Live Missionally

Key Elements

In Matthew 9:35-10:42, Jesus proclaims to His disciples that people need the Gospel of Jesus Christ to transform their lives and true disciples of Jesus are called to sacrificially take that Gospel message to everyone no matter the cost.

Main idea of the message: As followers of Jesus and members of Stone Ridge Baptist Church, God calls us to live missionally—following Jesus’s example and grounding everything we do in the message of the Gospel.

I want the people of Stone Ridge Baptist Church to live missionally by following the example of Jesus and sacrificially giving their lives to the advancement of the Gospel.

Intro

Today, we conclude our Discover Stone Ridge sermon series and I think it is so awesome that on the day we are talking about living missionally at the same time, tonight, we are kicking off VBS for the week. Beginning tonight, we as a church have an opportunity to be a part of one of the largest missional ministry events we will do all year here on campus. This week children and families from all over this community and beyond will come be a part of VBS and will hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ presented to them in an incredibly creative way and hearts and lives of kids and moms and dads will be transformed by the Gospel message. It’s going to be an exciting week, it’s going to be an exhausting week, and it’s going to be amazing. And it really leads us to what we are going to be talking about today as we complete this journey we’ve been on looking at the mission and the vision God has given us here at Stone Ridge and how we pursue it with all that we are and all that we have.

So, we began about four weeks ago, walking through what it means to be a member here at Stone Ridge really dissecting the mission and vision that God has given us. And we’ve been centering everything we’ve been talking about around our vision statement which is Stone Ridge Baptist Church exists to make disciples of Jesus who love God passionately, grow in community, and live missionally. And this is the specific vision God has given us to pursue and this is the reason we have been placed here in this community. And as we pursue this vision, we are to be unified under the mission Jesus has given us and all Christ followers that we find in Matthew 28: 18-20, to make disciples of Jesus who make disciples of Jesus. And specifically here at Stone Ridge, we have a process and a pathway that we want everyone to pursue, it’s on the screen: (show process pic)

AT STONE RIDGE WE LOVE GOD PASSIONATELY: Through a lifestyle of gospel-centered worship. Through dedicated, personal engagement with God’s Word. Through intimate communion with God in prayer. Through sacrificial giving of our resources.

AT STONE RIDGE WE GROW IN COMMUNITY: By participating in a small group. By serving in unity with fellow believers. By intentionally discipling others. By cultivating accountable relationships.

And today, we conclude our time together by looking at the third step in our process: LIVE MISSIONALLY.

About 10 years ago, on our family vacation to Orange Beach, I scheduled an inshore fishing trip for me and the boys for a day while we were there. They had been begging me to go for a while so we booked it for a half day beginning in the morning. And the reason we did inshore was so we wouldn’t get sea sick. So we had been fishing all morning and we were catching a lot of fish and as our time was coming to an end, the captain wanted to take us out to the Perdido Pass under the bridge to see if we could catch some red fish. So, we make our way under the bridge and out to the edge of the pass and we turn around and begin to move along the rocks on one side of the pass. And we stop, and he tells us to drop our lines and we are all fishing and about every 30 seconds or so these large fishing boats come screaming past us into the pass and as they are slowing down the waves from their wake begin to rock our little fishing boat, so much so, that the front end of the boat goes completely under water and when it comes back up it the boat is full of water. And everything is getting soaked including us. And I thought, this is it, we are all going to die right here in this little fishing boat. And the capt. is not panicking at all. And very calmly says, “Well, I guess we need to head in.” Needless to say, we survived.

And I think sometimes life can feel that way. We’ve got so many things going on with family, church, work. We commit to so many things that are all good, because we feel like we can’t say no and before we know it, we find ourselves feeling like the water is coming over the sides and we are drowning. We are overloaded, stressed out, and ultimately, we find that we are not doing anything well.

