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Now let's dive into this week's message. Amen.
Well, we're in our final week of our Made for
More series. And what we've been saying along
the way is you are made for more than mere religious
activity, right? You are made for more than just
filling a seat. You are made new in Christ Jesus
for a purpose. And that purpose is in order that
you would become a Christ -honoring disciple.
And we laid out a framework for what that looks
like. The four elements to that framework, rooted
in Christ. A Christ -owning disciple is rooted
first and foremost in Christ. And then renewed
in grace and shaped for purpose. And then today
we are going to land at the final one, sent to
serve. To be rooted in Christ means that your
life sinks deep into him through his word. through
worship and devotion to him and in prayer that
your life is firmly found upon Christ and your
identity is found in him and that it means that
we're learning to depend on him daily so that
what's beneath the surface in our life sustains
what's visible on the surface to be rooted in
Christ. And then we talked about being renewed
in grace. To be renewed in grace means that you
stop striving to prove yourself and instead start
living from the grace that is already yours in
Christ Jesus. It's already yours. To be renewed
in grace is how we find freedom from the hurts
and the sinful habits that have defined our lives
before Christ. And how do we do that? Well, one
of the unique ways that God uses to renew us
in grace is through Christ -centered gospel,
spirit -filled community. It's being with one
another. It's iron sharpening iron. It's allowing
the work of the Lord to happen as the spirit
of the Lord ministers to us through one another.
And as he makes his glory known in and among
a people that he has gathered up and called out.
And it's through that community that God uses
those people, the people that we surround ourselves
in, the church. to heal, to hold us accountable,
and to restore our life. We're renewed in grace
in Christ -centered, authentic, Spirit -filled
community. Number three was to be shaped for
purpose, and that means that we let God use our
story. Sometimes we wish we had someone else's
story, don't we? Sometimes we wish that we had
some other life, or we didn't have to go through
the things that we went through. But part of
our gospel discipleship is allowing God to use
our story, what he has done in us, how he has
renewed us in grace, the gifts that he has given,
how he's uniquely wired you, and also the scars
that you bear. They can be used to serve his
kingdom. And then that leads us to this last
part, which is sent to serve. This isn't some
sort of... chronological, linear, I'm rooted
in Christ and then I'm renewed in grace. This
is discipleship. Think of it more as a circle
than a straight line. We are always being rooted
more deeply in Christ, renewed in his grace,
discovering our purpose that he shaped us for
and being sent to serve. But this is the way
that it is because... The truth of it is about
being a disciple. A disciple is not fully formed
until a disciple is living a sent life. We're
not fully formed disciples unless we're living
sent. I remember my first case of this was in
youth group. I was maybe 16 or 17 years old and
I had an awesome youth leader. His name was Tom
Borsik. He's a great guy, loved the guy. Great
youth leader. Our youth ministry was called World
Changers. Man, we like, we swung. We swung for
the bleachers, right? We were going all out,
world changers. And we thought, I mean, truth
is, as a 16, 17 year old, you actually believe
you can change the world, like the whole world,
the whole thing, right? But what it did and what
I loved about it was it planted a seed in my
own heart and in my peers to not view our discipleship
merely in a devotional capacity. Make me feel
better. Help me become the best version of me.
It's something that Matt Chandler calls moralistic
therapeutic deism. A lot of people approach their
walk, their discipleship with Jesus as moralistic
therapeutic deism, right? I need to know what's
right and wrong and I need God's therapy to make
me the best possible person that I can be so
that I can live a happy and healthy and prosperous
life. And you notice that? That makes the whole
thing about discipleship about who? You, me,
right? Moralistic, therapeutic deism versus a
disciple who sees that they're actually formed
for a purpose to be sent out on mission. And
listen to the way this Anglican preacher, Christopher
Wright, frames it. It is not so much that God
has a mission for his church in the world, but
that God has a church for his mission in the
world. I'm going to read that again. You kind
of have to sort it out. We might have to get
the whiteboard out, right? Do some arrows and
some pointy things, right? It's not so much that
God has a mission for his church in the world,
but that God has a church for his mission in
the world. In other words, the church exists
for the sake of his mission. we gotta be real.
