A New Mission

A New Mission (Evangelism)

Luke 19:1-10 NIV; Ephesians 5:1-2a NLT; 2 Corinthians 5:18b-20 NLT

June 11, 2023 – OneLife Church

INTRODUCTION (1.5/1.5)

Morning…I’m Corey, a pastor in NN at WEC… so excited to be here… thank you dad… love you

So I hear you’ve been in series, Now What? Y’all enjoyed it? Looks awesome… if new, idea is “I’ve given my life to Jesus… now what?”…we’ve talked about how you now have a new identity in Christ…& that new identity absolutely transforms our life… talked @ new name/life/relationship/posture/compass/calling but today, I want to share what I believe is the most practical change you experience when you become CF

TENSION / THE HOOK (6/7.5)

Well to kick us off, I thought nothing would introduce my wife Ashley and I better than talking about something we absolutely love, football…I am always watching…I am a huge Dallas Cowboys fan…any other fans of America’s team?

Patriots Story…speaking of NFL…every yr, 32 teams start NFL season w/ one mission: win the SB…hardest champ in sports…every decade it’s always 1 team…for last 2 decades- NE Patriots…led by Bill Belichick & Tom Brady…

When Belichick/Brady started in 2000, they began to build a culture… they started winning…won a super bowl in 01, 03, 04, 14, 16, 18… I remember in the last SB run, 2018… team wasn’t very good… players/coaches weren’t very talented/great… most average roster ever… some of their best players looked like tennis ballboys… but they won the super bowl… nobody knew how… how does such a mediocre team win it all?… reporters asked the team and they all spoke of one thing, the mission… when you showed up to NE, there was only one mission, to win a super bowl… everything was built around it… it’s how they became successful/extraordinary/dynasty… their mission

For many of us today, we live the exact opposite of that… we do all the normal stuff… go home, mow the grass, watch tv… get a good job, buy a house, buy a car, buy a bigger house, buy a nicer car, retire, move to the beach… but somewhere deep down, we all want something more/extraordinary… a life of meaning, purpose, significance

Today, want to introduce you to one of the most foundational/fundamental truths of your faith… when Jesus gave you a new identity, he gave you a new mission…& living on that mission is the only way we can experience a life of meaning/purpose/significance…so the ? becomes: if I want to truly experience life in Christ, what is my new mission?

Jesus’ Mission (8/15.5)

Before we can answer that ?, we’ve gotta 1st grasp Jesus’ mission…let’s look at it… Luke 19:1-2… we’ve all heard of Zacchaeus, but we may not understand… tax collectors were hated… they were Jews who betrayed their own people for money to work for the Romans… and he was their leader…and if he was very wealthy, it meant he was corrupt…

Luke 19:3-10… what an amazing moment… actually one of the most important moments in Jesus’ life… Jesus is saying: juxtaposed to a world that despises and doesn’t care about the lost… not only do I care, but THIS is why I came!… I did not come to end the Romans, to restore Israel, to fix the government, to reform the Law, to condemn you… I came to rescue the wicked, forgive the betrayers, restore the worst of the worst, love the most hated

I came to seek and to save the lost… that’s Jesus’ mission… Jesus’ Mission is to Seek and Save the Lost… he is focused and determined on that… 2000 years ago and still is today…he will stop at nothing to accomplish his mission

ILLUSTRATION about DIE HARD… this reminds me of a movie I love, an 80s movie… y’all love 80s movies?… Indiana Jones 1, 2 & 3, SW: Empire Strikes Back & Return of the Jedi, Back to the Future 1 & 2, Terminator, Rocky 3 & 4, Aliens, Predator, ET, Christmas Vacation, and one of my favorites, Die Hard…

This Christmas movie follows NYPD cop John McClane, normal cop…Christmas party to reconcile with ex-wife Holly…terrorists take over & take Holly hostage…decides he’s going to save them…he does whatever it takes to save Holly & all the hostages…all the ppl fight against him and nobody believes that he has the power to save them… somehow he does it!…saves Holly & hostages…even kills evil Hans Gruber…Yippee-Ki-Yay, am I right?

Funny I know, but in the same way as John… Jesus is willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish his mission… whole reason that Jesus left heaven, came to earth, lived a perfect life, died a criminal’s death, and rose from the grave was that he could seek and save you…he is willing to go as far as it takes, do whatever he can, to save you…

He came to earth because he absolutely loves each and every one of us…think of Zacchaeus… somebody who wasn’t loved by anybody… he wants every person who thinks they’ve gone too far, messed up too much, behaved too badly, to know that he loves them unconditionally…

You who are downtrodden, sad, depressed, hurt, abused… he came for you… you who are arrogant, prideful, hateful, abusive… he came for you… he wants you to know that you can never be too far gone… nothing you could ever do… you can always come home… he always will be there to save you, forgive you, and restore you…

This is who Jesus is… someone who lived his entire life on mission, focused on the lost… you may ask, how?... by surrounding himself with messed up people so that they might be transformed…this whole story about Zacchaeus centers around Jesus CHOOSING to seek the lost, the broken, the hurting, the ppl far from God, so that they might be saved…went out of his way to Jericho just for the chance to save Zacchaeus…same w/ you…that’s Jesus’ heart

Our Mission (10.5/26)

& it’s here, when we understand Jesus’ mission that we can properly understand our new mission in Christ… when Jesus talks about saving you, he’s not just talking about saving you from your sins, he’s talking about so much more… the truth is this… for those of you who have given your life to Jesus… Jesus Didn’t Just Save You From Something, He Saved You For Something… for a life on mission… for a life lived like his… a life on a new mission

