Renewing of our Mission

Remember Who You are

START CLIP FROM LION KING:

Now, the Lion King has a special place in my heart.

It is one of the first movies that my now 25 year old nephew would sit and watch together when he was little. (I may have enjoyed it more than him.)

When Trish and I went out on our first date, we went to go see the new live-action version of the Lion King (Not as good).

It is funny when I tell my niece who is 15, and my nephew who is 11, that I remember watching the Lion King for the first time on VHS. They looked at me with a very confused look on their face… to say, “what is VHS?” It is in these moments that I realize that the world moves fast.

In the words of the very courageous, adventurous and infamous character of 80’s cinema, Ferris Beuller,

“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

You know, looking back at this quote after 36 years, he definitely had some truth going on.

We have seen tremendous changes in how we do simple daily things since the days of Jesus;

our shoes - Jesus Sandler vs Air Jordans

cooking; simple outside cooking vs. Guy Fieri

The world is moving fast, and many of the things we experience have gone through big changes, even in the past 20 years, have seen big changes. Some good, some bad… but none the less impacted the world we live in

Big Moments in Past 21 Years

Let’s take at some big moments in the past 21 years

9/11 - It really marked the turn of a century.

The iPhone

Barak Obama first black president (Despite political opinion, it marked a very historic moment for the United States.)

Facebook goes public: Today Facebook has over 2.7 Billion users

COVID-19

There are some aspects that some of us look back and feel that it was just yesterday that we experienced, yet, for our younger generation, it is a historical moment in time.

in 2019, the Beloit College Mindset came out with a “Class of 2019 Mindset list (entering students are on average 18 years old). Some of the things they share of the mindset of these students in 2019 are:

The Lion King has always been on Broadway.

They never licked a postage stamp (Not sure...)

Princess Diana, Jacques Cousteau and Mother Theresa have never been alive.

Hong Kong has always been under Chinese rule.

Hybrid automobiles have always been mass produced.

Wow have times have changed! and Radically.

However, some things will never change.

One thing that has not changed is the Mission of the Church

Matthew 28:19-20 - The Great Commission

The New International Version (1984) The Great Commission

18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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.”

We see some very important truths and commands by Jesus in this passage:

All authority has been given to Him in Heaven and Earth.

We are commanded to GO MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS

We are to teach them the way

He will always be with us.

We are disciples who make disciples.

*** SIDENOTE - We are still called, by Jesus to go and make disciples. This is regardless of status. - ***

We are Called Encourage and meeting one another:

Hebrews 10:23–25 ESV

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

We learn a few great things in this passage pertaining to the call and encouragement of preserving and maintaining community in Christ:

Hold on the hope we declare in Jesus

He who has promised us will be faithful

We are asked to consider HOW we may spur one another on towards LOVE and GOOD DEEDS.

Do NOT give up meeting together

Encourage one another

“Meeting Jesus is a communal activity.”

It is a GLOBAL Mission

Acts 1:6–11 ESV

So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

What an amazing moment.

Jesus stands before them… in Glory.

The men ask if it is now time for restoration

Jesus tells them “It is not for you to know the times or seasons”

He tells them the Holy Spirit WILL come upon them, and at that moment you will have power.

They will be HIS witnesses locally, and all over the world.

This call, this command of Jesus means there will be many at the end of days at the throne of God, proclaiming God the Father, and Jesus.

Let’s take a look in Revelation and a glorious moment seen at the throne of God.

Revelation 7:9–10 ESV

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

HE CALLS US TO:

Be His Disciples

To make Disciples

To not stop meeting

To trust Him, he will be faithful

to be his witnesses here, and around the world.

Where do we start?

We start here. (Alters)

We may not know all the answers, however, we will learn together.

- The world around us is changing… but HE NEVER CHANGES. He is the same; yesterday, today and forever.

- Which means the mission doesn’t change. He has called us to go and make disciples. Not a few of us. He has called us all.

- We are also called to lift up and encourage one another. We must be coming to the alters, to ask for prayer, get right with God, to be transparent enough to share that we need support, need each other, and allow those we walk with to walk alongside us in prayer, and in life.

WORSHIP TEAM UP

We MUST be lifting up:

Our church - Who will come and pray for our church this morning?

Our neighborhoods - Who will come and pray for our neighborhood this morning?

Our country - Who will come and pray for our nation?

Our world - Who will come and pray for our world?

OUR PASTORS AND LEADERS:

Many pastors around the world are experiencing low energy, fatigue, and discouragement. They are called to serve, yet, it is the responsibility for us as the church to CONTINUALLY lift up our pastors and leaders.

INVITE THEM TO COME TO THE ALTER:

Pastor Brian - Let us pray for Pastor Brian

Pastor Maureen - Let us pray for Pastor Maureen (Have someone stand in the gap for Maureen)

Kevin Loree our Youth leader - Let us pray for Kevin

Our board members - Pray for their leadership

WHO WILL COME AND PRAY FOR THEM? Let us surround them in prayer. To show our love, our support and that we will stand with them as the Lord directs them in everything they do.

SING RESPONSE SONG:

PRAY after the song

BENEDICTION