On Mission (Part3)

Walking with God in the world

INTRO: Good morning church, it is so good to be here with you all this morning. And welcome back students. We are so thankful that you are here. We have prayed for you.

Thank you to everyone who expressed sympathy and condolences at the loss of my auntie.

And so I am just so thankful to be here with you all this morning. I can't think of a better way for us to start our day off then what you're doing right now.

We are right at the end of a three part series called “On Mission”. We've been looking at being On Mission from three different ways.

We’re looking at: what it means to be On Mission, why we should be On Mission, and how to be On Mission.

For those of you who weren’t here, we started off with what it means to be On Mission. And we said that:

1. Being On Mission means we might have to go through a little bit trouble to bring our friends to Jesus.

We may have some hurdles, some obstacles, or barriers before us but we may just have to go through some trouble to bring our friends to Jesus. And we certainly saw that in our story we read last week from .

2. Then we said that if we’re gonna be On Mission we have to understand that the current condition of those without Jesus is not sufficient. We can't be comfortable with the condition of those who don't know Jesus. We should want much more for our friends, God wants much more for them.

Comfort may have its place when it comes to furniture; but in the kingdom of God, comfort has no place. Because you might have to go through some trouble to bring your friends to Jesus.

3. Then we said we have to have our friends best interest in mind. We talked about the greatest threat to Christianity; is apathy, the lack of interest. We must have interest, concern, care, and enthusiasm about bringing our friends to Jesus. We don't have the luxury of being apathetic. We cannot afford to sit around and be apathetic. We have to have our friends best interest in mind.

4. And lastly, we said we have to have faith and give up skepticism.

Skepticism is a defeatist attitude that can paralyze us and keep us from doing the things we just mentioned and so we must have faith and give up skepticism.

And then last week we talked about why we should be on mission.

1. We should be on mission for the glory of God. When we go on mission it’s never about us, we go on mission for God’s glory & honor and the advancement of God’s Kingdom.

2. Because the world needs your witness. If Christ is going to be made known throughout the world, then it’s up to us to make Him known throughout the world.

3. For our own faith. I do much better emotionally, Spiritually when i’m On Mission. It’s beneficial to us when we’re on mission.

4. Then lastly we said we should go on mission Because it’s my mission. The great commission isn’t our mission, it isn’t the churches mission, or Curt’s, or Tom’s.

Because as long as the Great Commission remains our mission, as long as the Great commission remains the churches mission, it remains no ones mission. Because what happens is that I assume that you’re gonna do, that you’re gonna do it. And you assume that i’m gonna do it. And so the Great Commission doesn’t get done because we’re all assuming that someone else is going to do it. The Great Commission has to be my mission!

So today we will wrap up our series with some practical ways to how we can go on mission.

If you have your Bible's please join me in Genesis chapter 1. That’s where we will begin our lesson today. While you're turning there, I want to tell you about a funny story I came across.

Funny bear chases man thankful story

One day, an atheist was walking through the woods, admiring all the beauty that the “accident of evolution” had created.

“What majestic trees! What powerful rivers! What beautiful animals!” he said to himself.

As he strolled alongside the flowing river he heard a rustling in the bushes behind him. He turned to look.

There he saw a 7-foot grizzly bear charging toward him!

he man screamed in horror and ran as fast as he could away from the giant bear…

As the bear's shadow fell over him, the man tripped and fell to the ground…

Feeling the hot breath of the terrifying bear on his neck, the man rolled over. The bear loomed large over him, raising its fierce paws to strike him dead.

As the bear's shadow fell upon his face and its paws came down upon his chest, the atheist screamed, “Oh help me, God!”

Time stopped.

The river he loved suddenly stopped flowing...

The trees stopped swaying…

The bear froze.

Then a bright light beamed down upon the man, a voice boomed all around him, “I am God, and even though you don't believe in me, I am here for all beings on this earth.”

The atheist felt relieved and confessed to God, “I'm in a situation and wonder if you would get me out of it.”