And we get to the point in our lives where we have to narrow down the activities in our lives and we have to make choices. We have to decided what’s most important and we have to prioritize so we don’t get overwhelmed. And I think to do that, it all boils down to the way we look at life, the lens through which we see all things. And as Christ followers, that lens for us has to be the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We have to begin to see our lives and the activities of our lives through the lens of the Gospel. And when we do that, it changes everything for us. We know longer see the everything things us and our families are involved in as just things we have to do. We begin to see them as part of the mission of making disciples. Life no longer is just something we are getting through day to day and week to week, but we begin to truly realize what it means to live missionally. It’s us as followers of Jesus glorifying God in whatever unique stage of life we currently find ourselves in. Realizing that it is not an accident or a coincidence that we live where we live, work where we work, go to school where we go to school, and find ourselves in the places we find ourselves in. No, we have been placed in those situations by God to share our faith and to be used for His glory for the advancing of the Gospel in the lives of others. And as that becomes our mindset, we begin to truly realize what it means to live life with that missional mindset.

So, here’s our main idea for today as we conclude this series: As followers of Jesus and members of Stone Ridge Baptist Church, God calls us to live missionally—following Jesus’s example and grounding everything we do in the message of the Gospel.

So, the passage of Scripture we are looking at today is Matthew 9:35-10:39 and it is really one continuous event that Jesus used in the lives of His disciples to mobilize them for ministry. He was at this point about to send them out for the first time to do the ministry He’s been preparing them for. This is on the job training by Jesus for His disciples. And while we are going to focus in on the first section and the last section, in between we find a reality check for what discipleship truly is. As Jesus is sending out these 12 men, He begins to prepare them for what they are going to face and He gives them specific instructions on how they are to handle certain situations they will encounter.

So, looking at the beginning section of this text in Matthew 9:35-38, this is what it says....

So, this first section of Scripture serves two purposes: first, they are a summary of what has just been taught and what has occurred in Matthew 5-9, and second, they give us an introduction to the mission of the disciples. And what we see here is the perfect example of Jesus not just telling His disciples what to do but sending them out to do what He had been modeling for them up to this point.

And then, we come to the last section of our text and Jesus concludes all of this by saying this in vs. 37-39...

After walking His disciples through all of this instruction, He ends with the reality of what it cost to be a disciple of Him. He bookends this important moment by saying that all people need the Gospel of Jesus Christ to transform their lives and all followers of Jesus are called to be the ones who take that Gospel message to them.

Message

So as we look at our text today, here’s what we see. Our passage today reveals four ways we live missionally by following Jesus' example, and it highlights three foundations that anchor our lives in the message of the Gospel:

First, there are Four ways we live missionally here at Stone Ridge:

1. We intentionally share the Gospel at every opportunity. (9:35)

Opportunities to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ are all around us, we just have to be looking for them. There are times that we as followers of Jesus think that we rarely have an opportunity to share our faith and most of the time it is because we are so consumed with what’s going on in our own lives that we’re too busy to recognize the opportunities that are right in front of us. But, again, in vs. 35, we see Jesus setting the example for His disciples and for us. We see the scope and the focus of His ministry: it says “He taught, He preached, and He healed.” And Matthew uses the word “all” here meaning “the whole, but also implying everyone considered individually.” Literally, Jesus’ life was focused on ministering at every opportunity He was given no matter where He was. Jesus set the perfect example of what it means to intentionally live missionally by sharing the Gospel at every opportunity.

And as we look to the example of Jesus and follow the example of Jesus, and as we take our eyes off of ourselves and we focus on what’s going on around us, we will begin to recognize opportunities we have to share the Gospel every day. Living missionally for us as Christ followers and as members of Stone Ridge begins with us seeing every moment of life and every situation as an opportunity to intentionally share the Gospel. Next, we live missonally as...

2. We actively engage our community with the good news of Jesus. (9:36)

We live in a day and time, and it’s been like this for a while now, where people are in need of some good news. With all of the division we see in our country right now, we as Christ followers and the church have an incredible opportunity to bring hope to a world that is filled with hopelessness.

