GOSPEL ENGAGEMENT AND THE PROPHET ELIJAH

by Patrick Sawyer, Missional Living Pastor

If you know me, you know I am a huge college football fan. I love every Saturday how stadiums all over North America fill up with loud fans who travel to cheer on their favorite team as they battle against another team that also brings their loud fans to cheer them on. As I write this blog, it is the end of June, which means you can almost smell college football. Like college football, in 1 Kings 18:20-40, we see a story of a great battle between a prophet named Elijah and 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah. We can learn how to engage our current culture as we look at this battle.

During the book of 1 Kings, because of their sin and rebellion, the nation of Israel had split into two kingdoms. In 1 Kings chapter 16, we see a new king named Ahab, one of the worst kings, if not the worst, to reign in Israel. 1 Kings 16:30 states, "and Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord, more than all who were before him." In 1 Kings chapter 18, God sends the prophet Elijah to confront Ahab because of his wickedness and rebellion. This would result in a significant battle between Elijah and the prophets of Baal. 1 Kings 18:19 states, "Now therefore send and gather all Israel to me at Mount Carmel, and the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table." Ultimately, this is a battle between the true God and the prophet Baal.

As we look at this battle, we quickly learn how God is going to give every advantage to this false god. First, we see this battle will take place at Mount Carmel. Mount Carmel was believed to be the turf of the false God Baal. The enemies enemy would have a home-field advantage. Think about a sporting event. The home team always has the advantage. It's their environment, their fans… it's loud. Not only was God sending Elijah to this battle, but he was sending him into enemy territory. Second, in this battle, each god or God would be requested to bring down fire upon an altar. Baal was supposed to be the god of the sun and the god of the storm, so for Baal to bring down fire should not have been a problem.

What can we learn about engaging the culture as we study this battle?

As we engage the world, we must do our part.

As you read this story, you see how Elijah did his part. He was obedient to what God was calling him to do. Elijah went and confronted Ahab as God told him to. Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal and Asherah to a battle. Elijah set up the altar and called out to God to bring fire to the altar. Tim Keller states, Only God can send the fire, but Elijah still had to build the altar."

As Christians, we are commanded to be obedient to the Great Commission. We are called to engage the world with the gospel of Jesus and make disciples of all nations. God has given us all we need. He has given us His presence and power through the Holy Spirit, who leads and guides us and empowers us to go and engage the world, but we must be obedient and do our part. As Christians, we must go outside the church's walls and take the gospel's truth to a lost and dying world. God will do His part, and we must do our part.

In the book Tactics, the author calls this the "100 percent God and 100 percent man. I am wholly responsible for my side of the ledger, and God is entirely responsible for his. I focus on being faithful, but I trust God to be effective. Some will respond, and some will not. The results are his concern, not mine." [1]

As we engage the world, we must rely on God.

Even though Elijah was obedient and did his part, he still relied on God. Elijah knew he needed God to bring down the fire. Elijah could build the altar and call out to God but knew God needed to bring the fire. But notice, as you read this story, Elijah seems arrogant as he taunted the prophets of Baal. Verse 27 states, "And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, "Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened." The truth is that Elijah was not arrogant, but he was confident. He was not confident in himself but in God. This reminds us of David when he faced Goliath. The reason David was confident he could defeat Goliath was not in himself but because of God. David remembered how God had protected him in the wilderness from bears and lions as he was caring for the sheep. David knew if God protected him in the wilderness, God would protect him against this giant.

As we seek to live out the Christian life and engage the community and world with the gospel, we must be confident—not in ourselves but in God. No matter what happens in this world, God is in control and more powerful than anything, so we can be confident that God is with us, is on our side, and will lead us to victory. This does not mean we will not suffer. We will suffer. We will be persecuted, but at the end of the day, Christ will lead us to victory. John 16:33: "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart, I have overcome the world."

We must also depend on God for salvation. As Christians, our role is to go and share the gospel, but it's God's role to convict and draw people to Himself. This is why God gives us the Holy Spirit, who dwells within us and leads and guides us. It is the Spirit who not only leads and guides us but also convicts our hearts and reveals the truth. Sam Chan states, "It is God who sends the fire. God pours out his Spirit. God opens the heart of the person hearing the good news. God sovereignly and supernaturally rebirths the person, moving them from darkness to light, from death to life." [2]

As we engage the world, we must expose their false God.

In The Wizard of Oz, when Dorothy and the others get to the Emerald City and approach the Great Wizard, they are terrified until Toto pulls back the curtain and exposes the real Wizard, an ordinary man. When the curtain opened, it exposed the Wizard as a fraud who could truly do nothing. In this story, Elijah pulls back the curtain and exposes Baal as a fraud who can do nothing. He revealed to these prophets that their god can never give them peace, hope, or satisfaction; ultimately, their gods can never truly save them. These prophets called out to their god, but their god never came.

The world is looking for truth, hope, peace, and satisfaction but looking for it in the wrong places. It seeks false gods that can never satisfy or bring hope and peace. Blasé Paschal states, "We hunt for happiness but find only misery and death. We cannot stop wishing for truth and happiness, and yet are incapable of finding either." [3]Elijah was revealing to these prophets there was no hope in their false god. Phillip Ryken states, "Elijah had to disprove Baal before he could prove God. He had to show that no other god can stand in the ring with the God of Israel." [4]

As we engage the culture, we must first understand their worldview and then debunk their beliefs and worldview. We must reveal to them their false gods can do nothing for them, and ultimately, their gods will only lead them to death and destruction. We see their end in verse 40: "And Elijah said to them, "Seize the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape." And they seized them. And Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon and slaughtered them there."

Tolkien's Lord of the Rings[5] centers around a powerful ring, and anyone who possesses it becomes enslaved to it. This ring is evil, and it not only enslaves you, but it slowly destroys you. Even though they want to be free of the ring, you cannot help but desire it. A group of people led by a Hobbit named Frodo are carrying the ring to the fires of Mount Doom to destroy it. As they reach Mount Doom, there is another character named Gollum who once possessed the ring and wanted it back. Even though the ring did terrible things to him, he could not escape it. When the ring ultimately gets thrown into the fire, Gollum jumps in after it to his death. That is how powerful this ring was. It was a false god that enslaved Gollum and only led to his death and destruction. The truth is that this is like every false god. They are evil and slowly destroy you, and no matter how much you want to be free and need to be free, you cannot help but desire them.

As we engage the world, we must point them to Jesus and the gospel.

Throughout this story, we continue to see Elijah pointing these prophets to the true God and the gospel's truth. Verses 32-35 "and with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord. And he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two seahs of seed. And he put the wood in order, and cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood. And he said, "Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood." And he said, "Do it a second time." And they did it a second time. And he said, "Do it a third time." And they did it a third time.  And the water ran around the altar and filled the trench also with water."

Elijah takes these twelve stones and makes a trench. He takes the wood, cuts the bull into pieces, and lays it on the wood. Now, watch what he does. He has the people fill four jars with water and pour it on the offering. He does this three times. Notice he calls the sacrifice a burnt offering. This is a reference to atonement. As the people poured water on the sacrifice, this symbolizes putting or laying their sins on the altar to be atoned for. This is a picture of the gospel. We are all sinners in need of God to save us. Because of His love and mercy, He sent Jesus, the ultimate sacrifice, to come and take our sins to the cross and pay the penalty of our sins so that we can be saved, forgiven, and reconciled back to God. Like the people, we poured our sins onto Jesus, and he was killed on the cross for our sins.

Listen to Isaiah 53:5-6, "But he was pierced for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds, we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned-every-one to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all."

This passage also points to the gospel because the people did nothing for their salvation. They merely poured or laid down their sins, and God provided them with atonement. The truth is that we can never do anything to earn our salvation. Only Jesus can save us. Ephesians 2:8-9 states, "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast."

Verses 36-38: "And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, "O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back. Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench."

Elijah calls out to God to answer his prayer and, by answering his prayer, make Himself known as the true and only God. Remember, the prophets of Baal had called out to their God, but he did not answer, and Elijah was now calling out to his God. The purpose of this whole event was to reveal who the real God was. As Elijah called out to God to bring down fire, God brought fire and burned up the sacrifice. He showed himself as the only true God by bringing down the fire. By God bringing down the fire, He also atoned for the people's sins. This is another picture of the gospel. Remember, the people had poured out the water on the offering, symbolizing laying their sins on the offering, and when God sent down the fire and burnt up the offering, it symbolized God atoning for the people's sins.

As we engage the culture, we must not only debunk their beliefs and worldview but also point them to the truth of the gospel. We must reveal that Jesus is the only one who can truly save us, forgive us of our sins, and reconcile us to a relationship with God. Jesus is the only one who can give us true peace, hope, joy, and satisfaction. The world is looking for these things, and we know where they can find them, and His name is Jesus.