A lot of Christians live like the Great Commission
is what? The Great Suggestion. We say things
like, man, I'm not really called to ministry
as if Jesus only said go to pastors or to missionaries
or seminary graduates. You gotta hear this. If
you've been saved by Jesus, then you have been
sent by Jesus. If you've been saved by Jesus,
you've been sent by Jesus, amen? Because the
Great Commission isn't for a few, it's for all
of us. God's mission in the world isn't simply
waiting for the next big revival to hit so that
he can elevate a few superstars that can sell
some books and go on a tour. God's mission is
waiting on everyday believers to begin to see
their lives as mission fields. You don't have
to go into full -time ministry to make disciples,
but you do have to follow Jesus full -time. And
today, I want to talk a little bit more about
what it means to live sent. And so if you have
your Bibles, I would invite you to open up to
Matthew chapter 28. Matthew is the first book
in the New Testament. If you have a complete
Bible, Old Testament, New Testament, you're probably
going to be just past the halfway point. Matthew,
Mark, Luke, John. If you hit Mark, Luke, John,
you've gone too far. Go back a little bit. You
see Malachi? Stay away from there. Go forward.
Matthew. We're going to be in Matthew chapter
28 and verse 18 through 20. Matthew 28, 18 through
20. This is Jesus filing a final command to his
disciples. So he's about to ascend into heaven
and turn this mission over. to his disciples.
And this is the heartbeat, I think, of what it
means for us as believers and us as a church
to follow Jesus. Jesus came near and said to
them, all authority has been given to me in heaven
and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples
of all nations, baptizing them in the name of
the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe everything I have commanded
you. And remember, I am with you always. To the
end of the age. This is God's word. Today we're
going to look at three truths from Jesus' words
right there in Matthew 28 that are going to help
us live that sent life. And those three truths
are this. Number one, we're sent under authority.
Number two, we are sent on his mission. And I
emphasize his mission. And number three, we are
sent with his presence. Under his authority,
on his mission, with his presence. You know,
I think one of the greatest tricks that the enemy
can trick the believers and saints into believing
is convincing them that somehow ministry or somehow
the great commission is only for the pros. Only
for someone who has a title or a degree or a
microphone. And that everyone else is just there
to support the mission. Just support it. not
live it. And that's not what Jesus has said.
When Jesus stood on that Galilean hilltop, that
mountaintop, and he looked out at his disciples,
do you think he saw a bunch of superstars? No,
he did not see a bunch of superstars. Jesus saw
a group of very ordinary men, very inconsistent,
underqualified men. He saw a fisherman. He saw
a tax collector. He saw a doubter. And to that
group of people, he said, go. And you think about
it, you know, the entire future of the mission
that Jesus had started to seek and save the lost,
to save humanity, is now hanging on a handful
of nobodies who just happen to take Jesus at
his word. That's pretty extraordinary, isn't
it? Look around. I look around sometimes and
I go, Lord, Help us, help us. We are a bunch
of nobodies trying to make something happen,
but we're gonna take you at your word, amen?
Jesus said, I'm gonna take some regular people
and I'm gonna turn them loose for an eternal
purpose. So if you're taking notes, the first
thing I'll have you write down is that first
point. He sent under his authority. Because before
the command to go comes, He first says, all authority
in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
It's like Jesus was saying, before you step out,
remember whose name you step out in. Because
that word, that word authority in the Greek,
which is the original language that the New Testament
was written in, that word authority means the
rightful power to act. In other words, Jesus
is sovereign. He has the rightful power attack.
He doesn't just have influence. He has ownership.
Because he's the one who conquered sin. He's
the one who conquered death. He's the one who
conquered hell and the grave. And now he's standing
in resurrection glory and he's saying, I have
all authority over every nation, over every kingdom,
over every heart, every demon, every disease,
and every dark corner of this world. And that
means that there is no place you can go where
Jesus isn't already king. Amen? Authority before
assignment. You notice the order. Jesus doesn't
give them authority. He reminds them that he
already has it. In other words, Jesus says, because
I have all authority, you can now go in confidence.
