RLC – going – March 28, 2021 part six

We are in the final week of our red letter challenge. I hope you have been blessed spending time being with Jesus in his word each day and if you were in a Connection group you found great joy there too, either in new friendships or renewed friendships in this Covid-19 season. I pray and hope it’s been a blessing if you have been able to be in worship with us each week to better understand what Christ is calling us to be and do as his disciples. Lord, bring us through This with a stronger faith, hope, and love for You and others. Amen

We started the challenge focusing in on Being with Jesus, next we rejoiced to be forgiven and being forgiving toward others, week three we looked at Serving as Jesus who came not to be served but to serve and give His life and we are called to be like Jesus in laying down our lives serving others. Last week we looked at giving and discovered it is truly more blessed to give that it is to receive. Today were looking at the last part of our discipleship with Jesus, being him as his ambassadors going to make disciples.

In this last part of the red letter challenge, for many of us who follow Jesus people, the going is the hardest part. The Rev. Dr. Paul Foust wrote in his book many years ago, “reborn to multiply” that “10% of believers find outreach an easy or natural expression of their faith.” Which means for the other 90%, sharing faith in Jesus with people may be very difficult to do. Now, that shouldn’t be an excuse for us, but Rather a wake-up call that we need to overcome our struggles by Prayer and practicing our faith.

Going, sharing our faith in Jesus, should have two different expressions: first, when we put our faith into action.

St. Francis of Assisi was once quoted as saying, “Preach the Gospel, and if necessary, use words.” Though that expression is often misunderstood to say that we don’t need to say anything, and that our actions are all that matter. The truth is, We are called to preach the God’s gospel by our actions and our words.

In other words, we can use our hands and our feet for God to serve the world in need, to let the world see our actions as a reflection of the Christ alive in us, but we also need to be His mouthpiece speaking the Gospels truth and power, because,

Romans 1:16 (ESV) “…the gospel…is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes…”

Our actions may draw people to see Jesus in us, but until we speak the words of the gospel to people we have only done half the job. God gives us the gospel to speak to people the words of Jesus with this is desired outcome,

Romans 10:17 (NIV) faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.

You see the red letter challenges is all about us being with Jesus and then being His representatives to the world.

2 Corinthians 5:20 (NIV) 20 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.

1 Peter 4:11 NIV - Anglicised

If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Our words and our actions together can make an eternal difference. We are called to speak the words of God and to show people the love of Christ. Both are important, both are necessary.

Have you noticed, that the Christian church today is placing greater emphasis on doing and demonstrating our faith in actions rather than speaking the words of the gospel? Are we afraid? Are we being misunderstood? Whatever the reasons, or speaking lesson striving to be more visible in the world. I don't know whether that's right or wrong, but when we stop speaking the words of the gospel in all of its truth, a new problem arises. The absence of absolutes and the loss of right and wrong. When we stop telling God’s truth - both law and gospel - we return to the days of the judges,

Judges 17:6 (ESV): 6 In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

If we don’t talk about sin, judgment and grace then, is there anything sinful in the world? Is there any need for a Savior. If we don’t talk about heaven or hell, and life beyond the grave, if we don’t talk about A coming judgment from the Creator, then the world comes to the conclusion,

Psalm 14:1 (ESV) — 1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good.

Which makes our message and our methods even more mission critical today, especially as people are Too busy, preoccupied with their problems, too self-focused to take the time to hear of the Savior.

Let’s go back to the beginning of Christ’s ministry and at the end. You notice two things. Here was Christ message at the start:

Mark 1:15 (NIV - Anglicised) — 15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!”

Jesus was announcing The arrival of His kingdom through repentance, faith, and baptism. He was inviting all to repent of their sinfulness and to find their salvation in him.

Today Jesus invites us to join him on his mission to seek and to save the lost. Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men.

Now compare these with the final words of Christ which, we call the great commission From, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and the book of acts:

Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV) 19 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, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Mark 16:15 (NIV) 15 He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Luke 24:47 (NIV) 47 and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. John 20:21 (NIV) 21 Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." Acts 1:8 (NIV) 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

Did you catch the words in his great commission, go, preach, I am sending you, you will receive power, you will be my witnesses. Notice, that he promises to give us the gift of his spirit will empower us to be witnesses.

Witnesses. In his great commission Jesus calls us to be witnesses. He calls and invites us to join Him in His mission as His witnesses, to make a difference in the world. We can’t accomplish his mission, until we go and tell what we have seen with our eyes of faith.

Now the good news is, Witnesses don’t have to be theologians. They don’t have to know the Bible from back to front and front to back. We ONLY need to have a relationship of of faith, hope, trust and in and for Jesus. And we can’t afford to do is let what we don’t know to keep us from doing what God is calling us to be doing his name – witness.

Now I realize this may feel like a daunting task for the 90% of us who struggle to share our faith and to be witnesses of Jesus out in the world. But we can’t afford to get caught up in what we don’t know. We can’t afford to get caught up in thinking we MUST know everything about Jesus before we can say anything about him.

Jesus never invites us into a relationship where we understand Him perfectly. He invites us into a relationship of faith where we trust him completely.

A witness is not someone who knows everything about everything, they only know what they have personally seen.

And what can we witness to the world about Christ our Savior?

Jesus died for all. He rose from the dead for all. He’s prepared a place for all eternally, a place without sin struggles, illness and disease, without death and decay. And the best part is he’s done all the work of our salvation and HE simply invites us to believe in his promises, and obey his commands in order to live this red letter life in Jesus’ name.

When it comes to our witness, People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.

If we care about people, we will tell them about the Savior. And there is no better time to tell people about our Savior than right now. Next Sunday will gather to celebrate earth’s greatest day, Jesus Christ risen from the dead, to pay for the sins of the world, and that he has prepared a place for all people who believe. What a great message to tell. What a grand hope to offer. What a wonderful life live now and to look forward to. So let’s get going today and live out this red letter life in Jesus name. Amen

But before we leave this place, led us joining in a word of prayer.

Lord of the church, Lord Jesus we thank you for the gift of your Holy Spirit who through the word and sacraments have brought us into a living hope. Being with you, receiving your forgiveness, being served by you and now and able to serve others, having the joy of giving and receiving your marvelous gifts, and now to be called your witnesses to go out into the world are privileges and joys we simply do not deserve. But we pray, send us your Holy Spirit that others may come to know you through our witness. We we use this week to invite someone to experience the joy of your resurrection. In your name or Jesus we pray. Amen