For Real This Time
August 19, 2010
Last Sunday we wrapped up the Mission of GOD series with what was supposed to be the practical application of engaging in God’s mission. Instead it ended up being a sermon focusing on our identity as God’s missional people. As our family drove home from the worship service I asked Rachael for her input on the sermon. “I liked what you had to say,” she commented, “but I was expecting a really practical sermon, so I was…disappointed.”
Rachael’s helpful perspective galvanized my conviction of what our focus in the pulpit needs to be starting in early September. Now that we have spent seven weeks looking at the story of God’s mission and have emphasized the necessity of engaging in mission as an overflow of our identity as God’s people, it is time to ask some pressing questions of our hearts and lives.
Take, for example, Jesus’ imperative to make disciples of all nations. We saw this as the mountain peak of the church’s mission until Jesus returns. But if we are to seriously engage the command to make disciples, we need to address some nitty-gritty questions:
–What specific non-believers are we hoping will become disciples of Jesus?
–What other believers are we relying on for this work?
–Are we spending time in prayer for God to empower this work?
–If our mission is to put God on display, how are we going to intentionally do that with these specific non-believers? That is, how we will practically be a blessing to them? What are their needs that we can address in a way that portrays the gospel?
–What is the cost of this mission in terms of time, money, resources, emotion, and energy?
–How will we engage these non-believers with the verbal message of Christ crucified and risen and call them to repentance and trust in Jesus?
–Are our relationships in the church currently filled with grace, forgiveness, and sacrifice for one another? If not, what steps do we need to take so that God’s character is more reflected in our fellowship?
–Is our desire to engage in the steps above driven by our mission as God’s chosen, priestly, beloved, redeemed people? If not, what aspects of our identity as God’s people do we need to embrace more deeply?
These are the types of rubber-meets-the-road questions I want us to explore in September. Until then, let us plead with God to embed an awareness of our identity as his people deeper into our hearts as we seek to join in his mission until Jesus returns.
On God’s mission with you,
Pastor Chris