Made for Mission

[SLIDE 1] Introduction

Vision 2020: Made for Mission

Passage takes place during the beginning of the Christian movement in Syria (included Judea and Samaria). Not like the Syria we know today.

Muslim Armies took control of Syria in 637 AD. Defeated the Byzantine Empire. Beginning of the spread of Islam in that region.

Where would you be if it wasn’t for_________?

Rapid expansion of Christianity in the Roman Empire governed by puppet kings.

We’ve gotten really good at events but when it comes to walking with Jesus, growing deeper, it’s not the concerts, classes or bible studies or even small groups we talk about.

Acts is part 2 of a narrative history: a story rooted in Israel’s story with a plot and sequence about the fulfillment of God’s promises.

It’s the people who have a deep relationship with Jesus who have shown us and taught us to do what Jesus said to do.

Promises to Israel

Extending blessings to the Gentiles

Faithfulness to Jews means what he said to Gentiles can be trusted

It’s an interpretation of the gospel (Kingdom of God at hand) in the context of a pluralistic cultural and religious environment.

Christianity is shown to be non-threatening and beneficial.

[SLIDE 2]Made for Mission

God calls us to be involved with him in the redemption of the world.

God wants us to be channels of his eternal purpose to redeem the world.

Augustine - God sends the wind but we set the sails. Watch the spirit to set the sails accordingly. 

Being and Making Disciples

Being a Disciple

I am with him to learn from him to be like him so I can do what he commanded me to do.

Being a Christian is less about cautiously avoiding sin than about courageously and actively doing God's will.”

Willard

Making Disciples

Mission of Making Disciples - teaching people to do what Jesus said to do.

How to Read and Interpret Acts

Passage takes place during the beginning of the Christian movement in Syria (included Judea and Samaria). Not like the Syria we know today.

Muslim Armies took control of Syria in 637 AD. Defeated the Byzantine Empire. Beginning of the spread of Islam in that region.

Rapid expansion of Christianity in the Roman Empire governed by puppet kings.

Acts is part 2 of a narrative history: a story rooted in Israel’s story with a plot and sequence about the fulfillment of God’s promises.

Promises to Israel

Extending blessings to the Gentiles

Faithfulness to Jews means what he said to Gentiles can be trusted

It’s an interpretation of the gospel (Kingdom of God at hand) in the context of a pluralistic cultural and religious environment.

Christianity is shown to be non-threatening and beneficial.

Many of the problems we encounter in interpreting Acts is when we use it to try and determine what WE ought to do. Luke's agenda is not our agenda.

Often what they did was unique.

Sometimes the text doesn't address the questions we're asking

What to look for: positive, repeated actions

The spirit is the agent through whom the apostles act.

3 Themes

1. Cost of Discipleship

2. Work of the Spirit - the agent through whom the disciples act

3. Universalization of the Gospel

[SLIDE 3] Formation in Christ

The Positive Repeated Actions

[SLIDE 3.1] Receive the Message

The Message: What and Why

Gospel - Good News. God’s rule and reign are here.

Peter's word (14-40): God said I will pour out my spirit (my kingdom will come) and it has with Jesus. He kept his promise and the evidence is in what he taught and did.

Message: The gospel (good news) is to reach all of society; it's for the whole realm and range of society.

It stresses the Gospel reaching new people outside the Jewish society.

Disciples' ministry and message comes from being formed in Christ

Those who received Peter's word devoted themselves...

41 - Time of the Pilgrim festival. Public ministry. People received the message then be baptized.

Those who received Peter's word devoted themselves...

Message: The gospel (good news) is to reach all of society; it's for the whole realm and range of society.

It stresses the Gospel reaching new people outside the Jewish society.

[SLIDE 3.2] Participate Immediately

Salvation doesn't only involve forgiveness of sin but the breaking of the power of sin so we can live in new life now.

Voluntary Sharing of Resources

Greek influence: believed the sharing of all things is the true order of nature.

-Shared possessions - sold them to help the needy. Luke suggests this for future Christians. Possessions held open for anyone who had need of them.

Purpose: to make sure there were no impoverished, hungry, or naked Christians. No excuse to let other Christians go hungry.

Wesley

1. Make all you can honestly

2. Save all you can

3. Give all you can

Attitude of charity is a sin. Generosity is a command, not a suggestion.

NT principle is sacrificial giving, not tithing.

Priority

1. Family

2. Church

3. Beyond church

[SLIDE 3.3] A New Way of Life

Living Faith Daily (Devotion)

Be devoted - persist stubbornly; to endure; give self

Come and See

Come and follow me

Come and be with me

Remain in me

Worship and Prayer

Did not see themselves as separate from Judaism but as the true Israel.

Early on, still participated in Jewish stuff: Temple worship

Prayer

Teaching and Fellowship (Discipleship)

-AND/at the same time they met in homes for distinct Christian worship and identity.

47 - Home gatherings were for instruction, fellowship and prayer.

Having a meal together that likely include the Lord's supper. It was a regular celebration/party.

Worship (giving thanks to God) is not mentioned although probably happened - and we don't know what it looked like.

Discipline and instruction

Fellowship

Koinonia

Having/sharing in common with. Fellowship is the product of koinonia.

-Breaking of bread (not communion)

OT - companion

NT - partnership in the work; participation in Christ (salvation and ministry).

Living, suffering, dying, inheriting and reigning with him.

Sharing together in the spirit. Fellowship with Christ = fellowship with other Christians in a partnership of faith and service.

Material goods, sufferings, etc. Even when they themselves do not suffer, they are partners of those who do.

Signs and Wonders

Sign - indicator, miracle.

An object or something that happens that gives insight; points to something else; especially in the future.

