Heart for Our World
Heart

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All right, good morning, church what’s going on in the building, looking around at this building, it fits perfectly with what we’re talking about today. We’re talking about how to have a heart for our world, and as we look at our building today, it looks like a lego factory or something, and it’s, because kids fest starts tomorrow evening, and for the workers, it actually starts tonight, because, it’s, everyone on deck this evening, rehearsing and getting ready for the kids that we are inviting here, and so, i hope, even as you’re seated in those seats this morning, you’re thinking about all the kids that are going to be here this week. They’re going to hear the gospel and have an opportunity to come to christ. So we’re thankful for everyone that’s serving this week , and already the people have been serving all weekend. They have come up with this wonderful look, and you can just see all the hard work that’s gone into this, and so we’re thankful for that now we’re concluding our series this morning, talking about heart and how heart change leads to world change and the truth of the matter is you will never change the world, really, but you can change things around you one heart at a time and that’s what we’ve been talking about, how to have a heart change and as we’ve been talking about it, we’ve been talking about our church and the purpose of our church and how it’s, based on two great statements, the first is the great commission found in matthew, chapter twenty eight we’ll be digging in on that more fully later this morning, so i won’t read that just yet. But the great commission where jesus says to make disciples and then the combination of that with the great commandment we are instructed in the book of mark jesus is speaking, he says, you shall love the lord your god, with all your heart, and with all your soul and all your mind, all your strength, and the second is like it. You shall love your neighbor as yourself, there’s no other commandment, greater and so that’s, the great commandment, the great commission, which is what we base our purpose on our church purpose, and this it is how we explain what we do and why we exist

wilson community church exists to make disciples where do we get that from
the great commission of disciples of jesus christ, what kind of disciples? Disciples who have a growing heart for god, heart for each other, and now, this morning we’ll talk about it heart for our world expressed in intentional evangelism and sacrificial service. So that’s, what i’ve been talking about for the last three weeks, we’re going to be concluding it today.

one of the things i’ve noticed in their culture today is people often are searching for meaning in their life, they’re searching for purpose and in a world of war, this is a basic human need we often find people that are without an anchor, they’re going through life, and they can’t really determine where their life is headed. And so as i was researching this, i found this article by dr steve taylor.

He says the need for purpose is one of the defining characteristics of human beings. Human beings crave purpose and suffer serious psychological difficulties when we don’t have it purpose is a fundamental component of a fulfilling life so we’re thinking about this and he’s thought about that how that’s a basic need that all of us have what’s our purpose in some of us some of us already know what that purpose is and some of us may be here this morning don’t know what their purpose is i don’t know i’m still searching for what it is that god wants me to do with my life, but but here this craving for purpose i don’t think can be fulfilled by looking within often you’ll hear people say just look within yourself well when i look within myself i hear an echo i don’t know about you but i mean what am i going to find within myself that’s going to tell me that i really think we should look to our creator for a purpose he made us and he has a design and a purpose for us?

rick warren writes this the search for the purpose of life has puzzled people for thousands of years that’s because we typically begin at the wrong starting point ourselves, we ask ourselves self centered questions like what do i want to be? What should i do with my life what are my goals, my ambitions, my dreams for the future but focusing on ourselves will never reveal our life’s purpose it just makes us more confused because we’re not sure of ourselves

if you’ve ever read the purpose driven life the book that rick warren wrote it begins with this phrase it’s not about you it’s not about you it’s really about the lord jesus everything revolves around him he’s the centerpiece of history and the centerpiece of this universe and so as we think about the great commission what if we as a people decided to make that our purpose our purpose for existence would be to obey jesus as his followers and to do what he’s commanded us to do and i think that’s why he gave us the great commission he gives us this outrageous commission which is the world the whole world it’s a little old you and little old me he’s given this commission to have a heart for the world

