken to accomplish the mission God has given.  It’s what we are to be about.   How do we need to change in order to be like these disciples and take action?

On Mission:Week 1 - Our Reason

On Mission – Reason & Call

June 9, 2013

What makes a Church a Church?  We can make a list of all the things that are part of a church.  There is a building, instruments, songs, styles, programs, bylaws, budgets, boards & committees, missionaries, Bible studies, communion, small groups, outreach events, fellowship activities, kid’s activities, adult activities, youth activities, women’s activities, and all the other general unwritten parts of belonging to a church.  Beyond the physical and tangible elements there is the work of the Holy Spirit, the message of Salvation, a call to discipleship, personal and communal connection to God, prayer, study of scripture, and a desire to live in the Will of God.  All of these things are part of church.  They are not bad.  Yet each in and of itself cannot fully tell us what makes a church a church.  Underneath all of this is one core concept the drives everything else.

Matthew 28: 18-20

Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.  Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

This is the Great Commission.  When the church was nothing but a few scared disciples facing a resurrected Jesus, this is what He gave them.  This is the foundation from which every other aspect of the church has been built out of.  It answers the question “what now?”  It gives believers a focus and clear goals by which to live out the salvation they have.  It is nothing less than the Savior’s primary guiding words to those who would follow Him.

So why is it that baptism’s are often few and far between?  Why is it that the world is moving away from Christ instead of towards Him?  How can it be that the commands of Jesus are given less and less authority in the lives of believers than they once had?  How much attention is paid to the ever present Spirit of the Lord? 

When the church trades its primary mission for some secondary and smaller part of what makes a church a church it loses focus and it gets out of step with God’s Will.  It is time to reclaim this central defining call.  It is time to be the Church God created.  It is time to return to the mission.