And when we look at this text, what we notice is that the people of Jesus’ time were no different. The Jewish people were experiencing some hopeless circumstances with the Roman occupation of the land and the corruption of the Jewish religious leaders. In fact, in vs. 36, Jesus points this out. He describes the people as “distressed and dejected” meaning “afflicted.” They were a people without spiritual leadership and were unprotected from evil. And Jesus’ reaction to them was compassion. He looked at them and His heart ached for them. And it’s that heart of compassion that drove Him to engage them with the only thing that would bring hope-it was the good news, the Gospel of salvation. Which is the only thing that still brings the ultimate hope. You see, in a hopeless world, as disciples of Jesus, we are called to bring the ultimate hope. The hope that we have found in the salvation that Jesus offers. We are called to actively engage our community with this good news showing them the compassion, the grace, and the mercy that they desperately need and are desperately looking for. And how does that happen? It happens as we live missionally, daily engaging our community with that good news. Showing them and telling them that, ultimately, hope is not found in anything this world has to offer but it’s only found in a relationship with God through Jesus Christ His Son. Living missionally at Stone Ridge happens as we actively engage our community with the good news of Jesus. And it happens as...

3. We sacrifice our comfort to reach the unreached around the world. (9: 37)

Now, we like comfort. Especially when it comes to our faith in Jesus Christ. But, when we read Scripture, rarely do we see comfort and discipleship coupled together. More than anything, we see discipleship coupled with sacrifice. And that is what Jesus is introducing His disciples to here. In vs. 37, He says… In other words, there are plenty of opportunities for the Gospel but so few who will step out of their comfort and be willing to sacrifice.

And I think the same is true in this day and time. Living missionally means getting out of our comfort zone when it comes to our faith in Jesus. Driven by compassion, like Jesus, we as the church must develop this mindset “Lord, since I am part of your church, I will go anywhere anytime for your glory.” Anywhere-our community, other cities, other states. To unreached people at the ends of the earth. Anytime-at the end of college, while my kids are young, when I retire, right now in the middle of my career. Our answer to the call of Jesus as followers of Jesus must be “yes, for God’s glory I will sacrifice.” Part of living missionally at Stone Ridge means we sacrifice our comfort to reach the unreached around the world. And it means...

4. We personally and financially invest in missions. (9:38)

Vs 38, Jesus says… Ultimately, what we see in Scripture is that discipleship is about following Jesus. We pray and then we go. As disciples of Jesus, with hearts set on Jesus, we submit to the responsibility Jesus gave His church to willingly go anywhere, give anything, all for the desire that the Gospel of Jesus Christ go everywhere. Disciples pray, hear the voice of Jesus, and follow Him. And for some that means selling everything and moving to another country. For some, that means going across the street or next door. But for everyone, following Jesus demands holding everything with open hands and being willing to say “God this is yours, I am yours and I’m willing to do whatever you ask me to do, go wherever you ask me to go, and give whatever you ask me to give.” And that’s what investing in missions means. It’s a personal stake, as a follower of Christ, in the spreading of the Gospel to the ends of the earth, either by physically going or giving so others can go.

So, what does it take for us to live missionally as followers of Jesus and members of Stone Ridge? What does it take for us to really get to the point where these four things become our mindset and the way we live? Well, Jesus gives us that answer in Matthew 10:37-39. If we are going to live missionally, then our lives must be anchored in the Gospel message. And Jesus gives us three foundations that do just that.

Three foundations that anchor our lives in the Gospel message: (and this is where I want to spend a little time this morning) Because what Jesus is saying here to His disciples is that if you are really going to follow Me, it will cost you everything.

1. A deep love for God that surpasses all other affections. (10:37)

Love is a word that sometimes gets used pretty flippantly. For me to say I love Auburn football is not the same as me saying I love my wife. There’s no comparison between the two. The experiences I’ve had with Kristi and the strong bond that we’ve built over the last 30 years has created a love that can’t be broken.