as we look in the gospel of matthew today this is after christ had been raised from the grave and he’s walked around planet earth for a while for about forty days and it’s time for him to ascend to the father he has these words to his disciples upon a mountain where he had asked them to meet him and he gives them the great commission expressing his loving heart for the world as we look at this we can have that same heart for the world that christ has and as we look at the text i think we’ll see three ways that we can fulfill that so let’s look at the text this is matthew chapter twenty eight and we’ll read verses eighteen to twenty and as we’ve said before this is the great commission

jesus came and said to them all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me 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 all that i have commanded you and behold i am with you always to the end of the age and this is god’s work amen so we’ll be looking at three ways we can have christ’s heart for our world

here’s the first recognize christ’s great authority i should say to you i’m going to give you three great ways three great ways that you can have a heart for our world it seems appropriate that they would be three great ways since we’re talking about the great commission the first one is recognize christ’s great authority look at verse eighteen jesus came to them and said all authority how much authority does jesus have l he has all the authority that means he’s over every entity not only on earth but in heaven as well the father has given jesus the keys to the kingdom he’s given him how much authority all authority on heaven and on earth it’s been given to him he said to them it says jesus came and said to them well, who are them in verse eighteen if we would read earlier we see that in verse sixteen now the eleven disciples went to galilee to the mountain to which jesus had directed them and so these are the eleven why not the twelve? Well the twelfth one was judas iscariot right and he’s betrayed jesus and he hung himself he was feeling suicidal after he saw through what he had done and he returned the money so there’s eleven disciples who are gathered here to hear this great commission upon the mountain that jesus designated that’s who it represents it also represents i believe every disciple of jesus christ it represents you if you’re a follower of jesus

i was reading in the one year bible this morning. And the text today was in the book of acts where paul was giving his wonderful testimony before the roman governor festus, and and in front of king agrippa the second and his sister bernice. And not only that but they had invited the military commanders the local officers of the roman garrison there, and they’d also invited jewish leaders there. So there was a great gathering, and the bible describes it as they came in with great pomp and great circumstance they came in wearing their robes and and all the banners of the roman empire all surrounding and they’re all gathered in this auditorium and the apostle paul comes in with a plain robe and his wrists and his feet in chains can you picture that? And he comes in front of this great gathering and you could hear a hush as they hear from king agrippa paul, give us your defense and everyone remains silent paul gave his entire testimony too he told all of these leaders what god can do

so them represents people like paul certainly we know that but through the centuries peter and paul and john told somebody about jesus and handed the baton of faith to them. And then they handed the baton to someone else and to someone else and to someone else and somewhere along the way and you probably remember it was someone who handed the gospel to you and you believed and so you became one of them you’re one of them now and so jesus is talking to you you that are disciples when he was giving his testimony when the apostle paul was giving his testimony, the jewish leaders that were there to accuse him in the previous chap of acts said that he was a troublemaker, that he was the ring leader of that cult called the cult of the nazarene and so paul never argued with that he said, i am a follower of the way a follower of the nazarene it’s not a cult you know they still use that today

in the middle east isis labeled homes in mosul and throughout iraq whenever they would come upon a christian they would put the arabic letter for nazarene on their house and they would pin it to their clothes to make sure the other muslims knew you’re dealing with nazarenes here with christians here well are you carrying the label today of nazarenes of christians

guess what you’ve been given as your purpose to reach the world reach the world oh my goodness that’s such a small thing no it’s a huge thing that you’ve been given as a purpose to be a part of who gave you that command the one who has all authority he has all authority now there are two greek words in the new testament for power the one that’s most recognizable for many of us is (greek word) it’s where we get words like dynamite dynamo it its power exerted its power potential it’s explosive it’s the kind of power (greek word) that raised christ from the grave but that’s not the word here here the word is (greek word) which is the power of influence it’s power of rule and so certainly has (greek word) power he has the power to do all things but here it’s the power of the crown it’s the power to speak and to have authority

in the book of ephesians the apostle paul wrote this he says i also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of god’s power for us who believe in him this is the same mighty power and both of these are (greek word) at this point the same mighty (greek word) power that raised christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at god’s right hand in the heavenly realms now he is far above any ruler or authority now he’s talking more about the other kind of power which is the power of the crown the power of the president the power to rule now he’s far above any ruler authority or power leader anything else not only in this world but also in the world to come god has put all things how much has god put under christ all things all things

