Untitled Sermon

Bumper Video — Jesus reading from the scroll

Message Nugget

Mark 8:27–29 NIV

Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.”

Bumper Video — Jesus reading from the scroll

INTRODUCTION

What is a missionary?

— People going all around the world sharing the Good News? (Pics)

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— People going all around the world sharing the Good News? (Pics)

What is missions and where does it happen?

Here’s what we need to grasp in a powerful way: Missions is not just somewhere else!

But here’s what we need to grasp in a powerful way: Missions is not just somewhere else!

Who are missionaries? Every believer that follows Christ as Lord! The mission field is everywhere we go, close or far; in our house or at the football game; at a funeral or at a birthday party; American Falls or Wales.

In , Jesus asked His Disciples, “Who do people say I am?” Then He put them in His cross hairs and asked, “Who do you say I am?” Peter spoke up!

In , Jesus had been busy all day long — throughout Capernaum preaching, praying for people, healing the sick, casting out demons. He needed time alone to pray…so before dawn the next morning He went out to a solitary place to pray. The people showed up looking for Jesus. The disciples found Jesus and told Him.

tIf Christ is in us and has transformed us — who will people see reflected in our lives? Jesus

In , Jesus had been busy all day long — throughout Capernaum preaching, praying for people, healing the sick, casting out demons. He was drained…He needed time alone to pray…so before dawn the next morning He went out to a solitary place to pray. The people showed up looking for Jesus. The disciples found Jesus and told Him that people wanted to see Him.

Mark 8:27–29 NIV

Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.”

Mark 1:29–39 NIV

As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her. So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them. That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. The whole town gathered at the door, and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was. Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!” Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

Mark 1:38 NET

He replied, “Let us go elsewhere, into the surrounding villages, so that I can preach there too. For that is what I came out here to do.”

In , Jesus asked His Disciples, “Who do people say I am?” Then He put them in His cross hairs and asked, “Who do you say I am?” Peter spoke up!

In , Jesus had been busy all day long — throughout Capernaum preaching, praying for people, healing the sick, casting out demons. He was drained…He needed time along to pray…so before dawn the next morning He went out to a solitary place to prayer. The people showed up looking for Jesus. The disciples found Him.

Mark 1:38 NET

He replied, “Let us go elsewhere, into the surrounding villages, so that I can preach there too. For that is what I came out here to do.”

Prayer

Notice this: Jesus didn’t go back to the crowd from the day before. He said, “Men, we need to make a bigger impact…let’s move on to more places that I haven’t preached yet.”

Peter was right --- Jesus was indeed the Messiah. But what did that mean? He came as the first Missionary — He came bringing the message of God’s love, freedom, healing and restoration, and He invited people to follow Him…to be His disciples.

If we think of Jesus as the first Missionary, it’s an easy thing to realize that missions sets people free spiritually — sets people free physically — free to be genuine disciples Jesus.

When you really know who Jesus is, you learn who you are meant to be

Where Jesus is there is freedom

When a person is set free in Jesus...

Hell is overthrown in their life

Sin is overthrown

Brokenness is overthrown

Jesus said it perfectly when He stood up in the synagogue in Nazareth, opened the scroll to the prophet Isaiah and began to read - “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me...”

Luke 4:18–21 NIV

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

Transitional: Jesus set people free spiritually — His will for His followers is that we lead people to that same freedom, in Jesus

By the time we get to , Jesus had already been preaching around Galilee - “Repent and believe the good news ().”

Mark 1:29–39 NIV

As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her. So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them. That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. The whole town gathered at the door, and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was. Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!” Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

Mark 1:32–39 NIV

That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. The whole town gathered at the door, and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was. Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!” Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

Mark 1:29-39

He preached the good news, healed the sick, cast out demons — in other words Jesus came as a missionary…a bringer of freedom and hope

Jesus took on flesh and became the bridge between the spiritual and the physical.

The Good News brings spiritual and physical results

Humans live in a physical world that is tainted by sin and suffering — it makes sense that Jesus would have compassion on blind, hurting and wounded people (physical and spiritual)

Humans live in a physical world that is tainted by sin and suffering — it makes sense that He would have compassion on the spiritually blind, hurting and wounded people.

Tangible results come from the Good News of Jesus

New followers of Christ soon realize that they have a new way of living

Their wholes lives do a 180 — it effects them both physically and spiritually

As the Body of Christ, one of the privileges He has called us to is to bring His Good news to the poor, hungry and hurting.

