How Church? Confidence for the Mission

2018-09-23 

Pastor Jonathan Falwell 

Key Verse: Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

Last week, Matt encouraged you to START living a life on mission. He encouraged us to take active steps moving forward in fulfilling the Great Commission which Christ gave. However, I know that often times, the greatest hindrance to carrying out this mission is what is inside our heads. We are our own worst enemy in doing what Christ has called us to do.  Today, I want to encourage you…YOU CAN DO IT! Most people don’t do the work of the Great Commission because they believe someone else can do it better, because they’re distracted, because they believe they’re too busy.  These are all excuses that have no basis in fact.

TRBC Mission Statement: To change our world by developing Christ followers who love God and love people.

TRBC Values:

1. Committed to Scripture

2. Culture of prayer

3. Lifestyle of worship

4. Connected in community

5. Heart for serving

6. Passion for sharing

TRBC Actions:

1. Tell (Matthew 28:19 Therefore go…)

2. Grow

3. Send

Confidence for the Mission

Acts 1:4-8  And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; 5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” 6 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Hindrances:

1. Distracted

vs 4 And being assembled together with them

* Distractions are the enemy to purpose and mission. How do we overcome? Balance and intentions.

2. Not good enough 

vs 4b-5 He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; 5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

* No one can do it better because the Gospel does it on its own. We are nothing more than the carrier, the salesman.

3. Too Busy 

vs 6-8 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

* Too busy? Reality is that this is an excuse that has no merit. We are all busy, but the mission Christ gave us was to “be witnesses” along the way! In other words, no matter what you are doing, it can be missional!

* The question is…what is your way?

Urgency:

1. It matters now

Mark 16:15-16 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.