is he over the company that you work for you better believe it he’s over all things is he over your marriages is he over your parenting is he over where you go to school? Is he in charge he’s over all things he has authority over all things god has put all things under the authority of christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church for whose benefit for your benefit

are you listening? Are you getting the great commission it’s a great authority that has been given and the church is his body. It has been made full and complete by christ who fills all things everywhere with himself how what a glorious authority he has he has all authority in heaven and on earth

do you remember how the disciples were amazed in the book of mark chapter four we see this recorded that they had set out and jesus had been preaching all day and he was exhausted and he says let’s go to the other side he needed to get away from the crowd and plus he grew up in nazareth which is right off the coast of the sea of galilee and he just loved to get out on a boat listen friends, can i get a witness? I love to get out on a boat too i just love to get out where you can just relax and feel the waves and so he said push out so they went out and as they went out he immediately fell asleep he like, grabbed up some of the netting or something there in the boat and just laid back like it was a pillow and went sound asleep but a storm came up and it was such a unworldly kind of storm like a demonic storm came up that it even scared the professional fishermen they thought man we’re dead we’re going to die in this thing and so they woke jesus up and they said don’t you care that we’re all about to die?

Have you ever said that to jesus don’t you care that i’m about to die here i’m about to lose everything i have i’m about to lose my marriage don’t you see that i’ve got this don’t you see what kind of trouble I am in? Have you ever prayed like that to jesus and it seems like he’s asleep but he’s there in the boat and he raises up now it doesn’t say how far he raised up some people picture him of standing up in some grandiose fashion i prefer to i believe he raised upon one elbow and he said peace be still i feel like he had all authority he didn’t need to shout it out above the waves and above the wind he didn’t have to shout to be heard he had all authority i think he could have whispered i believe he could have just thought it not even said a word but he said a word on behalf of the disciples so that they could bear witness to the fact that he said peace be still and immediately can you imagine this immediately a calm came and the winds stopped and the waves that had been crashing against the side of the boat went immediately smooth and there was a hush and the disciples who had been terrified from the storm from that thing which was outside the boat we’re now terrified by the one in the boat and they said who is this that even the winds and the waves obey him he’s the one who has all authority that’s who we could go on and on about this

there was a roman centurion who actually gave money to build the synagogue in capernaum capernaum was the home base of jesus it’s where all of his ministry radiated out of that place it was a place he was well accepted there on the northern end of the sea of galilee he found that to be a wonderful place and i’ve visited there several times and i’ve taken many of you there to visit there the ruins there have been uncovered, and even the synagogue that this roman centurion paid to build the foundation stones and the pillars have been set back up from that very synagogue where jesus often preached it was nearby that peter’s mother in law’s house stood and so in that very place in capernaum a roman centurion sent servants to jesus, saying, i have a servant who’s ill and i’m asking that jesus would heal them and jesus said i will because the jewish leaders there over the synagogue came to jesus and said you’ve got to go this roman centurion is a friend of ours he paid for the synagogue and he makes it so that we have freedom here to worship and so jesus says i’m going and so he goes and along the way the roman centurion saw that jesus was coming he sent another servant running out to jesus and says you don’t have to come into my house because i know because you’re jewish and because i’m a gentle you’re not supposed to come into my house so don’t trouble here’s what i know because i’m a centurion that if i say to this soldier go he goes or if i say to this soldier go tell that soldier to go he goes because i’m a man under authority and i have men under my authority he understood something about authority do you understand that he knew that he was under caesar’s authority and he had the power of caesar to tell a soldier to go do something he was a man under authority and i guess i understand authority so i understand that if you say that my servant is healed he’s healed

jesus says i’ve never seen faith like this in all of israel and so the servant was immediately healed in that very moment he has all authority the centurion understood authority do you understand authority this great authority that jesus has when we recognize and willingly come under the authority of jesus it changes their lives have you ever made him saviour and lord have you ever said you’re the boss? I know you’re over everything but i’m going to come out of my rebellion because that’s what it means to be still in your sin to be still living life with your own self as being in charge here and rebellion against the one true king who has been given all authority

