Welcome

Release kids to class

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Well we had another amazing week last week didn’t we? There were around 120 people here at the church celebrating God’s faithfulness, and more people at home celebrating God’s faithfulness through through the years here at LRBC. We had some amazing food and spectacular conversations with both new and old friends. Of course we did all of that while remembering God’s faithfulness through the years. It was so encouraging to hear the stories and be reminded about how God has lifted LRBC up over the years and how God has continued to hold LRBC up through the years, even while using a bunch of broken people, amen…

Listen, we have been in a series over the last couple of months called, I Love my Church. We have been talking about loving our church, and we looked at Acts 2 and talked about how the early church was devoted to certain things. Specifically they were devoted to teaching, fellowship, prayer, and generosity—things that strengthened them as a community and as followers of Christ. See they needed to be strengthened together because they would soon be persecuted in some very real ways. So we have began to explore what it meant to be devoted to these things. But none of that would be complete without a commitment to do what Jesus actually told them to do specifically. You see, before Jesus left the the apostles, he gave them a very specific mission and that’s what I want to talk about today. What is the mission that Jesus gave the apostles, and what does that mission look like in action.

This morning we are going to look at what has famously be called the Great Commission, and this is Jesus’ final instructions to the apostles. Now, even though it’s Jesus’ final instructions, that doesn’t mean that it was only meant for those men…You see, we are going to see that what Jesus shared is actually timeless instructions for the church and is pretty much the churches marching orders for all time. So, we better know what these instructions are because this is what we better find ourselves busy doing…

You know when I was a kid mom and dad would leave for work in the summer and they would leave us kids home alone…I know, that’s horrible now a days. Anyway, we’d be home alone and on their way out the door they would give us each instructions that we had better get done by the time they got home from work. As long as we got our jobs done, they didn’t much care what we did all day…inside, outside, TV, toys, it didn’t matter, as long as our chores got done. Well, I can remember at least part of the chores for me was doing dishes. I hate doing dishes. Anyway, We’d be playing and chilling and then we would hear that car pulling into the driveway around 6pm and we would all three pop up and say, uh oh…and we would run around picking up and pretending that we had been working all day long. Well, my job was the dishes, so I’d be over at the sink and I’d be hand washing those dishes and I would put on this exhausted face like I’d been busy all day long doing dishes…Im not sure if I every fooled them, you’ll have to ask mom about that to see if I had her fooled or not, but I sure suspect I never had her and dad fooled. The same is true when Jesus comes back…we’re not gonna be able to jump up and pretend that we have been about his business and trick him…

So what is the mission of the church and what does it look like for the church to live the

Mission in Action

I think the first thing for us to do is actually look at the passage where Jesus gives us our mission and go from there…So, let’s all turn over to

Matthew 28:16–20 (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. 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.”

Ok, there is some pretty important and some pretty heavy stuff laid out here that I really think we need to talk about because these are our marching orders from the greatest commander that has ever walked the Earth. These are the words from Jesus himself that he has said we need to be doing in order to prepare for his return. In other words…this is what we need to be about doing as a church. So…what I’d like to do this morning is just very simply break down this mission and see how we can live this out on purpose and ensure that we are not ignoring what we have be called to do as a church. So let’s break down

The Great Commission:

If this is Jesus marching orders let’s figure out how to march together, Amen…

First of all let’s take a look at the

Authority of Jesus:

What gives Jesus the authority to give these marching orders. What is the foundation of this mission that Jesus has placed in front of us? Well, you see, prior to the resurrection Jesus had authority. However, through the resurrection, the Father has now granted him all authority over heaven and earth. This is an authority far greater than the authority Satan attempted to vainly promise him. You see, by Jesus submitting to the Father, he received more than Satan could have ever offered. Jesus’ authority comes from the Father, through the resurrection of the Son.

So the authority is unquestioned…now what do we do?

Go and Make Disciples:

But what does this really mean? Within this command, there are two key actions we need to understand. Let’s start with the word "Go."

When we hear this, many of us think it refers to those called into formal mission work—like our incredible mission partners. For example, the Dycks who serve missionaries globally, or the Wells in South Africa working to end human trafficking. There's the Burris family in Indiana, raising up fathers to impact future generations for Christ, and the Hynes traveling across Africa, teaching farming as a gateway to share the Gospel. We also partner with organizations like Loaves and Fish, Lifeline Coalition, and Operation Christmas Child—ministries that are moving and doing great work both locally and worldwide.

So yes, there's a lot of "going." But is that what Jesus meant here? Actually, no.

In this context, "Go" is better understood as "going" or "as you go." It's an ongoing action—a way of living. Jesus is commissioning us to make disciples while we're on our way, in the everyday rhythms of life. You don’t have to cross cultural boundaries or become a full-time missionary to fulfill this calling, though that’s certainly part of it for some. For most of us, it’s about being on mission where we already are.

Now, we need to briefly talk about what it means to "make disciples." Simply put, a disciple is a student. So, if you're making disciples, you're making students—you’re teaching people about Jesus, starting with what He's done in your life and extending through all of Scripture.

This is crucial. Jesus is commissioning us to live our lives teaching others about Him. It's not just a one-time event, but an ongoing process where we help others grow in their understanding and relationship with Christ. Of course this leaves us with these two huge things that we have been commissioned to do. Let’s take a look at

Teaching & Baptizing:

These are two things that really go hand in hand. Actually I have to let you know that we will be announcing a baptism service here next week, so you will want to make sure and sign up for that if you have been considering baptism as a public declaration of your own faith…Let’s start off though talking about

Teaching: Did you know that everyone in this room is capable of teaching? You might think you need special training, but here’s how I know you can do it: you already know something about Jesus. You know that He lived a sinless life, died a sinner’s death, and paid for your sins—and the sins of your friends, family, and neighbors. You know that Jesus changed your life. That’s where it starts.