Conclusion

The truth is that God could do anything he wants to spread the gospel and His kingdom. He could shout out the gospel from the heavens. He could spray out John 3:16 in the sky, but in God's sovereignty, He has chosen to use His people to work through to spread the gospel and His kingdom, and we must be obedient, and we must trust and depend on Him, and we must Go. In his book How to Talk about Jesus (Without Being That Guy), Sam Chan states, "We must play our part in evangelism. The gospel belongs to God. But he chooses to use us to tell it in our natural and mundane human words….using our own personal relationships, listening skills, personalities, experiences, stories, emotions and gospel outlines." [6]

• Are you doing your part for the Great Commission? Are you investing in others, building relationships, and sharing the truth of the gospel?

• Are you going into your communities and nations with the hope of the gospel?

• Are you trusting and depending on the Lord as you share the gospel with the world? Are you allowing the Spirit to lead, guide, and empower you?

[1] Gregory Koukl, Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2019).

[2] Sam Chan, How to Talk About Jesus: Without Being that Guy (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2020).

[3] Blasé Paschal, Pensees(Penquin Classics, 1995).

[4] Phillip Ryken, Reformed Expository Commentary: 1 Kings (P&R Publishing, 2011).

[5] Lord of the Rings movie 2002

[6] Sam Chan, How to Talk About Jesus: Without Being that Guy (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2020).

MISSIONAL LIVING ACCORDING TO JESUS

by Patrick Sawyer, Missional Living Pastor

I heard Vance Pittman say one of the best things he did when he moved out to Las Vegas to plant a church was that he spent time in the gospels observing all Jesus did and then asking himself if he saw this in his life and ministry. In Matthew 28, Jesus commands all Christians to fulfill the Great Commission. Matthew 28:18-20 states, “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (ESV). 

 If Christians are to fulfill the Great Commission, we must start living on mission and engaging people with gospel conversations. In Mark 1:17, Jesus called Simon and Andrew to follow Him, and he would make them fishers of men. This was not an option. To follow Jesus is to be a fishers of men. Harvey Turner states, “It’s pretty simple: fishermen fish. Disciples of Jesus evangelize. Disciples make disciples. So whatever your vision of the Christian life is, it must include evangelism as its mission”.[1] Jerram Barrs, in the book Learning Evangelism From Jesus, reminds us that Jesus desires His people to be like Him and to engage the non-believing world and develop intimate relationships with them for the sake of the gospel of Jesus. [2]

But how do we do this? We have the perfect model in Jesus, and as Christians, we need to study how Jesus lived on mission. Jesus is indeed the model evangelist, and I believe we can learn a lot from Him by studying this story and how Jesus engaged this woman with gospel conversations. Barrs states, “It is my deep conviction that our evangelism, both in theory and practice, must be shaped not only by the general teaching of Scripture but also, indeed most of all, by imitating the pattern of Christ.”[3] One of the best stories in the Bible where we see Jesus live on mission is the story of Jesus’ engagement with the Samaritan woman in John 4:1-42. As Jesus engaged this woman, he led her from a general conversation to a spiritual conversation, eventually leading her to believe Jesus was the promised Messiah, and she went into her village and told the people to come and meet this man named Jesus. How did Jesus do this? As we look at this story, we see Jesus engage with this woman in five significant ways, and as we look at these different ways, they can teach us how to live on mission effectively.

Jesus was Intentional

In verse 4, the text states Jesus had to pass through Samaria. The truth is Jesus did not have to pass through Samaria. There were a few different paths Jesus could have taken. He had to pass through Samaria because he had a divine appointment with the Samaritan woman. Jesus was very intentional, and as Christians, we must be intentional. If we are not intentional about having gospel conversations, it will never happen. Matt Queen states again, “Evangelism does not happen incidentally. It occurs intentionally. Intentionality in evangelism is not simply knowing you should evangelize, but constructing a plan to evangelize consistently and executing it. To practice consistent evangelism, it must be planned into daily, weekly, and/or monthly calendar events, or planned obedience in those moments of unscheduled prompting by the Holy Spirit”.[4] Christians must be very intentional as we seek to live on mission and engage with the world with the good news of the gospel. If we want to reach out to communities, our country, and the nations with the gospel of Jesus Christ, we must be intentional. How can you be intentional in your everyday lives for the sake of the gospel?

Jesus Listened and Responded

As Jesus engaged with this woman, he actively listened to her, heard what she was saying, and then responded appropriately to her. As Jesus listened to this woman, he was able to steer the gospel from a normal conversation to a gospel conversation. Listening is a discipline, and we must discipline ourselves to be better listeners, especially when living on mission.  

In the book Conversational Evangelism, David and Normal Geisler state, “Sometimes we miss opportunities to help nonbelievers take a step closer to Christ because we aren’t listening to them carefully enough and miss key ideas that could springboard to deeper spiritual dialogue. You may even be surprised at how easy it is to turn everyday conversations into opportunities to share the gospel with others”.[5] James 1:19 tells us to be quick to hear and slow to speak. James seems to understand that we are great talkers but not good listeners. As we engage people in gospel conversations, we must actively listen and respond like Jesus, hopefully allowing us to move from a general conversation to a more gospel conversation. In the book Invitation to Evangelism, Timothy Beougher states, “If we really listen to people, we will get to know them better, and usually, they will say something that gives me avenues or an open the door to bring spiritual things into the conversation.” [6] How can you discipline yourself to be a better and more intentional listener?  

Jesus Showed Her Love and Compassion

In Verse 9, this woman was startled because a Jewish male would converse with a Samaritan woman. This woman was isolated from her community, and so for Jesus, a male Jew, to engage a Samaritan woman was an act of love and compassion.  As we engage the world, we must show them love and compassion. Lesslie Newbigin states, “No one is going to listen to your evangelism unless he sees that it comes out of a fellowship that cares.”[7] As we engage the world, we must love them, care for them, and serve them because Jesus loves them, cares for them, and has sent us to be His representative in this world. So, we must honor him and represent Him well by how we engage the world. Are you loving and compassionate towards others, or are you judgmental and hateful? Jesus was different, so let’s be different. Let’s be a different Christian than the world is looking for. Let’s be truthful, but let’s be loving and compassionate, and if we do this, we will draw them to the real Jesus and gospel they truly need.

Jesus Fellowshipped With The Woman

As Jesus engaged with this woman, he asked her for a drink of water. A Jew would never ask a Samaritan for a drink of water and would especially never ask to share the same cup as a Samaritan. This would have never happened, but Jesus showed us a very intimate act of fellowship. Tony Evans states, “Jewish lips on her Samaritan cup was an intimate act of fellowship and warm acceptance. It was something that wasn’t done in this woman’s neighborhood. Not only was this an action that signified a willingness for fellowship, but it was also an action that gave the woman value.”[8] Because Jesus spent time with her, he was able to speak truth to her. He was able to move into a deeper conversation with her through his fellowship with her. Tony Evans states, “Jesus was able to turn a general conversation into an evangelistic opportunity because he was willing to spend time with her. He was willing to drink from her cup. Because of this, he was able to witness to her soul. If he had not been willing to do these things, he would not have had the ability to talk to her spiritually.”[9] As Christians seek to live on mission, we must be willing to fellowship with those we are trying to reach with the gospel. What are some ways you can fellowship with others for the sake of the gospel?

Jesus Revealed the Truth

Even though Jesus was loving and compassionate to the woman, he was truthful. Jesus revealed the truth about her sin and the good news of the gospel, that Jesus is the only one who can truly satisfy her. As Christians engage the world, we must be very truthful. We must reveal the truth about sin and the truth of the gospel, how the gospel saves us from our sins, and how the gospel is the only true answer to all the problems in the world. 

In his Letter from a Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King Jr states, “There was a time when the church was very powerful in the time when the early Christians rejoiced at being deemed worthy to suffer for what they believed. In those days the church was not merely a thermometer that recorded the ideas and principles of popular opinion; it was a thermostat that transformed society small in number, they were big in commitment. They were too God-intoxicated to be intimidated. By their efforts and example they brought an end to such ancient evils as infanticide and the gladiator games. Things are different now. If today’s church does not recapture the sacrificial spirit of the early church, it will lose its authenticity, forfeit the loyalty of missions, and be dismissed as an irrelevant social club with no meaning for the twentieth century. Every day, I meet young people whose disappointment with the church has turned into outright disgust”.[10]

As we engage the world, we need to show the world how the gospel is the answer to a lost and dying world. The world is broken, and people long for hope, peace, happiness, and satisfaction but look for it in the wrong place. The world seeks these things through alcohol, drugs, sex, money, and power, and like Jesus said, the world can continue to seek these things through these means, and it will never find what it is looking for. It will continue to drink these waters, and their thirst will never be quenched. Only Jesus can quench our thirst and bring us true hope, peace, happiness, and satisfaction. Blaise Pascal stated, “This he tries in vain to fill with everything around him, seeking in things that are not there the help he cannot find in those that are, though none can help since this infinite abyss can be filled only with an infinite and immutable object; in other words by God himself.”[11] With whom are you sharing the truth of God’s Word? When did you last share your testimony or the gospel with someone?