would you willingly come up under him and coming under him means you’ll do what he says if you’re experiencing fatigue and frustration today even as a believer might it be that you’re doing life your own way? Might it be that you’re doing things your way? I think one of the major reasons today that many christians lead lives that are filled with frustration and failure and and they lack joy in their life is because they’re trying to live life under their own authority now they’ve prayed to receive jesus and they’ve asked him into their life and then they turned around and kept on living under their own power what would it look like if we were to come under his authority, laboring under his authority instead of outside of his authority?
what are we doing with all of this crazy lego stuff and why are we doing this? Paul says it is through the foolishness of preaching you know i feel like it’s through the foolishness of legos this week, right? We’re doing this to gain the attention of children in this town in this city that we might have an opportunity to share the gospel with them i pray that we do it now and i believe that we are and we are doing it under the authority of jesus we do this under his commandment to reach this world that he’s called us to

stop trying to live under your own power stop trying to live according to your own design we have an awful lot of christian atheists well you know what i mean people who claim to be christians but they live as if god doesn’t exist as if it’s all up to them oh i pray that you would recognize christ power will you do it? Will you bring your life under his authority and obey his command which leads us to the second great way that we can have a heart for our world

obey christ’s great command now read verse nineteen and also part of twenty you’ll notice in in nineteen and twenty that this is the centerpiece of the great commission the great command if you will and he says the that the verb circle that in your notes make disciples that’s the action verb in fact it’s in the greek imperative which means it’s of command it’s the great command the great command make disciplesif you’re reading in the king james it says to teach and that’s a fairly accurate translation right there but a better translation really is make disciples that’s really the word there there’s another word in the greek that is to teach that’s more accurate than this one is very much be a maker of disciples it’s to be active it’s a command make pupils make students make people who follow Jesus.

you’re to be in the disciple making production not just sharing the gospel and then running off and leaving them there but sharing the gospel and then put your arms around them and helping them to grow not just making converts which means you tell him the gospel and get a notch in your bible and then move on but that you share the gospel with them and then you help them in every arena of their life so they can grow up more and more to be like jesus make disciples make people who are followers of the nazarene followers of the one who has all authority and so that’s the key verb make disciples and it has three it has three dependent participles for those that don’t remember your grammar a participle often has an “ing” at the end and it depends on the verb here and so the verb is make disciples It is built on the three participles the first one you can’t see it in the english it’s go but in the greek it’s going it doesn’t sound right going therefore is what it actually is in the greek going is the first participle baptizing is the second and teaching is the third how do you make disciples by going baptizing and teaching where do you make this (greek word) among all nations all (greek word) in the greek i’m giving you a lot of greek today it’s where we get the word ethnic so it’s not just make disciples of canadian’s and mexicans, guatemalans and ugandans it’s not that so much as it is every ethnic every nation is a good translation but it’s more like every people group g like every person that might have a slightly different culture i want them to hear the gospel in a way that they can hear it so here’s your commission make disciples of all ethnos of all kinds of people groups so that everyone hears the gospel and i want you to do it first of all with intent going some have translated this as you go you’re already going somewhere you’re going when you leave here you’re going somewhere some of you go out to eat, some of you’ll go over to grandma’s house and some of you go over to walmart and go grocery shopping i don’t know where you’re going you’re going somewhere some of you need to get gas on the way home you’re going and in one sense of this is as you go make disciples that’s one sense of it so it has a sense of intentionality as you go make disciples be a disciple maker everywhere you go everywhere you go make disciples and it has that sense but it has an even stronger sense in the active voice here is this idea of go intentionally towards people that are different than you in other words be very intentional about carrying the gospel to the nations be very intentional about that be careful to do that. So go has the sense of intentionality that that you’re doing it as you go, but you’re also going somewhere on purpose