“You deny my existence your whole life, teach others I don't exist, and even credit creation to a ‘cosmic accident'. Yet still, you ask for my help. Am I to count you as a new believer?”

The atheist looked directly into the light and replied, “It would be hypocritical of me to suddenly ask you to treat me as a Christian now, but perhaps you could make the BEAR a Christian?”

“Very well,” said the voice. The light went out. The river resumed running. And the sounds of the forest returned.

Then the bear dropped down from its terrifying stance, clasped its paws tightly together... bowed its head and spoke:

“Thank you, Lord, for this meal which I am about to receive. I am truly grateful. Amen.”

We all have a lot to be thankful for. I am thankful that everyday we get to walk with God & participate with Him and step into what He is doing in the world around us. Everyday. For instance:

ILLUS: I’ve got to tell you about a true story that happened not that long ago. Do we have any basketball fans here? Many of you will be familiar with who Patrick Ewing is. Former NBA player who played for the New York Knicks in the 80’s & 90’s. In April of 2017 Patrick Ewing was hired as the new head basketball coach of Georgetown University.

And as you can imagine this is just an exciting time for everyone. For the fans, for the team, the students and players, for the alumni, for the University, everyone; getting a new head coach. To make the deal even sweeter, Georgetown was Patrick’s alma mater (so that's where he went to School and where he played basketball). To make the deal even more sweet Patrick's son, Jr. was already a coach on the team. 

So I'm thinking you’ve got to be kidding me this is exciting! He gets to be a head basketball coach for a good program in Georgetown, he gets to coach at his alma mater and Patrick Jr. gets to coach basketball with his father. That’s like a job of a lifetime! Think of all of the celebrations, the victories, the memories they get to share, the talks over Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. I mean just what an amazing opportunity. 

However, before they could get going, it was discovered that Georgetown had what's called a Nepotism clause. Now if you’re anything like me then you are probably wondering what in the world is a nepotism clause? I had to look this up myself.

Nepotism – is the practice among those with power or influence of favoring relatives or friends, especially by giving them jobs. So basically nepotism prevents someone from showing of favoritism to family or friends.

And because Georgetown had this nepotism clause, it prohibited Ewing Jr. from being on staff with the team and coaching with his father, and so because of this clause Ewing Jr. had to resign, he could no longer work with the team.

But they tried to do everything to get rid of this nepotism clause, they tried writing letters, they made phone calls, they sent emails, they wrote the president, they even hired lawyers, they did everything they could, so that Jr. Could participate with his father, but to no avail. The university wasn't budging on there nepotism clause, he had to resign.

And so I began to think about this story, and I thought to myself; how sad & unfortunate this story is, that Patrick Jr. could not participate in what his father was doing. He could not walk with his father in this new journey of his life. With all of the hype and excitement over his father becoming the new head coach and the many possibilities of what is to come, he could not be a part of that. The wins, victories, the championships, the celebrations, the traditions. The conversations at Thanksgiving, and Christmas dinner. He wouldn’t be able to participate with his father in any of that.

And then a very sobering thought came over me. How awesome it is, that in the Kingdom of God, there is no nepotism clause. That the God of the universe, our Father in heaven above would allow us to walk with Him and participate in what He is doing in the world, we get to go On Mission with God! We get to walk stride for stride, step for step with the almighty Father in what He is doing in the world. We have no nepotism clause that hinders or prevents us from participating in His work. There is no nepotism clause that leaves us out of the game so to speak.

In fact, in scripture there are many examples of people who got to go on mission with God and walk with God. If you remember from the very beginning, the first commandment was an invitation to go on mission with and walk with God. God said be fruitful and multiply. The first walk that was ever taken was by God Himself who, we are told walked in the garden in the cool of the day, there was Noah who walked his family on the Ark, there was the hard walk that Abraham took with Isaac on the road to Mount Moriah, there was Moses' walk that led the Israelites across the Red Sea, there was the walk in the wilderness for forty years, there was Joshua's triumphant walk around Jericho, Mary literally walked with God in her womb for nine months, there was the disciples walk with Jesus for three years. Peter and Andrew left their fishing boats and fishing nets to walk with Jesus, Matthew left his tax collectors booth to walk with Jesus, there was Peter walking on water with King Jesus, who could forget Paul's walk on the road to Damascus. And then there is where Jesus has commissioned all of us to go on mission & to walk with Him to transform the Earth.