Can be something as simple as Judas’ kiss serves as a sign (sēmeion) revealing Jesus’ identity to the men tasked with seizing him ().

More often, however, nt authors use sēmeion to describe extraordinary events performed by divine figures and their agents.

Miracle - act or event that occurs outside the bounds of the normal order.

Favor with People

47 - People liked what they saw and wanted to join them/be saved.

Make Disciples

The outflow of these activities: making disciples: teaching people to do what Jesus said to do.

Ongoing Rhythm of Engagement and Solitude

Ongoing invitation

- Rhythm of Engagement and solitude. Devoted themselves to prayer, worship (20:7; 3:1) and engagement (4:23, 32-35) - had everything in common), ministry (5:14; 5:12; 1:15; 4:4; 24:53).

Frances Chan: Rather than busying themselves with countless endeavors, the early followers devoted themselves to a few. And it changed the world.

Come and follow me

Come and be with me

Remain in me

[SLIDE 4] Aligning Ourselves with Kingdom Principles and Priorities

Principles and Priorities are Timeless

Practices and Methods Change

Growing in discipleship is to make disciples

[SLIDE 4.1] Surrender Our Preferences to God’s

Hardest to do

Music

What we do/don’t do in worship

Ministry style: events, groups, etc.

Thom Rainer: When the preferences of the church members are greater than their passion for the Gospel, the church is dying.

Thom Rainer, pastor, author, leadership coach on why I participate in Church.

6/10. I attend church even if it doesn’t meet all my needs. If my church does some things a bit differently than my preferences, I realize I am there, not as a consumer, but as a giver and one who has been called to put others’ needs before my own. No church is perfect. No worship style is perfect. No pastor is perfect. And neither am I.

Ed Stetzer: A comeback church [realizes] that its purpose is about more than itself and its preferences.

[SLIDE 4.2] Create Rhythms to Live our Faith Daily

Engagement and solitude

[SLIDE 4.3] Be The Message

Disciples of Jesus want to take into their being the order of the Kingdom among us. They wish to live their life in it as Jesus himself would.

Willard, Divine Conspiracy.

In the first-century Roman world, however, the word “gospel” was used to describe the announcement that a new emperor had taken the throne. “Heralds” would be “sent” throughout the Roman Empire to announce this “good news.”

Their message was, “We have a new emperor. His name is Tiberius Caesar, adjust your life and bow the knee.”

TODAY: the Gospel reaching people outside the church society: There is Good News and it is for you and for all of our society.

As a young Christian, I was taught that the gospel is a plan—”the plan of salvation.” Some Bible teachers used to frame that plan into “Four Spiritual Laws” and “The Romans Road.”

"Each generation of the church in each setting has the responsibility of communicating the gospel in understandable terms, considering the language and thought-forms of that setting."

- Francis Schaeffer

[SLIDE 5]

[SLIDE 5.1 ]Come and see

Tell what and why

Worship is celebrating that we belong to Christ…invite people to see it

Worship is not a time for comfort or personal preference. It is a time of opening ourselves to the adventurous life of the spirt. Foster, Celebration of Discipline.

Foster, Celebration of Discipline.

Ralph Martin, The Worship of God, 4.

“Most of my life, I thought that you went to church to worship. But now I see that the better approach is to go worshipping to church”

Louie Giglio

The question to ask isn’t “Did I experience God in worship?” That is an important question. However, the greater question is, “Did God experience MY worship today?”

Jon Sterns

Relationships and gatherings where we invite people to become interested in Christ

Building supportive relationships

[SLIDE 5.2] Come and follow me

Follow me is the primary call of God that creates and defines the church. We bear authentic witness to God’s love when we demonstrate Jesus-following lives. ...the world needs a church that actually lives its call. Urgently.

Labberton, Called.

Show how

Do with

Life Groups for living in community together, prayer, study, learning how to remain in Christ, learning to love one another

Ministry Involvement: discover gifts, serve in the church body or in the community

Share all of life’s resources

Make a fist. How much can you hold?

Make a fist. How much can you hold? How long can you hold it? A lot of exhausting effort for so little.

How long can you hold it?

How long can you hold it?

A lot of exhausting effort for so little.

[SLIDE 5.3] Come and be with me

Let people do it

Leadership community

Staff, elders, ministry team leaders, life group leaders, etc

[SLIDE 5.4 & 5.5] Remain in me and Go Make Disciples

Before - call/invite people to follow Jesus out of who they are

Beside - pour into who they are, God calling them to be

Behind - push into opportunities

How do we help people take the "next faithful step?" (not next 7 steps) Scott Cormode

Being a Christan is less about cautiously avoidng sin than about courageously and actively doing God's will.”

Willard

Willard: We lead people to become disciples of Jesus by ravishing them with a vision of life in the kingdom of the heavens in the fellowship of Jesus.

David Platt: If leading people to Jesus is dependent on only what we do when we come into our church gatherings, then we're missing the point.

The christian life is to be an incarnational life. The essence of the Christian gospel is the demonstration, the enactment of God’s redeeming love.

Labberton, Called.

Supported by the rest of the body (mutual support) to

“I have learned that the main difference between a congregation in decline and one with a future is the difference between practicing the faith for the exclusive benefit of “insiders” or passionate concern for the “outsiders." ~ The Welcoming Congregation: Roots and Fruits of Christian Hospitality

We are to show up as advocates who represent and incarnate the presence of God, who is the hope of the world.

Labberton, Called.

Willard: We lead people to become disciples of Jesus by ravishing them with a vision of life in the kingdom of the heavens in the fellowship of Jesus. nm

When the preferences of the church members are greater than their passion for the gospel, the church is dying.

Thom Rainer