Called Out and Sent Out

Website Editor • Oct 21, 2020

In Matthew 10, Jesus calls to Him His twelve disciples. 


Immediately after, He sends them out to proclaim His kingdom.


As the church, we know this to be true of us too. God has called us out to be His people. We are set apart from the world around us and called to a higher righteousness.


Because we are called out, we are also sent out.


The church has been given a mission to make Him known! This is an essential part of who we are and why we exist. Like the disciples, we are called to announce that the kingdom of God is here! God has placed us and our church in exactly the right time and place to share this message. It is essential that we share it.


The mission that we share is a shared responsibility. God designed for us to engage in mission together. In scripture, we see Jesus sending people out in groups… He knew that when something is scary, it’s easier when you don’t have to do it alone.


Our mission is ongoing. This side of Heaven, there’s no end point to making Him known. Over and over in scripture, we see people sent out on a specific journey who then come back and regroup. This is the reason we assemble on Sundays. We worship together and encourage one another so then we can go out -- into our everyday mission -- and do the work of proclaiming the gospel. Our lives are the mission.


The church’s mission is balanced. Jesus’ ultimate goal during His time on earth was to proclaim the gospel; as He was doing that, He was also seeing needs and meeting needs. We can follow Jesus’ example and be lights in our community by doing the same.


The church’s mission is strategic. In Matthew 10, Jesus sends His disciples to a specific set of people. He knew they could do a lot of things; but they couldn’t do everything. As a local church, we can mind this example. To engage strategically with our mission, we must evaluate how He gives us insight and favor in our community, so we can step in. We can ask… ‘what is the thing that Jesus has put right in front of us?’


Because we are sent out and on mission, we must engage with the world differently.


→ We must SEE people and needs around us. If you see someone who thinks differently than you, choose to see them as Jesus would. Instead of seeing differences, He saw helplessness. We are all helpless without Him.


→ We must CARE for others as Jesus would, with greatest compassion. When you see a person with a need, that should lead to a desire to point them to our Shepherd -- the only One with power to truly meet our needs. 


→ We must PRAY. Prayer is not preparation for the work; it is the work. Pray fervently and earnestly.


→ We must RECEIVE training and authority. Have you not engaged with your mission because you haven't felt prepared enough? On Sunday, Pastor Shu recommended a great book, “Evangelism: How the Whole Church Speaks of Jesus” by J. Mack Stiles. Start there.


→ We must GO. Out of the 12 disciples Jesus called, He sent 12. Out of the 72, He sent 72. We are ALL called to go. It’s a mission for everyone.


The Christian life is Jesus calling us out and sending us out.


The task is great. 


The stakes are high.


The reward is everything.


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How are you engaging with your mission this week?


Watch this sermon, here .

Jesus is Much More Better

15 May, 2024
Notes from Lance Shumake's sermon on Sunday, May 12, 2024. Sermon text: Romans 5:12-21 Adam ruined it for everyone —sin came into the world through Adam —death came into the world through sin —death spread to all men because all sinned “God has always dealt with mankind through a head and representative. The whole story of the human race can be summed up in terms of what has happened because of Adam, and what has happened and will yet happen because of Christ.” —Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones Jesus is the true and better Adam “Cranfield explains, ‘That one single misdeed should be answered by judgment, this is perfectly understandable: that the accumulated sins and guilt of all the ages should be answered by God’s free gift, this is the miracle of miracles, utterly beyond human comprehension.’ The final word from God could have been “Condemned, on the basis of many trespasses.” Instead, it is “Justified, through the gift of Jesus’ righteousness.” That is why Paul declares that the gift is “much more” or “much better” than the result of Adam’s trespass.” —Daniel M. Doriani, Romans Through Jesus grace abounds and grace reigns Discipleship Questions: What are some reasons we might not like the idea that we all sinned when Adam sinned? What can help us embrace the idea that we all sinned when Adam sinned? How does that idea set us up for the good news about Jesus and what He accomplished? How does the truth from this passage build our assurance of our salvation? In what ways is what Jesus did much more powerful and better than what Adam brought us? How have you experienced the reign of grace in your life despite the reign of sin and death in the world? How can we experience the reign of grace through Jesus in everyday life?

No Fear of Judgment

08 May, 2024
Notes from Ky Martin's sermon on Sunday, May 5, 2024. Sermon text: Romans 5:6-11 God has already done the work needed to save us He took the initiative “God has addressed the cause of the offense… Although he is the offended party, God has removed the offense. God has extended “the olive branch.” -Jay Smith He justified us He reconciled us Reconciliation is an objective event that God accomplished by removing the barrier of sin that separated himself from humanity. This result is independent of humanity’s response although it formed the basis for an individual’s subjective appropriation.” Jay Smith Appropriate: “To set apart for or assign to a particular recipient.” Christians need not fear judgment day 2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. Discipleship Questions: How does it change your outlook on life to know that you have peace with God? In what ways have you experienced the greatness of access to God’s grace? How does future certainty bring us lasting hope? Describe a time when you experienced joy in the midst of suffering. How has God used suffering to grow your faith and mature you? What are some ways you have experienced God’s love being poured into your heart?

The Joy of Justification

29 Apr, 2024
Notes from Lance Shumake's sermon on Sunday, April 28, 2024. Sermon text: Romans 5:1-5 We find joy in the blessings brought by justification —peace with God —access to God’s grace Hebrews 4:16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. —hope of the glory of God “Christian hope is not uncertain, like our ordinary everyday hopes about the weather or our health; it is a joyful and confident expectation which rests on the promises of God, as we saw in the case of Abraham. And the object of our hope is the glory of God (2), namely his radiant splendor which will in the end be fully displayed. —John R. W. Stott, The Message of Romans We can even find joy in our sufferings “Various kinds of sufferings will come to us, but we can rejoice in them when we recognize that they serve a purpose: to develop our Christian character. In verses 3b–4 Paul shows how a godly response to suffering can initiate a series of virtues, culminating, strikingly, in hope. Note, however, that Paul is not saying that we should rejoice because of suffering. Evil things are still just that—evil—and we never should be happy about them. But by looking beyond the suffering to its divinely intended end, we still can rejoice in the midst of them.” —Douglas J. Moo, Encountering the Book of Romans —suffering produces endurance “ We know this, especially from the experience of God’s people in every generation. Suffering produces perseverance ( hypomonē , endurance). We could not learn endurance without suffering, because without suffering there would be nothing to endure.” —John R. W. Stott, The Message of Romans —endurance builds character —character gives us confident hope Discipleship Questions: How does it change your outlook on life to know that you have peace with God? In what ways have you experienced the greatness of access to God’s grace? How does future certainty bring us lasting hope? Describe a time when you experienced joy in the midst of suffering. How has God used suffering to grow your faith and mature you? What are some ways you have experienced God’s love being poured into your heart?
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