Atomic (2)

What’s up vertical? Man, as always Wednesday nights are the best night of the week, because I get to hang out with all of you, and we GET to talk about God’s Word.

I am especially excited about today’s sermon because this is literally one of the most important habits we can have in our lives.

For the last few weeks, we've been talking about our habits. Sometimes we don't notice how many tiny habits we already have, but even if we don't notice them they're still really powerful. Over time, our habits shape who we are.

When we don't pay attention to the habits we have (and we don't try to build new habits on purpose) we might look up someday, see the direction our lives have taken us, and think, "Wait . . . how did I get here?"

But when we're intentional about our habits — even the small ones, all of those tiny habits we've built can come together to make a big impact.

Today we will be in Matthew 28:16-20. You might have heard me mentioned this passage before and you will again, because this passage is pivotal for our faith. Lets read it and see which principles we see in the text.

Matthew 28:16-20 “16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.””

Principle #1 The response and the reality.

16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted.

We should always respond in worship to Jesus.

We will doubt in our walk with God. Doubt vs unbelief

Principle #2 The back up.

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

Jesus is saying… I am the boss, you have my permission and my authority to go. (Dad said…)

Principle #3 The Commission.

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.

The commission is active “GO”

Baptizing is important- If you believe in Christ, you should get baptized. Let’s talk

There is an expectation for us to learn and follow God’s commands

Principle #4 The promise.

...And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

We are not supposed to go alone.

I hope those principles encourage you and I hope you did not miss it.

"What habit did Jesus challenge His disciples to develop?"

Some of Jesus last words before leaving earth was a command to develop a habit of making disciples. Mark also notes Jesus words telling his disciples to share what they knew”

Mark 16:15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.”

Why don’t we share our story of redemption with others often?

This habit might be the toughest to start because we get caught up worrying how we'll be perceived by others. We start second-guessing ourselves.

Maybe we don't see our own value and think, "Other people have better things to say than me, so I'll just stay quiet."

Maybe we feel like we can't make difference and think no one will benefit from what we have to say.

Maybe we're still trying to figure out what we think about Jesus and assume this habit is only for people who've got it figured out.

Maybe we feel unprepared to have the perfect story to tell so we hold off on letting people into our imperfect lives.

Maybe we care too more about what others will think versus what their future may be.

SCRIPTURE | Psalm 27:1-3 “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? 2 When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall. 3 Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.”

How much do you care?

When Jesus told His disciples to go all over the world and preach the gospel, He wasn't telling them to write sermons and become professional speakers. He was telling them to go and share the good news of the light, hope, and joy they found through Jesus.

You don't have to be a professional speaker to preach the good news of Jesus. All you need to do is share what Jesus has done for you.

You don't need a doctoral degree in the Bible or a lifetime of learning. All you need is your own story of faith and a desire to share the good news that has changed your life.

Jesus challenged His friends and followers to share their stories of faith wherever they went because the world needed to know about the light of God's good news and salvation.

Just like the way our small habits can change our lives in unexpected ways, the habit of sharing our faith can encourage and inspire someone to follow Jesus and change their life forever.

The tiny habits we're talking about in this series can impact our lives far beyond anything we thought possible. What do you think could happen to your faith, and to the people around you, if you made it a habit to share your faith story?

Brother Ramos sharing Jesus while digging a trench. Picture of a work truck

SHARE YOUR STORY

No matter where you're at in your faith, you have a story to tell. You can always make it a habit to share where you’re at in your journey of getting to know Jesus.

Think about your friends, teammates, classmates, bandmates, or family members. We all need to hear other people's faith stories because we all need to be pointed toward Jesus, the source of light, joy, and hope.

How amazing would it be to see one of your friends or family members started their journey of faith alongside you, in part, because you made it a habit to share your story?

Sharing your faith story doesn't have to take a long time or be a major ordeal. Your story can be shared in tiny moments over time! Sharing your story can be prompted by a simple question, like . . .

Who is Jesus to you?

Has God ever given you hope in a dark time?

How has your life changed since you heard about Jesus?

Has God ever helped you grow in patience, kindness, or courage?

What gifts has God given you?

What prayer has God answered?

What are you learning about God right now through SS or Wednesday?

Set a two-minute timer and have students turn to their neighbor and answer one of the questions you just listed in 60 seconds or less.

• See? Sharing your faith story doesn't have to be complicated and it doesn't have to be your entire life story. Sharing your faith story can be as simple as a 60-second story about something God has done, or is currently doing, in your life.

• Even if you just made a decision for Jesus yesterday or you're still deciding what you think about Jesus, this is something we can all do!

o You can't control how someone responds to your story of faith when you share it. The only thing you can do is share. But in the process, someone will always be transformed. Sometimes it will be them and sometimes it will be you.

o When you share your story, it might encourage others to start their own journey with God, but it will definitely help you grow in your faith and get clearer about who God is to you.

• Your story matters because it is evidence of God's light and good news in your life. Even when our stories are imperfect and unfinished, our stories can help others discover the truth of God's love. So this week, let's make it a habit to share Jesus with others.