baptizing this literally means to dunk to immerse to put somebody under water but he’s very specific about what name to put it in he has put it in the name singular isn’t this interesting the singular name not names in the name of and then he gives you three names father son and holy ghost father son holy spirit here we have revealed just in this command what the trinity singular name three persons father, son and holy spirit so that we’re to baptize people in the name singular of the three father son and holy spirit and baptizing has the idea of of changing the person’s identity and so we are to make disciples we are to go towards people that don’t have the gospel on purpose with intent and then when we get to them we are to bring them to a place where they change their identity and they now identify themselves as coming under the authority of jesus so that they take on his name they change their name from rebel and sinner to child of god and righteous and holy in god’s sight they come under the name

the final word the final participle here is teaching so going baptizing teaching it’s this idea so now they’ve they’ve become a disciple but to make a disciple you gotta teach them to observe all that christ has commanded so it’s not just teach them the commands so that they’ve memorized them not just that certainly it includes it’s hard to follow something you don’t know so it includes knowing the commandments

We learned one of them last week and that is to love one another as christ has loved us and then he gave us what fifty six or something like that one anothers in the bible to keep up with but it’s this idea that we’re not just to know them but to observe them and to follow them so disciple making that includes the discipline of helping your disciple put off worldly behavior and put on righteous behavior there’s not just head knowledge it’s action this is how we make disciples that were commanded to proclaim the gospel to everyone mark sixteen fifteen is the great commission in the book of mark and jesus told them go into all the world and preach the good news to everyone this is why we are intentionally called to go to the world jesus was sent and so are we and john chapter twenty verse twenty one jesus said to them again peace be with you as the father has sent me even so i am sending you people you are sent you are sent

At a local church not far from here the pastor says this or someone who is the emcee at that church says this at the end of every service as the people are about to go he says to them, you are sent you are sent just reminding them that they’re sent by jesus just as the father sent christ you are sent you have a purpose great commission strategy is given to us

In Acts 1:8 you’ll receive power when the holy spirit comes upon you that’s (greek word) power that’s the power to do and to act you’ve already been given the kind of power that kind of authority that says you’re supposed to go you’re commanded to go but then on top of that he gives you the holy spirit to live within you so that you have the power to keep the commandment he’s given you and where do you start in jerusalem and then judea samaria and to the end of the earth? And so we have a great commission strategy that we start at home and then we work out to the larger region and then we go out from there.

This is where we get our vision statement if you will it’s from this strategy a vision statement tells us where we specifically would like to be and it’s something that’s achievable something you can actually get to our vision statement is this saturating eastern north carolina with churches of christ followers who have a heart for god a heart for each other and a heart for our world that’s our vision statement it’s achievable within our lifetime that we could saturate eastern north carolina with gospel centered churches churches that have a heart for god heart for each other and a heart for our world that’s why we planted a church in rocky mount that’s why we’re not finished that’s why we had members of this location of this campus actually sold their homes in wilson and moved did you know this has happened and this is happening they moved to rocky mount to be part of that church plant

i’ve heard people say you know if i was willing to go to africa maybe i should be willing to go to rocky mount but we’re not finished i want to show you a little map real quick of regions and then i want you to take note where wilson is wilson is in an area that’s often referred to as the northeast and when i talk about eastern north carolina and planting churches that’s really what we have in our heart this idea of the north east there’s a lot of you know triangles a different place the outer banks is different there’s there’s some influential churches down in wilmington but right here in the north east some some people when i went to seminary actually called this the church planters graveyard because the soil is so hard here why is it so hard it seems to me it’s because we’ve been inoculated against real christianity with something called churchianity that we think being a member of the church is like being a christian but it’s not that like it makes people think they’re saved when they’re not think they think they’re christians when they’re not just because they go to a church and so i’m not saying there aren’t some great churches here in this area because there are but there aren’t enough of them and what we’re learning is because of what’s happening with growth we’re hearing things about amazon and about apple coming that wilson and this area is about to grow more than it’s ever grown in previous history who’s gonna plant churches here we feel called to it that’s our judea and so you start looking wilson rocky mountwhat’s next maybe maybe goldsboro maybe greenville maybe kinston you start building out from where you are

i want you to know that that’s how we’re thinking i want you to know that in staff meetings we pray for the next person that will help us lead the next campus that’s how we’re praying that’s a vision we have why do we have this vision? Did we come up with it on our own? No jesus who has all authority in heaven and earth commanded that we go to all nations and then he gave us a strategy starting in jerusalem jerusalem is wilson for us judea is northeast then within that to be aware of those people that are far from god that are different from us, like the people of samaria and then the whole world.