Conclusion

In Romans 10, Paul tells us that the world will believe only if someone goes to them and preaches the truth, so they will hear and come to believe. For Christians to live on mission and fulfill the Great Commission, we must engage the world with gospel conversations. As Christians engage the world with gospel conversations, we must engage the world the way Jesus did. Jesus is our perfect model, and we must follow the example He set for us.

My challenge is that you would take some time, sit down, and write down everyone in your life who you feel needs to know the truth of the gospel. Once you write down these people, begin to pray for them. Pray that God will allow you to get to know them, build a relationship with them, and allow you to share the gospel with them and disciple them. After you have prayed for these opportunities, think and write out a plan to begin to get to know them and build a relationship with them that prayerfully leads to the opportunity to share the gospel with them and disciple them.

[1] Harvey Turner, Friends of Sinners: An Approach to Evangelism, (Houston, TX: Lucid Books, 2016), 12.

[2] Jerram Barrs, Learning Evangelism From Jesus, (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2009), 14. 

[3] Jerram Barrs, Learning Evangelism From Jesus, (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2009), 15. 

[4] Matt Queen, Recapturing Evangelism (Brentwood, TN: B&H Publishing, 2023), 17.

[5] David Geisler and Normal Geisler, Conversational Evangelism: Connecting with People to Share Jesus (Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishing, 2014), 36. 

[6] Timothy Beougher, Invitation to Evangelism: Sharing The Gospel with Compassion and Conviction (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic, 2021), 184. 

[7] Lesslie Newbigin, A Word in Season (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing, 1994.

[8] Tony Evans, Oneness Embraced: Reconciliation, The Kingdom, and we are Stronger Together ( Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2011), 61.

[9] Tony Evans, Oneness Embraced: Reconciliation, The Kingdom, and we are Stronger Together ( Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2011), 64.

[10] Martin Luther King Jr., “Letter From a Birmingham Jail”, in Milestone Documents in African American History by Paul Murray (Armenia, NY: Salem Press, 2017).

[11] Pascal Blaise, Penses (Penquin Classics; Reissue Ed, 1995). 

NO RESURRECTION, NO GREAT COMMISSION

by Patrick Sawyer, Missional Living Pastor

In the movie The Crimson Tide(1), a civil war erupts in an ongoing conflict in Chechnya, and a military unit loyal to a Russian nationalist takes control of a nuclear missile. The USS Alabama is dispatched and is ordered to launch a nuclear strike if the Russian nationalists fuel their missiles. The USS Alabama received a message ordering them to launch a nuclear attack, and then they received a second message, but this message was incomplete due to damage to the ship's radio. This incomplete message causes a civil war on the ships where one group wants to proceed with the nuclear strike, and the other group wants to wait and get the radio fixed to receive the second message. 

The entirety of the movie rests on this important second message. If they wait, they risk a nuclear attack from the Russian nationalists, but what if the second message tells them to stand down and they proceed with an attack? Now, America has just started a nuclear war. Think about the implications of that second message. Everything hangs in the balance of that message.

When you think about the resurrection of Jesus Christ, everything hangs in the balance of its truthfulness. Is the resurrection true? Did Jesus really walk out of the grave three days later? Or is it not true? Did the disciples make it up? What about the Great Commission? What implications does the resurrection have on the Great Commission? 

We live in a culture that says there is no God, no absolute truths, and no moral obligation. We can live however we want, and no God nor the Bible can tell us differently. 

Friedrich Nietzsche, in The Gay Science (2), stated, "God is dead, God remains dead. And we have killed him. How shall we, murderers of all murderers, console ourselves?... is not the greatness of this deed too great for us? Must we not ourselves become gods to be worthy of it?"

Nietzsche believed there was no need for God because men could determine how best to live and govern themselves morally.

The Bible teaches something very different. The Bible teaches we were created to know God and worship Him (Genesis 1-2), but sin has caused us to rebel against God and worship ourselves (Genesis 3). But God, in His love and mercy, sent His Son Jesus to come and die on the cross so that we can be saved and forgiven from our sins and be reconciled back to a relationship with Him so that we can live a life that is pleasing and honoring to Him and leads to a life of flourishing. 

The world says we can lead ourselves to a flourishing life, but the Bible says the only way is through a relationship with Jesus. This argument between the culture and the Bible hangs in the balance of the resurrection. The truth of the resurrection is the key. Look at what Paul reveals in 1 Corinthians 15:12-58.

Paul reveals that if Jesus's resurrection is not true, the Great Commission becomes the Great Deception.

Verses 12-19 "Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied."

Paul believed that if the resurrection did not happen, then we are still in our sins, and Christians are to be pitied because we live by and preach a false message of hope. 

• The Bible teaches Jesus is the Messiah, the Savior of the world (Matthew 1:21; Matthew 16:15-17; Matthew 21:9; Luke 4:18; John 1:35-36; John 4:25-26, 29-30; Micah 5:2; Malachi 3:1; Matthew 16:20; Luke 2:25-26; John 5:18; John 3:16; John 20:31; Acts 2:31-33; Acts 5:42; 9:22; 1 Timothy 1:15). 

• The Bible teaches Jesus is the only way we can be saved (John 14:6; Acts 2:38; 4:10-12; Romans 5; 6:23; 1 Corinthians 15:3; Galatians 3:22; Philippians 2:9-11; 1 John 5:20; John 3:17; 5:39; 6:54; Galatians 2:20; John 6:22-71)

• The Bible teaches that whoever confesses Jesus as Lord and Savior will be saved (Matthew 10:32; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:21; 16:31; Romans 10:9-10; 1 John 1:9)

If the resurrection is not true, then Jesus is not the Messiah, and the Bible is not true, and we are still in our sins. If the resurrection is not true then we are proclaiming a false message that has no power to save. The Bible teaches all disciples of Jesus are to go and proclaim the truth that Jesus is the Savior of the world so the world can hear and believe in the gospel (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8). But if the resurrection is not true, then we are not proclaiming a message of hope, but a message of deception that does not save and will only lead to destruction and condemnation. 

But, if the resurrection is true, it changes everything. 

Paul reveals that if Jesus's resurrection is true, the Great Commission will not be an option but a necessity.

Verses 20-58 "But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power, for he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For "God[c] has put all things in subjection under his feet." But when it says, "all things are put in subjection," it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all. Otherwise, what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf? Why are we in danger every hour? I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day! What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die." Do not be deceived: "Bad company ruins good morals." Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame. But someone will ask, "How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?" You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body. For not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory. So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. Thus, it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being," and the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall[f]also bear the image of the man of heaven. I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory. "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

If Jesus did come and claim to be the Messiah, if He died and did not stay dead but rose from the grave and is on the throne today, then this changes everything. 

If Jesus is alive and on the throne, we must believe every word of Scripture. We must believe that we are all born lost, dead in our sin, condemned, and separated from God. We must believe the only way we can be saved is through the gospel of Jesus Christ by putting our faith in Jesus and surrendering our lives to Him. We must believe those who do not put their faith in Jesus Christ will spend eternity in hell, away from the presence of God.

If Jesus is alive and on the throne, then we have hope. When we look at the evil, wickedness, and craziness in the world, we can know that Jesus is in control, and all things will work according to His plan. One day, He is coming back, and He will destroy the wicked, gather His people, and we will be with Him in His kingdom forever. Tim Keller stated, "If Jesus died and three days later walked out of the grave, then everything will be okay."

If Jesus is alive and on the throne, we have a message and a mission. In Matthew 28, Jesus gave us the Great Commission, which states that "all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me so go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, in the name of the Son and in the name of the Holy Spirit. Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you and behold, I am with you until the end of the ages." Why were the disciples willing to die to get the gospel to the world? Because they saw the risen Jesus and believed He was the true Messiah and the only way people can be saved is through the blood of Jesus Christ. So this caused them to have a passion and a desire to get this true message to a world that desperately needed to hear the gospel. Nothing would stand in their way. No amount of suffering and persecution was going to stand in their way. 

If the resurrection is true and Jesus is alive and on the throne today, then we must go into the world and tell them about the gospel's good news so they can hear the gospel, believe it, and be saved (Romans 10:11-14).

Is Jesus the true Messiah? Is He the only way we can be saved? Throughout history, there have been numerous men who have come claiming to be Jesus or claiming to be the Savior of the world. These include Muhammad, David Koresh, Jim Jones, and Charles Manson. All these men came, claimed they were the true Messiah, and led many astray. All of these men died and are still dead, and when they died, everything they taught died with them. When Jesus came, he claimed He was the Messiah and came to save the world from their sins. So, what made Jesus' claims more truthful than any of these other men? The resurrection. 

Everything hangs in the balance of the resurrection. If the resurrection is not true, then the culture is right, but if the resurrection is true, then the Bible is right. We can believe Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life and that no one can go to the Father except through Him because Jesus did rise from the dead. He is alive, and because He is alive, we can believe that He is the true Messiah and through His life, death, and resurrection, we can be saved and reconciled back to God. Just like these other men, if Jesus had come, preached He was the Messiah, the only way to God, and died, but never raised from the dead, then we can be like Paul and state, "If Christ never raised from the dead then we are still in our sin." The resurrection of Jesus is important because it validates His claim that He is the Messiah. In Matthew 16, Jesus told the Pharisees that His resurrection would be a symbol from heaven that He is who He claimed to be (Matthew 16:1-4).  

