Looking Forward

It's great to be together; I love that we get to be together.

I hope everyone had a great New Years Celebration, and got to see some fireworks, and didn't freeze off any fingers or toes...

We're in the middle of two transitional weeks here at Trinity.

Last week if you were with us, we looked at and how Samuel set up an "Ebenezer" or "a stone of remembrance" to remind the people of Israel that "God was their help. We then took some time to slow down and look backwards at 2017 and remind ourselves that God was faithful. We shared a number of stories of how God was at work in and through us as His Church and reminded ourselves that He is faithful. He's faithful in the big things, but also faithful in the little things, and we closed reading which reminds us that God cares about the smallest details in our lives.

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This week we'd like to spend some time looking forward. We want to start the year building on the foundation of 2017. Ultimately, we want to say, in light of all that God did in and through his church in 2017,

What does God want to do through His Church in 2018?

This question is the foundation for our time together today.

So, let me say right off the top here that "His Church" is the collection of His people. So as we read that question, we need to be asking ourselves as individuals, as families, and then also as Trinity Bible Church "What does God want to do in and through me/us in the coming year?"

The question is one that we need to prayerfully consider, that we need to ask God regularly, and then to listen for Him to speak and to what He has to say to us after praying that question.

Sometimes it's the listening that's the hard part, we pray like we're on the phone with someone, but we hang up right after we finish speaking.

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So, looking forward to 2018:

Trinity Bible Church has a mission statement, and I apologize for not bringing it up more as I've transitioned into my role here. Here it is:

"Trinity Bible Church exists to bring God glory through gospel-centred worship, community and mission."

There's actually a lot that is packed into those words, so we're going to deal with them here today.

The first essential element to everything we do as a community of faith is that we want to be

Gospel-Centered

Everything follows from this. We believe that it's all about the person and work of Jesus. His perfect life, his atoning/redeeming death on the cross and his conquering Satan, sin and death in his resurrection so that we can have abundant life.

A definition of the gospel I like using is this:

The just and gracious God of the universe looked upon hopelessly sinful people and sent His Son, Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, to bear His wrath against sin on the cross and to show His power over sin in the resurrection so that all who turn and trust in Him will be reconciled to God forever.

[scriptures]

John 3:16–17 ESV

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

John 3:18 ESV

Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

Romans 5:8 ESV

but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

; romans 5:8; Ephesians 2:4-9

romans 5:8; Ephesians 2:4-9

Ephesians 2:4–9 ESV

But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 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.

I pray for 2018 that we as individuals, families, small groups and as a group of believers become more and more fluent in this language of the gospel. That we'd not just memorize another definition, but we'd be able to take the gospel and apply it in every area of our lives.

How does the gospel affect how I parent? Well, Jesus is still working in and through me conforming me to his image (), so I need to give my kids the same grace that God gives me as they too are growing and figuring out who they are in Christ.

How does the gospel affect my relationships? Well, do I love people as God loves me? Do I forgive and God has forgiven me?

How does the gospel affect how I value others? Well God sees enough value in you and I that he sent Jesus to die on a cross so that the relationship between God and man could be restored. If I look at people as being created in the image and likeness of God, (which is how God does by the way) then I will treat them better, and I'll also have a healthier view of myself too.

We want to be gospel-centred.

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We want to bring God glory through Gospel-Centred Worship

Practically as a church, this means that everything we do points to Jesus.

It means that when we gather on the weekend, we want to tell stories of how God is at work in our lives. It means that when we're choosing songs to sing together, we're making sure that they point us to Jesus.

When someone gets up to speak in front of the church, they will open the Bible and speak about God's Word to us.

It means that when we serve, whether it's in the nursery or kids church classes, or greeting or making coffee or helping people park or ushering, we're doing so because we recognize that God loves us so much that he sent Jesus for us, and we want to live out of that joy, and we want to find ways to let everyone hear that good news.

Now you can see all of this sort of fits into the gathering time, but what about the other 167 hours of the week?

See, worship extends beyond the 60-75 minutes we spend together on a weekend. One definition of worship I found helpful this week is this:

Worship: Praise, adoration and reverence of God, both in public and in private.

Worship isn’t just something we do with a team on a Sunday morning, it’s a lifestyle, it’s an every moment of every day attitude. It’s looking for ways to praise God in everything, every moment of every day.

It’s recognizing that God is God and we are not God (nB: Ecc 5:2

Well we've already asked the question of how the gospel affects the other areas of our life, so the other 167 hours of the week also fall under the question "What does God want to do through His Church in 2018?" don't they?

Ecclesiastes 5:2 ESV

Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few.

(

and giving him authority over our lives. It’s submitting our world’s and our futures to the one who spoke the world into existence and who holds the future in his hands.

[scriptures ps 95: 1-7 (call to worship),

Romans 12:1–2 ESV

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Romans 12:1 ESV

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

We want to bring God glory with our Gospel-Centred Worship.

How will we bring God glory with our Gospel-Centred Worship in 2018?

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How will we bring God glory with our Gospel-Centred Worship in 2018?

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We want to bring God glory with our Gospel-Centred Community

There’s something amazing about when the church gathers. It’s special because there’s really not other reason why we’d all get together other than Jesus. And maybe you find that in other communities/groups (I’m thinking of maybe the membership of the golf club I worked at for a couple summers, but even there, there was “class” differences).

