Knowing Jesus' Church

Good morning and welcome to session two of Next Level Discipleship!

We began this journey last week for two very important reasons:

One, I believe God is calling every one of us in this room and watching online to take our walk with Him to the next level. No matter where you are in your journey with Jesus, I believe God is calling you to go deeper in your relationship, to fall more in love, and to serve a little stronger.

Two, I believe God is calling every one of us in this room and watching online to help others take their walk with the Lord to the next level. This includes helping those who do not have a relationship with the Lord. As disciples of Jesus, we need to be engaged in making disciples for Jesus.

So with this in mind, we are working to create a discipleship process that will help us to take INTENTIONAL ACTION regarding our growth and walk with the Lord!

Discipleship does not happen on accident. Consistent growth in the Lord requires that we be engaged in a daily routine of prayer, worship, pursuit, devotions and listening. In this journey, God is going to speak to us through His Word and through His Spirit.

We know that we are living in the last days. And… according to Acts 2, God will pour out His Spirit on all people in these last days. The question is… are we positioned to receive from Him? Are we ready and open to receive what God desires to pour into our lives daily?

This Next Level Discipleship process helps to position ourselves not only to receive from God, but to be used by God according to the leading of His Spirit!

The Four Step Process

So let’s dive in today and review the four steps we are walking through.

We began this journey last week with Step One - KNOWING JESUS.

If we want to grow in Jesus and to serve Jesus, we first must know Jesus! Christ has given us the opportunity to be in relationship with Him. It is through the blood of the Lamb that our fellowship with God is restored and our sins are forgiven. When you come to know Christ through salvation… you also come to know His freedom and forgiveness!

Step Two: KNOWING JESUS’ CHURCH

The church is identified in Scripture as the body of Christ. We see this truth in verses such as 1 Corinthians 12:27… and this verse serves as our main text today.

1 Corinthians 12:27 NIV

27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

We, the body of Christ, are to be the extension of Jesus’ ministry until He returns.

In order for that to happen, we must first know Jesus, and we must also know His church - His mission, His, ministry, His compassion.

Step Three: GROWING IN JESUS

Knowing Jesus leads to growing in Jesus. God desires for all of us to grow in Him.

That growth means our hearts are opened and enlightened by His truth and wisdom. That growth means our hope is fully placed in the Lord. That growth means that we come alive in the new identity given to us by Jesus and give praise for the inheritance that awaits those who place their faith in Him.

That growth means… we become LESS LIKE the world… and MORE LIKE Jesus!

Step Four: SERVING JESUS

This may be the final step in the process… but it is NOT a concluding step or the ending to the process. Serving Jesus becomes a daily thing. Serving Jesus is NOT something we do per se… it becomes who we are - servants of Christ.

Serving Jesus is both a HUGE part of our personal walk AND our devotion to ministry.

As we bear fruit for the kingdom, we demonstrate our identity as disciples of Jesus. How? BECAUSE DISCIPLES OF CHRIST MAKE DISCIPLES OF CHRIST.

It’s who we are. It’s what we do. It’s who we live for. It’s the mission the Holy Spirit empowers us to fulfill.

These are the four steps… the four INTENTIONAL ACTION steps that I want every person in this room to know very well. Why? Because if we want to take our walk with the Lord to the Next Level… then we must know Him, be Growing in Him, and Serving Him.

Knowing Jesus’ Church

This morning, we are in step two. As we continue to grow in our walk with the Lord, it is important for us to know who we are in Him and to know His church.

We… the church… ARE the body of Christ. This body is made up of believers all over this world and this body exists to do the work and ministry of Jesus until He returns.

This congregation makes up a local body that has answered the call to reach the heartland for the cause of Christ.

All of what you see here is a result of congregations before us who desired to fulfill that same call. We would not be here today if not for the actions and commitment of yesterday’s church.

In your booklet, you will find a very brief history of this local assembly. This history is based off the records and information at my disposal in the church office. This body has been in operation… are you ready for this… for nearly 100 years!

It began in a small tent north of Agra… it has grown into a ministry and outreach center, full of God’s Spirit, and FAR from being at the finish line! What I mean by that is this: GOD IS NOT FINISHED WITH US YET! He has GREAT THINGS in store but we must remain faithful as we continue the work to answer the call.

So what is that call? What is it that we are working to achieve as the body of Christ?

We are here to BE disciple. We are here to MAKE disciples. We are here to KNOW Jesus. We are here to MAKE Jesus known.

Jesus Himself made the mission for all believers very clear.

Matthew 28:19–20 NIV

19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

This is the call. This is what we are to do.

But we must also understand something else that is very important. Jesus told us what we are to do… but He also told us HOW we are to do it. We are to reach the world not through our own means… but EMPOWERED by His Holy Spirit. Before ascending into heaven, Jesus gave this instruction to His disciples.