On the cross, Jesus said, "It is finished." Jesus stated on the cross that He had finished what God had sent Him to do, which was to pay for the sins of the world. He died, and three days later, He rose from the dead, and through His resurrection, God affirmed to us that Jesus is the Messiah who has come to save the world. And because Jesus has been raised from the dead, we can have assurance that our sins have been paid for, that He will one day come again, and when He comes, we will be raised with Him and live with Him for eternity. And because Jesus did rise from the dead, we must go and tell others this wonderful message of salvation and hope. 

(1) Crimson Tide movie

(2) Friedrich Nietzsche, The Gay Science.

Politics and the Gospel

by Patrick Sawyer, Missional Living Pastor

In the movie Pirates of the Caribbean at World's End[1], there is a scene where the pirates are all on a boat and fighting with each other. one lady says, "This is madness," and then Jack Sparrow states, "This is politics." This is what we probably think of when we think of politics. 

When it comes to politics and the Gospel, historically, this has been a very divided argument. Some Christians believe we should be involved in government and political issues, and some think we should not have anything to do with the public arena and politics. When it comes to politics, how should Christians be involved? 

What is the definition of politics?

· Patrick Schreiner in Political Gospel defines it as "the activities associated with the organizations and governance of people. It has to do with rulership and who has the right to order our lives. it is what happens in the public domain." [2]

· Jonathan Leeman states in Political Church, "the institutional activity of governance over an entire population backed up by the power of coercion, which in varying degrees will be regarded as legitimate." [3]

Is Christianity political? 

I would say yes! Politics deals with how we are to live together in a society, which leads to human flourishing. It answers the question: How do we live together? How do we treat our enemies? What is authority? What is love? What is justice? What does it mean to be human? Why do I say Christianity is political? Think about the Old Testament. When God brought Israel out of Egypt and into the promised land, what did he teach them to do? God taught them how to live amongst each other - to live in community. He taught them how to love God, obey him, love each other, and treat their enemies. 

·     Deuteronomy 6:5 says, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

·     Leviticus 19 states you shall love our neighbor as yourself

Think about the Church in the New Testament. God saved us, set us apart from the world, and brought us together to learn how to live together in community. He taught us how to love God, obey him, and love each other. He taught us how to treat our enemies and our purpose as humans. 

·     In Matthew 22:37-40 "Jesus replied, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets".

The Gospel is a political message.

The Gospel means "good news," which has a political meaning. The term referred to a ruler's birth. When the Roman Emperor Augustus was born, a calendar inscription spoke of this as "good news" for the world. It was used about a political victory – 1 Samuel 31:8-9 "The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the slain, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. So they cut off his head and stripped off his armor and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to carry out the good news to the house of their idols and to the people."

Jesus' ministry was political. 

Jesus announced a new kingdom, people, society, and political order.  

·     Mark 1:15: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel." 

·     Luke 4:16-21 "And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, 'The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.' He rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."

Jesus' teachings were political. 

·     Mark 12:13-17 "And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to trap him in his talk. And they came and said to him, "Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone's opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?" But, knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, "Why put me to the test? Bring me a denarius, and let me look at it." And they brought one. And he said to them, "Whose likeness and inscription is this?" They said to him, "Caesar's." Jesus said to them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." And they marveled at him.""

Jesus' trial and death were Political

·     Matthew 27:28: "They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him.

·     Matthew 27:29: "They put a crown of thorns on his head.

·     Matthew 27:29: "They mocked him, saying Hail, King of the Jews.

·     Matthew 27:30: "They spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head.

·     Matthew 27:37: "They hung up a sign that said This is Jesus, the king of the Jews."

·     Matthew 27:42: "The crowd mocked him saying he is the king of the Jews; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him."

Jesus' Return Will Be Political

· In Revelation 5, John sees a vision of a slain lamb, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, who comes and is worthy and takes the scroll from the right hand of the seated one. As Jesus takes the scroll, He is in authority. He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. Jesus takes the scroll and opens up the scrolls of God's judgment on the world, ushering in the return of King Jesus.

The Church is Political

During Jesus' ministry, he called out 12 men to be a part of a new kingdom and a new life. Through these men, Jesus would establish the Church. Jonathan Leeman stated, "Jesus called out these twelve men to be the new heads of a new nation." In Acts 2, Peter preaches at Pentecost, and 3,000 come to believe, and in verses 42-47, we see a picture of a biblical community. We see the called-out Church. The Greek word for Church (ekklesia) means an institutional entity. An ekklesis is a political term. An assembly would meet regularly and decide on law, official positions, and policy. 

Worship is a political act. When we come together for worship, we acknowledge God as Lord and King, surrendering to his Lordship and submitting to him. We are acknowledging we have one King and one Lord. The ordinances are political. Baptism -is a symbol of our new allegiance to a new king. Paul tells us we are baptized into Jesus' death and resurrection. Jesus resurrection initiated a new society, his victory, a new kingdom and a new political community. Lord's Supper – in the book Subversive meals, the Roman meals were political, showing honor and allegiance to the emperor.[4] When we celebrate the Lord's Supper, we are honoring and celebrating the one true King. 

The Church is the agency of kingdom authority on earth. In Matthew 16, Jesus told the disciples that he would build His Church, and then he says that he would give them the keys to the kingdom of heaven, and whatever they bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever they loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. A key is often a symbol of authority. We also see this in Matthew 18. The Church has the authority to ensure the right people belong to the Church according to the right confessions. Matthew 16 is the right confession of entry into the kingdom of God, and Matthew 18 is the right way to stay in the kingdom of God.

The Church's Mission is Political

Matthew 28:18-20 "And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." 

Christ under His authority sends out His representatives to all other kingdoms without their approval because he does not need it. King Jesus sends out His people to tell other kings and kingdoms of the true king, and the true kingdom is here. And if they repent and believe, he will restore them into a new kingdom and a new society where they will live as upright citizens. 

How are Christians to live in this current world and culture?

Augustine stated in the City of God[5] that even though we are citizens of heaven, we must still live in the city of man. But how are we to do this biblically?

Christians are to respect our earthly governing authorities

• Romans 13:1-7 "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. for rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God and avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For because of this you also pay taxes for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed to them; taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed". 

• 1 Peter 2:13-17, "Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor". 

Christians are to pray for our authorities 

• 1 Timothy 2:1-2 "First of all, then, I urge that supplication, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way."

Christians are to seek peace, serve, and change society 

• Jeremiah 29:4-7 "Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare". 

Jake Meador, in his book In Search of the Common Good Christian Fidelity in a Fractured Society, says, "What evangelicals most need in the political arena today is not to elect certain candidates or support certain legislative causes. There is a place for that, to be sure. But the most important thing we can do is be properly Christian in the totality of our lives, starting with the way we shape our homes and Carrying that into our individual vocations, whatever those may be".[6]

Christians should be Christ's ambassadors 

• 2 Corinthians 5:20: "We are ambassadors for Christ. Christians are not to shy away from the public arena and politics, but as Christians go out into our communities, workplaces, and government, we are to go out as Christ's ambassadors and representatives. We are to stand up for human life. We are to stand up for the traditional marriage and family. We are to stand up against hate and racism. We are to stand against sexual immorality. 

• Lesslie Newbigin states, "When the church affirms the gospel as public truth, it is challenging the whole society to wake up out of the nightmare of subjectivism and relativism, to escape from the captivity of the self-turned in upon itself, and to accept the calling which is addressed to every human being to seek, acknowledge, and proclaim the truth." [7]

• Charles Colson, in How Shall We Live, states, "We must show the world that Christianity is more than a private belief, more than a personal salvation. We must show that it is a comprehensive life system that answers all of humanity's age-old questions. Where did I come from? Why am I here? Where am I going? Does life have any meaning and purpose?" [8]

Conclusion

Hebrews 11:10 "For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, who's designer and builder is God." As Christians, this is not our ultimate home. This is our temporary home, but until we go to be at our real home, we must live in this temporary home. As we live in this temporary home, we must live out the Gospel in our lives and seek the welfare of the city, and we must also proclaim the truth to the world of the true king and the true kingdom that is here now and is coming.

  [1] Pirates of The Caribbean at World End (2007).

[2] Patrick Schreiner, Political Gospel: Public Witness in a Politically Crazy World (Nashville, TN: B&H Academic, 2022), 5.

[3] Jonathan Leeman, Political Church: The Local Assembly as Embassy of Christ's Rule (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2016), 62.

[4] Alan Street, Subversive Meals: An Analysis of the Lord's Supper under Roman Domination during the First Century (Eugene, OR: Pickwick Publications, 2013). 

[5] Augustine, The City of God

[6] Jake Meador, In Search of the Common Good Christian Fidelity in a Fractured World (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2019), 106.

