Embracing the Mission
October 25, 2023
Notes from Scott Sutton's sermon on Sunday, October 22, 2023.
Sermon text: Matthew 28:18-20
1.) Jesus Christ has ALL authority in heaven and on earth.
- This is important because at that moment, it didn't look like this was the case. [EXPLAIN]
- Read Aloud 1 Cor. 15:3-4 & 20-28... Christ's authority is historically reliable. V. 24 specifically says, "Then comes the end, when he delivers the Kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power."
- An Ecclesiastes connection... live with the end in mind! When Jesus Christ conquered sin and death on the cross, God the Father gave Jesus ALL AUTHORITY. And between that time and the time that Jesus returns to take us home, He will destroy EVERY other rule, authority, and power. This immediately reminds me of Joshua saying to the people "Choose this day whom you will serve"! Why serve any authority or power or rule that can and will be destroyed?
2.) The mission of the church is defined by the authority of Christ.
- What is the therefore, there for? This is a pattern seen regularly in Scripture. What God's people are supposed to do is ALWAYS preceded by who God is, what God has done and is doing.
- 1 Cor. 15:14 says, "If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is in vain and our faith is in vain." (Here we go with more vanity!) BUT because he has authority even over death... because he has been raised... Christ's authority gives our preaching power, and our faith value and meaning. In those moments when we wonder if we are actually accomplishing anything and if anyone actually cares about the Gospel, when we are struggling to stay motivated in evangelism, when we wonder if our children are really being rightly affected by the Gospel, when we struggle with our own sinful tendencies and our own conflicting thoughts, we can embrace the mission that he has called us to because HE IS IN CONTROL.
3.) Based on His own authority, Christ Himself states our mission.
- Go... We go because Christ conquered death and sin. Rather than having an inward focus, we lean out toward others. To go is to consider that Jesus has a plan for you in every step forward. Understanding who Jesus is will lead you to be willing to make greater sacrifices for His Kingdom. Faith in His authority over you will help you to be patient in tribulation. An inward focus will make us complacent people who seek comfort over faithfulness.
- Make Disciples... The only reason that Jesus has not yet returned is that He is still destroying every rule, authority, and power in the souls of individuals who belong to Him, but do not yet know it. Romans 10:14-15 says, "How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!" It's not about just having a bigger building! It is about embracing the mission from God to save souls and make disciples. We cannot be indifferent about a lack of seats or a lack of parking or a lack of classroom and nursery space. Until Jesus returns, God has placed His church on mission to draw lost souls out of darkness and into marvelous light through the proclamation of the good news of Jesus Christ. We need more healthy leaders and more healthy churches because disciple-making is not optional.
- Baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit... Why is baptism important? There are at least two reasons. First, Jesus was baptized. And when he came up out of the water the Spirit descended as like a dove and the heavens opened up and the voice of God said, "This is my Son in whom I am well pleased." Many of you sitting here today have had this experience whether you realize it or not. When you accept the grace of God in Christ as a gift, and you are baptized and come up out of the water, God says to you too, "This is my son in whom I am well pleased! Who else needs to hear that? To hear that they can be accepted by God and pleasing to God because of the authority of Christ? Second, baptism is important because it is an appeal to God for a clean conscience. Who do you know whose conscience is seared by sin and the flesh... who is uncertain of their eternity... who needs someone who loves them enough to call them to repentance and toward Christ?
- Teaching them to observe all that Christ has commanded... Conversion is not enough. It is disciples that we are after. It is one thing to tell people to observe Christ's commands. But it is much higher and more involved process to TEACH them to observe.
- Beholding Christ's eternal presence with us... Our Lord has not set some cosmic process into motion and then left us to figure out the details. Romans says that nothing separates us from the love of God. Acts 1 says that we have power when the Holy Spirit comes upon us. This isn't just an idea, but a promise from the one in whom all authority in heaven and earth rests... "Behold, I am with you..."
Discipleship Questions:
- Why is it important that we understand the authority of Christ as we ADVANCE as a church?
- How, specifically, does the authority of Christ inform how you will move in the season?
- In what ways do you see Jesus currently destroying every other rule, authority, and power?
- What areas of your life do you struggle with entrusting to Jesus? How does the reality of his complete authority inform that?
- Who do you know that needs the Gospel? In what ways is the Great Commission currently informing your schedule, budget, prayers, and attention?
Giving Questions:
- Does your money intersect at all with your faith? What does that look like?
- What are your feelings concerning money? What informs your feelings towards money?
- What in your family background contributes to this feeling?
- How do you feel about giving? Why?
- How have you seen a generous person experience a blessing?
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?
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?
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….