You don’t have to have all the answers; you just need to know where to find them. Every week, I get messages from people asking questions so they can better engage with their friends about Jesus. Those are the best kinds of messages because it means your engaging! You see, it’s your role, as a believer, to teach others about Jesus.

And if you ever feel unsure, look up our church’s statement of faith online, or listen to the podcast series we did last year on what we believe. You can teach what you know—but remember, you should also be learning from someone else. Jesus commands us to teach all that He has taught, not just some parts. So, keep learning so you can keep teaching.

Then…before you know it, you’ll be

Baptizing: Isn’t baptism an amazing thing to teach about? But what exactly is baptism? Is it what gives you salvation? No, it’s not. Baptism doesn’t save you—but it is a public declaration of your salvation and faith in Jesus as your Savior. And that’s a big deal!

As Christians, it’s our job to teach others the importance of baptism. Let me quickly remind you just how important it is. While baptism doesn’t cause salvation, it is the first act of obedience to the One who provided your salvation. It’s your first public declaration of faith in front of others—saying, “I’m not ashamed of Jesus.” This isn’t something done in private, because the whole point is to make a bold, public statement of your faith.

Let me briefly remind you of my story. When I was 5 years old, I walked down the aisle at church, prayed a prayer, and got baptized. But it wasn’t until I was 19 that I truly surrendered my life to Jesus. A few years later, while I was in Bible college, God made it clear to me that what I did at 5 wasn’t real faith—it was just saying words and taking a public bath. It was at 19 that I truly gave my life to Christ. That meant I hadn’t been baptized as a believer.

At that point, I was already a youth pastor, but I knew I needed to go down front, admit that I hadn’t followed Jesus in baptism, and take that step of obedience. The following week I was baptized in front of everyone becuase it actually is important!

This is what we have been commissioned to do. As believers, we’ve been given marching orders from the Lord Jesus Christ—who walked this earth—to live out our faith in whatever industry we are gifted to work in. Whether you’re a business owner, a salaried employee, or an hourly worker, your mission is the same: live your life while making disciples.

You’re called to teach them everything Jesus has commanded and baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. If every Christian embraces this calling, do you know what will happen? Disciples will be made of all nations.

Do you know what happens if every Christian here at LRBC embraces this calling? This community will be transformed! Leaf River won’t be the same. Mount Morris will be different. Ogle County will change—not because of you or me, but because of what Christ is doing through us. Do you know why? Because he is with us always!

But it requires each of us to take up the mission that we’ve been commissioned by Jesus Christ, the resurrected Son of God, to do. So, what do you say this morning? Are you ready to be a Christian on mission? Are we ready to be a church on mission?

When we began this series two months ago, we talked about loving our church—and I made it clear that one of the main ways to love our church is through action. Throughout this series, we’ve seen how individuals made commitments to the Lord in order to live out the mission of the church.

Some weeks, we committed to reading Scripture. Other weeks, we committed to sharing the Gospel. But every week, my hope has been that we would all say, “I love my church through action.”

Everything we’ve discussed —the devotion of the early church to community, worship, the apostles’ teaching, generosity, evangelism, service, and faithfulness—everything we have talked about over the course of the last 2 months has been all about loving our church through action. But let me be clear: you and I are the ones that must take action.

Commitment

So here we are, after two months of exploring what it means to love our church through action. We’ve looked at the early church and how they were devoted to living out their faith in real, tangible ways. And now it’s our turn. The question is: Will we do the same?

We can’t just hear these words and walk away unchanged. This morning, it’s time to make a decision—time to put our faith into action and commit to being a church on mission, starting right here in our community.

Once again, I’m going to ask everyone here to grab your commitment card and be ready to write down your commitment this morning. Throughout this series, I’ve asked you to make various commitments—some focused on your personal relationship with the Lord, and others focused on our corporate growth as a church.

Well…this morning, once again, I am going to ask you to make two different types of commitments.

1. Commitment to ongoing action: Reflect on one key area where God is calling you to take the next step in your walk with Him. Maybe it’s sharing your faith with someone specific, increasing your generosity, leading a small group, or getting involved in a ministry. Write that down on your card. But don’t stop there—I’m asking you to tell someone else today, someone who can hold you accountable to this commitment and encourage you in your growth.

2. Great Commission commitment: To make disciples, we must share the Gospel and teach others about Jesus. This morning, I’m asking everyone to write down the first name, or just the initials, of one person in your life who needs to know Jesus. Then, commit to praying for that person every day as part of your prayer time—praying that God will open the door for you to share the Gospel with them. Don’t stop praying until you’ve had the opportunity to teach them about Jesus in some way.

Prayer for Mission: Close with a prayer asking God to equip and empower the church to live out the great commission in their community and beyond.

Now we’re gonna have communion and I’m going to ask each and every one of you here today to think about the gift that you have been given through the grace of the resurrected Son of God. I want to ask each of you to reflect on the reality that you do not deserve the gift that you have, that’s the point of a gift. Then I want you to go to the Lord in humility and recommit your life to his purposes, not your own. That starts at home, extends to church, and continues at work. That you are willing to be used however the Lord sees fit to use you.

Everyone is going to come up and take a communion element cup. There are 2 cups, the top is the juice, and the bottom is the bread. Then you will return to your seat and as you ready you will take those elements within you.

1 Corinthians 11:23–26 ESV

For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.