Acts 1:4–5 NIV

4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

Acts 1:8 NIV

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

Jesus’ church is a MISSIONAL church and an EMPOWERED church. The body of Christ is made up of believers who have been redeemed by the blood and are open to receive the power of God through Spirit Baptism.

ALL believers have God’s Spirit within them… He moves into the believer’s heart the moment they call upon the name of the Lord to be saved. But the empowerment we need to fulfill the Great Commission comes through Spirit baptism. It is a power given for the sake of BEING His witnesses all over this world.

We do not seek more of God’s power to hoard it for ourselves. Rather, we seek more of His power to share His good news with the rest of the world!

BECAUSE the church is to be missional and full of God’s power, we strive to align ourselves to His mission and power in everything we do. Jesus’ church… is to be about the Father’s business… otherwise it is NOT His church!

Call it whatever you want… but if a “church” is operating on its own accord and ways, don’t call it a church. Call it a club or social group or interest group or whatever. TO BE A PART OF HIS CHURCH IS TO LIVE OUT HIS PLAN AND MISSION ACCORDING TO HIS POWER.

Therefore, we aim to be missional in all that we do - including in the way that we organize our Sunday Services.

Our Sunday Service focus on these four values:

One - CELEBRATION. Our services should be celebrational!

We believe church should be welcoming to all, worshipful to God, and encouraging to hearts.

Two - INSPIRATION. We want our services to be inspirational!

We believe church should be a place where people experience God’s presence, Word, and Spirit.

Three - PREPARATION.

We believe church should be a place where people learn how the Bible applies to their daily lives.

Four - SALVATION. We want our services to lead people to a salvific experience through Jesus Christ.

We believe church should be a place where people can accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

This is HOW we carry out our mission in our services. We are LOVING GOD and LOVING PEOPLE.

But how many know that this mission doesn’t stop when our service is over? The body of Christ in not only to be in motion when the church doors are open… YOU ARE THE BODY OF CHRIST which means His body is to be in motion not only here… but wherever YOU go! Our BUILDING is located on this hilltop near Agra, but the CHURCH is in operation in the multiple communities you all come from because… YOU ARE THE CHURCH!

Join the Mission!

So I encourage you today to JOIN THE MISSION! Sharing Christ with others is something we all need to be doing! In fact… that is how WE BECOME the extension of Jesus’ ministry until He returns! And I want to show you how you can share Christ with others.

One - Accept the personal RESPONSIBILITY

Sharing Christ with others is NOT just for the pastor, church staff, Sunday School teachers, etc. It is the responsibility AND privilege of EVERY BELIEVER!

Two - Build a personal RELATIONSHIP

Don’t approach sharing Christ with others as a salesman might approach a potential customer. Loving people means caring enough to get to know them. People do not care how much you know… until they know how much you care.

Three - Share your personal STORY

Remember our passage from Acts When Jesus said we would receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon us? What was that power for? TO BE HIS WITNESSES. To tell our story… to give our personal account regarding our transformative and redemptive experience in Jesus!

Four - Give a personal INVITATION

Ask the question… “do you know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior? Would you like to invite Him into your heart today?” Invite people who do not know Him to call on His name for salvation!

Jesus’ mission is not limited to the work taking place within these four walls. Jesus desires for His church to be actively engaged in the mission both at home and abroad.

Go back to Acts 1:8 for a moment. Look once again at His instruction.

Acts 1:8 NIV

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

Jesus tells us why we will receive power but look at WHERE He says that power will be utilized.

In Jerusalem - OUR CITY

This is our immediate context. This is Phillipsburg, Agra, Kirwin, Smith Center, Lebanon, Republican City, Long Island, etc. This is where we live and will most often involve ministering to people near us and like us. WE NEED TO REACH OUR CITIES, OUR COMMUNITIES FOR JESUS!

In Judea and Samaria - OUR NATION

This is a much larger region. It involves more territory and a more diverse group of people. It will include ministry to people like us but not near us and ministry to people near us but not like us. No matter the case, we are to actively reach those who have yet to call on Jesus’ name.

To the ends of the earth - OUR WORLD

This makes our ministry efforts a global initiative. While we cannot be at all places at all times, we are a part of an amazing missions ministry network! We have tools like the internet to help get the Word out, but we are also called to go and to send. This means reaching people not like us and not near us. Distance may be a real obstacle, but the power of God has the ability to help us overcome any obstacle we might face.

Now can you understand why we will need the power of God to fulfill the call Jesus has placed upon His church? We cannot do this without the help and empowerment of the Holy Spirit!

Become Intentional

So here’s the deal… we can agree together on what needs to be done. We can agree together on our need to fulfill the Great Commission and the need for the Spirit’s empowerment to get it done. We can agree together that this world desperately needs Jesus… but we MUST place action to our agreement if we desire to see anything get done!

The world is NOT going to save itself! We cannot expect people to randomly walk through our doors looking for Jesus. When it comes to making disciples… Jesus did not say wait… He said GO!

