Rooted: Rooted in Mission

HOOK

SLIDE 1

My wife, two of my kids, and I were driving to the beach for vacation. I can’t remember if it was last year or the year before. We had gotten over half of the way to North Carolina when our kids woke up out of their early morning sleepy stupor. Timmy, my youngest, was in the car with us.

I can’t remember the question he asked, but my wife answered kindly and lovingly. After the answer, Timmy quickly responded, “why?” My wife continued her explanation. Timmy again responded, “why?”

Now my wife is the oldest of four kids, so when Timmy began to play the “why” game with her, she was less than amused. On the other hand, I am the youngest in my family, and I found hysterical that Timmy was engaging in the “why” game. In fact, the only thing that made it more fun for me was that Maria was so annoyed by it.

That question “why” can be extremely annoying when it is asked a dozen times in a row by a five year old, but it is an integral question in our faith journey.

Today, we are wrapping up our Rooted: Faith that Holds in Real Life series. We’ve explored what it means to be rooted in grace, identity, and community, but there is one more layer we can’t ignore if we want faith that actually holds: mission.

If growth starts in undeserved, unwarranted grace, is built upon our identity as children of God, and occurs in community, then it is vital to understand our purpose - our mission.

As a tree grows in order to bear fruit, provide shade, and give life to the world around it through photosynthesis, so to does a rooted faith exist for more than just itself.

So here’s the core truth for today:

A rooted faith isn’t static - it’s a sent faith. It is a faith that grows when it is shared. We don’t just get to receive grace, identity, and community from God - we’re sent to bring that life to others.

HEAD

Sent

In John 20:21, Jesus says the following to his disciples:

SLIDE 2

John 20:21 NLT

Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.”

It is important for us to understand the context of this statement. This is after Jesus has been crucified and has died on the cross. This is after Jesus has resurrected from the dead on that first Easter morning. This is the resurrected Jesus talking to his disciples that he has gathered together, and these are the very first words Jesus says to them as a group.

Jesus didn’t rise from the grave saying, “Whew, I’m glad all that is over.” He rose and said, “Let’s get started.”

The very first thing Jesus does is send them out in the same way that the Father sent him.

Before we get into any of the questions about what that tangibly looks like, we need to sit in the truth that the resurrection was never supposed to be a conclusion. It’s the launchpad of a new movement with a mission and a purpose.

We are sent by Christ in the same way that Jesus was sent by the Father. We are sent with a purpose to “seek and save those who are lost” (Luke 19:10). As Paul states, God’s plan is “to bring everything together in Christ, both things in heaven and things on earth in him” (Eph. 1:10 CSB).

That mission is not just for the pastors, missionaries, or leaders among us. Jesus has sent each of us, his church, on mission just as the Father sent him.

SLIDE 3

“It is not the church that has a mission, but the mission of God that has a church.”

- Christopher J.H. Wright

It is God’s mission given to us, his church. We exists to fulfill and engage with that mission given by God.

The Commission

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So what does this mission look like? What are we sent to go and do in the world?

Let’s flip over to Matthew 28:18-20

SLIDE 5-6

Matthew 28:18–20 NLT

Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Authority

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This passage is often referred to as The Great Commission. And while it does tell us of the things we are to be about, Jesus begins by sharing with his disciples that he has all authority in heaven and on earth.

SLIDE 8

That word for authority can also be translated as “power.”

In other words, before we are called to go anywhere or do anything, we need to remember that there is not a single corner of this world that Jesus does not have authority and power over. We go in that authority and that power. As the theologian Abraham Kuyper declared:

There is not one inch in the entire area of our human life about which Christ, who is Sovereign of all, does not cry out, “Mine!”697 Abraham Kuyper, Abraham Kuyper: A Centennial Reader

Abraham Kuyper (Calvinist Theologian and Politician)

Assignment

SLIDE 9

And in that authority, we are called to go, make disciples, baptize, and teach.

Go

Jesus calls us to go. We are sent by Christ, which connotes that there is going to be some kind of action involved. This doesn’t necessarily mean that God is calling you to move somewhere around the globe (although it doesn’t discount that either). What it means is that the mission is not something we just sit back and hope comes true. We are called to be active participants in the mission.

Make Disciples

As we go, we are to make disciples. Notice that it doesn’t say that the goal is to see people converted, say a sinner’s prayer, or become members of a church. The goal is to make disciples- people who pattern their lives after Christ. And we are called to do it among all people groups, backgrounds, skin colors, ethnicities, and languages.

Baptize

As we make disciples, Jesus calls us to baptize people - not because their eternity hangs in the balance but because of the power of the sacrament signifying a death to the old way of being and new life found in Christ. We invite people into the community of believers as they publicly declare their faith in Christ.

Teach

And finally, we are to teach others, but we don’t just teach them any old thing. We are called to teach them to obey everything Christ commanded. We are to teach them what Jesus commanded and taught. We are not commissioned to teach them our political viewpoints, our cultural adaptations, or what we have found to be more effective this side of eternity. We are called to teach and make disciples of Christ.

Presence

SLIDE 10

In Jesus’ authority, we are given an assignment. But my favorite part of this passage lies in the last line of this commission.

As you going… as you are making disciples… as you are baptizing… as you are teaching… Christ promises that his very presence will go with us.

He commissions and sends us, but he does not leave us to figure it all out on our own. He goes with us into every conversation, every situation, every corner of all of Creation.

HEART

SLIDE 11

Mission for Everyone

Jesus does not say that mission is for the spiritually elite. He doesn’t say it is for those who have seminary degrees. He doesn’t say that you need a microphone, a certain number of followers on social media, or a certain number of years following him under your belt.

Mission is for every follower of Jesus - young, old, male, female, educated, or not.

In fact, this is one of the operating principles that Restoration Church is built on: “All are equal ministers of the Gospel… and are called to work within their gifting.”

You see, I believe that God didn’t randomly drop Restoration Church in Frederick. I believe that he has placed us here on purpose. He has placed us to be a Jeremiah 29:7 kind of people:

Jeremiah 29:7 NLT

And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.”

You see, this city is not just our home, the place we grocery shop, eat, and play. It’s our mission field.

There are neighbors who have never heard the gospel clearly.

There are families who feel isolated and alone.

There are kids and teens searching for purpose and identity.

We do not seek to be a rooted people only for our own growth, but we seek it in order to be a people who reach out to others as well.

Hands

SLIDE 12

So what’s the next step into mission? I want you to do one simple thing each day this week.

Pray this simple prayer:

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“God, who are you sending me to today?”

Ask God who is the one person you need to connect with, what is the one act of love you need to share, what is the one open door you need to walk through.

Then, once you hear from God, act on that:

Invite them to join you at church next week.

Find a way to serve and be a blessing to them.

Encourage them in whatever they may be going through.

Share your story of how Christ has transformed your life.

Last week, we heard from Gerald the power of prayer to bring healing and restoration into people’s lives. Last week, we saw the power of gospel as expressed in community when we baptized Patrick. And I don’t know about you, but when I left on Sunday I was thinking, “Give me more of that!”

Let’s pray that God would bring us more of that. Let’s promise to pray daily as a people that God would show us who we need to talk to, invite to church each week, and serve as a blessing toward.

Let’s pray daily that God would increase the reach, impact, and influence of Restoration Church to our community.

Let’s be a church that’s not just rooted in grace, identity, and community, but let’s also be a church that is rooted in mission - God’s mission for all of creation.

SLIDE 14

“Go therefore…”

Not someday. Not someone else. You. Now. With Jesus always.

Amen

Prayer