If you belong to Jesus, you don't go in your
own name. You go in his. You don't have to manufacture.
courage you just need to walk in obedience and
too many Christians act like they're undercover
secret agents in the kingdom right like like
that's your spiritual gift that God has equipped
you with is to be an undercover agent where man
where no one knows I'm a Christian like see how
far I can ride under the radar see if I can make
it another 10 years without anyone knowing right
anyone have that spiritual gift raise it high
no just kidding Secret agent man, right? You
got a badge in your back pocket and that's where
you're going to keep it, right? But in the kingdom
of God, there are no interns. There are no people
who are waiting for, you know, hey, I'll hang
around hoping God gives me something to do. I
don't know, right? In the kingdom of God, we
are told that we are ambassadors for the king.
We are walking in his delegated authority. Paul
said this in 2 Corinthians 5. He said, we are
ambassadors for Christ since God is making his
appeal through us. And that means when you step
out to preach Jesus or when you serve his people,
the church, or when you speak his truth, you're
not doing Jesus a favor. He's doing his work
through you. You're his vessel. not a volunteer.
You're carrying his authority into those moments.
In the ancient world, that's how it worked. A
king would seal a letter, his authority, his
decree, with his signet ring into the hot wax.
He would impress his mark into that wax and it
carried his authority. It carried his name. You
know who didn't matter? It didn't matter who
carried the letter for him. It didn't matter
who delivered the letter. What mattered was the
mark that it bore. And so when you step out into
this world as a disciple of Jesus, you might
not feel very powerful, but the name that you
carry has authority over heaven and earth. And
that means even the darkest corners of this world,
Jesus has a divine claim over. And so before
we ever talk about what we're called to do, we
have to remember who we're called by. That there's
authority in Christ and that precedes our assignment.
And when you walk into work tomorrow, that you're
not just an employee, you're also a representative
of King Jesus. When you drop your kids off at
school, you're not just a parent, you're a missionary
on assignment. When you serve, even here at Village,
whether kids or worship or hospitality, you're
not just a volunteer. You're standing in the
authority of the risen Christ to make his name
known to all the world. We don't go because we're
qualified. We go because we're authorized. And
the authorized or the authority has flown from
Christ and his authority. Jesus says, all authority
has been given to me, therefore go. And he's
not just giving us confidence, but he's also
calling us into that calling, the one that he
started. And so let's talk number two, we are
sent on his mission. Sent on his mission. Go
therefore and make disciples of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father and
of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them
to observe everything I have commanded you. Friends,
if you've ever wondered, as I have often, what's
God's will for my life? I can tell you at least
in part what it is. It's right here. You don't
have to climb a mountain or you don't have to
wait for a mystical voice in the clouds to tell
you or whisper to you what your calling is. It's
right here in his word because Jesus spells it
out in black and white. Go, therefore, make disciples.
Go therefore make disciples. You're called to
go therefore and make disciples. And what is
his ministry? Well, you could sum up Jesus's
ministry in this, that Jesus is on a mission
for one more. That's kind of the language we
use around here, but I'm gonna use it here in
this kind of summing it up. Jesus is on a mission
for one more. One more disciple. One more fully
committed follower of Jesus. Listen, the shepherd
leaves the 99 to go after the what? The one.
The woman turns her house over completely, upends
her house just to find the one lost coin. The
father runs down the road to welcome home the
one rebellious son. And Jesus looks up into a
sycamore tree as he's walking by and he calls
down the one crooked tax collector. Jesus crosses
the lake in a storm to free one tormented man
living among the tombs. Then he gets back in
the boat and goes. He pauses on his way through
a crowd just to touch one desperate woman who
needs healing. He kneels beside one adulterous
sinner. Everyone else is looking to stone. And
he hangs on a cross between two criminals and
reaches the one who would believe. You see, the
heart of Jesus is one more soul, one more story,
one more person brought from death to life. Amen?