And He said "go, or as you go, as you walk. He said make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you." And as He commissions us for our mission He equips us with His Spirit and with His presence.

They're are many examples of people on mission & walking with God in scripture from cover to cover and praise be to God we have no nepotism clause that hinders us from walking with Him and going on mission.

So this morning I want to share with you some ways we are seeking to walk with God in what He is doing in the world through our church and our campus ministry in Blacksburg. And I also want to share with you how we can walk with God right here at Falls Church. Ok we ready? Here we go!

This is the first invitation given to mankind to go on mission & walk with God. Be fruitful and multiply. God has invited Adam and Eve to walk with Him by being fruitful and multiplying. Now out of all of the walks, this walk may be the most distinguished walk of them all. Not only is this walk an invitation, but it is also a command, and it is a command that was to be repeated for all generations to come. In fact not only is it mentioned in the Old Testament but it’s also mentioned in the New Testament. (We'll see that here in a few) And God has emphatically displayed throughout scripture just how important this mission, this walk is to Him. 

Now again; this is the first commandment given to mankind, “Be fruitful and multiply…” But I'm curious to know why does God make this the first commandment? Have you ever thought about that? I mean if God truly wanted mankind to be fruitful, multiply, and fill the Earth couldn't He have just done that Himself? I mean we’re talking about the God of the universe here! God was already multiplying and filling the earth ,couldn't He have just created more humans if He wanted? Couldn't He have just created more than two human beings?

So why is this the first commandment? Why isn't the first commandment the greatest commandment, to love God and to love neighbor?  Or to worship God and God alone? It could have been any number of commandments so why this one? 

I believe the reason why this is the first commandment given, is because this commandment is more than just about procreation. When God gives this commandment He doesn't simply mean to just fill the earth physically, to just have children or to just fill up space. I don't believe this commandment is just about procreation.

Because If that were the case; then what about those who are barren and who are unable to physically fill the earth by having children? So you see it has to have more meaning then just procreation. 

I believe the reason why God didn't just create more human beings, the reason when God says be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth, is because He means to fill the earth with His image, with His glory, with His likeness.

I believe what God is also saying is to fill the earth with My image, with My glory. You are to take My likeness with you throughout the earth and multiply as image bearers of your Creator. 

Remember in verse 26 God said “Let Us make man in Our own image, in Our likeness”. We are all made in the image of God; in His likeness. We’ve been called to be image bearers of the Almighty God. We’ve been called to fill the earth with His image, with His likeness. When we take up residency we expel God’s likeness, God’s image, God’s glory throughout the earth.

You see, in order for the world to be what God intended it to be, it needs to be filled with people who are filled with Him. It needs to be filled with students who are filled with Him. The world needs to be filled with people who walk with God, with people who are on mission. So that wherever we go, God’s glory is shown.

This is so important to God, that it displeases Him when we don't. I want you to take a look with me at:

Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. 2 As people moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there. 3 They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar.

4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.” 5 But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower the people were building.

 6 The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. 7 Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.” 

8 So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city.

 9 That is why it was called Babel because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world. From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth.

So we have a people here; who are very successful. They are being fruitful, who are multiplying, they are fulfilling God's commandment, except they are not filling the earth. They got half of the mandate right but missed the second half. This displeased God to the point where He comes down and scattered them.

Now observe with me why God would do that. Verse 4 tells us why God was displeased and why God scattered them. It says here, they wanted to make a name for themselves.

Now this seems harmless on the surface, until you put it side by side to God's first commandment. The reason God was displeased with them was not because they were building a tower, not because they were successful, or because they wanted to reach the heavens, but because they were in complete obstinance and rebellion to the first commandment, to fill the Earth. They were being fruitful and multiplying but they were not filling the earth. 

