What's the Mission?

Introduction

How many have had this happen:

Teacher gives instructions, leaves the room, comes back, and no one has followed the instructions? For me:

Superballs

Waterguns

Scratch art pens

Rubber bands and Paperclips

Jesus has physically left. He has gone back to the Father in heaven. What is it that we are supposed to be doing? What do you think the purpose of your life is?

Activity: Ask students to write their life’s mission in two sentences or less. Their answer must cover their biggest life goals and aspirations. Invite them to share their mission with the other students. After everyone has had the chance to share, explain that writing your mission is difficult, but living on mission is even more difficult.

ILLUST - what’s the purpose of the tools?

Matthew 28:16–20 (ESV)

16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 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, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

The first step in making disciples is to be a disciple.

Who is Jesus talking to in the passage?

And Jesus came and said to them,

make disciples of all nations

We are called to be disciples as we make disciples.

You can’t lead people to a place you are not willing to go yourself.

If people follow you, where do you lead them? Toward being more like Jesus or no?

What is a disciple?

To follow Christ, to be a disciple is to be:

- Intensely devoted to the person of Jesus (“come after me”)

Context is the confession of who Christ is.

- Intensely devoted to the place of Jesus in your life. (“deny himself”)

To deny oneself is to give something else the place. It denotes submission to Christ.

- Intensely devoted to the purpose of Jesus (“take up his cross”)

Taking up a cross implies suffering but not random suffering, suffering for the cause of Jesus, the mission

- Intensely devoted to the transformation in Jesus (“follow me”)

You can’t lead someone to someplace that you are not willing to go yourself.

“of all nations” = of all people groups

meaning not just your friends or only people around the world

ILLUSTR - on average, it takes 85 church attenders to make one disciple.

You don’t need to go far to make disciples

Going

- Note this is not a command to “wait for people to come,” but a call to GO.

- Jesus never meant for the church to be stationary.

- Go into “all the world” – lit. “all ethnos” – all ethnicities.

- The statement is lit, “as you are going.” For some, this will mean you will need to GO. But we are all going somewhere. We are to make disciples as we go – Lifestyle evangelism

- We were called to make disciples to go into the world, not disinfect believers from the world.

This is evangelism. Whatever your Whatever your job, talent, skill it is to be leveraged for the gospel.

Illust - I will have a hard time reaching certain people, but you may work with them, have coffee with them every day.

Evangelism is not the job of professionals - it’s the call of every Christ-follower.

Do you have the name of one person in your sphere of life who does not know Jesus?

Pray: for an opportunity to speak to them about Jesus, for the courage, for the words.

Baptizing

Baptism is:

• Identification with Christ

• Entrance into the Church

Bring them into the community of God.

Teaching

We are to be teaching “to obey” - which means we are with them enough to know if they are obeying.

Teaching them to:

Study Bible

Pray

Make disciples

If someone walked up to you today and said they would like to become a disciple of Jesus, what would you say?

This is why we say we walk together to take the next step in a Jesus-first life.

Are you learning for the purpose of managing your own faith, or are you learning in order to teach your faith?

**I can’t do it - you’re right

Depend on the presence and power of Jesus to accomplish the task. (20b)

Jesus entrusts us.

ILLUST - There are certain tasks that Christine does not leave to me. (pick out clothes for picture day, take the boys to the army/navy store)

All that has been accomplished in the church - the spread of the gospel to millions and millions Jesus has accomplished through eleven men.

Think about it. The risen Christ left

There is no Plan B for the spread of the gospel.

God did not say that if we were unable or unwilling to accomplish the mission, he would come and take over the job of evangelism.

Jesus accompanies us.

Exodus 3:12 ESV

12 He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”

Exodus 4:12 ESV

12 Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.”

Joshua 1:5 ESV

5 No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you.

Joshua 1:9 ESV

9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Judges 6:16 ESV

16 And the Lord said to him, “But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.”

Jeremiah 1:8 ESV

8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord.”

The promise of Jesus to be with us on mission guarantees we have his authority as we go.

Illust - being “on a mission alone” - my first rollback pickup