[7] Lesslie Newbigin Truth to Tell: The Gospel as Public Truth (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing, 1991).

[8] Charles Colson, How Now Shall We Live? (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House, 1999).

Individualism and the Mission of the Church

by Patrick Sawyer, Missional Living Pastor

On Saturday, December 30, 2023, the University of Georgia football team played the Florida State football team in the Orange Bowl. A few weeks before the game, FSU announced they would play the Orange Bowl without twenty-one players due to what has become part of the college football landscape known as player opt-outs. Opt-outs are where players choose not to play in the team's bowl game for some specific reason. Some players decided not to play because they were in the process or had completed transferring to another school. Other players chose not to play to prepare for the National Football League. 

Some people may be thinking, "What is the big deal? It is just a regular bowl game that really does not mean anything." Of course, I could see it this way, but my concern is what seems to be happening in the bigger picture. Before ministry, I was in the college football world where it was "we" before "me ." College football has always been a team sport where players come together toward a single mission to win football games and, hopefully, championships. 

I believe what we are seeing is a move away from "we" over "me" to "me" over "we ." Many players today seem to be only looking out for themselves. For these players, the mission is no longer a team concept but more of a "me" concept. Think about this: in a "me" concept, if I am no longer happy with my team, I can transfer to another school. Instead of finishing the season with my team, I can opt out of the bowl game and not risk getting hurt or go ahead and get ready for the next level of football. It's all about what is best for me, not the team. 

I believe we see this problem creeping into the church today. Many Christians today come into church with a "me" over "we" attitude. It's all about my needs, my desires, and my comfort. Many church members want to come on Sunday, enjoy community, and sit in the church service but do not want to be asked to serve the church, community, or world. This is not what they signed up for. Trevin Wax states, "Belonging to a church, in the sense of embracing membership that goes beyond therapeutic benefits or perks and privileges, doesn't make much sense." [1] Like college athletes today, if church members are no longer happy or comfortable at their current church, they can leave and go to another church. Often, these people bounce from church to church in the same way we are starting to see more college football players bounce from team to team. Trevin Wax believes some church members view the church as a restaurant. [2] He states, "What happens here is that church members migrate from one congregation to another, enjoying for a season the preaching and music here, sometimes coming back to their go-to-congregation when they're in the mood for something more familiar, or heading over to a third church for a mission trip." [3]

For many Christians, the purpose and mission of the church is achieving personal happiness and comfort and not really about worshipping God or loving and serving others. Wax states, "Expressive individualism does not empty the church of its members. It merely fills the pews with people who see their church attendance as another expression of their own identities, an aid in their own pursuit of happiness." [4]

I believe the problem with this is it does not line up with what Scripture teaches about the Christian life and the purpose and mission of the church. Do not get me wrong, there is an individualistic component to the Christian life. When Christ came and died on the cross, He died for the salvation of individuals, so we are saved individually. But the moment we become disciples of Jesus, we are brought into the community, which is the church. The Christian life was never meant to be lived alone. It was always meant to be lived in community. Doug Ponder states, "Jesus did not die to rescue isolated individuals; He died to create the church." [5]

In the Old Testament, when God set apart Israel, He brought them into community. He taught them to love God above everything (Deuteronomy 6:4-5), to love one another (Leviticus 19:18), and also to be a witness to the world (Isaiah 43:8-10). This was the purpose and mission of the people of God. We also see this in the New Testament. The purpose and the mission of the church were to love God (Matthew 22:37), love one another (Matthew 22:39; John 15:12; 13:35), and be His witness to the world (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 1:8). 

In Acts 2, Peter is preaching at Pentecost, where 3,000 people come to believe and were baptized, and then we see a picture of true biblical community. The early church came together in community and loved and worshipped God. "They were devoted to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers" (v 42). They also came together to love and serve one another. "And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people (v 44-47)." There were no individuals. There was no "me" over "we." They were all focused on God first and then on one another. They were also focused on the mission God had given them. "And the Lord added to their number daily (v 47)." The early church was not focused on their needs, desires, or comfort, but they were focused on taking the gospel of Jesus Christ to those who had yet to hear. It was not about their personal mission but about the mission God had given them together.

The problem with individualism, when it comes to the purpose and mission of the church, is that it takes the focus off of others and makes it about ourselves. If we are only focused on ourselves, then we will never die to ourselves, which Jesus calls us to do (Matthew 16:24-25), and we will live for Him. If we are focused on ourselves, then we believe the church's purpose is to serve us and not for us to serve the church. Some people are joining the church to consume and not to contribute. Wax states, "We have the opportunity to stand out in the world by choosing to die to ourselves, to lay our lives down for something greater than ourselves. The New Testament tells us to crucify the self the world tells us to be true to. Nothing is more non-conformist and radical and rebellious than seeking conformity with Christ and the death of your old self." [6]

If we are only focused on ourselves, then salvation becomes about us and not about others. The truth is that the moment God saved us, we were called to the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). If you are a follower of Jesus, then you are called to go and preach the gospel (Mark 16:15) and make disciples (Matthew 28:18) of all nations. If we make salvation only about me, why would we sacrifice and give up my comfort to take the gospel to those who have yet to hear? Why would we go to places like Nepal, Yemen, Syria, and many others if it is all about me?

If we are only focused on ourselves, then we will focus on our personal kingdom and not on God's kingdom. We see this in the book of Jonah. When God called Jonah to preach repentance to the Ninevites, Jonah disobeyed and fled to Tarshish. Jonah was focused on himself and not on God's kingdom. Jonah did not want to risk his personal life for the lives of others. Jonah had no problem with God giving him mercy, but he became angry and disobedient even at the thought of God giving mercy to the Ninevites. Jonah's focus had shifted away from God to himself.

During Jesus' ministry, He was not focused on himself but on God's kingdom. Acts 1:3 says, "He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God." Jesus spent his last days on this earth preaching the kingdom of God. We also see this during Paul's ministry. Acts 28:30-31 says, "He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance." Like Jesus, the apostle Paul spent his last days on this earth proclaiming the kingdom of God. From the beginning to the end of the book of Acts, Paul shows us how God's people focused not on themselves but on God and the spreading of His kingdom. This is the purpose and the mission of the church.

Where is your focus today? When it comes to church membership, do you focus on "me" or "we"? Do you come to church with the anticipation of serving the church and others, or do you anticipate being served? Are you always asking what the church can do for you or what you can do for the church? Andrew Bertodati encourages us to be rooted, not detached, from the church. [7] He states, "In an age of consumerism, rootedness calls us to reject viewing our church and community exclusively by what we can receive from it. We are encouraged to ask questions about how we can contribute to and bless our church family and neighbors." [8] Are you focused on building your own kingdom or God's kingdom? Are you focused on your personal mission, which is seeking personal happiness and comfort, or on God's mission, which is dying to yourself, getting out of your comfort zone, and taking the gospel to your community and the world? 

[1] Trevin Wax, "Why is Expressive Individualism a Challenge for the Church?" The Gospel Coalition, October 18, 2018. 

[2] Trevin Wax, "Your Church is Not a Restaurant," The Gospel Coalition, October 24, 2018.

[3] Ibid. 

[4] Trevin Wax, "Why is Expressive Individualism a Challenge for the Church?" The Gospel Coalition, October 18, 2018. 

[5] Doug Ponder, "How Individualism Corrupts the Church's Mission," IMB.org, March 14, 2019.

[6] Trevin Wax, "The Faithful Church In an Age of Expressive Individualism," The Gospel Coalition, October 22, 2018.

[7] Andrew Bertodati, "3 Ways Church Membership Challenge our Individualism, ERLC, March 8, 2021.

[8] Andrew Bertodati, "3 Ways Church Membership Challenge our Individualism, ERLC, March 8, 2021.

The Great Commissions According to A Christmas Carol

by Patrick Sawyer, Missional Living Pastor

A Christmas Carol[1] by Charles Dickens is a famous Christmas story centered around Mr. Ebenezer Scrooge. In this famous story, Mr. Scrooge is portrayed as a mean businessman who is selfish, greedy and hates anything portrayed as nice or generous. The story is set around Christmas time when Mr. Scrooge hates everything about Christmas and what it represents. He hates how everyone is loving and kind to one another, how they are generous towards others, and how everyone is just so happy. He hates and despises this time of the year. 

On the night before Christmas, Scrooge is visited by his former business partner, Jacob Marley, who was greedy just like Scrooge, and because of his greed, he has been cursed to wander the earth in heavy chains and money boxes. Mr. Marley tells Scrooge he will be visited by three ghosts of Christmas during the night. Ultimately, these ghosts represent the past, present and future life of Mr. Scrooge. Mr. Marley tells Scrooge he needs to listen to these ghosts, or he will receive the same fate and cursings that he received because of his selfishness and pridefulness. 

During the night, Mr. Scrooge is visited by all three of these ghosts, where it is revealed that if he does not change his ways, he will die a lonely and hated man. On Christmas morning, Scrooge wakes up a changed man. He goes from a man who was mean, selfish, and greedy to a man who is now loving, selfless, and generous. He goes from hating Christmas to being thankful he has a new opportunity to be a part of the Christmastime feeling of love, kindness, and generosity. 

