WHO ARE OUR NEIGHBORS? (Part 2)

Prayer

Almighty God, and most merciful Father, we humbly submit ourselves, and fall down before your Majesty, asking you from the bottom of our hearts, that this seed of your Word now sown among us, may take such deep root, that neither the burning heat of persecution cause it to wither, nor the thorny cares of this life choke it. But that, as seed sown in good ground, it may bring forth thirty, sixty, or a hundredfold, as your heavenly wisdom has appointed. Amen.

INTRODUCTION

Last week, we were challenged to get to know our neighbors’ names…so we can begin to LOVE our neighbors in a way that points them to Christ.

IF WE ARE AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST...THEN OUR HOMES ARE LIKE EMBASSIES OF THE KINGDOM.

Our KING/LEADER strategically picked the location for our dwelling place…on behalf of His Kingdom

Acts 17:26–27 ESV

26 And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, 27 that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us,

Can you wrap your mind around that?

Wow! God loves and cares about us so much, that He was involved in placing each of us where we live for each and every season.

He not only loves YOU and ME that much, He loves YOUR NEIGHBORS that much!

God’s desire is that YOU AND I WOULD SEEK HIM.

God’s desire is that our NEIGHBORS would seek Him.

God’s desire is that JESUS CHRIST IS THE HUB OF EVERY HOME

God’s DESIGN is that YOU AND I ARE A PART OF HIS PLAN TO POINT OUR NEIGHBORS

TRANSITION

So that’s the INDIVIDUAL responsibility that each of us have - young and old - fully engaged member and Christian still checking us out…we are ambassadors for Jesus Christ.

We talked about the Great Commandment being so BIG & BROAD…that we can overthink our global neighbor and never actually LOVE our actual neighbor.

— That’s why we’re all processing through the Pray & Go devotional together…with the helpful reminders and tips.

— That’s why we want to fill out your WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR “block” paper, so we can all bring those back in a couple weeks and pray for them by name!

That’s for you…for me, in your apartment complex, your subdivision, your neighborhood...

But what about US?

What about Mission Bible Church?

You see most of the New Testament is written to or about the local church - Acts - Revelation. NOT TO / ABOUT the individual.

What can we DO to reach this part of Charlotte?

University City is OUR neighborhood. What can little ‘ole us to impact these thousands of residents?

Let’s look at our text and see how it could inform our strategy for such a tall order.

Go back with me to Acts 1.

THE ASCENSION OF JESUS CHRIST

The disciples are concerned about NEXT STEPS

They want to see Jesus do something that THEY are really interested in!

THE MISUNDERSTANDING

Acts 1:6 ESV

6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”

JESUS points them what matters most:

Acts 1:7 ESV

7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.

You’re pointing the right way, but you’re focused on the wrong thing.

Titus 3:9 ESV

9 But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless.

1 Thessalonians 5:1–2 ESV

1 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.

Here is what your next step is...

Acts 1:8 ESV

8 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.”

You hear this passage referenced every time there is a missions call to action.

You should - it’s a phenomenal text that both DESCRIBES & PRESCRIBES the way to carry out the great commission.

THE MISSION

BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT.

You don’t have the power within you.

You are NOT enough

You have a need FROM the Father

BE MY WITNESSES.

not just an activity

a state of being

BE MY WITNESSES IN JERUSALEM.

BE MY WITNESSES IN ALL JUDEA.

BE MY WITNESSES IN SAMARIA.

BE MY WITNESSES TO THE END OF THE EARTH.

This is NOT a proof text for you flat-earthers out there.

He means everywhere.

Jesus is reminding us here that our Heavenly Father desires for all the world to know him.

OLD TESTAMENT:

Psalm 22:27 ESV

27 All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you.

NEW TESTAMENT:

Romans 8:20–21 ESV

20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

1 Timothy 2:3–4 ESV

3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

2 Peter 3:9 ESV

9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

THE MEANS

HERE JESUS IS REMINDING US OF THE MEANS BY WHICH THIS WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED.

