The Mission

Resolve to Continue the Mission

05-29-2022

Welcome to Maranatha Baptist Fellowship

I have to tell you I struggle a bit this week

I had planned on originally to continue with the Parables of Jesus and we will continue with those

This has been a rough week for the world I think

Last Sunday Guidepost published their report on the SBC executive committee and executive officers on how they handled sexual abuse

What I have read of it was tough to read and tough to hear about

Then for most of us we ended school for the year which is always exciting but sometimes can be difficult

Then our country experienced such an evil tragedy with the school shooting in Texas

I mean what a week

It would seem a lot of ups and downs right

Maybe you have experienced something like this before

This morning I want to remind you of our mission

Matthew 28:19–20 NASB95

19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Remember this is our mission

The mission has never changed since it was handed down from Jesus some 2000 years ago

This has always been what we are commanded to do

No matter what is going on

But its tough right

I mean it is so easy for us to get so distracted

I have found myself distracted lately maybe you have to so

It’s one thing to say what the mission is and we have done that right but its another thing to say what the mission is and then how to we go about that

I am reminded of Peter who called to Jesus to have Jesus call him out of the boat

Matthew 14:26–33 NASB95

26 When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” 28 Peter said to Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” 29 And He said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 When they got into the boat, the wind stopped. 33 And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “You are certainly God’s Son!”

We could probably spend all day talking about this

My Sunday School class spent sometime discussing it

We found it interesting that in the midst of a storm and actual storm that Peter things to call to Jesus and have Jesus call him out of the boat

In storms you stay in the boat

Not Peter

Peter was the only one to get out of the boat and was the only one besides Jesus to walk on water

The part of the account I want to focus on is when Peter took His eyes off Jesus he began to sink

When Peter got distracted he began to sink

Church in life when you and I get distract with everything that is going on around us and in our world please hear me

We start to sink

We sink

Praise the Lord Peter got out of the boat

But because Peter took his eye off Jesus he began to sink

When you and I who are believers in Jesus and walk with Jesus but when we are take our eyes off Jesus

When we take our eyes off the mission

We sink

But knowing that we have such a great potential to get distracted Paul tells churches

Colossians 3:1–3 NASB95

1 Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

If you are a believer

If you have a personal relationship with Jesus

Then to combat being distracted set your minds on things above and not on the things of the earth

Remember this in not your home

In fact you are just passing through

But we are to set our minds are Jesus and Heaven

We are to take each and every thought captive

We are to not be setting our minds on the things of this world

That doesn’t mean stick our heads in the sand and think everything is hunky Dorsey but prayer for everything

Take every thought captive and filter it through Jesus

Stop dwelling on the things of this world

Believe you me I know it is easier said than done

So church we take ever thought captive and filter it through Jesus

Remind yourself of the truth of God

That God is still very much in charge

Psalm 46:10 NASB95

10 “Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Stop being so distracted with the things of this world and focus on Jesus

To be still

Simple be

More often then not you need to stop what you are doing and sit there in the presence of God and listen

I love it when you and I are distracted I don’t know about you but I find myself in psalms reading through

Because I think they were written by guys who god distracted and forgot the mission and this is how they got un distracted

John 16:33 NASB95

33 “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

Even Jesus knew we would get distracted and struggle

As we set our minds on the things above and as we are being still resting in God

Begin to remind yourself of the truth of Gods word

Because when you get distracted you begin to follow all the different what ifs that could happen

Which is why you immediately need to stop or to be still

And return to Jesus

The truth is that you are a child of God if you have repented and trusted in Jesus to be Lord of your life

Jesus died and rose again, defeating death and sin

There is a huge sigh of relief because you don’t have to do that

Romans 8:28 NASB95

28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

I know this may seem like a cleshay verse but it is truth

When tragedy strikes and we are left wondering where God is

Believe me I know this doesn’t make sense to our worldly human minds but God is good and somehow someway God will use this for good

And those are things that are difficult to talk about

But we have to remember what the truth is

When we can remind ourselves what the truth is

We begin to set our mind on things above and not of the things of this world

We are able to be still during the times of tragedy and keep our focus on Jesus and not get distracted

When we are focused on Jesus we don’t sink in the storm

We are able to continue to the mission

Through all the distractions in this world it is time we make a commitment to the mission to stay the course

2 Timothy 4:1–2 NASB95

1 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.

Church be ready to share the Gospel when it is easy and popular and even when it is not easy and popular

Be ready to share the Gospel during easy and mountain top time and be ready to share the Gospel during tragedies

Church be ready to share the Gospel when life is full of distractions right now

What an opportunity we have a church and you have as a Christ follower be bold for the Gospel

As the band comes up

Maybe you are here this morning and have been distracted and it has caused you to stop walking with Christ

I would invite you to the front to spend time in prayer this morning and run back to Jesus

Or maybe you are here this morning and you do know who Christ is

I would invite you to the front to talk with someone about how you can know Christ this morning

The altar is open