Remember, this comes in the context of Jesus talking about the cost of discipleship. He’s explaining to His closest followers what they will have to sacrifice now that they have chosen to follow Him and then He says something interesting, something that hits close to home in vs. 37...

Now to us this sounds harsh. This sounds out of the ordinary but to these 12 Jewish men this was language that was familiar. You see, “The Jews believed that one of the features of the day of the Lord, the day when God would break into history, would be the division of families. The Rabbis said: ‘In the period when the Son of David shall come, a daughter will rise up against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.’ ‘The son despises his father, the daughter rebels against the mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, and the man’s enemies are those from his own household.’ It is as if Jesus said: ‘The end you have always been waiting for has come; and the intervention of God in history is splitting homes and groups and families into two.” (William Barclay, The Gospel of Matthew)

You see, by addressing Jewish family relationships, Jesus is emphasizing the true cost of being a follower of Him. Letting His disciples know and emphasizing to everyone who chooses to be a follower of Jesus that true discipleship will bring a conflict of loyalties and when that happens, following Jesus must take precedence over the natural love of any other relationship. That’s sacrifice at its deepest level.

How many of us know that level of sacrifice to follow Jesus? Some of us might but I would dare say most of us have not been confronted with that choice. You see, as follows of Jesus called to live missionally, our lives must be marked by a love for God that surpasses all other affections. To love Jesus supremely above everything and everyone. It’s not giving Jesus first priority in our lives, it’s giving Him our lives. It’s not compartmentalizing Him but it’s making Him the source from which everything else flows in our lives.

Vs. 37 could easily say, “The one who loves their career more than me or their hobbies more than me or a cause or organization more than me.” Those things are all good things but when our love for other things or other people causes us to choose those things or those people over God or the things of God, then we cease to live missionally and we begin to live selfishly.

The first foundation that anchors our lives in the Gospel message is a deep love for God that surpasses all other affections.

Second, it’s...

2. A wholehearted embrace of every part of Jesus’ call on our lives. (10:38a)

Now, Jesus doesn’t let up, He continues in vs. 38...

If Jesus hasn’t gotten their attention, He’s about to. The Jews knew exactly what a cross meant. For them, it wasn’t a symbol of faith like it would eventually become after the death and resurrection of Jesus. For them it meant death. For them it symbolized the ultimate sacrifice. The cross was something that Jesus and these 12 men were all too familiar with, for they had seen the Romans put to death many by way of the cross.

So, when Jesus said to His disciples “And whoever doesn’t take up his cross...” their minds would have immediately gone to their journey ending in suffering and death. This picture of discipleship and following Jesus was not a pretty picture He was painting. Ultimately, here’s what Jesus is saying, “that to be my disciple is to willingly and wholeheartedly embrace every part of His call on our lives.” And eventually, not too long after this, He would set that example for them by going to the cross Himself.

Warren Wiersbe says this, “the deep love for Jesus found in vs. 37 is the motive for the cross in vs. 38.”

To live missionally, as followers of Jesus, our lives must possess this foundation of a wholehearted embrace of all of Jesus’ call on our lives. This means we embrace it all-the good and the bad. The hardship and the reward. Enduring all that comes with committing ourselves to this path of discipleship. Serving Him unconditionally, in spite of the conditions of life knowing that we were never promised a life without suffering but that our suffering serves as a means by which our faith and trust in God is strengthened. And as we as followers of Jesus live missionally wholeheartedly embracing all that Jesus’ calling on our lives involves, setting an example before the world about what it means to follow Jesus, we will see God glorified and the gospel transform the hearts and lives of people in our community.

The second foundation that anchors our lives in the Gospel message is a wholehearted embrace of every part of Jesus’ call on our lives.

Third, it’s...

3. A steadfast commitment to follow wherever God leads. (10:38b)

Jesus continues His challenge to His disciples. He says in the second part of vs. 38...