In other words, the Great Commission isn't about
adding something new to your life. It's about
seeing your whole life differently. As you are
going to work, that's the beauty of this, this
mission that we've received from Jesus, this
mission that we're on. If it's his, it's ours
too. And the secret to it is hidden in that one
little word, go. That one little word, go. Because
in the Greek, in the original language, that
word go is not like get up out of your seat and
go right now and do it and then come back and
then we'll move on. That word go actually means
as you go. So how would that read then? As you
go along, make disciples. Oh, well that gives
a whole new definition to when we're supposed
to be doing it, doesn't it? As we go along, as
we go, make disciples of all nations. As we go.
And the Great Commission isn't just that, adding
more work to my life, another event, another
service to attend. But when we see our life in
a whole new way and we see as we go about our
life, we are to be making disciples. As you are
going to work, as you are going to school, as
you are going to practice, as you are coming
home to your family, one more. The heart of Jesus
is for one more. He's looking in the sycamore
tree. He's looking in the crowd. He's looking
for the lost one. One more as you go along. Because
discipleship ultimately is not a program. But
it's a posture of our life. It's how we orient
our life. Jesus didn't say, go build more programs.
Go start more events. He said, go make disciples.
And that means disciple making isn't reserved
for Bible teachers or missionaries. It's what
everyday believers do when they take Jesus seriously.
Do you want to take Jesus seriously? Can you
pray with a coworker who's struggling? That's
disciple making. Can you invite a neighbor into
your home to have a discussion or a talk or to
get to know them and go a little bit deeper and
introduce them to this Jesus who's transformed
your life? That's disciple making. Can you invite
a neighbor or a friend or a coworker into your
small group to bring them into this circle of
discussion about what Jesus is doing and who
he is? That's disciple making. Can you help your
kids memorize scripture? And can you model grace
for them when you're at home? That's disciple
making. Why is it disciple making? Because you're
helping one more take a step closer to Jesus.
And friends, Jesus didn't say, if you feel led
to go, did he? Oh, that's our favorite Christian
cop -out, isn't it? I said, sorry guys, I just
don't feel led. If you feel led to go, and it's
fine. If you don't feel led to do this or that
that I'm asking you to do, cool, not a problem.
But when the scripture comes along and Jesus
says, hey, I got an assignment for you. If you're
in Christ, if you've been redeemed, if I set
you free, there ain't nothing louder than a captive
set free, eh? Let's get that word out and let's
go make disciples. As you go, look for the one
more. That's what Jesus modeled. He's not looking
for fans in the stands. He's looking for players
on the field. And every believer has a position
to play in what he is doing. You see, Jesus gave
these three action words, these three verbs there.
He said, going, as you go, living a sent life
every day. He said, baptizing, because following
Jesus isn't just a private, personal decision.
It's also a public declaration, isn't it? Baptism
says, I belong to Jesus and I belong to his people.
When we baptize here at Village, we're not just
celebrating some personal milestone in someone's
life, but we're also welcoming a new brother
or sister into the family, the visible family
of God. Baptism marks that new identity and that
new community. It's how disciples are visibly
added to the body of Christ. And then he says
teaching. So going, baptizing, teaching, helping
them to live out the way of Jesus in their lives.
And that's a long process. That's a life process.
That's spending your life and investing your
life and energy into pointing them to Jesus.
And that pattern is clear. Go, reach, grow, go,
reach. As you go, reach and grow people. As you
go, reach and grow people in Christ. It's not
a very complicated system, is it? But it does
have to be intentional. It doesn't just happen,
does it? Being the people of God is not about
filling more chairs. It's about forming Christ
-honoring disciples who bring the gospel to every
corner of their life. You guys know the analogy
of dropping a stone into water, right? And the
ripple effect. I got three boys. Anytime there's
water and there's rocks, Rocks go in water, right?
Rocks keep going in water. Even when people are
passing by on boats, we still throw rocks at
them, right? That's even more fun, actually.