So I want to encourage you today to become intentional regarding the ministry of Jesus’ church today. I want to talk about how you can join us in Loving God and Loving People.

First off, PRAY.

We believe in the power of prayer! We need to be praying for the lost people of this world. We need to be praying for God to empower His church… and we need to be praying for God to use us as only He can.

We know that God hears and answers prayer. We need to be lifting up the spiritual needs of our area and be ready to serve as God would lead us to serve. But be careful… for the moment you tell God, “Here am I, use me” He will do exactly that!

Secondly, GO

A person does not have to go far to find hurting and broken people. As spread out as we are in north-central Kansas, we daily come into contact with people who need the Lord. We cannot wait for someone else to go… God has called us to go.

And if you’re thinking that you have not heard that call for yourself, then I would lead you back to Matthew 28:19-20 - for that passage is for every believer. Jesus said to GO. Jesus desires for His church not to side idle, but to be actively pursuing the lost.

Third, GIVE

Give of your time and your resources to help reach people for Christ. This incorporates our ability to go and to send. HELP KEEP THE BODY OF CHRIST IN MOTION! Your giving in all areas makes a big difference! Jesus Himself serves as the ultimate example of what it means to give for the sake of others. Follow in His footsteps and give as Christ gave.

And never forget this important point… the Great Commission given by Christ was given to all followers of Jesus. This is NOT an individual mandate… it is a call to action for the ENTIRE body of Christ.

Here’s the deal… in recent years, the world has worked to establish a falsehood regarding the need for the church. In the Covid months, gathering like this were deemed by the world as non-essential… when nothing could be further from the truth.

The body works best… TOGETHER. We are STRONGER TOGETHER! What we do on Sundays and Wednesdays is essential to the spiritual well-being of all who attend. And… there is something to be said of attending versus watching. I AM VERY GLAD for our ability to broadcast the messages today and I am VERY GLAD for our online audience. But I pray we will not limit our church experience to watching services on our phones or TVs.

WE NEED TO BE CONNECTED both to God and each other! Jesus’ church is all about connection and relationship! And in these last days, we need to make sure we are making gatherings like this a priority in our lives.

Hebrews 10:23–25 NIV

23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

It’s hard to consider how we might spur one another on toward love, encourage one another and hold unswervingly to the hope we profess if we are not meeting together on a regular basis.

So church, I want to encourage you to take your connection to Jesus’ church to the next level.

Here are a few ways you can do that today.

One: Join a MINISTRY GROUP.

We have many discipleship groups to choose from that all share the same goal: to help move attendees a step closer to Jesus!

Make a choice to be present in attendance. Make a choice to be a part of the groups, but also to be a part of this group. MAKE CHURCH ATTENDANCE A PRIORITY IN YOUR LIFE.

I am thankful for you being here today! And I look forward to you being here in the weeks to come. Your choosing to connect in this way is VITAL in your walk with the Lord. THIS IS HIS CHURCH. We are HIS body… ans when you’re not here, we are missing a valuable part of the body of Christ!

Two: Consider applying for MEMBERSHIP

Membership aligns our belonging with believing. It affirms that we are on the same page, working for the same goal, while teaching the same biblical truth.

Three: Join MINISTRY TEAM

This is all about being a part of the work we are doing at HWC. Joining a team places your talents and spiritual giftings in motion for the cause of Jesus Christ. This is what it means to be a part of the body. Each part plays a different role, but each part is equally important to the ministry we offer and provide.

Knowing Jesus’ church is CONNECTING to Jesus’ church.

That connection begins with salvation… the moment you call on His name, you become a part of His church! But choosing to connect with a local congregation is one way we deepen our connection as part of the body.

Closing

Jesus’ church is a missional and empowered church.

In order to know His church, we must first know Him. Without knowing Christ first, we can know of His church, but we can’t really know His church. Why? Because He is the head of the church.

All of who we are and what we do is in motion to glorify the Lord. All of who we are and what we do is in motion to complete His mission. All of who we are and what we do is to be led and empowered by the Spirit of God.

You cannot know… personally know… Jesus’ church without knowing the One who created and placed His church into motion!

So I ask you today… do you know Him? Do you know Christ as your Lord and Savior?

Christ gave His life for all of us that we might be forgiven of our sin and set free from our wrong doings. Knowing Jesus as Savior means repenting of your sins and inviting Him into your life. We call on His name… and His blood is applied.

PRAYER - SALVATION

If you know Jesus… you are a part of His church! YOU ARE THE BODY OF CHRIST!

So this morning, I close with a charge.

Be a part of the mission Jesus has given us. Choose to be a disciple and a disciple maker.

Be baptized with His Holy Spirit and receive His power to help get the job done. Be open to receive from God and ask God to fill you with His power.

Be connected to the body through ministry groups and church attendance. Make such attendance a priority. We need each other in these last days as we face the spiritual challenges of our day.

If you are willing to accept this charge, will you stand in agreement with me today and give God all the praise?