Gospel Community on Mission

INTRODUCTION

Jesus left the mission of the gospel to those in gospel community.

Why do we invite people to Reconnect with God, each other, and his mission? Why do we pray that you will be connected to a smaller community here at Granger MC such as our Life Groups? Because Jesus did.

In John 17 we have recorded for us a prayer Jesus prayed, and in it he prays for his small group - that they will become unified, more mature, filled with joy, protected, and multiply as they continue Christ’s mission to share the gospel and show God’s glory.

Think about that for a minute, Jesus left the entire mission of sharing the gospel message of salvation . . . to a small group.

Objection: he left it to the church

Answer: not the church as an institution but the church as a gospel community of believers which has more in common with our life groups than it does our Sunday service.

(I’m not criticizing out Sunday service - I believe it is biblically warranted and is a powerful for making disciples, but Jesus didn’t leave the mission of the gospel to the religious synagogue, he left it to the small faithful community)

John 17:16–23 (ESV)

16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.

20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.

We will not be able to unpack everything in this passage but I’d like to explore a few key truths we find here.

Jesus prays that we will be gospel-shaped instead of culture-driven.

We are (or should be) different from the world. . .

All throughout the prayer Jesus indicates a sharp distinction between believers and the rest of the world that does not believe

16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

We, as a gospel-shaped community, are to be different and distinct from the world just as Jesus was distinct from the world.

How are we to be different from the world? Just by the way we act? No, that is a religious community as opposed to a gospel community.

We are to be different by the way we LIVE.

The difference is, a religious community does actions for God occasionally, whereas a gospel community sees all of life through the lens of the gospel and every action is done for God.

This means we are the same on Monday as we are on Sunday - there is no disconnect.

<<How do we become like this?

John 17:16–17 (ESV) — 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.

John 17:14 (ESV)

14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

The Jews and the Romans did not kill Jesus because he loved them. They killed him because he spoke the truth. The truth was that he is the rightful Lord of their lives.

It is much easier to say “we are loving” than to say the truth, but the most loving thing we can do is to tell people the truth.

Ironically, most people will claim it to be unloving; however, this is why Jesus wants us to live in uncommon community together — displaying love.

We are (or should be) different from the world but not better than the world.

We must always remember that the only reason we are not part of the world is because GOD called us from out of the world.

John 17:6 (ESV) — 6 “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.

It is not because we were somehow smarter, brighter, better, or more moral. It’s because God chose us before the foundation of the world (Eph 2)

Jesus prays that we will display unity in our community for God’s glory.

It is all and always for God’s glory. Yes, there are wonderful and fulfilling aspects of being a part of a life group or gospel community, but the end goal of our life groups is so God’s glory would be shown and shared.

20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.

John 17:9–10 (ESV) — 9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.

John 17:1 (ESV) — 1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you,

“Although the unity envisaged in this chapter is not institutional, this purpose clause at the end of v. 21 shows beyond possibility of doubt that the unity is meant to be observable. It is not achieved by hunting enthusiastically for the lowest common theological denominator, but by common adherence to the apostolic gospel, by love that is joyfully self-sacrificing, by undaunted commitment to the shared goals of the mission with which Jesus’ followers have been charged, by self-conscious dependence on God himself for life and fruitfulness.”

— D. A. Carson

This is what we see from the early church:

Acts 2:42–47 (ESV) — 42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

If we are not unified it will directly affect our effectiveness for God’s mission in this world.

I did not say: If you do not give to missions, or become a missionary, or evangelize.

In this passage there is a direct link between having unity (of heart, mind, and purpose) and our effectiveness for our witness.

If we can’t live “like Christians” why would anyone want to be one?

ILLUST - if you see someone who works at Burger King eating at McDonalds it will make you think twice about eating at Burger King (although you should think twice about eating at McDonalds, too!) or If you see everyone who works at the Ford dealer driving Hondas, you might think twice about buying a Ford.

Your Life Group is essential for God’s plan to spread the gospel into the world.

“Our relationship with each other is the criterion the world uses to judge whether our message is truthful. Christian community is the final apologetic. I am convinced that our increasingly relativistic world, increasingly pluralistic and skeptical culture that we live in, that the greatest apologetic, the greatest defense for the Christian faith is a church that loves and cares and sacrifices for each other like Christ has designed us to.”

— Francis Schaeffer

Jesus prays that our gospel community will be sent on mission.

18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.

Why was Jesus sent into the world? To save the world from their sins

Why is Jesus sending us into the world? To continue his mission (not to save people from their sins, but to) share the gospel.

The best way to share the gospel is to show it’s effects in our lives.

20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.

ILLUST - vaccines (probably a terrible example - too soon?) We know what we are told vaccines should do but really I want to know how it has worked for you.

so that the world may know that you sent me

Here is the truth we share - that Jesus came into the world to save us from our sins so we might have a relationship with God

and loved them even as you loved me.

Here is the truth we show -Jesus is praying that your Life Group will unified and faithful in such a supernatural way that you show God’s love in an uncommon way.

That people see and experience God’s love even as he loved Jesus!!

**Maybe you need to experience that love in a Life Group

Life Group DNA:

Gospel

Community

Mission

Usually the hardest part of our Life Group DNA to figure out is our mission. According to this passage, perhaps we should look at it this way:

How is our gospel community going to live faithful lives and love each other (with a supernatural love) intentionally in the places and spaces around us?

Dangers of Disengagement

ILLUST - My Pulsar NX (first car) - not setting parking brake - transmission was disengaged - (world only needs to be on a slight tilt) coasted down driveway and into neighbor’s yard - barely missing house.

<<Disengagement is the cause of coasting. The world only needs to be on a slight tilt and coasting will take you to a place you may never intend to be.

>> Questions for you:

— How are you connected in gospel community? (Not just Sunday service)

— Join a Life Group

— LEAD a Life Group