Go

Missional Youth Ministry

Have you ever had a moment when you thought you knew where life was going? You had everything planned out and it seemed, in that moment, like everything was going according to plan.

Every time Dest and I are going somewhere I have a plan. I know when we are leaving, where we are stopping for what and when we will arrive. It doesn’t matter if we are going to Walmart or Disneyland, I have a plan. But then, inevitably, something goes wrong. We have to make an unscheduled stop or there is an accident that slows down traffic. No matter how well I plan, things never seem to go exactly how they are supposed to. Something always throws off my groove.

The disciples were used to Jesus tactics. He never really did what was expected. It almost seemed like He did it on purpose. But this time would be different, right? Thousands of years of prophecy had led to this moment. There was no way that all those teachers and educators got it wrong. There was absolutely no way that Jesus would come back from the dead, promise power through the Holy Spirit, and not free Israel from Rome and teach Caesar a lesson, right? But Jesus, as we should all expect, does the unexpected.

Acts 1:4–11 NLT

Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. John baptized with water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?” He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him. As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!”

I love this for a few reasons.

Something supernatural just happened and a couple of angels say “Stop looking at the sky and get to work.”

Jesus kinda lets down everyones expectations. They wanted Jesus to do something FOR them. HE wanted to do something IN them. Listen to these phrases: “Are you going to free US?”, “Is it time to restore OUR kingdom?” HIs response is, “That’s need to know and you don’t need to know.”

He then flips the entire mission from inward focused to inside out! “First you will receive power through the Holy Spirit, then you are going to GO.”

But how do we go? Jesus breaks it down real easy for us.

Acts 1:8 NLT

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

The main reason to be baptized in the Holy Spirit is for boldness to share Jesus with others. We believe that the physical evidence of being baptised in the HS is speaking in an unknown language. Tonight during small group time Destiny and I will be available to pray for this gift with you. If you have accepted Jesus as your savior and given your life to Him you have the HS living inside of you. Be baptised in the HS is being submerged in Him.

After this Jesus said we would be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea/Samaria and to the ends of the earth. Why does He start with Jerusalem?

The story of Jesus led to Jerusalem. The story of the church leads from Jerusalem. You see, Jesus appeared post resurrection to His disciples in Jerusalem. They were staying in Jerusalem. This was their home. Jerusalem was the Holy City. Why does all this matter? I’m glad you asked.

A lot of times we focus on “the ends of the earth” when we talk about being on mission. We forget Jesus said, “Start in Jerusalem. Start where I have you right now.” We focus on “Judea/Samaria and to the end of the earth”, but we forget about our family, friends, classmates, teammates, coworkers that are here. We get so focused on world missions that we forget the people God has placed in our lives. WE forget our sphere of influence.

It’s great to be called to Thailand, but have you talked to your friends about Jesus? It’s awesome to dig wells and supply clean water to the Navajo Nation! But what about that kid with a sack lunch that sits by himself everyday at lunch time?

Please hear me! It’s not either here or there. It’s both here and there. Jesus never says to pick one, but we also shouldn’t sacrifice one for the other.

Matthew 25 has a parable about servants, a master and money. The lesson is that if you aren’t faithful with little, you will never be given much. Psalms 2:8

Psalm 2:8 NLT

Only ask, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, the whole earth as your possession.

God will give you the nations, but only if you are faithful with your neighbor.