Remember when God says be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth it's not just about procreation. It's about taking His name, and His likeness, and glory throughout the earth.

They were trying to make a name for themselves instead of making a name for God. Making God known throughout the world. And this is what God wants from us. Now how do I know that?

In verse 4 the people of Babel want to make a name for themselves. But God's plan for redemption is going to be to make His name known, and He's gonna do that through the lineage of Shem. (Verse 10)

Through Shem is going to come Abraham and all of his descendants. Shem is going to walk with God and participate in what God is doing in the world. Shem had Abraham, Abraham had Jacob, and Jacob had 12, and one of those 12 was Judah, and through Judah would come a young lady by the name of Mary, and Mary had a little lamb whose fleece was white as snow, Jesus, all through Shem. Now the reason I tell you that is because Moses wants you to see the importance of going on mission & making God’s name known throughout the world. There is a play on words here with Shem’s name.

Do you guys know what the meaning of Shem is in Hebrew? “Name”. So while the people of Babel were looking to make a name for themselves or a Shem for themselves, God is looking to make His name, His Shem known. And He's gonna do that through people who walk with Him, through people who are on mission. It's so important to God that we’re be fruitful, multiply, fill the Earth with His image, His likeness, His glory. That we’re on mission. And I believe it displeases God when we don’t. The first commandment

The great commission

But this commandment doesn't end with the Jews, the first commandment is carried to us Christians today too with the great commission.

The interesting thing about the first commandment is that it is also the last commandment in Matthew. The Great Commission

This is the same commandment from . God said:

Be fruitful and multiply     … fill the earth

Go and make disciples       … of all nations

The first part of the command has to do with growth, duplication, or multiplication. The second part of the command has to do with location, logistics, geography, or everywhere. We’re given the same command to be image bearers, to take His image, His name, His likeness throughout the world!

So now we see just how important this commandment is to God.

So here’s how I want to tie this all together. We’re called to be image bearers, to take His image, His name, His likeness, His glory to the ends of the Earth, but how are we going to do that?

So here's how I want to tie all this together. We see that this commandment is important to God. It is the first commandment given and it's also the last commandment given in Matthew. We see why it is important, because when we're not being fruitful and multiplying, the world can't be what God has intended it to be. We see that we’re called to be image bearers, to take His image, His name, His likeness, His glory to the ends of the earth. To our workplaces, our class rooms, etc...But how do we go about doing that?

The book of Acts gives us a great model to follow. And this morning I want to look at Pentecost in chapter 2.

Think about Pentecost it’s the greatest day in our church history, it’s the day that the cross became operative, now Christ came to die on the cross, He came to defeat sin & death, and be raised from the dead but the on switch wasn’t on yet. It wasn’t on until Pentecost when God said ok go get em now, it was the day the church was born.

When He gave birth to a people and gave them a message of love and servanthood to transform a fallen planet. And in order for them fallen but forgiven to be able to do that He filled them, He filled them with His Spirit, with His arrival and His presence.

And He said start in Jerusalem, then Judea, then Samaria, and to the ends of the earth, and they went on mission and they walked with God, and some two thousand years later here we are today. Praise be to God there is no nepotism clause.

Let’s continue reading in:

,

What an amazing day in our church history. 3000 people were baptized, the Spirit came upon the apostles, the church was born, and they went on mission, they walked with God.

Let me bring some facts to your attention that I’m sure most of you all already aware of as we close this morning.

We have 35,000 students 41 states are represented and 36 countries represented at Virginia Tech

At Radford there are 9,000 students, out of those 9,000 39 states are represented and 60 foreign countries.

The reason I tell you all of that, about nepotism, being on mission, taking God’s name throughout the earth, Pentecost. Is because; the greatest day in our church history, Acts ch. 2 happens every year on our college campuses.

Does anybody know how many states are represented from those students at Virginia Tech? 