This is a picture of LIVING AS CHRIST’S AMBASSADORS AS WE GO!…WHILE WE’RE GOING!

Jesus named these regions and people groups on purpose. It’s all of them at the same time.

“THE LIGHT THAT SHINES THE FARTHEST WILL SHINE THE BRIGHTEST AT HOME”. - Dr. Oswald Smith

>>back to the text

(v9) Jesus said these things, then he was lifted up and taken out of their site.

(10) The disciples gaze into Heaven…WOULDN’T YOU?

Then 2 men show up in white robes...

Acts 1:11 ESV

11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

Christianity is not a spectator sport.

We have no need of pew potatoes in Charlotte

We don’t need another place to go for a show on Sundays.

We’re all stocked up in this region (I’m not casting stones…just noticing the stats).

RECAP

THE COMMISSION

Jesus reminds them of the Great Commission again - this time, pointing them toward people directionally.

Reach those around you that are like you.

Reach those around you that are not like you

Reach those beyond your neighborhood

Cross geographical and language boundaries to carry this message to the WHOLE WORLD

THE ASCENSION

Jesus is taken up into Heaven

Angels as, “why are you still here?”

THE RESPONSE THAT SHOOK THE NEIGHBORS AND THE NATIONS!

(v12) They returned to Jerusalem.

Let’s pick up in verse 13

Acts 1:13–14 ESV

13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. 14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

(v13-14) They went to a place to start the work

They were unified

They were devoted to prayer

EVERYONE - the men were leading the charge in prayer…but women were included.

---There’s so much here to discover as you read the rest of the book of Acts.

It’s quite remarkable:

Immediate Context of these verses: Expansion literally happened as described here

Jerusalem

Judaea

Samaria

Uttermost parts of the earth (farthest reach of the Roman empire at the time)

This is the general outline of the Book of Acts as it describes the geographical spread of the Gospel:

from Jerusalem (Acts 1–7)

to Judea and Samaria (Acts 8–9),

and then to the Gentiles and to the ends of the earth (Acts 10–28).

THE TEXT IS EASY TO OBSERVE HERE.

VERY LITTLE IS NEEDED IN THE WAY OF INTERPRETATION - it’s all pretty straight forward.

So what is it in the way of Application.

WHAT IS OUR MISSION?

Most of the New Testament is written to or about the local church - not the individual!

The local church exists for worship, evangelism, and discipleship.

"If you are a Christian,

the local church is NOT a club.

It is NOT a voluntary organization where membership is optional for you.

It is NOT a friendly group of people who share an interest in religious things, so they gather weekly to talk about the divine.

It is NOT a service provider, where the customer has all the authority."

"...the local church IS the authority on earth that Jesus has instituted to officially affirm and give shape to your Christian life and mine."

It IS the means by which the NEIGHBORS and the NATIONS are reached by the glorious Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ

It IS a called out, assembled group of believers in the Lord Jesus Christ who SEE one another, SERVE one another, and do all they can to SET one another up to be Disciple-Making Disciples

WHO ARE OUR NEIGHBORS?

Last week we talked about roles as individual ambassadors, families of representatives that God had strategically placed all over this region for His name sake.

We have come to realize the weight of that tremendous assignment…and the joy of knowing that God may use us…little ole’ us right in our homes to reach a LITERAL neighbor

We may be the lifeline of salvation to someone next door.

(that’s quite an upgrade from simply lending a cup of sugar)

BUT WAIT A MINUTE, We said the local church is a called out, ASSEMBLED people!

The local church - the ekklesia - means a called out, gathered, assembled group.

Charlotte doesn’t need ANOTHER church plant like all the rest.

In God’s sovereign design and love for this community…He has called us out to point this little pocket of the Queen City to King Jesus!

God called us HERE-ish (I know we don’t have a building yet…that will come!)

