We are getting close to the halfway point of the year. As we get there, I want us to reflect and remember our Mission and vision this week:

The Foundation

The Gospel

Biblical Authority

Submission to God.

The Structure.

Inner

Worship

Discipleship

Ministry

Fellowship

Outer

Commitment to Christian Witness

Evangelism/Missions.

Finishings. All the things we do.

the finished Church

I want us to go a step further by simplifying it into three words.

know. Grow. Go.

The foundation and the framework remain, but these three words express very simply what the goal of our church is, and what the goal of each of our lives should be.

Know. Grow. Go.

Matthew 28:18–20 CSB

Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. 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, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Know God

Matthew 28:19 CSB

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,

The command in this first part of this passage is to make disciples of all nations. This means that the beginning of this journey is for these people to know God. The beginning of our Journey is to know God.

We remember that this was Paul’s goal in Philippians as well Philippians 3:10-11

Philippians 3:10–11 CSB

My goal is to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death, assuming that I will somehow reach the resurrection from among the dead.

We need to lay some foundations as we seek to know and love God.

God has revealed himself to us.

In the world

Romans 1:18–20 CSB

For God’s wrath is revealed from heaven against all godlessness and unrighteousness of people who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth, since what can be known about God is evident among them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, that is, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what he has made. As a result, people are without excuse.

There is no way to deny that God exists in the world.

There are so many things that point to intelligent design.

In His word.

In Genesis we see:

Creation

Righteousness of God

Condemnation of Sin

Covenant

Mercy

This is carried on throughout all of Scripture. We even know that what God did in Jesus was foretold and prophesied about as Romans 1 attests to.

Romans 1:1–2 CSB

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures—

God Knows You

God knows you and loves you, before you ever know or love him.

Jeremiah 1:5 ESV

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

God has known us from the very beginning. Before we even knew anything, God knew us.

Psalm 139:13–16 CSB

For it was you who created my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I will praise you because I have been remarkably and wondrously made. Your works are wondrous, and I know this very well. My bones were not hidden from you when I was made in secret, when I was formed in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw me when I was formless; all my days were written in your book and planned before a single one of them began.

God knew us in the beginning and knows all about us. What we will do, the very days of our life.

Luke 12:7 CSB

Indeed, the hairs of your head are all counted. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

All of the hairs on our head are counted.

We are valuable to the Lord.

How valuable?

John 3:16 CSB

For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

And we remember what Romans 5:8 says:

Romans 5:8 CSB

But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

He loves us so much that he Sent his son to die for us. Not because we were deserving, but while we were still sinners. God thoroughly knows you. And despite that, he still loves you.

To know God means to have a relationship with Him.

This means more than just acknowledging that he exists.

James 2:19 CSB

You believe that God is one. Good! Even the demons believe—and they shudder.

This means that we have an appropriate understanding of our relationship with God.

He is God. We are not.

He is Holy. We are not.

We exist for Him, not the other way around.

He is Savior. We need to be saved.

We must believe the Gospel.

So simple that a child can understand.

Gospel means “Good News”

The Bad news = sin.

Good News is what Jesus has done on the cross for us.

Peter’s Sermon in Acts 2:36-40 tells it well:

Acts 2:36–40 CSB

“Therefore let all the house of Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When they heard this, they were pierced to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” With many other words he testified and strongly urged them, saying, “Be saved from this corrupt generation!”

He must be LORD and Savior.

Savior - he has saved us from our sins. In him we have forgiveness.

Lord - he is in charge. We submit to Him and follow him with our lives.

From this point, we must grow in our faith.

Grow in Faith

Matthew 28:20 CSB

teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

We need to continue to grow in our faith.

Everything that Jesus commanded.

We are to become like Christ.

We saw this desire in Philippians 1:9-11

Philippians 1:9–11 CSB

And I pray this: that your love will keep on growing in knowledge and every kind of discernment, so that you may approve the things that are superior and may be pure and blameless in the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.

We need to plan to grow in our faith.

We measure ourself in many arenas.

If you have a goal of improving in any area, you have to find a way that you are going to measure yourself to see improvement.

Learning a language, losing weight, getting stronger, becoming a better runner, getting better at anything.

What metrics can we use to see if we are growing in our faith?

Galatians 5:22–23 CSB

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things.

This is not a list of Spiritual Gifts. These are not things you can be good at some and not others.

Some will come more naturally. Some will be more difficult.

The mature Christian will seek to express all of the fruit of the Spirit.

So what can you DO to grow in your faith?

Prioritize

We must make our faith a priority.

Bible Study.

Options that we have currently. Sunday School, Worship, Small Groups.

Personal Bible Study.

Scripture memorization.

Prayer.

Spending time conversing with the one you love will strengthen the relationship.

Giving.

Putting your time, energy, and money to what you say is important.

This includes tithing, but is not limited.

Are you serving in the church?

Are you spending your time outside of Church time doing anything that relates to your faith?

Are you giving to the church? Are you supporting missions and ministry?

Do you use your money in such a way that is glorifying to God outside of giving to church?

We saw how the Philippians supported Paul in his ministry. Philippians 4:17

Philippians 4:17 CSB

Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the profit that is increasing to your account.

Their gifts to Paul were to their benefit.

When you put your money and your time into action for your faith, you will be more invested in it (no pun intended).

Perseverance. Endurance. Steadfastness.

We see this in James 1:2-4

James 1:2–4 CSB

Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.

When we endure difficulty we will come out stronger and more mature from it.

Go and Make Disciples

Matthew 28:19–20 CSB

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, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

This is the fulfillment of this process.

We are called to share the hope that we have been given.

How are we called to make disciples?

Live and Stand on the Truth.

Love People where they are.

Preach/Teach the Truth.

Teach them to Follow Christ.

Where are we called to make disciples?

WE are called to make disciples in our families.

Deuteronomy 6:7 CSB

Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

Where else?

Acts 1:8 CSB

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

This is where Jesus told them they would make disciples.

In our community. (Jerusalem)

In our State. (In all Judea)

In our Nation. (In Samaria)

In our World. (Ends of the Earth)

How do we share our faith?

We LEARN to. Start simple.

Invite people to church.

Learn to explain the Gospel.

Learn to tell your story.

Memorize Scripture.

Learn to use evangelism tools.

Just DO it.

It will not go as badly as you think it might.

It is one of our highest priorities as believers.

It is what we are called to do.

Where are you in this process?

Know. Grow. Go.

What do you need to improve?