Sharing In God’s Mission

God’s Mission Great care must be taken here! Presumptuous for me to try to assign a mission to God. It is best to let God speak for Himself

To Glorify Himself God’s Mission It appears God’s Mission is… John 17:1 “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you.” John 17:5 “Now, Father, bring me into the glory we shared before the world began.”

Colossians 1 15 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.     He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, 16 for through him God created everything     in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see     and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world.     Everything was created through him and for him.

Colossians 1 17 He existed before anything else,     and he holds all creation together. 18 Christ is also the head of the church,     which is his body. He is the beginning,     supreme over all who rise from the dead.    ”So He is first in everything.”

Anything Less Is Idolatry Revelation 4:11  “You are worthy, O Lord our God,     to receive glory and honor and power. For you created all things,     and they exist because you created what you pleased.”

Anything Less Is Idolatry Revelation 5:12-13 And they sang in a mighty chorus: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered—     to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength     and honor and glory and blessing.”  And then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea. They sang: “Blessing and honor and glory and power     belong to the one sitting on the throne     and to the Lamb forever and ever.”

Every Believer MUST Grasp This Essential Concept. This explains the reason for the Universe This explains our existence. This assigns purpose. This adds dignity to who we are, that we should be privileged to even speak of Him. To fail to enter into this whole heartedly is to disrespect His greatness.

Our Mission To Bring Glory To God Revelation 19:1  After this, I heard what sounded like a vast crowd in heaven shouting, “Praise the Lord! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God.” Glory = Praise, honor, or distinction extended by common consent. Weight Credibility Stature Authority Not just shiny light

Our Mission Make certain He receives all the glory and that He has Preeminence! Flowing from this is His Commission to us.

God’s Commission Matthew 28:18-19 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.”

God’s Commission Matthew 28:18-20 Teach these new disciples all the commands I have given you. WRONG Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.

How Does That Look? Organize Evangelize Teach Exhort Correct Pray

Organize Follow the leaders Allow those with administrative skills to lay out the path.

Evangelize “I’m not a gifted evangelist.” No problem Our gifted evangelists have a mission to train the rest of us. Methods Eph 4:11-12 11 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.

Teach Set the example with your life. Make the information clear and understandable. Provide supervised practice. Allow for growth and development. Careful feeding

Exhort Encouragement Honest praise is powerful Walk alongside

Correct Gently Appropriately Constructive criticism builds us up if we are open and responsive.

Pray James 5:16  Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. You have been justified ie declared righteous

Where? Acts 1:8 “ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”