I took one of my sons fishing and I'm pretty
sure we were at one point discussing, you know,
wouldn't it be fun if we just grabbed some rocks
and hit the fish and then went in and grabbed
the fish and pulled it out? This reel and rod
thing, this is... This is lame. This is a manly.
Let's throw rocks at fish. We couldn't see any
fish, though. Makes sense why you put a fishing
line in the water where you can't see. With any
stone or rock that's thrown into the water, the
impact, it's small, right? But then these ripples
begin to reach out. I don't remember the whole
story, but I do remember a man named Billy Graham.
You guys remember a man named Billy Graham? And
I don't remember the whole story of his conversion,
but I do know this, that his conversion took
place at a revival itself. But I can't remember
the name of the guy who ran it, and probably
most of you can't either. And that's the point,
right? There was a guy who stood up who was probably,
by all human accounts, a failed evangelist. We
don't remember his name. And yet, sitting in
the audience one night, was Billy Graham and
I think his friend came and he was convicted
and then he came back the next night and the
next night and he gave his heart to Jesus and
from that point on he lived his life committed
to the mission of spreading the good news to
the corners of the world and that guy he could
have gone on with his life died thinking he's
a failure or he could recognize that he played
a small part in what God was doing it had a ripple
effect and you don't know the ripple effect that
your commitment to obedience to Christ in this
one regard can have on this world. When we act
in obedience to reach one more, that can ripple
through a neighborhood. I remember 20 years ago,
30 years ago, there were stories called transformation
stories and they were about how the gospel was
brought into certain areas, certain cities, certain
neighborhoods and cities and how it spread like
wildfire and entire communities were saved because
of what God was doing. Someone was faithful to
act in obedience, to declare the good news of
Jesus, to mark out, stake out the claim of Jesus
as king. And to see that ripple effect reaching
one more after one more, a city can be changed,
a neighborhood can be changed, even a generation
as we saw with Billy Graham. Multiple generations.
The key is you don't have to quit your job, your
day job to live on mission. Your job is your
mission field. And you don't need a passport
to be sent. You just need to pay attention to
where you are currently planted. Your classroom
is a mission field. Why? Because there is one
more there. Your coffee shop is a mission field.
Why? Because there is one more there. Your cul
-de -sac and your gym or your friend group is
a mission field because in that group is one
more. The Great Commission is not something we
go on. It's something we wake up to every morning.
Every day your mission starts. I love this. I
love this last part here, the third point, that
Jesus doesn't just send us out and say, you know,
good luck, buttercup. I hope it works out for
you. He ends the Great Commission, the part that's
not. maybe not talked about as much as the first
part. He ends the Great Commission with a promise.
I think that changes everything. That we're not
just sitting under his authority or on his mission,
but we're sent with his presence. He said, remember,
I am with you always to the end of the age. Jesus
has given his disciples the greatest mission
in history. He's told them to go into all the
nations to make disciples, to teach and baptize.
It's massive, it's global, it's way bigger than
them. And then how does he end it? He says, one
promise, I am with you always, not a throwaway
line. It's literally the only hope for the mission.
Because without his presence, the great commission
is impossible. But with this presence, it truly
is unstoppable. Jesus is saying, as you go, as
you go and walk in obedience, you're never going
to walk into a moment where I'm not already there.
You're never going to walk into a conversation
where I'm not already there. I'll never forget
when I was in Uganda and I had been asked to
teach at this pastor's conference and I felt
completely inadequate to teach a room full of
pastors through a translator. It was just something
that I'd never done before and I was looking
for the exits. I was trying to figure out how
far I could run before I ran out of breath. It
wasn't very far. They would have found me right
outside the door. I was feeling inadequate, and
I'm sitting there in worship beforehand and going,
like, dude, get someone else. Like, get someone
else. I'm not, this is not my thing. And I remember
being in worship and watching as others worshiped
the Lord and the songs rose, and I didn't understand
all of it, but sometimes they would sing in English.