Illustration: Pastor Izzy preached 3 messages at the Boise rescue mission yesterday…they fed the people spiritually and physically.

As ambassadors of Christ…we bring a message that sets people free physically and spiritually

We don’t have the ability, in ourselves, to speak a word and heal someone

But we can still bring healing — because we bring introduce people to Jesus

We serve them in His name...

Transitional: Spiritual and physical freedom... a new way of living and trusting — But that is just the beginning

Disciples of Jesus define freedom differently

He says “you are not your own....you are bought with a price!”

Paul referred to himself as being “in chains for Christ!”

In after Jesus healed Peter’s mother-in-law, she got up and began to serve them

Mark 1:31 NIV

So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.

Did she wait on them because she was a woman and it was her job?

She served out of love and gratitude to her healer and Savior Jesus.

Disciples of Jesus are set free to serve Jesus

Application

What is a Disciple?

One that sits at the feet of the Master…learning from Him

One that internalizes what they have learned…and seeks out others to share the Master’s message

Matthew 28:19–20 NIV

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

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Illustration — #noplaceleft strategy

A way to understand our calling — Oikos teams

Oikos: Household ---- Sphere of influence

Oikos mapping: basically a prayer map

John 17:20 NIV

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message,

Jesus commanded His Disciples…and those who would follow Him because of the message they brought:

Matthew 28:19–20 NIV

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

How can we fulfill this commission — “co” “mission” with Jesus and one another?

Why? Who? What to say? When to do it?

Why? It is who we are (2 Cor 5:17-21)

If anyone is in Christ, he or she is a new creation (STICK FIGURE)

We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors (GLOBE)

This is our identity — You can’t separate “new” and “ambassadors” — You cannot be Christ’s ambassadors without a new life in Him — and you cannot be a “new” follower of Christ without receiving the call to be His ambassadors

2 Corinthians 5:17–21 NIV

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Who? Those within our sphere of influence (Oikos)

Jesus prayed for those His disciples would reach — He prayed for the future generations of His followers…including you and me

CIRCLE WITH “ME” IN THE CENTER AND THE PEOPLE WITHIN MY SPHERE OF INFLUENCE…AND THEIR SPHERES OF INFLUENCE

Jesus’ prayer is a prayer that leads us to make it a goal to have “no place left” that hasn’t heard the Good News of Jesus.

What? (2 tools)

#1 Your story in 15 seconds

there was a time in my life (Before Christ)

addictions, depression, just lost, etc.

I came to know Jesus and He forgave and made me a new person…now I follow Him

Do you have a story like that?

#2 The 3 circles

to the left…a cracked world (eikon)

But sin (our broken condition) separated us from that world

to the the right, a world of beauty and love - fulfillment

between and below — Jesus (King Jesus)

Ask them, which circle are you in or would you want to be in?

Invite them

When?

Set some goals and put them on your calendar

Pray — for all of those people on your oikos map — sphere of influence

Share — actually set a date/time/place to share your story and the 3 circles with them — coffee - etc.

Train — In other words, encourage brothers and sisters in the Lord to learn to do this

One on one

A group of friends

CHALLENGE

The road map for being a successful missionary:

How can we live according to Jesus’ call on our lives to bring His Good News to our sphere of influence?

Come in Humility

Jesus ministered with all of His strength

When He was weary…He found quiet placed to pray and be refreshed by the Lord

If Jesus needed to spend time in prayer and solitude in order to have the strength to continue on His mission…how much more each of us?

We need to remember…it’s not in our strength that we can make an impact as missionaries in our sphere

We need to remember…it’s not in our strength that we can really make an impact as missionaries in our sphere

Count theC

Count the Cost

Mark 8:34–35 NIV

Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.

Mark 8:34–38 NIV

Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

Mark 8:38 NIV

If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”

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Mark 8:

Connect with God

If we don’t connect with God regularly, we won’t have much to give

You can’t give what you don’t have

Disciples bring the message of their Master — they only know that message by spending time at His feet…learning and growing

We can naturally share Jesus with passion when we are immersed in Him

It is costly

It takes time

In His Word and presence

At His table

With His people / our community of faith

It is more than worth it

Untitled Sermon

Missions frees people spiritually

Missions frees people physically

Missions free people to become Disciples of Jesus

The road map for being a successful missionary:

Count the Cost

Connect with God