Creation, Formation, and Mission

Psalm 8 / Genesis 1:1-4 / 2 Corinthians 13:11-13 / Matthew 28:16-20

Creation

Genesis 1:1–4 “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.”

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

The God who made all things started with absolutely [ nothing ].

This means your heart is never too far gone or too broken for Him to make all things [ new ].

Formation

2 Corinthians 13:11–13 “Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you.”

An orderly formation of creation:

Day and Night

Separating sky and earth

Separating water from land and created plant life

Sun Moon and stars

Creating birds and fish

Creating Land animals, and then creating People

An orderly formation of believers:

Rejoice

True rejoicing does not mean pretending everything is fine or faking our [ happiness ].

Philippians 4:4–9 “4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”

It is a quiet, learned practice of [ resting ] together in Christ, trusting deeply in who He is and what He is doing in your life and the life of the church.

God, be merciful to we who are sinners! Take joy, all you who are called by his name, for His mercies are already yours! Thanks be to God!

Aim for restoration

2 Corinthians 5:20 “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”

The foundation of all our peace and mission begins with being [ reconciled ] to God Himself.

Galatians 6:1 “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.”

As God’s family, we do not condemn those who fall; we step in to help [ restore ] them, exactly as Christ has done for us.

Matthew 5:23–24 “So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.”

Loving your neighbor is an essential part of loving God.

The Lord calls us to let go of unresolved [ conflict ], because a heart holding tightly to bitterness struggles to hold onto Him in prayer.

Live in peace

Matthew 5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”

Romans 12:18 “If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.”

The church is called to be an instrument of [ peace ], both within our community and out in the world.

Following Jesus, the Prince of Peace, means we don't just prefer peace—we are actively called to be [ peacemakers ], not just peace keepers.

Participation in a local church

The way we are prepared for the mission is not by trying harder on our own, but by allowing God to [ form ] us through the shared life of a local [ church ].

Mission

Matthew 28:16–20 “Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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.””

Make Disciples: [ Share ] the grace of the gospel with everyone we meet.

Welcome the Family: Celebrate [ baptism ] as the beautiful doorway into our shared life and ministry.

Teach Faithful Living: Keep [ growing ] together in grace, matching our steps to Christ.

The upward call of God begins with a call to Christ to be born again. It continues in a calling to spiritual formation through and with the local church and to participate in faithful living and the great gospel mission until the Lord calls you home forever.