He put YOU THERE in your neighborhoods…

but we assemble, we serve, we worship together HERE. So OUR neighbors are HERE.

- Many of you commute more than 25 minutes to get here...This may be the only time you’re in this part of town in the course of your week…BUT THEY NEED TO KNOW WE ARE HERE…AS THEIR NEIGHBORS…BECAUSE WE ARE!

This is our Jerusalem, our Samaria! It might be your Judea individually, but its OUR NEIGHBORHOOD!

WE HAVE 22,000 people that live within the swath identified as University City!

SO HOW WILL WE REACH THEM?

Jesus has given us our orders...

Matthew 28:18–20 (ESV)

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.”

Mark 16:15 ESV

15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.

Luke 24:47 ESV

47 and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

John 20:21 ESV

21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”

Jesus gave a good method for mapping...

Acts 1:8 ESV

8 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.”

So, what if we learned from this incredible account we have in front of us.

WHAT IF OUR FIRST WORK OF REACHING UNIVERSITY CITY on a large scale TODAY…was one that was near and dear to Jesus’ heart.

what if what we do closely matches what they did!

SCRIPTURE FED AND SPIRIT-LED PRAYER is the hallmark AND THE BEGINNING OF EVERY movement from God.

Remember the action of the disciples - they didn’t go pray to get ready to be obedient to the great commission, they prayed as the first work of the great commission!

Jesus: “I’m about to do something amazing.” (see verses 1-11)

His followers respond: “Let’s go pray.”

What is the first recorded activity of the early Christian community? Prayer.

You and I will miss the Spirit moving without prayer!

We desperately need to be united in prayer.

How did 120 wounded, rough, uneducated, insecure, and vulnerable people shake their neighbors and the nations…how did God use them to change the world?

It began with prayer.

A small group united through prayer.

WE WILL BE HIS WITNESSES…IN THIS PART OF NORTH CAROLINA…

WE WILL BE HIS WITNESSES AS WE PRAY...

WE WILL BE HIS WITNESSES AS WE PRAY AND GO TO OUR NEIGHBORS IN UNIVERSITY CITY!

SO WHAT DO WE DO?

WHAT CAN WE DO?

LITTLE OLE’ US…GATHERING AT 4PM ON SUNDAYS IN SOMEBODY ELESE’S SPACE

How this called out, ASSEMBLED body of believers - this local church ever hope to impact our neighbors?

Do we really long to see Christ become the hub of every home in our community and beyond?

It’s a big vision, it’s a lot of people, we’re a small church, but we serve a BIG God.

We believe that God will greatly use our efforts for His glory. And it all starts with prayer.

We can do NOTHING without the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.

And we CAN ONLY BE EMPOWERED BY THE SPIRIT as we commit ourselves to prayer and great commission work.

We’re going to PRAY AS WE GO!

We’re going to GO in groups of 2 into the surrounding neighborhoods around us.

We’re going to walk down those streets.

We’re going to believe God that the Holy Spirit will lead us in prayer for our neighbors.

We’re not knocking on doors.

We’re not trying to start conversations...

We’re not just going to wing it

we have a plan

we’ll have a map & tools to track where we’re going

We’re going to walk these streets, pray for the people in these homes, we’re going to leave this door hanger where we can.

“it’s not an INVITE to church” “it’s a “we prayed for you” card.

We’ll begin this in the coming days.

I need a few key people to take the lead on this.

There’s training, resources, tools…but it’s all really simple and straightforward.

CHURCH FAMILY - WHILE YOU’RE BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH THOSE NEIGHBORS AROUND YOU, I’M ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER PRAYING AND GOING TO REACH “OUR” NEIGHBORS!

This is not a concept unique to Acts or the New Testament. God has always been concerned that his people reflect on what he has done and tell others about it. God’s people have always been primarily witnesses to his greatness.

Isaiah 43:10 ESV

10 “You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me.