Now speaking of the whole world, did you see it on your way in? We just got it up yesterday. I think we just got it installed Did you see it as you came up the ramp? If you missed it, go out and look at it. And so we’re thankful for the people that put this together. this is a way of us talking about it. We in large north carolina, just a little bit a little heart in eastern north carolina. See that and it’s because we have a heart for eastern north carolina. But we also have a heart for our world. Some people have suggested. Well, we need to put a little bitty heart over here in guatemala, and another heart over here in uganda and a little bitty heart here in sumatra, in indonesia, where we have people and we support them . People in china and we have people over here in the czech republic and we go on and on and so maybe we’ll do that in the future maybe we will cut out some little hearts and put them in thoseplaces and all of you can walk by and go i’m praying for them and i know them

one of my dreams for every one of our church members at some point in time you go on a short term mission project so you get really , really, really messed up for jesus because there’s something about leaving this place and going to another place where all you’re focused on is going baptizing and teaching that’s all you’re there for is to make disciples it’s something about that that changes you and that’s why in a couple of weeks we’re sending a team of nineteen people from our church to guatemala for like i don’t know the sixth year in a row or something like that. I need to check with somebody to see what the count is and we’re thankful for that.

Another thing that we’re thankful for is you saw this in your seats today these invite cards for the sermon series that starts next sunday as you go drop these off at the gas station at the restaurant and when you’re talking to your waitress invite her because she has children invite her to the series invite them to KidzFest which starts tomorrow night and have them pre register but then give him this because starting next sunday the three r’s of parenting what’s one of the greatest needs in our culture today is young families who are disconnected from grand parents and parents and they’ve lost the art of parenting but the bible has a lot to say about that and so people need this taught to them about it and then in the same vein will share the gospel with them. Why? Because jesus has all authority and he’s commanded us to do it and he said not to forget the children right suffer the little children to come unto me so you got a couple of invites if you need extra pick them up before you leave but be as you go make disciples we’re talking about this will you be intentional about taking the gospel to the whole world?

And then finally the third great way we’ve said there’s a great authority that we recognize there’s a great command that we are today to obey but let’s not forget the final part of verse twenty that we are to rely on christ’s great promise to rely on christ’s great promise look at verse twenty the latter part and behold oh i love to say that don’t you i’ve been trying to get that back in to everyday language behold i’m about to walk on stage behold he is about to finish this sermon and i’m just trying to get that word back into practice it’s a great word here it actually believe or not it’s in the imperative it’s a command word it’s like look at this listen it’s like that open your eyes i am with you always and an awesome like wake up i am with you always now get ready to ascend to the father but through the spirit of christ which is the holy spirit i am with you always so i am not only giving you the authority i have all authority and now i’m giving you my authority to carry the gospel to all nations to be a world changer in my name now am i giving you the authority i’m giving you the power the ability to do it because i’m always with you

how long will he be with you to the end of the age i’ll be with you he says behold remember take a look at this he says i promised to be with you in all situations always how many places will he be with you always how much authority does he give you all how many places will he be with you all how long will he be with you till the end it’s all right, there friends this is a great promise he says look at this i’ll be with you always even to the end
in hebrews we read this i will never leave you nor forsake you i’ll never leave you nor forsake you know i’ve never worried about jesus leaving me this is jesus and this is me just pretend about that for a second i’ve never worried about jesus leaving i know that he’s reliable it’s me i’m worried about i’ve never worried about jesus leaving me but that’s not all he said he says i’ll never leave you i won’t do that and i’ll never forsake you oh that’s the best part of that verse right there i’ll never forsake you i’m not letting go of you you are mine and i’m with you always see that gives me greater comfort i’ll never forsake you i’ll never let go of you i won’t turn my back on you

