B2B: How Do We Get There?

Back 2 Basics Recap

Mission: Talihina First Baptist Church exists to help the lost be saved and the saved be disciples.

Vision: At TFBC our ambition is to be an outpost of God’s Kingdom that spreads His Gospel and His Influence throughout the valley and beyond.

How do we keep our mission in focus? How do we keep our vision in front of us?

How do we continue to the be the Church who exists to help the lost be saved and the saved be disciples?

How do we grow towards being an outpost for God’s Kingdom that spreads His Gospel and His influence throughout the valley and beyond?

How do we keep our focus and keep on track?

If we are going to live our mission and live on purpose towards our vision we must do so by holding fast to our motto: Jesus Today, Jesus Everyday, Jesus Always…in All Things!

What does this look like?

Acts 4:1–20 ESV

1 And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, 2 greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3 And they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. 4 But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand. 5 On the next day their rulers and elders and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, 6 with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John and Alexander, and all who were of the high-priestly family. 7 And when they had set them in the midst, they inquired, “By what power or by what name did you do this?” 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, 9 if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, 10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. 11 This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” 13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. 14 But seeing the man who was healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition. 15 But when they had commanded them to leave the council, they conferred with one another, 16 saying, “What shall we do with these men? For that a notable sign has been performed through them is evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 17 But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name.” 18 So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, 20 for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”

1) Remember: Only Jesus Saves

This world is looking for something that will bring a difference to them.

Some people look to spirituality.

Some people look to careers and occupations.

Some people look to philanthropy and good deeds.

Despite all of man’s best efforts, there is only place to find salvation… Acts 4:12 “12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Only Jesus truly saves.

Only Jesus truly brings freedom from the penalty of sin, the power of sin, and ultimately the presence of sin.

Only Jesus can bring a new heart and a new life.

Only Jesus bring us from a place of dying to a place of truly living and living in His abundant care, peace, and hope!

In reality, Jesus is exclusive!

Only He is the way the truth and the life…no one can make it to the Father apart from Him.

This is why Jesus must be exclusive in our lives!

He deserves all of our focus, all of our attention, and all of our purposes!

We must make sure that we live all of life all for Jesus!

When we honor Christ in all things because He is the only one who truly saves and gives us life worth living, it isn’t always well received by those who are perishing.

1 Corinthians 1:18 “18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

Because Jesus is the only one who saves is why we must live out Jesus Today, Jesus Everyday, Jesus Always…in All Things!

2) Regard Jesus Over Culture

Text background

Peter and John were at the temple when a crippled beggar asked for some money.

Peter and John, being preachers, didn’t have any money, but being moved the Spirit, gave this man what money couldn’t buy him…healing.

When he was able to walk for the first time, he leaped up and entered the temple walking, leaping, and praising God (3:8)

People recognized him and his transformation and quickly gathered in a large group around him and the apostles.

With an assembled crowd, Peter shared the gospel calling people to repentance. (3:12-26)

The apostles were serving Christ without the permission of the cultural leaders.

This is why they were greatly annoyed (v. 2)

They didn’t mind the good works, but they sure didn’t like the Gospel of Jesus being proclaimed.

They gripe was not that someone was healed or that a miracle had taken place…it was that Jesus was bring proclaimed.

The cultural leaders killed Jesus and wanted Him to stay dead, but the power of God is greater than the ambitions of the culture.

When we live out Jesus always, it may annoy those who feel the need to protect cultural norms.

How often do we suppress talking about Jesus because “religious” discussions shouldn’t be taking place?

Remember, the church is the assembled people of Jesus who unify together for His glory. It’s the people, not the building.

So if we are going to be true to our mission and vision while we are assembled, we need to true to our mission and vision when we are not assembled.

The exclusivity of Jesus as the only means for life and salvation needs to permeate all aspects of our lives!

We cannot just live for Jesus only when and where the culture deems it tolerable. We must live all of life all for Jesus.

Because we regard Christ over Culture we must live out Jesus Today, Jesus Everyday, Jesus Always…in All Things!

3) Regard Jesus Over Comfort

Because only Jesus Saves, we must regard Jesus over our comforts.

In the text here, speaking boldly for Jesus landed Peter and John a night in jail.

Spoiler Alert…the Gospel ends us landing them in even more uncomfortable places also.

When we live out our lives for Jesus we will often stand in opposition to the culture and this will bring some discomfort to us.

Jesus says we should expect as much!

John 16:33 “33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.””

Luke 9:57–62 “57 As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” 59 To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” 60 And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” 61 Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” 62 Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.””

Following Jesus will cost you worldly comforts, but we find our comfort in heaven rather than in the world there is much joy!

The apostles and disciples of Jesus knew that what they needed wasn’t comfort, but rather boldness.

Acts 4:23–31 ESV

23 When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, 25 who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, “ ‘Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain? 26 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed’— 27 for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. 29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

Because we Regard Christ Over Comfort we can boldly live Jesus Today, Jesus Everyday, Jesus Always…In All Things!

Closing

Where are you currently in your life? Are you choosing Jesus Today, Jesus Everyday, Jesus Always…in All Things?

As we close our time together, let us commit ourselves to Christ and the mission and vision of His Church as we dedicate ourselves to Jesus Today, Jesus Everyday, Jesus Always…In All Things!