What is that new mission? Eph 5:1-2a… when we are saved, it doesn’t just stop there… we are not just called to be forgiven by Christ, we are called to imitate Christ/follow/represent/lead others to/look like Christ…K-rab Story

Funny… but that’s not the idea, we are not the cheap alternative for Jesus…no, when people look at us, hear us, talk to us, are loved by us… they are meant to recognize Christ in us… we are his official representatives…

When we give our lives to Jesus, we are not just called to live a life that looks like Jesus’ life… We are Called to Join Jesus on His Mission… to live a life on Jesus’ mission instead of our own…a life drenched in love for unchurched, unconvinced people…a life that is in constant pursuit of the lost, just like Jesus…loving others w/ reckless abandon

Whether you know it or not, you are living your life on a mission… maybe your mission is to be a successful business owner, or have a great family, or be famous, or make enough money and retire to a beach, or make an impact on your community… all of these goals are good ambitions, but they are not the mission God has called us to…

In fact, he has called us to a specific mission, a new mission… God’s new mission he has called us to is simple… Our Mission is to Seek and Save the Lost… same as Jesus’… how could we imitate Jesus without imitating his mission?… and while we obviously can’t save someone from hell, we can certainly carry them to the one who can…

That’s the calling of the believer: to live a life not on our own mission but on Jesus’ mission…a life not after what we love but after what he loves: people…some of you have been on the sidelines too long…& you wonder why God doesn’t use you…bc you’re not on Jesus’ mission…we’re to seek the lost & bring them to the one who can save them

2 Cor 5:18b-20…really important… we have now been given Christ’s mission… he accomplishes his mission through us…this is the most transformative concept you could ever grasp: God is making his appeal to the world through you

Every boss/employee/customer/neighbor/friend/family member you meet, Christ is appealing to them through you… ur called to help them come to know him…you’ve been given new mission/purpose…you’re an ambassador for Christ

Which means every word/decision/glance/joke/moment needs to reflect your mission… to lead others to Jesus

Let me tell you this right now… if every person in this right now took this seriously… like “my mission in this life is to seek and save the lost”, this room would revolutionize the world…bc it’s not just a pastor/pastors wife/missionarys job, this is your mission… if Jesus has called you out of your sin into new life, he has called you in to a new mission

APPLICATION (10/36)

Maybe sitting there saying, “Alright Pastor, I’m locked in, let’s go… no idea how to do this, but I’m ready… teach me, how do I do this?” Great question! With remaining time, we’re gonna have ambassador training… gonna teach you how to seek and save the lost just like Jesus… get your notes out!

1st- we’ve gotta seek the lost…this means 2 things: a) intentionally positioning yourself around lost people so that you can love them… not to be impacted by them, but to impact them… could mean befriending them, sitting down/praying with them, getting to know them, tangibly providing for them…

b) sharing your story… often times when we start talking @ sharing our faith, ppl get really nervous- “don’t have the knowledge, personality, gifts”… good news: you don’t have to… it’s not hard/complicated…all Jesus is calling you to do is to tell others @ him & what he has done for you… don’t need seminary degree/exp… all he needs is you & your story…The greatest evidence in the world for God is your story/a transformed life… nobody can argue w/ what God has done in your life… w/ how God has transformed you…transformed me from self-centered to man on fire… I encourage you, share your story…1) who you were before, 2) when you became his child, & 3) who you became after

If we do that, ppl may see who Jesus really is… & when people see Jesus for who he really is, they tend to want him

That brings us to the 2nd piece…1st we’ve gotta seek the lost, 2nd we’ve gotta save the lost… if you want to be an ambassador for Christ, you’ve gotta be able to close the deal…bc when ppl want Jesus, it’s our holy responsibility/ divine duty to lead ppl to him…I know it sounds scary but it’s so simple… all we have to do is lead them in a simple prayer to go from death to life… remember, it’s not @ the words/articulation, it’s @ the heart… memorized it when I was 7… it’s as simple as ABC… 1) Admit, 2) Believe, 3) Commit…

Admit that you’ve sinned and need to receive Jesus’ forgiveness… Believe Jesus is the Son of God and that God raised him from the dead… Commit to him as your savior and as your Lord, to be the leader of your life forever… that’s all!…with those three steps, someone can pray that prayer, mean it, and go from death to life…

& let me tell you, when you lead someone to pray this prayer, there is nothing in the world more satisfying than getting to lead someone to Jesus… Austin Story

Bc here’s the truth-every single one of you know ppl who need Jesus… & God is making his appeal to them through you! So don’t be afraid, trust Jesus… walk in your new identity as an ambassador for Christ

So I challenge you, seek & save the lost… intentionally position yourself around lost ppl, share your story, & memorize the ABC’s… and watch what God will do through you… you will experience a purpose/significance/ meaning to your life that is so transformational bc you are on your new mission

CONCLUSION (1/37)

& here’s why…bc it’s who you are…this isn’t what you do, this is who you are…this is your identity/made to be… you’re not on a mission/missionary, evangelizing/evangelist, inviting/inviter, sharing your faith/ambassador for Christ

Church, we can change the world…& all it takes is each of you living out your new mission… & you will be shocked at what God will do through you! Pray… Salvation prayer

KNOW (BOTTOM LINE): Our new mission is to seek and save the lost.

DO: Position yourself around lost people; share your story; memorize the ABCs.

FEEL: Inspired; challenged.

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