Now that word “follow” is unique. When we think of this word, we think of physically following someone around. And while it’s true that these 12 men would physically follow Jesus wherever He went, there’s a deeper meaning here. There, again, is the theme of sacrifice. Jesus is not just saying that to be His disciples meant physically walking with Him but to be His disciple meant to give up, to sacrifice, the former way of life and commit to a new way of living, His way. His calling on their lives was full devotion and commitment to Him. It’s literally the language of slavery. Jesus is saying that discipleship means voluntarily committing yourself to Him and His way of life, forsaking any former way or pattern of life, steadfastly following wherever He leads.

Jesus looks at these men and us as well and says, “Are you willing to walk along the road that I’m walking?” “Are you determined to accomplish the task you are accepting?” “Are you willing to go whatever direction I’m asking you to go? Because my path along the road, my life, the direction that we are headed ends at the cross, and if you’re not willing to go whatever direction I’m asking you to go then don’t call yourself a follower of mine.”

Living missionally, as followers of Jesus, means giving up all our personal rights and privileges to be a living sacrifice no matter where the road leads. It means living open handed willing to commit ourselves to serve Jesus for the rest of our days in whatever capacity He calls us to serve. And it means the determination to follow God whatever direction He asks us to go even if that means going a different direction than everyone else.

And what is the advantage of all of that? It’s found in vs. 39.… It’s a life that no one or nothing can take away because it is lived for the mission and the glory of God.

Closing

I want to share a final story with you that I read this week that speaks to what it means to live missionally: “A little more than two hundred years ago, Adoniram and Ann Judson boarded a ship and set sail for India on a journey that would eventually lead them to Burma (modern-day Myanmar). Along with William Carey, the Judsons are considered pioneers in the modern missions movement. These converted Baptist missionaries (they were previously Congregationalists) were and continue to be used by God in some extraordinary ways for the cause of global missions; however, their journey looked anything but successful on the outside. The intense suffering the Judsons endured on the mission field was foreshadowed by a letter written from Adoniram to Ann’s father asking for permission to marry his daughter. The following is Adoniram’s candid request: I have now to ask, whether you can consent to part with your daughter early next spring, to see her no more in this world; whether you can consent to her departure, and her subjection to the hardships and sufferings of missionary life; whether you can consent to her exposure to the dangers of the ocean, to the fatal influence of the southern climate of India; to every kind of want and distress; to degradation, insult, persecution, and perhaps a violent death. Can you consent to all this, for the sake of him who left his heavenly home, and died for her and for you; for the sake of perishing, immortal souls; for the sake of Zion, and the glory of God? Can you consent to all this, in hope of soon meeting your daughter in the world of glory, with the crown of righteousness, brightened with the acclamations of praise which shall redound to her Savior from heathens saved, through her means, from eternal woe and despair? (Anderson, To the Golden Shore, 83)

Gratefully, Ann’s dad said “yes,” the couple was married, and a year later they set sail. Ann’s dad would never see his daughter or son-in-law again. In fact, Ann would lose her life sharing the gospel with people who had never heard the good news of Jesus Christ. As a result of the Judson’s service, today there are nearly 4,000 Baptist churches with more than a half a million followers of Christ in the heart of Buddhist Burma/Myanmar.” (David Platt, Exalting Jesus in Matthew)

May we at Stone Ridge live missionally, following the example set for us by Jesus and seeing all of our lives through the lens of the Gospel.

So, where does this leave us today?

Non Believer-For you it begins by surrendering your heart and life to Jesus Christ. And realizing that there’s nothing greater that you can give your life to than to spend the rest of your days serving the One who gave His life for you.

Believer-Maybe you realize today that God is calling you to live missionally for Him. To put aside anything that you love more that you love Jesus, to be willing to embrace every aspect of Jesus’ calling on your life as a believer, and to be determined to follow Jesus whatever direction He is leading you.