You might be asking, "How does this story connect to the Great Commission?" I'm glad you asked. 

The apostle Paul tells us in Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Like Scrooge, we were all born dead in our trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1), selfish and greedy. We all identify with Scrooge. Daniel Blackaby states, "Whether we accept it or not, we are Scrooge in this story." [2] This is the bad news of the gospel. But there is good news. In this story, the three ghosts show Scrooge the truth of his life. He is also shown the destruction his current life is leading him to. Like this story, the Bible reveals the truth about our lives and also the truth about the destruction our everyday life is leading us to. The Bible reveals the truth and the good news of the gospel. The gospel's good news is that God did not leave us in our sins and trespasses, but He sent His Son Jesus to come and die on the cross and rise from the grave so that we can be saved, forgiven, and reconciled to Him. 

Even though we are Scrooge in this story, like Scrooge, our story does not end here. Scrooge's life was changed. He was given a new life. The Bible reveals that through the gospel, our lives are changed. We are given a new life and a second chance. 2 Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." 

This is the good news of the gospel in that we have a new life. We have a second chance. We go from death to life (John 5:24). 

But now watch this. In this story, the moment Scrooge is changed, he not only loves Christmas time, but he cannot wait to go and spread the Christmas cheer with others. Scrooge states, "I will honour in my heart and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the past, the present, and the future. The spirits of all three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach." [3] Scrooge's heart has been so changed, and he is so full of joy and happiness that he vows to live out this new change and to also spread this good news and experience with others. 

This is what the good news of the gospel should do to us. The gospel of Jesus Christ should so overjoy us that our lives should look differently, and we should have a desire and passion to go and spread the good news of the gospel to those who have yet to hear. Think about the woman at the well. The moment she experienced Jesus, she dropped everything and ran into her village and told all the people to come and see this man, Jesus who changed her life. The gospel should cause us to drop everything, run to the world, and tell them about Jesus. If Jesus is so good, don't we want others to know and experience Him?

Think about this. There are billions of Mr. Scrooges all over the world who are dead in their sins and trespasses and are living a life that is leading them to death and destruction, and they do not even know it. Like the three spirits, we should have a passion and a desire to go to them and reveal the truth to them so they can not only know the truth but they can also know the only One who can save them, change their life and give them life is Jesus Christ. 

We must go to them so they do not miss their chance to know and experience Jesus. "What's today, my fine fellow? Said Scrooge. 'Today! replied the boy. 'Why it's Christmas Day.' It's Christmas Day! Said Scrooge to himself. I haven't missed it." [4] Daniel Blackaby reminds us, "What makes A Christmas Carol so heartwarming is not that Scrooge is redeemed but that he still has time to share his newfound Christmas Spirit and bless those around him." [5]

This Christmas season, let us not only be reminded of the good news of the gospel but also that there are billions of people in the world who have yet to hear the name of Jesus and the good news of the gospel. Let us have the passion and desire to do whatever we can to get the gospel message to them.

 [1] A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens 

[2] Daniel Blackaby, "The Gospel According to A Christmas Carol," The Collision, (December 7, 2020). 

[3] Daniel Blackaby, "The Gospel According to A Christmas Carol," The Collision, 

The Reason We Go

by Patrick Sawyer, Missional Living Pastor

Revelation 5

Valleydale Church just recently celebrated what we call Go Sunday. Go Sunday is the day where we release all of our following year’s short-term mission trips. This is one of my favorite Sundays, but when it comes to sending and going on mission trips all over the world, have you ever wondered why we go?

• Why do we do we set aside lots of money for missions work all over the world?

• Why do we develop church planting partnerships all over the world?

• Why do we equip and encourage church members to live on mission where they live, work and play?

• Why do we revitalize and replant churches across our community?

• Why do we plan mission trips every year all over the world?

• Why do we challenge and encourage church members to go on mission trips?

• Why do we pray and hope that God would raise up people from our church to be sent all over the world for the sake of the gospel?

We Go because Jesus is alive and he is on the throne (Verses 1-7):

“Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals.  2  And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?”  3  And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it,  4  and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it.  5  And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” 6  And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.  7  And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne.”

As John is giving a vision from heaven he sees angels who cannot find anyone worthy to open up the scrolls. What are these scrolls? Basically, if these scrolls are not opened all the promises of the Bible are not true and will not come to be.

• Vern Poythress states, “the destiny of John, of the church and of the universe itself hangs in the balance over the question of whether someone can open the scroll.” (1)

• William Hendrickson states, “if the scroll is not opened it means that there will be no protection for God’s children in the hours of bitter trial; no judgments upon a persecuting world; no ultimate triumph for believers; no new heaven and earth; no future Inheritance.” (2)

In verse 5, John is told not to worry because the Lion, tribe of Judah, Root of David is worthy to open up the scrolls. In verse 6, John also sees a Lamb that had been slain. What does the Lion of Judah, Root of David and the slain Lamb have in common? They all point to one person, Jesus.

• Genesis 3:15: After Adam and Eve sinned against God and brought sin into the world, God comes and promises them that he would one day send a savior…a Messiah who would come and save the world.

• Genesis 49: The Bible tells us the Messiah would come from the tribe of Judah.

• Isaiah 11: The Bible tells us the Messiah would come from the line of David.

• John 1: John the Baptist sees Jesus and then says there is the “Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.”

These verses are revealing to us that Jesus is the Messiah that God promised back in Genesis 3:15. Notice how John describes this slain lamb:

• He was standing - points to his resurrection

• Has Conquered - Jesus was victorious, triumph, prevail, or overcome…. over sin, death and His enemies through his death and resurrection.

• He has seven horns - Horns are a symbol of power and seven is a symbol for completion so Jesus has complete power and complete rule

• He takes the scroll from the right hand of God, which means Jesus has all control and authority.

This slain Lamb, who was standing and who takes the scroll, reveals that Jesus, who died on the cross did not stay dead, but rose from the grave proving He is the Messiah that atoned for our sins. And because he is worthy to take and open the scroll, reveals that he has all authority and is on the throne ruling the world. Here is the truth, church. If Jesus had come and claimed to be the Messiah and died and is still dead today, then he would have been like any other false prophet who have ever claimed to be the Messiah, and we have no hope. If Jesus is still dead, then we are out in the world preaching a false gospel that has no power to save.

But!

If Jesus did come, and we know He did, and claimed to be the Messiah, and we know He did, and if he died, and we know He did, and if he did not stay dead, but rose from the grave and is on the throne today, and we know He is, then this changes everything.

First, if Jesus is alive and on the throne then we must believe every word in Scripture. We must believe that God created us to have a relationship with Him, but sin has caused us to rebel against Him. God, in His love and mercy, sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross and rose from the dead for our sins so that we can be reconciled back to a relationship with God.

Second, if Jesus is alive and on the throne then we have hope. When we look at this evil and wicked world, we can know that Jesus is alive and on the throne, and he is in control and everything will be okay.

Third, if Jesus is alive and on the throne we have a message and a mission. In Matthew 28, Jesus gave us the Great Commission, which states that all “authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me so go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, in the name of the Son and in the name of the Holy Spirit. Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you and behold I am with you until the end of the ages.” Why were the disciples all willing to die to get the gospel to the world? It was because they saw the risen Jesus and they believed he was the true Messiah and that the only way people can be saved is through the blood of Jesus Christ and so this caused them to have a passion and a desire to get this true message to a world that desperately needed to hear the gospel. Nothing would stand in their way! No amount of suffering and persecution was going to stand in their way! Church, we have a message of hope and salvation, and we must have a passion and a desire to take this message of hope and salvation to a world that needs to hear it because Scripture tells us the only way people can believe and be saved is through the preaching of the gospel. So we must be willing to sacrifice our time, money and even our lives for the sake of the gospel.

Fourth, if Jesus is alive and on the throne then the church cannot be stopped. In Matthew 16, Jesus stated that he will build his church and the gates of hell shall not prevail. Jesus is basically telling us He will build His kingdom and Satan, hell and/or the wicked world cannot stop it. The world can hate Jesus, hate us, mock us and persecute us, but they cannot stop us because they cannot stop the gospel because they cannot stop Jesus.

We Go because Jesus deserves and desires our Worship (Verses 8-14)

8  And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.  9  And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, 10  and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” 11  Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands,  12  saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” 13  And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying,  “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” 14  And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.”

Notice in these verses, as Jesus, the slain Lamb takes the scroll, notice what the elders, the angels and the creatures start to do? They start to sing:

•  “worthy are you to take the scrolls and open its seals

•  “Your blood has ransomed people from all tribes and peoples and nations and languages”

•  “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain”

•  “they bowed down and worshipped”

Imagine this scene in heaven. All of heaven sees the slain lamb take the scroll, revealing there is hope in that Jesus is alive and on the throne, and as they see this they respond with prayer and singing. Ultimately, they responded in awe and worship! Because of what Jesus has done through his death on the cross he has redeemed people from every tongue, nation and peoples, and He deserves their worship and he deserves our worship.

