WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

INTRO

What are you doing? - We say this all the time, don’t we?

- Working on something / building something / little kids / your kids / teenagers / looking at something on your phone?

- Today, I want to talk about “What we are Doing” as a Church!!!

- The Church isn’t a Building or a pastor, it’s all of us!!!

Why do we exist as a church? ? What are we doing?

* We are a Family on Mission!!!

* We exist for people to Know Jesus, find freedom, discover purpose, and make a difference.

- What does that mean?

Lost People Found. Found People Free. Free People Empowered to make a Kingdom Impact.

Let me get Practical:

- Habit / Hurt / Hangup… past or present - Jesus wants you to be free!

If you are Found & Free, then it’s time to Get on Mission!!!

- It’s time to Get Empowered to Make a Kingdom Impact!!!

- Today I want us to look at Something Jesus said & it’s actually recorded in 3 of the 4 Gospels!

- This is 1 of only a handful of stories that’s found in 3 of the 4 Gospels!!!

- He said it to His disciples at least 3 times b/c they kept Getting their Head Down & Losing Sight of What they were doing & Why they were doing it!!!

- I want us to Look at All 3 Occasions b/c they have everything to do with us as well!!!

MAIN POINT - BEING RENEWED CHANGES OUR OUTLOOK.

John 4 - Explain… Jesus & the Disciples are going from Jerusalem to Galilee (North) & instead of going around, they go THROUGH Samaria!

- Racially Tense Region - Jesus stops at a well to drink, a woman comes in the middle of the day (b/c she had a bad reputation), He sends the disciples to go get lunch, then He engages her in conversation.

- They have this lively exchange / Jesus speaks into her heart / Then reveals Himself as the Messiah!!!

- At this exact moment, the Boys come back…

John 4:27 NLT

Just then his disciples came back. They were shocked to find him talking to a woman, but none of them had the nerve to ask, “What do you want with her?” or “Why are you talking to her?”

- She leaves to go tell the town!!!

- The disciples have their heads down…

John 4:31–35 NLT

Meanwhile, the disciples were urging Jesus, “Rabbi, eat something.” But Jesus replied, “I have a kind of food you know nothing about.” “Did someone bring him food while we were gone?” the disciples asked each other. Then Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work. You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest.

1. LOOK WITH RENEWED PURPOSE

A. THE DISCIPLES WERE LOOKING SO MYOPICALLY!

They allowed their vision to get so far down into the details that they weren’t able to see the VERY THING that Jesus and THEY were on Earth to do…REACH PEOPLE FOR HIM

“Guys, the whole town is coming out!!!”

B. GOD HAS PUT YOU IN THIS CHURCH FOR A PURPOSE AND A REASON. (snowbirds, young adults, young marrieds, 40 & 50 somethings, single people, teenagers, retired)

You are on this Earth and in this church for a reason!

You have a purpose in on this Earth and in this House!

C. I BELIEVE JESUS IS SAYING TO US IN THIS SEASON, IT’S TIME TO LIFT UP YOU HEAD AND LOOK AROUND AND SEE THE HARVEST ALL AROUND YOU!

People are moving here from all around the country!

God is bringing the harvest and we can be one of the prevailing church in our region to impact them.

D. IT’S TIME TO LOOK WITH RENEWED PURPOSE

Matthew 9:35–36 NLT

Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Matthew 9:37–38 NLT

He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”

2. LOOK WITH RENEWED VISION

A. JESUS AND THE DISCIPLES WERE VIEWING WHAT THEY WERE DOING DIFFERENTLY.

Everywhere they went, Jesus looked with eyes of compassion, but the disciples were look through another lens.

Obligation / burden / frustration / faceless masses / overwhelming needs / exhaustion

B. GOD WILL SEND YOU TO IMPACT PEOPLE LIKE NEVER BEFORE, BUT YOU NEED TO SEE THE OPPORTUNITY THROUGH NEW EYES

SUPPORT

C. GOD HASN’T PUT YOU IN A CHURCH THAT IS CONTENT, HAPPY AND SETTLED.

God has planted you in a church that is called to impact the SouthShore region.

D. WE HAVE A VERY UNIQUE CALLING, CHURCH FAMILY.

God has placed you in this house to make a difference in the lives of thousands of people.

People in our community need compassion, they need to be seen, they need hope.

There are no perfect churches. Time to forgive church hurt and see the harvest again.

E. GOD WANTS US TO SEE WITH EYES OF COMPASSION AND VISION TO SEE WHY WE ARE HERE.

It’s not just for us. It’s for others.

Luke 9:57–62 NLT

As they were walking along, someone said to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go.” But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head.” He said to another person, “Come, follow me.” The man agreed, but he said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.” But Jesus told him, “Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead! Your duty is to go and preach about the Kingdom of God.” Another said, “Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me say good-bye to my family.” But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.”

Making excuses

Luke 10:1–2 NLT

The Lord now chose seventy-two other disciples and sent them ahead in pairs to all the towns and places he planned to visit. These were his instructions to them: “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.

Luke 10:3 NLT

Now go, and remember that I am sending you out as lambs among wolves.

3. LOOK AT A RENEWED SELF

Romans 12:2 NLT

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

A. EVERYWHERE HE WAS ABOUT TO GO…HE SENT THEM FIRST.

The same is true with us.

B. GOD IS MOVING ACROSS OUR REGION…HE IS SENDING US!!! - WE MUST LOOK AT OURSELVES.

The time is NOW.

C. 4 AREAS TO PRAY ABOUT

God is going to speak to many of you to go!

God is going to speak to everyone of us to give.

God is going to speak to many of you to step and serve.

God is going to speak to dozens of people to lead.

D. God hasn’t just put you on this planet to go to work, pay your bills, shuttle kids to actvities and survive.

He has put us here to make a kingdom impact.

E. YOU MATTER / YOUR VOICE MATTERS / YOUR GIFTS MATTER / YOU MATTER TO GOD AND TO US AND TO THOSE WHO DESPERATELY NEED JESUS.

RESULT: WHEN SOMEONE ASKS YOU, “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?”

I’M MAKING A KINGDOM IMPACT.

THE HARVEST IS PLENTIFUL, BUT THE LABORERS ARE FEW.

I DON’T WANT TO STAND BEFORE GOD ONE DAY AND HERE HIM SAY, “I BLESSED YOU AND GAVE YOU GIFTS AND TALENTS AND FINANCES AND ALL YOU DID WAS USE THEM FOR YOURSELF”

CHALLENGE: PERSONAL CHALLENGE

GO

GIVE

SERVE

LEAD

CONCLUSION/CLOSE