We pursue one more

We are the Church

TLK 3

Bottom line: We are a people called to relentlessly and intentionally pursue one more

Introduction

Week three of our We are the Church series…. We are looking at the description of the early church in Acts 2

I am really excited for today… we are going to be looking into the very heart of God, the mission of Jesus, and the invitation that God gives all of us who claim the name of Jesus

I don’t want to waste any time today so let’s dive in.

Truth

Acts 2:41-47→ only read v. 47→ background→ and then at the end, we see a description of not what the church is doing but rather what God is doing in the church

“Added to their number” → God is growing the church… people are coming to a saving faith in Jesus and being adopted into His kingdom→ something incredibly important to note before we move forward…

A point being made here is that God is the one who saves… Only God through the work of His Spirit can bring someone to salvation… extremely important for later

This is not the only time we see this phrase “added to their number” or “increased greatly their number” → Acts 6:7, 9:31, and 12:34

When we see something repeated in Scripture it is like God is highlighting it in neon, I want your attention on something that might not be obvious→ When this happens ask, “where else do I see this?”

This is the exact phrasing used in the Greek translation of the Old Testament, which they had copies of in the first century, in a very interesting passage.

Genesis 1:28→ This is known as the Creation Mandate… Given to Adam and Eve→ not just for population of the Earth but also population of God’s Kingdom… this is before the fall of man… God desires to dwell with His prized creation… He wants His kingdom to grow

But before Adam and Eve could even begin fulfilling that mandate… Genesis 3 happens→ recap→ sin separates God from His creation spiritually…. Now for God’s kingdom to multiply it was no longer just about people being born into the world…

We now have to be restored, reconciled, found

This is why God came→ Luke 19:10→here we see two things: the heart of God and the mission He has…

God’s Heart is for the lost→ for those who do not have a saving relationship with Jesus Christ

The mission of God is to seek and save the lost→ While God is the one who saves here is the crazy part→ he invites us to play a part in His mission

Matthew 28:18-20→ Great Commission→ part of making disciples is evangelism→ sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with others

This is not something only reserved for a special section of God’s people→ Not just for pastors and extraverts→ this is a call for all Christians… we see this all throughout Scripture

Right now, some of you might be feeling like I did when I first helped my father-in-law with a home improvement project.

Dave is a handy man among handymen→ I barely new what a screw driver was→ I was intimidated, terrified, overwhelmed, and over my head

Those feelings are valid, especially the way people think you have to share the gospel→ Large crowds, lights, microphones or on a street corner yelling at random people

Take a breath→ that is not everyone’s calling… that’s a gifting for some… so what does God ask of us?

1) To be able to articulate the good news→ run through the gospel

Acts 1:8→ Witness→ not lawyer→ to share the story of how Jesus saved you and transformed your life

2) To relentlessly and intentionally pursue one more for His Kingdom

Luke 15:1-7→ lost sheep→ Jesus tells this story to explain two different realities

How God seeks the lost through Jesus

Jesus is the Shepherd who chases down sinner, dying to reconcile sinners to their creator, rising from that grave to carry them home and heaven celebrates when one person comes to a saving faith in Jesus

God’s heart is for the one→ The one who is lost, the one who wandered away

God relentlessly and intentionally pursues the one more

It's not about massive crowds→ God would have come even if just one person would turn from their sin and to their savior

How God calls us to join in His mission for the one more→ We are called to the masses… People are not numbers, they are souls…

We are a people called to relentlessly and intentionally pursue one more

Application

How do we do this?--> Let’s look at the shepherd

The shepherd first had to realize one of his sheep was lost→ he knew that sheep… it was not a random sheep…

We pray and ask God to reveal to us our one more→ this is typically someone you already know… God wants to use us in the circles we run in to advance His Kingdom… co workers, family members, friends… someone who is close to you and far from God

The shepherd began intentionally looking for where the sheep would have gone… looking for tracks and signs of where the sheep went, listening for sounds… being that aware takes intentionality

Intentionally look for bridges to connect→ First to build the relationship, then to share the gospel

Dinners, gatherings, overlapping circles

Opportunities to expose them to the church→ Easter, kno, youth group, groups

One more blessing budget→ being generous with those time, talents, and treasures

The shepherd would have had to navigate… terrain like steep, rocky hillsides, deep ravines and dry riverbeds, thorns and thickets. Animals like lions, wolves, bears, and other dangerous animals in the wild. Darkness closing in without a flashlight. And other people like bandits and robbers lurking in the caves… But notice the shepherd did not give up… he was relentless

We must be relentless→ Don’t stop praying, don’t stop showing up, don’t stop inviting, don’t stop engaging… you’ll face rejection… but we can’t let the fear of rejection stop us from walking in our calling… Being relentless does not mean being annoying… that is where the intentionality comes in… God hasn’t given up on them, we should not either

The shepherd celebrated the finding and reuniting of his lost sheep

We celebrate when someone comes to a saving faith in Jesus→Whether it was the one you have been praying for or not→Being convicted over this years ago→ football verses salvation

May we be the people that celebrate the miracle of someone going from death in sin to life in Christ… may it also never get old for is to seek the lost and celebrate when they are found

We are called to be a people who relentlessly and intentionally pursue one more→We are not called to save… we are called to share

Who is your one more?

One more card→ closest to you and farthest from God

How are you going to relentlessly and intentionally pursue them?

Maybe first step is inviting them to Easter

Sit with them and follow up

This is about relationship building

Mentoring 101 promo→ great way to sharpen these skills, not just for your one more but for other intentional relationships as well.