Listen to what John Piper says in Let The Nations Be Glad. (3) “Missions exists because worship does not. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever. Worship, therefore is the fuel and goal of missions.” (4)

We see this all through Scripture. God deserves and desires for the nations to praise and worship

King Jesus.

• Psalm 67:3 “Let the peoples praise you, O God let all the peoples praise you!”

• Psalm 86:9 “all the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name”

• Revelation 7:9-10 “After this I looked and behold a great multitude that no one could number from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages standing before the throne and before the lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, andcrying out with a loud voice salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne”

Church, if Jesus came and died on for our sins, rose from the dead and is alive and on the throne, then does he not deserve our worship? If Jesus is the only one who can save us, satisfy us and give us true peace and hope then should he not deserve our worship? Does he not deserve the world to worship him? Church, this is how much Jesus loves the world and desires the world to worship him. Jesus desires the world to know him and worship him so much that he came and died on the cross to save the world and redeem the world so the world can know Him and have a relationship with him and worship him. Jesus desires the world to know him and worship him so much that he commands and sends out his people with his presence and his power through the Spirit to take the gospel so those can hear the gospel, believe the gospel, be saved and be reconciled back to a relationship with God.

If Jesus has this much desire for the nations to know him and worship him should we not have this same desire and be obedient to go and take the gospel to a lost and dying world so they can know him, experience him and worship Him? If the gospel is so good then don’t we want others to experience the gospel? If Jesus is so good don’t we want others to experience him? This is why we go. We go because we know that when we experience Jesus we will never be the same. We go because we know that only Jesus can save us, forgive us and reconcile us back to a relationship with God so that we can truly worship Him for which we were created.

1 Vern S. Poythress, The Returning King: A Guide to the book of Revelation (Phillipsburg, NY: P&R Publishing, 2000), 109.

2 William Hendriksen, More Than Conquerors: An Interpretation of the Book of Revelation (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academics, 1967), 89.

3 John Piper, Let The Nations Be Glad: The Supremacy of God in Missions (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academics, 2010).

4 Ibid.,15.

Barnabas and The Great Commission

by Patrick Sawyer, Missional Living Pastor

I am a huge Michael Jordan fan. I would say he is the greatest basketball player to ever play the game and I would venture to say he could be the greatest athlete of all time. I know I am biased, but I truly believe this. When I was growing up I was also a huge Chicago Bulls fan. I love the dynasty years where the Bulls won three championships; Jordan leaves and they win zero championships; then he comes back and they win three more. Jordan had been with the Bulls for a number of years before they ever won a championship, so how did the Bulls go from a team who could never get past the Detroit Pistons to one of the most dominating dynasties in NBA history?

You could say Michael Jordan and I think you would have a great argument, but I think the answer is Scottie Pippen. I am not saying Pippen was better than Jordan, but I think when Pippen came to the Bulls he was an encourager to Michael Jordan. He made Jordan play better, which then made the Bulls play better as a team.

The truth is that we all need an encourager in our lives and we need to be an encourager in other people’s lives. When God created us, He never intended us to live alone. He always intended us to live in community. Here is another question - what does this have to do with the Great Commission? I would venture to say it has everything to do with the Great Commission.

In the New Testament, we meet a man named Saul who was also called Paul. In the book of Acts, we see Paul trying to stop the disciples of Jesus. Paul believed these Christians were spreading a false message so he was trying to stop them by any means possible. As Paul is on his way to Damascus to stop more Christians, he meets the risen Jesus and he becomes a Christian. Paul would go on to become probably the greatest missionary to ever live. Paul would plant many churches all over Asia Minor and would also go on to write most of the New Testament.

But, here is something to think about. I do not believe Paul would have ever been the missionary God called him to be if it had not been for a man name Barnabas. Do not get me wrong, I am not saying God could not have made Paul to be this great missionary without Barnabas, but I do believe God used Barnabas to help Paul become the man and missionary he would become.?

We meet Barnabas also in the book of Acts. Acts 4:36 “thus Joseph, who was called by the apostles Barnabas (which means sons of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus”. Barnabas was an encourager. Barnabas played a big part in the life of Paul, but also in the Great Commission.

In Acts, we see persecution come, led by Paul, and as this persecution came Christians started to scatter all over different parts of the region. As these Christians scattered, everywhere they went they were sharing the gospel and planting churches. One of these churches was the church at Antioch. The church of Jerusalem heard a report there were some great things going on at this church and who did they send to check it out? That’s right Barnabas. As Barnabas goes to this church and sees all the great things they are doing, guess who he goes and gets? Right again, Paul! Barnabas goes and gets Paul and this would start the adventures of Paul and Barnabas being sent out by this church to go and take the gospel to the Gentile nations.

When it comes to the Great Commission, God does not want His people sitting on the sidelines, He wants them in the game. One way God gets His people in the game is by putting people like Barnabas in their lives to encourage and challenge them to obey the Great Commission. Just as Barnabas goes and gets Paul in the game, we, as Christians, need to get other Christians in the game. How?

• We need to invest in others and disciple and teach them the importance of obedience to the Great Commission.

• We need to challenge each other to go and serve our community and the world with the love of Jesus Christ.

• We need to challenge each other to go and proclaim the gospel to those who need to hear it.

Another reason Barnabas is vital for the Great Commission is because being obedient to the Great Commission is hard and it will be a sacrifice and we will want to quit, and in these moments we need a Barnabas in our lives to encourage us to persevere. As Paul and Barnabas start their journey we see the sacrifice they made. We learn from Paul how much he sacrificed for the Great Commission.

1 Corinthians 11:24-28 “Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.”

As you read all that Paul went through and how much he suffered for the gospel, you have to wonder how did he do it? How did he not quit? We know he loved God, he loved the gospel and we also know he knew he was called by God to go and do this, but I would also say because of Barnabas. I will say it again, I believe God put Barnabas in Paul’s life to encourage him not to quit when times were hard. In those moments when Paul was being persecuted, Barnabas was right there with him encouraging him to keep going and not to give up.

When it comes to the Great Commission, we need people like Barnabas in our lives. Obeying the Great Commission will be hard and it will require great sacrifice. Some Christians will be hated, persecuted, arrested and even killed for it. Even though God is with us and empowers us through His Spirit to be obedient to the Great Commission, He still puts others around us to encourage us when times are hard, to encourage us to keep going and to not give up.

When it comes to the Great Commission, God has given us His presence and His power, through the Spirit, but He also gives us people like Barnabas in our lives to get us in the game. To encourage us and challenge us to quit sitting around, but to get up and go and be obedient to the Great Commission and to encourage us to keep going and not quit when the times are hard and the sacrifice is great. Being obedient to the Great Commission is hard and it is a sacrifice and the only way we will be able to be obedient to it is with God Himself and Barnabas.

Two questions

• Who is your Barnabas? Who is encouraging you and challenging you to be obedient to the Great Commission?

• Who are you a Barnabas to? Who are you encouraging and challenging to be obedient to the Great Commission?

Am I Called to the Great Commission?

by Patrick Sawyer, Missional Living Pastor

Matthew 28:18-20 “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

One of my favorite missionaries is William Carey. Carey had a heart for the nations and believed Matthew 28 was a responsibility for all Christians to obey. He was burdened because Christians in his group were not going to the nations and actually thought it was a waste of time.  So in 1787 in a minister’s meeting, Carey questioned the group on this and a man named John Ryland stood up and said. “Young man, sit down! When God pleases to convert the heathen, He will do without your aid or mine!”

Because Carey believed the Great Commission was for all Christians, in 1792 he published a treatise titled An Enquiry into the Obligations of Christian to Use Mean for the Conversion of the Heathens, which challenged Christians that when God gave us the Great Commission is was not for a few people. It was not just for the apostles. It was not for a special group of people. God does not have His Navy Seal Great Commission team.

When God gave the Great Commission, He gave it to all Christians. Carey was so passionate about this that he would eventually leave and go take the gospel to India. Before he left for India, he wrote to a pastor named Andrew Fuller and said “I will go down into the pit, if you will hold the rope”. This would go on to start the Baptist Mission Society which would go on to hold the rope for William Carey and many others.[1]

The truth is we are all called to fulfill the Great Commission and take the gospel to the nations. We have the opportunity to join God’s mission to take the gospel to the nations. What an honor and a privilege that we get to be a part of! Think about this - God could have chosen to do anything He wanted to get the gospel to those who have yet to hear. He could have drawn John 3:16 in the sky or He could have shouted the gospel from the heavens, but chose to use His people to take the gospel to those who have not heard.

Again, this is an honor and a privilege we get to do this, but it is also a great responsibility. Think about this, not only are there many people who are not saved in our city, state and our country, but there are over 3 billion people all over the world who have never heard of the name of Jesus.

The question is not am I called, but where am I called and what part do I play. We all have a part. We need people praying, giving, sending and going. We need people like Carey who will go AND we also need people like Fuller to stay back and hold the rope.