And you could definitely see that the Lord was
working and people were declaring his praise
and were being moved by his presence and spirit
and responding to him. And I just remember realizing,
you know, John, you're not bringing Jesus into
the room here. Like you put too much pressure
on your back. Like you're not bringing him in
the room here. He's been here the whole time.
You're just got an opportunity to partner with
him in what he's doing here. And who knows, maybe
someone out there needs to hear one thing you're
going to say or two things, or maybe someone
there is just going to ignore you. Who cares?
Jesus is in the room. King Jesus is in the room.
Help reveal him. And I think sometimes we think,
man, if I go talk to that person, I also got
to bring Jesus with me. And I'm not too sure
Jesus is with me. And so I don't know if I want
to go in there because if Jesus doesn't come,
this is going to be an abject failure. You know,
Jesus is with you and Jesus is there already.
And he's been with them for a long time before.
And he's been ministering to them and his Holy
Spirit has been prompting them. And who knows
the work that he's put in far before you came
on the scene. And you may not see a result. You
may be like the guy who led Billy Graham to Christ
or the guy who led the guy who led Billy Graham
to Christ. You don't know. The guy who died and
never knew the name Billy Graham, but he led
someone to Christ who led someone to Christ who
led Billy Graham to Christ. You don't know what
you're doing. That's the point. You are an ambassador.
You're not the thing. You're the messenger. You're
to bring the glory of Christ wherever you're
at, wherever Christ has already been working.
And he's already been working in this world.
And he lives in you and he works in this world
and he's working in those that you're ministering
to. Jesus doesn't just give us marching orders
either. He sends the spirit as a power supply.
It's not just this solo mission that we're on.
It's a spirit -filled partnership. That we're
entering into. Jesus says I'm with you always.
And then he points to the coming of the Holy
Spirit. At the beginning of Acts. He says you
will receive power. This is Jesus in Acts 1 .8.
You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has
come upon you. And you will be my witnesses.
And that means the same power that raised Jesus
from the dead is living in you and me. And the
same power that turned a fisherman into a preacher
and turned cowards into martyrs, that same spirit
empowers you to live the sent life today. And
you know, you may not feel bold. You may not
feel equipped. I've been there many times weekly.
I want you to hear what the promise of Jesus
isn't. Jesus didn't come to his disciples and
say, therefore, go, make disciples of all nations,
baptize in the name of the Father, the Son, the
Holy Spirit, and you got this, bro. You can do
it. Did he, right? Get out there, kid. Make a
name for yourself. He didn't end with, you got
this. He ended with, I'm with you. I'm with you.
And programs and plans and preaching, man, they
mean nothing if we're not connected to the presence
of God. But when we're plugged in and we're found
in Christ and his spirit lives in us and light
pierces darkness and he is with us and that power
source. backs up every act of obedience as we,
his disciples, his children, walk in obedience
to him. Because the power of the Great Commission
is not found in your ability or my ability, but
it's found in our availability to go on mission
with God and in the power of the Spirit that
shows up at the moment of courageous obedience.
We wanted to show up a week before. We want it
to get us ready, right? Give us a pat on the
back, squeeze our shoulders, right? And be like,
you got this, it's all right. But no, the spirit
pours out at the moment. His people in cooperation,
in partnership, step out in courageous obedience
to his word. Stop waiting for the perfect conditions.
They're not coming. Think about that conversation
or that person that you know the Lord's put in
your life and you know that you have a treasure,
Jesus, and you know that treasure is to be shared.
Think about that person in your life that you've
been waiting for the perfect circumstance. I'm
telling you, there's no perfect conditions. They're
not coming. Not in that situation. The perfect
condition is start walking. In obedience. Walk
with the knowledge that the one who sins you
also goes with you. And that's really where this
made for more journey kind of comes to a landing.
It's rooted in Christ, renewed in grace, shaped
for purpose and now sent to serve, stepping out
in his authority, his mission and his presence.
That's what it means to be a Christ honoring
disciple and that's what we've been made for.
And so today I want to close our time together
and this series, you know, not with a poem or
something, but with a commissioning of sorts
that you and I would not just be church goers,
but we would be disciples who live sent.