Think about what happens at Pentecost!

Does anybody know how many countries are represented from those students at Virginia Tech?

We’re told that people came from every nation under heaven (v.5). And they all gathered at this one location, they learned, and they did’t just learn about Jewish history, they learned about Jesus and then they left and went home. Thousands of people. And the Gospel spread like wildfire.

In the same way, here's how we're selling to walk with God in Blacksburg.

Think about this.

We have 35,000 students 41 states are represented and 36 countries represented at Virginia Tech

At Radford there are 9,000 students, out of those 9,000 39 states are represented and 60 foreign countries.

Large group Bible studies, small group Bible study, events in activity, retreats, one on one, mission trips. All of these are to help shape them into Christ

Here’s why I tell you about all that and I make a big deal about walking with God and participating in what God is doing in the world and I bring up Acts to you and Pentecost and why I get so excited about campus ministry.

At Virginia Tech we have 35,000 students. Out of those 35,000 students 41 states are represented and 36 countries represented.

At Radford University we have 9,000 students. And out of those 9,000 students 39 states are represented and 60 foreign countries.

At Pentecost in we have people coming from all over the world. Verse 5 says people came from every nation under heaven.

Our college campuses are a microcosm of Pentecost. The greatest day in our church history.

Every year thousands of students come to this one location to learn. Some stay four or five years. And then after their time is up some will go back home, some will go to new places. If we are devout and do our jobs as ambassadors for Christ think of the wonderful things we can do for the kingdom. There are people going back to China, Japan, Africa, Russia, India, South America etc… They go home and share the gospel, that’s filling the earth with God’s glory, that’s making disciples, of every nation. 

We can go on mission and walk with God right here on our campuses! There is no nepotism clause!

Students: If you're a college student. You have an amazing opportunity to go on mission, to walk with God. Your campus is a mission field. And so we’ve set up opportunities for you to get involved. Whether it's through on campus Bible studies, common ground, investigative study, CLiC's, etc… I’m asking you to go on mission. Takes God’s name, His image, His glory with you on campus.

I’m asking you to go on mission.

Our greatest need isn't some fancy worship service with lights and smoke, and a hip band.

Our greatest need is more workers. Jesus said in

"The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Therefore pray to the Lord of harvest to send out workers into His harvest field. Our greatest need is more workers.

If you're not a student of this church you can go on mission too. I know that many of you are already on mission. I think of Allison and Kaye, and the good work they are doing with our children and the education ministry, I think of Bob Pusey with the senior ministry, Paul and Sandie, they just do everything, Justin and Leah with Common Ground, Dani, Travis, Don with the teens, all of the ladies who take care of the children in the nursery. And so many more that I won’t mention.

If you’re not on mission you can begin by praying for these students, this Campus ministry, and your campus minster. We always need prayer. You can host a dinner and devotional and model what it looks like to be a faithful Christian, you can get to know these students, mentor them. Ask me how you can get involved.

We may not be the largest church but one thing we have to offer that other campus ministries don't is you.

You can make disciples, take His name, His likeness, His glory with you wherever you go. At work, at home, at school, wherever.

God has given us an extraordinary opportunity to seek Him and give Him glory. Let’s not sit on our hands doing nothing, but let’s fill this earth with God’s glory.

I am so thankful we get to go on mission and walk with God and join in what our heavenly Father is doing in the world. There is no nepotism clause. So this morning I am asking you to find ways to participate in what God is doing in the world. Help serve in the children's ministry, or the youth group. Perhaps you can pray more for the church and for our elders. Support the missions efforts, a food pantry. We all know of someone who doesn't know Christ. Maybe it's a family member or a neighbor, a co-worker, maybe it's a classmate, or a spouse. Let's go on mission with God.

Or if you're not a Christian this morning and you're ready to step into what God is doing in the world around you. What better time than now? You can be immersed for the forgiveness of sins, put on Christ and have the joy that we share in Christ and the hope of eternal life in heaven. If you have any need why don't you come as we stand and as we sing.