Commissioned (2)

Recap

Jesus is the mission. Just as the Father sent Jesus to the world, Jesus sends us.

Mission creep- drift from original purpose / Jesus given all authority / challenged you to give your life fully over to him this year / the mission of Christ- Just like the father sent Jesus, Jesus sends us to the world to make disciples.

Disciple- Someone who is committed to …being changed by Jesus ... following Jesus ...the mission of Jesus.

The Dangers of the Mission

Luke 14:28 ESV

28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?

We need to “count the cost” of what it means to be a disciple of Christ.

Matthew 10:34–38 ESV

34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household. 37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

Following Jesus may bring division between you and someone who is close to you.

Matthew 10:16 ESV

16 “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.

There will be people who intend to do you harm just because you are a believer. This is more than just a warning about physical persecution, could mean social ostracism, getting cancelled, called out, shamed, ridiculed.

Luke 22:31 ESV

31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat,

We also must contend with powerful and evil spiritual forces that want to absolutely wreck your life.

So where does that leave us?

Never Alone.

Matthew 28:20b (ESV)

20b And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Jesus is with us...

1. Despite our Fears

a. The very real threat of persecution in the New Testament Church.

Chronicled in the book of Acts

4- Peter and John arrested, questioned, then beaten.

6- Stephen arrested, then stoned to death.

8-9- Saul goes from town arresting Christians, throwing them in jail, some were put to death as later attested by his own account.

12- James is executed and Peter thrown in Jail.

14- Attempt to stone Paul and Barnabas

16- Paul and Silas whipped and chained in Philippi

17- Paul chased out of several cities

19- Paul’s mission team becomes subject of riot by worshippers of Artemis in Ephesus

b. The very real threat of giving over to fear.

Matthew 24:9–10 ESV

9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. 10 And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another.

Fear can cause people to act irrationally, do things that don’t make sense, and make decisions that don’t take everything into account.

Fear betrays (self and others) // Fear often leads to hate (of self and others).

two volunteers, big vs. small. Probably stands no chance.

C. Jesus crushes our fears by being bigger than them. (remember Matthew 28:19)

Jesus is God, has all authority, is in control and sovereign.

Not only is he our boss, but he’s the boss over all of the things that keep us up at night.

2. Despite our Failures

a. The failure of the disciples to stand by Jesus.

The Disciples Flee After Jesus is Arrested- Mark 14:50

Mark 14:50 ESV

50 And they all left him and fled.

Peter Denies Christ 3 times- Matthew 26:69-75

despite the disciples abandoning Jesus at his time of greatest need, Jesus promises to always be with them no matter what.

he knows they are weak, he loves them anyway. He is never done with them.

Learning a sport, band, etc, going to fail a lot. Coach is there the next day, next practice. Love the person through the process.

You are going to fail in life, in your walk with Christ, other people, BUT Jesus loves you anyway.

B. Jesus crushes our failures by being bigger than them.

before coming to Christ we are absolutely defined by failure.

Because of Jesus’ death on the cross your failure does not get to define you any longer.

His victory over death is also a victory over failure.

What does a life free of the fear of failure for the mission of Christ look like? One that isn’t afraid to risk and risk big for the sake of taking Christ to the world.

start by seeing opportunities around you.

C. With Christ, when we are faithful we cannot fail.

3. Always

a. Matthew 28:20- “I am with you always, to the end of the age”

Questions- when is the age over? how is he with us? Is this companionship or mere oversight?

b. The Gospel ends with Jesus’ breathtaking promise that he is with his followers all the days to the end of the age. He does not say “I will be with you,” but “I am with you,” and his I is emphatic, “no less than I.” Bruce sees this expression as “conveying the feeling of certainty, but also spoken from the eternal point of view, … for which distinctions of here and there, now and then, do not exist.” In other words, the disciple is not going to be left to serve God as well as he can in the light of what he has learned from the things Jesus has commanded. The disciple will find that he has a great companion as he goes on his way through life. Leon Morris, Pillar New Testament Commentary

Can we take a moment to just think through this...

Jesus, the one with full and complete ruling authority is fully, always, and completely going to and forever more will be with his disciples.

The relationship Jesus has with his disciples does not end as he ascends into heaven.

The assurance of Christ’s presence is meant to seal the assured mission of taking Christ to the world.

c. This is a literal fulfilment of prophecy and promise.

Matthew 1:23 ESV

23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).

Matthew caps off his Gospel with a characterization of who our God is… He is the God who is with us, and he is with us through Christ.

Invitation.

The Mission is Jesus. Let’s Go.