Called Out and Sent Out

Website Editor • October 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.


-


How are you engaging with your mission this week?


Watch this sermon, here .

Arm Yourselves

June 11, 2025
Notes from Ky Martin's sermon on Sunday, June 8, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 4:1-6 Prepare to suffer Is. 50:6-8a I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting. 7 But the Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame. 8 He who vindicates me is near. The martial language indicates that discipline and grit are needed to live the Christian life, particularly in view of the suffering believers encounter. -Thomas R. Schreiner Some people won’t like you if you follow Jesus When a culture abandons biblical standards, when extramarital sex, cohabitation, and birth outside of marriage become normal, people attack the church for its moral snobbery and judgmentalism. Peter warns us that if we do take a stand, we need to expect slander, not applause. -Daniel M. Dorian This is one of the hardest things a new Christian has to face. Your friends liked you because you shared in “the same flood of debauchery.” It seemed great fun at times, but then you came to embrace Christ… But your friends have not… They will be surprised when you say “No.” -Juan Sanchez. Keep an eternal perspective Our outcome is glorious Suffering is good for us Let’s remember that suffering accomplishes God’s purposes. It exposes what or whom we are trusting (1 Peter 1:6–7). - Juan Sanchez Ecc. 7:2 It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart. Discipleship Questions: Verse 1 tell us to arm ourselves by thinking as Christ did about suffering. How did Christ arm himself for and against sufferings? What does it look like for us to do that? Have you ever lost friendships (or had them change) because you were following Jesus? Do you fear that we (or our kids) will experience greater persecution in the future? If yes, how should we handle that fear?

I Believe That We Will Win

June 3, 2025
Notes from Lance Shumake's sermon on Sunday, June 1, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 3:18-22 Jesus suffered and died in order to bring us to God Jesus conquered death by his resurrection “A wonderful text is this, and a more obscure passage perhaps than any other in the New Testament, so that I do not know for a certainty just what Peter means.” —Martin Luther Problem #1 - he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison —Jesus preached through Noah to those who lived at that time (1 Peter 1:10–12) —Jesus proclaimed His victory to evil angels (see Genesis 6:1-4) Problem #2 - baptism now saves you —Scripture is clear - we are saved by grace not works —baptism pictures our salvation from God’s judgment through the resurrection of Christ “The waters of baptism, like the waters of the flood, demonstrate that destruction is at hand, but believers are rescued from these waters in that they are baptized with Christ, who has also emerged from the waters of death through his resurrection. Just as Noah was delivered through the stormy waters of the flood, believers have been saved through the stormy waters of baptism by virtue of Christ’s triumph over death.” —Thomas R. Schreiner, 1, 2 Peter, Jude —in baptism we are appealing to God for a good conscience "This appeal is an act of the heart looking away from itself and from all human instruments and calling on God, appealing to God, for grace to save.” —John Piper —in baptism we are pledging to God to live in a manner worthy of the gospel Jesus ascended to heaven and now reigns over everything “We can face suffering as Christians with confidence rather than panic, and hope rather than despair, because the road marked with Christian suffering is, no matter what its twists and turns are, the road to vindication and glory. The God who vindicated Jesus will vindicate you, and he will sustain your faith until that day.” –Juan R. Sanchez, 1 Peter For You Discipleship Questions: How does Jesus’ death and resurrection encourage us when we suffer? Why did we need Jesus to suffer and die to bring us to God? How does Jesus’ victory over death give us eternal hope? What are your thoughts regarding some of the problems in this passage? How does what Peter says about baptism elevate the importance of baptism? When were you baptized and how does this passage inform your understanding of baptism? How does knowing our victory is secured help us with all the things this life throws at us?

Who Can Be Against Us?

May 27, 2025
Notes from Ky Martin's sermon on Sunday, May 25, 2025. Sermon text: 1 Peter 3:13-17 Nobody can (truly) hurt Christians Psalm 118:6 The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? Rom. 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? The train of thought is as follows: “No one will be able to harm believers on the future day if they are zealous for good” (v. 13). Indeed, even present suffering is not a sign of punishment but of blessing both now and especially in the future, on the day when God rewards his people with eternal life. -Thomas R. Schreiner Honoring Christ Erases Fear Share your faith with strength and gentleness Embrace balance Be prepared to share The truth of the gospel is a public truth that can be defended in the public arena. This does not mean, of course, that every Christian is to be a highly skilled apologist for the faith. It does mean that every believer should grasp the essentials of the faith and should have the ability to explain to others why they think the Christian faith is true. -Thomas R. Schreiner Be prepared to suffer “I’ve spent a number of years in India and Africa where I found much righteous endeavor undertaken by Christians of all denominations; but I never, as it happens, came across a hospital or orphanage run by the Fabian Society [a British socialist organization], or a humanist leper colony.” -Malcolm Muggeridge Be bold! We will likely suffer as Christians in this world, but that suffering is slight and temporary compared to the eternal inheritance that awaits us. The worst thing that can happen to us is that we die and receive our promised inheritance. Can you imagine how emboldened Christians would be if we only believed what Peter is saying? -Juan R. Sanchez Discipleship Questions: Does the fact that nobody can (truly) harm us comfort you? What would change if we lived like we really believe that? Are you a more confident person as someone who knows Christ? Does your security in Christ embolden you to take some risks in life, knowing that the worst that could happen is death? How equipped / prepared are you to give a reason for the hope that you have? What would grow your confidence and competence in that? Have you considered joining Michael Clark one day for evangelism at the harbor? Well….you should….
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