HAVE YOU PUT MUCH THOUGHT
INTO “THE INVITATION”? Remember, the one
I talked about last week? The invitation
to follow Christ in helping complete the crucial assignment He gave to us in
the Great Commission? How do you feel
about committing to change the world and at the same time discover God’s real
purpose for your life? This brief
message will continue to draw from the true meaning of Jesus’ words in Matthew
28:18-20 along with the passion of author Rich Stearns in his book, Unfinished. I encourage you to read last week’s message
and refresh your mind and heart before you go any further with this one. Most of us do not fully grasp the meaning of
the Kingdom of God as Jesus referred to it when He was on earth. You see, we live in this world as we know
it. Its rules and regulations as
instituted by man and government are what we know. We live our lives mostly based in this
setting. We could easily just explain it
by saying, “It is what it is.” But, is
that all that God had in mind for us? To
settle for whatever elected officials of our nations put into place? No, His Kingdom on this earth is an entirely
different story that is not limited by or in any way comparative to this
world’s kingdom. God had a plan, a
purpose in mind when Jesus said that we were to go and make disciples of all
the nations … teaching them to observe all things that He has commanded
us. I love how Rich Stearns explains
this: “It was a call to action to join
God in His intent to form a new kind of kingdom that would become a blessing to
all nations – one based not on land, politics, power and dominion but on God’s
truth, love, forgiveness and compassion – a kingdom within kingdoms. It was not a call to give up on the world,
holding our “tickets to heaven” firmly in our hands and retreating into our
churches. It was a call to go into the
world to reclaim, reform, and restore it for Christ. It was a call to launch a revolution that
involved nothing short of the overthrow of the prevailing world system. And before Jesus left, He commissioned His
church to lead this revolution, promising that the very gates of hell would not
prevail against it.” Let’s get a glimpse
of what was taking place in the lives of the disciples as they heard the call
to action by Jesus. God’s Word tells us
and history confirms that those first disciples were on fire! Author Stearns comments that “nothing could
stop them.” He relates that within 300
years, they turned the Roman Empire and then known world upside down for
Christ. “Their radical lifestyles were
characterized by a sense of urgency and divine purpose. Nothing was more important and no price was
too high to pay.” And you’ll remember
that many of those first disciples were martyred for their faith, and it seemed
their blood stirred up others to rise up and take up the cause of Christ. But, here we are, like the author states,
2000 plus years later – and what has happened to the urgency of the Christian
movement? “Affluent, comfortable, and
distracted, Christians today seem to have lost the fire to change the
world. The work of God’s Kingdom lies
unfinished, and God’s people seem to have lost their very sense of purpose in
the world.” How sad – for God. And how sad – for us. “There is something terribly disturbing in
this … what happened to the revolution?”
Stearns goes on to say, “There seems to be a direct connection between
the unfinished work of God’s Kingdom and our sense of feeling incomplete in our
Christian faith, because there is a connection between our story and God’s
story. If we are not personally engaged
in God’s great mission in the world, then we have missed the very thing He
created us to do!” Example: God wants us to see that “we are like birds
meant to fly – but we end up living in a cage.
We are like fish meant to swim – but we just flounder on the beach. But it doesn’t have to be this way. We can live in the unique purpose for which
God created us.” Like Stearns says, “I
love that God doesn’t coerce us – He invites us. He offers meaning, fulfillment, and
significance in our lives but always gives us the option to decline, and sadly,
many do.” But why? “To change the world, we don’t have to go
overseas, or be brilliant, or wealthy or influential or a spiritual giant. You do have to say “yes” to His
invitation! You do have to be available,
willing to be used and to pay the price that comes with following Jesus and
changing the world – because that isn’t easy and it doesn’t come cheap. We accept the call to forsake all else and
follow Him. Only then will we become
completed people – people living according to God’s deepest purpose for our
lives!” Stearns wraps this summary of
the Great Commission up by writing, “We can rediscover this great calling upon
our lives and reignite the revolution.
The 21st-century church has everything required – the
resources, the knowledge, the scale, the mandate, and the power of God’s Holy
Spirit. All we lack is the will. It’s time to finish the job!” Will you accept Christ’s invitation to help
Him change our world?
IN A NUTSHELL . . .
A
SPECIAL WELCOME to Brooklyn and to Katie, who worshipped with us for the first time this
past Sunday! God bless you!
THIS SUNDAY, SEP 15:
10:00 A.M. - PRAISE & WORSHIP
10:30 A.M. - KIDZONE CHUCH
WED/THU BIBLE "DOING" / SEP 18-19 / 7:00 P.M.:
WED - Digging into the book of Hebrews at the church
THU - Continuing in the book of I Peter at 905 El Dorado Street SE
FRI, SEP 20:
7:00 P.M. - LADIES NITE OUT / enjoying a bon-fire & great fellowship!
Plan to bring an enjoyable outdoor snack to share!
ELEVATION NORTH SPOTLIGHT!
BIBLE DOING! “What
in the world is that,” you ask? Well, it
is a different type of Bible Study than you’ve ever been to before! For most of our lives, attending Bible
Studies came out of a desire to know God’s Word better – to get to know HIM
better. Both are good and godly
goals. But if that is all we accomplish,
then we are missing out on one of the most important reasons for learning and
understanding more about God and what He has to say to us. You see, if we miss out on DOING something
with what we’ve read and studied – then it’s pretty much about just us. When we take what God is teaching us and we
DO something with it, it becomes more about God and others! We encourage you to become “doers” … and see
what God will do! You won’t be
disappointed in how He uses you!
Remember the Great Commission!
REMEMBER . . . God’s Word instructs
us: “Dear children, let us not love with
words or tongue but with actions and in truth.”
I John 3:18
Serving Christ Joyfully . . .
Pastor Doug and Debbie
