GO, Therefore

Introduction

My job as a pastor includes a TON of things: preaching, counseling, visitation, managing, administration, committees, meetings, etc. I want to share with you what my job boils down to:

One day, you will stand before the God of the universe. You will give an account for your life - the things that you did, the things that you didn’t do, and the one you confess as Savior.

My job is to prepare you all, as best as I can, for that moment. I will ultimately be held accountable… not simply for my life but also for yours.

I know that every person who does not hear the message of Jesus and trust in Christ as their Savior and Lord will spend an eternity in hell. The wrath of God will be poured out upon them for their sins - the worm does not rot and the flame does not cease.

We have been tasked with a message, and if we neglect to share it, we will miss our opportunity to live in the primary purpose that God has granted us. We have been given an incredible mission. A mission that transcends everything else that ever has been and ever will be.

We have REVERSED the purpose of our lives. Because we know God, we ask him to make our lives more comfortable, easy, and luxurious. We leverage God for the lives that we want. God does what WE want Him to do for us. You will never find purpose in that pursuit. There will always be a restlessness, an itch, a “something’s missing” if your life is ultimately about you. The purpose of your life is that you would be used to build the Kingdom of God.

Instead of leveraging God for your kingdom, you leverage your

finances,

your brainpower,

your talents,

your business acumen,

your family,

and your everything

for the sake of the lost who do not know Christ.

Matthew 28:16–18 ESV

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

Acts 1:8 ESV

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Explanation

We could apply these texts in an infinite number of ways, but I want to apply them five ways to us as a faith family. Over the course of the year, we want to provide you with opportunities to grow in your walk with the Lord concerning The Great Commission. Whether it is learning how to share your faith, invite your neighbor to church Sunday, or going on a mission trip… we want you to have a growing concern for the lost.

GO to Your Neighborhood

Some of your neighbors do not know Jesus. It is time to raise the bar on what it means to be a good neighbor, and it is time to invest deeply into your neighborhood.

Maybe all of your neighbors Christ followers. They may even go to this church. Band together, start a Bible study, order a few pizzas and invite your neighbors.

We used to sing the song, God of this City. Before God can be the God of this city, He has to be the God of your cul-de-sac.

Some of us spend more time making our lawns look pretty than we do on the souls of our neighbors who see our lawns everyday.

May people see Jesus in your words and actions more than they see how manicured your lawn is.

GO to Your City

We have to consistently ask ourselves, “If we weren’t here, would our city even notice?” Do we love and care for people? Are we the hands and feet of Jesus?

I am thankful to be a part of a church that I truly believe, if we weren’t here… people would be in worse shape. Not simply because we preach the gospel every week, but because we love the people around us.

Take some time this morning to stroll through the family room after the service and look at all of the ministries.

God has used us in some incredible ways.

Might we never be content with our previous laurels and forget that every day is a new day, and God may very well be asking us to step into new ministries.

Pay attention to your broken heart like Nehemiah. What do you see that needs to be done? Do it in the name of Jesus and lead someone to the Lord.

GO to your State

The gospel has a ripple effect. It begins small, but it gets larger and larger.

We are for our neighborhoods. We are for our city and county. We are also for our state. As you stroll through the family room, you will see our partnerships all over the state.

I believe that a single church can have an effect on our state. We can love, serve, and care for the people around us that sends a ripple all over.

1 Thessalonians 1:7–8 “so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything.”

GO to the Nations

I am praying not only that God would send us all over the world, but that God would cultivate in the hearts of children and students a desire to go to the nations.

We want to go, and we want you to go.

We are going to Victoria (CA), Ecuador, and Boston this year. As a church, we are developing more partnerships so that we can continue to go to the nations.

Short term mission trips are a way to invest in the ministry, encourage the pastor/minister, and taste what life is like living on mission for God.

However, I pray that we have children and students in this room who will be called out by God to go to the nations. May we not be judged by our seating capacity, but by our sending capacity.

A Kentucky Baptist Convention initiative has been “Calling Out the Called.” We need pastors, ministers, missionaries, etc.

GO to the Unreached

I have been burdened for years that several thousand people groups all over the world have no evangelical presence, no church, and no access to the gospel.

We have to reach those people. There are thousands of unengaged and unreached peoples in the world. Over 40% of the world population falls into these groups. We must reach them for the sake of the gospel.

If that feels daunting, think about Paul and Peter on their missionary journeys. The entire world was made up of UUPGs! When we worry about the impossible, never forget the God of the impossible is OUR God.

Invitation

Know Jesus. We share the Gospel, not because we have to… but because we GET to. God is good. Jesus came, lived, and died for us.

GO. It doesn’t matter where. Just GO. And see God work in incredible ways.