Part 3: Mission & Message — Why the Church Exists and the Gospel We Share
Week 3: Mission & Message — Why the Church Exists and the Gospel We Share
Theme: Understanding the mission of the church and the gospel of Jesus Christ as Savior and King.
Mission: To multiply disciples through authentic relationships.
Vision: To see gospel-centered, disciple-making communities in every neighborhood in Utah Valley, the State of Utah, and every nation.
Goal: Help new people grasp why the church exists, how they participate in its mission, and the centrality of the gospel in our lives.
Introduction
The church exists for a purpose: to help people follow Jesus, grow spiritually, serve others, and multiply disciples. Understanding our mission and message gives clarity for how we live, serve, and engage with the world around us.
Matthew 28:19–20 (ESV) 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.
Disciple Definition
A disciple is someone who is following Jesus, being changed by Jesus, and committed to the mission of Jesus
Matthew 4:19 (ESV) And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
The Mission of the Church
1. To make disciples who follow, are transformed, and go on mission
2 Timothy 2:2 (ESV) And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
2. To equip and send every member for ministry
Ephesians 4:11–12 (ESV) And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.
1 Corinthians 12:12–14 (ESV) For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many.
3. To build authentic, gospel-centered relationships
John 13:34–35 (ESV) A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.
4. To serve and express the Kingdom in the places we live, work, learn, and play
Acts 1:8 (ESV) 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.
As members of the church, we are called to bring God’s Kingdom into every part of our lives—our homes, workplaces, schools, neighborhoods, and recreation. Our faith isn’t confined to church walls; it shapes how we live, interact, and impact the world around us.
The Gospel Message
1. Jesus as Savior
Romans 1:16 (ESV) For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
Jesus saves us from:
Sin: Our rebellion against God and separation from Him.
Romans 6:23 (ESV) For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Death: Not only physical death, but eternal separation from God.
1 Corinthians 15:54–57 (ESV) When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
The powers of darkness: Satan, spiritual oppression, and the forces opposed to God’s Kingdom.
Colossians 1:13–14 (ESV) He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Jesus as Savior is the foundation of our faith—without Him, we cannot be reconciled to God or participate in His Kingdom.
2. Jesus as King—proclaiming the Kingdom
Matthew 4:17 (ESV) From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
The Greek word for "Gospel" (euangelion) originally referred to a royal announcement of a military victory or the arrival of a king/kingdom. Jesus's message is a royal proclamation that:
The King has arrived: In the person of Jesus, God's kingly authority has broken into the world in a way never before seen in human history.
A new age has begun: Jesus's actions, such as healing the sick, casting out demons, and forgiving sins, are tangible proof that God's reign is active and reversing the effects of evil.
A new way of life is possible: The Gospel is not merely a ticket to heaven, but an invitation to live under the transforming rule of God in the present.
3. Salvation by grace through faith, not works
Ephesians 2:8–9 (ESV) For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Application
1. Reflect on what it means to follow Jesus, be changed by Him, and commit to His mission
2. Identify one way you can participate in the church’s mission this week—serve, invite, or make disciples
3. Memorize or meditate on a Scripture about the gospel to strengthen your confidence in sharing it
4. Pray for opportunities to live out the church’s mission in your daily life
Closing Thought
Romans 10:14–15 (ESV) How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”