See, Gospel-Centred community is different because we all recognize our need for Jesus, and we all recognize that we’re a part of this (new race/people) that we talked about looking at Ephesians in the fall, where we’re in Christ, and that’s our defining characteristic.

Practically, that means when we gather, we all come as needy people. Actually entering a church gathering as a follower of Jesus is actually admitting that “hey I don’t have it all together, and I need Jesus, and I need to be around other people who also need Jesus.” It means that we don’t need to wear masks or put on a happy face just for show when we’re together, but a gospel-centred community is one where we share our lives with one another celebrating God’s goodness and victories in our lives, but also weeping together when times are hard.

And again, this goes beyond the 60-75 minutes that we gather on a weekend. This community extends in to the everyday stuff of life. We check up with one another via text, grab coffee, meet to study the Bible or pray together, again both weeping/mourning together, and also celebrating.

I got to experience both the joy and the weight of this within about 30 minute period on Tuesday morning this week; I got an email from a friend saying “God answered our prayers here, it’s amazing and so good!” and then I got on the phone and barely help the tears from flowing freely as I left a voicemail for a mentor/coach/cheerleader from the ABA as he just lost a colleague.

I’ve heard it said, that our community, the way we live life and do it together as followers of Jesus is one of the greatest apologetics, or evidences that people who need to meet Jesus, get for Jesus.

[scriptures

John 17:11 ESV

And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.

Galatians 3:28 ESV

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 4:4–6 ESV

There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

There’s something amazing about when the church gathers. It’s special beau

We want to bring God glory through Gospel-Centred Community

How will we bring God glory through Gospel-Centred Community in 2018?

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We want to bring God glory through Gospel-Centred Mission

“Mission” is something of a buzzword of the church these days; “being on mission,” “missional thinkers,” “Missional Communities,” etc. And so it’s helpful to define this term as well:

Mission: The continuation of Jesus’ mission through his followers

As we pursue “Gospel-Centred Mission” we’re ultimately saying we are continuing the work that Jesus started and modelled for us, and then gave us the Holy Spirit to pursue when he ascended back in to heaven.

Fortunately, the Bible gives us a really clear picture of what Jesus’ mission was. Let’s walk through it (admittedly) quickly.

Luke 4:18–21 ESV

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

Jesus gave us his mission statement; proclaim good news to the poor; proclaim freedom/liberty to the captives; sight to the blind, freedom for the oppresses and the coming of the Kingdom of God.

We can see Jesus’ heart for people who are far from God (which we actually see throughout the Bible as God’s heart for people).

has 3 parables that maybe we’re familiar with; lost sheep, lost coin, prodigal son which all speak of God's priority for the sinner who repents, God's heart is to bring the lost sheep back into the fold, to celebrate the lost being found.

Luke 19:10 ESV

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

John 12:46 ESV

I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” 

"I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness."

Mark 2:17 ESV

And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

"Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” 

(ESV)

"For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

(MSG)

"I’m here to invite outsiders, not coddle insiders."

The primary goal of Jesus seems to be bringing people back into a relationship with God the father.

One last passage,

Paul writes:

1 Timothy 1:15 ESV

The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.

"The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost."

The mission is to “proclaim good news (ie the gospel)”

We can see more of Jesus’ mission later in :

Matthew 22:34–40 ESV

But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

Matthew 22:34–40 ESV

But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

Jesus being challenged by the “church people” of his day summed up the whole OT in these two commandments:

Love God with all that you are (heart, soul, mind) [with every globule of one’s being]

Love our neighbour / Love people

Recall that when asked “who is my neighbour?” Jesus tells a story where the hero/the neighbour, is the least expected hardest to love (the Good Samaritan). This “Great Commandment” is to view every person, no matter how they feel about us, as one who is treasured by God, because they’re created by God and in the image of God, and as someone who has enough value TO God that he sent Jesus to redeem them.

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The last piece of mission here, is the “Great Commission,” Jesus’ last words to his followers in

Matthew 28:18–20 ESV

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.”

Matthew 28:18–20 ESV

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.”

Gospel-Centered mission is taking the gospel, proclaiming the good news that God sent Jesus to rescue humanity from ourselves, to all people groups.

But not just proclaiming the gospel, continuing to teach and train and disciple, pointing people towards repentance and baptism, and leading people to teach others about the good news as well.

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We want to bring God glory through Gospel-Centred Mission.

How will you bring God glory through Gospel-Centred Mission in 2018?

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Last week we told lots of stories of how God was faithful.

This week let me tell you some way we as a community, through Trinity, hope to bring God glory through gospel-centred worship, community and mission in 2018:

weekly services

making space to worship through prayer, song, scripture, preaching, giving serving

create environments Sat PM and Sun AM where people can hear and experience the gospel

Sunday School/Children’s Church/Nursery

Caring for and loving our kids

teaching the bible

being their friends

serving parents (so they can be in the service themselves)

Greeting/Hospitality ministry

Welcoming people to this place and connecting people to community (cards, ministries, going out for meals)

Bible Studies

BSF

Men’s Friday AM

Other Gatherings TBA

Right Now Media

Young Adults

Youth Tuesday Evenings

Skier’s Church

Jan 28 - Easter

“Souperbowl” Sunday

Food and Friends (Kay to share)

Those are just some of the ways, we’re praying that God would continue to lead us and show us where he wants to take us as a congregation in 2018.