In romans we read this this is the apostle paul he says i’m sure that neither death nor life nor angels nor rulers nor things present nor things to come nor powers nor height nor depth nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of god in christ jesus our lord i’ll be with you always look behold i’m with you always to the end of the age

when the lord sent joshua and the israelites into into the promised land, it was the land of the unknown they were about ready to cross the jordan river and moses had died and joshua’s got his first taste of authority. Now he’s the man in charge he’s the one god has put in authority and his knees are knocking together, and god gives him this commandment he goes, have i not commanded you be strong and courageous? Do not be frightened you are to be courageous and do not be dismayed be strong for the lord your god is with you wherever you go peace be with you so wherever you go

as you’re going make disciples and don’t be afraid he’s given us this great promise i’ll be with you wherever you go will you stop relying on your own strength? Stop relying on your own authority and stop relying on your own strength your own ability learn to rely on christ’s promise

Do you ever say lord, where are you now? He says, i’m with you, i’m with you rely on it, you’ll be able to serve his purpose for your life according to his power and his strength if you’ll do it depending on his promise to always be with you, would you consider how that might affect what you do? Are you serving god today? Are you a spectator or a servant? Are you just watching others obey god or are you active? Are you a servant of god? Are you obeying?

I believe that you should serve in two places. I think everyone should serve in at least two places you don’t need to serve in more than the two places that have need leave somebody else something to do serve one place according to your shape you can learn more about shape by being a part of our life on life discipleship program but that’s an acronym that means that you serve according to your spiritual gifts according to your heart passion according your abilities personality and experiences shape we can teach you more about that, but you should serve according to that specific shape that god has for you some of you are good with kids now listen, it doesn’t matter if you’re good with kids or not we need you this week, okay? But i’m not that good with kids come on out here anyway because we’re overwhelmed this week we’re reaching our city and we’re bringing it we’re busing kids in here ok this week and so we won’t make you teach you could lead them to their classes or play some kind of sport with them or something like that we’ll find a job that fits you according to shape here’s the second place everyone should serve according to need serving two places one according to shape one according to need

we need everyone on deck this week one according to shape one according to need are you actively serving from a worldly point of view? How ridiculous is it that christ has commanded us to be world changers? How ridiculous don’t you feel too small for that? You should if you don’t like no, i feel completely up to it no, i don’t but i believe this he commanded it he has all the authority and he told us to do it he has all the authority and he told us to do it and knowing that he promised he’d be with us every step of the way how can we possibly do this? How can just a few of us do this

i would remind you what it says an acts as others talked about those early disciples among them those eleven it says this these men have turned the world upside down and now they’re here also the men who have turned the world upside down have shown up in our town now oh, i pray that we would be those kind of people would you answer god’s great commission would you get christ’s heart for our world recognizing his great authority , obeying his great commandment and relying on his great promise

let’s pray lord thank you for your word thank you that you speak to us so clearly and you made us for a purpose and you called us to be world changers to reach the world one heart at a time by making disciples i pray that everyone in my hearing would first of all become a disciple be a disciple that’s the first step to recognize christ authority is that you my friend would you identify with christ today would you say dear lord jesus i’m a sinner and i want to turn my life over to you i believe you died on the cross for my sins that you were raised from the grave that you live today will you come and live in me forgive me of my sins make me the person you want me to be i want to be a child of god if you’re praying that prayer right now in your heart believing the bible says you will be saved every sunday we give people an opportunity to become christ followers why it’s what were commanded to do will you do it right where you are? Others are here today and you’re a disciple but you’ve been living according to your own strength or under your own authority doing things your own way and would you repent of that right now you already see that it’s not working would you repent and turn every area of your life over to the lord so that you serve him. And you have in view at all times, as you go, that we’re all called to make disciples of all nations, relying on him in all things. In jesus name, we pray. Amen.