Some people will be called to live on mission where they are and some people will be called to leave and go to the nations. Do we have people in our backyard that needs the gospel? Yes. Do we need to reach them? Yes. But we still must be a part of getting the gospel to the nations and fulfilling the Great Commission. We all have a part to play in Birmingham and around the world. Are you doing your part?

[1] Biography of William Carey

The Gospel Power of Christian Community

by Patrick Sawyer, Missional Living Pastor

In AD 362, the Emperor Julian wrote a letter to Arsacius, the high priest of Galatia, to challenge the priests to act more like the Christians. Julian had tried to stop the Christians, but he was not successful. He stated, “These impious Galileans not only feed their own poor, but ours as well; welcoming them into their agape, they attract them, as children are attracted, with cakes. While the pagan priests neglect the poor, the Galileans devote themselves to works of charity and by a display of false compassion have established and given effect to their pernicious errors. See their love-feasts and their tables spread for the indigent. Such practice is common among them and causes a contempt for our gods.” 1

When it comes to living on mission and engaging the culture, one of the most powerful testimonies to the gospel is true biblical community built on unity, truth and love. Lesslie Newbigin stated, “The most important contribution which the church can make to a new social order is to be itself a new social order.” 2 Christians must be different than the world and show the world a new and better society grounded in unity, truth and love.

In Acts 2:42-42, we see a picture of true biblical community. These believers had formed a new community based on love for God and each other, unity, fellowship and love for society. Verse 47 states, “And the Lord added to their number daily”. This new community was not just focused on each other, but were focused on those on the outside and those on the outside saw them as good citizens. 3 This new community was attractive to outsiders because they were different. They truly loved and cared for each other and also cared for those on the outside and this was something new outsiders wanted to be a part of.

Jeremiah 29:7, “But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you in exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in it welfare you will find welfare.” When Christians reveal to the world a new community and a new society that is built on truth, love and unity, they show the world the beauty of God’s kingdom, which is what the community and society has been looking and longing for. The current culture is becoming more and more isolated and lonely and the only thing that will truly satisfy what they are really longing for is true Christian community, which ultimately points to God’s kingdom. As Christians we must come together in unity and love with each other and show the world where to truly find the love, unity, peace and hope they are looking for. We must ultimately show the world Jesus, who is the only one who can bring true community built on truth, love and unity.

1 “Those Impious Galileans,” Grace and Choice, http://graceand choice.com/posts/those-impious-galileans.

2 Lesslie Newbigin, Truth To Tell: The Gospel as Public Truth (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing,

1991), 85.

3 Patrick Schreiner, Christian Standard Commentary: Acts (Holman Reference, 2021), 145.

What Fuels Us for God's Mission?

by Patrick Sawyer, Missional Living Pastor

In 1965, University of Florida assistant football coach Dewayne met with a group of scientists to see why so many Florida football players were struggling with energy in the heat. The football player had no fuel or energy, so this group of scientists got together and did some research, and out of this came the development of the sports drink Gatorade. Gatorade was designed to help fuel athletes to help them perform at an optimal level. As a Christian, have you ever wondered what fuels our desire and passion for missions?

In Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus gives us the Great Commission to go and make disciples of all nations. Jesus also told us in Acts 1:8 that we would be His witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the world. When it comes to being obedient to the Great Commission, what fuels us? What drives us toward this obedience? As Christians, we have the Holy Spirit, who dwells inside us and empowers us to go and live on mission, but the Bible also tells us we can quench the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19). So what can we do or how can we not quench the Spirit and allow the Spirit to fuel us for God's mission? To answer this question, we will examine two verses in the gospels. 

• Mark 3:14 "And he appointed twelve so they might be with him and he might send them out to preach." 

• Matthew 4:19 "And he said to them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."

Often when we read these verses, we tend to focus so much on preaching and spreading the gospel, which is very important, and we skip entirely over the first part of the verse. In both of these verses, the first very important truth we see is that before Jesus would send the disciples out for His mission, he would first call them into a relationship with Himself. Jesus knew that for his disciples to love others and be obedient to God's Mission, they must first have a love for God and have intimacy with Him. 

In his book Unburdened, Vance Pittman stated, "We need to understand that being with Jesus is the ultimate pursuit of our lives. Being with Jesus always comes before doing anything. Doing flows from being, not the other way around."

In his book The Titus Ten, Josh Smith stated, "The first call of Jesus is to follow him. We respond by submitting ourselves to Him as a slave. As we come to know Jesus more, He calls us into a deeper relationship. He is calling you into sonship, friendship, and intimate love. He is calling you to move toward intimacy. And as we move in that direction toward God, we will be able to move in that direction toward others."

We see this play out in the ministry of Paul. We know the apostle Paul, then Saul, in Acts chapter 8, approved of the stoning of Stephen, and then great persecution came upon the Christians, and they left Jerusalem and scattered all throughout Judea and Samaria. In Acts chapter 9, Saul is going to Damascus to persecute more Christians and encounters the risen Jesus. Saul is converted and becomes a Christian. In Acts 9:20, Scripture tells us he immediately proclaimed the gospel in Damascus. Where did Paul get his knowledge? Where did Paul get his fuel and passion for the gospel? 

Paul reveals this to us in Galatians 1:11-17, "" For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man's gospel. For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers. But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone; nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus."

Notice after Paul became a Christian, he did not consult with anyone or go to the apostles in Jerusalem to learn from them. I believe Paul spent time with Jesus growing in his love for God and his intimacy with God. As Paul grew in his intimacy with God, this overflowed into his passion and fuel for God's mission. Just like the disciples, Jesus knew that for Paul to love others and have a passion for God's mission, he would first need to love God and spend time with Him.

As Christians, God has also called us to His mission, and just like the disciples and Paul, God knows if we are to love others and have a desire and passion for His mission, we must first have a love for God and have intimacy with Him. Our intimacy with God is what fuels our passion for His mission. Scripture tells us that God loves the nations, and he desires the nations to know Him and worship Him. As we spend time with Him, we love Him more, our hearts are in sync with His heart, and we start to love the nations and have a desire to see the nations know Him and worship Him.

So how do we grow in our love and intimacy with God? How do we put ourselves in a position for the Holy Spirit to empower us and drive in us a passion for God's mission (Acts 1:8)? By spending time with God through His Word daily. We must read His Word, study His Word, memorize His Word. We must meditate on His Word day and night (Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:2; 119:15, 23, 78, 97, 148). We must also spend time with God through prayer (1 Chronicles 16:11; 2 Chronicles 7:14; Nehemiah 1:4-11; Matthew 6:6, 9-13; Mark 1:35; Acts 2:42; Romans 12:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:17; Hebrews 4:16). 

I also believe we must spend time in community. In Acts 2:42-47, we see a picture of a true biblical community. These believers were coming together and worshipping, reading God's Word, praying, fellowshipping, and observing the ordinances. I believe by doing this in community, they were growing in their relationship with God and being fueled for missions. Verse 47 states, "and the Lord added to their number daily, which I believe means their "togetherness" fueled their passion and desire for God's mission because it deepened their knowledge and relationship with God and with each other. 

What if My Child is Called to the Mission Field?

by Patrick Sawyer, Missional Living Pastor

One of the craziest things I have seen in the sports world is when we come to college football signing day. Imagine ESPN is live on location at a local high school where a football player will announce where he plans to play football for the next few years in just about an hour. Will he go to Alabama, Ohio State, Texas, or maybe Auburn? The gym is crowded with family, friends, and schoolmates. The cheerleaders are there, as well as his teammates. The time has come. We switch to live tv, and the player steps up to the table with his parents. The table is full of hats from the specific schools from which he will

choose. As we anticipate, we notice both parents are wearing Ohio State apparel, hoping and wishing and probably praying their child will pick the school they root for. The student sits down, leans toward the mic, and thanks everyone for coming. As he looks at the hats to choose from, he tells the crowd this was the hardest decision he has ever had to make. He then, of course, grabs one of the hats, acts like he is going to put it on, and then puts it back down. You can imagine the tension and excitement in the room. He then looks at the Alabama hat and picks it up. What will he do? In that moment, he actually puts on the

Alabama hat and tells everyone he has decided to take his talent to the University of Alabama. The room erupts. Some are excited and happy, and some upset. Now think about the parents sitting there decked out with OSU gear. What will they do? What will they say? At that moment, they shock the room by walking out of the room completely unloving, uncaring, upset, and unsupportive.

This scenario got me thinking: what if this is how it was when a child was called to the mission field? Take the same scenario, and instead of schools, it is careers. Let’s say it is a missionary, a doctor, a business owner, or a lawyer. Now, as a parent, if you were standing at the table with the child and instead of picking up the doctor, business owner, or the lawyer hat, they pick up the missionary one. What would you do in that moment? Would you shout excitedly and celebrate with your child or walk out in sadness and anger? Let me pause this story and come back to it.

I heard David Platt say this scenario pretty much plays out in the Mormon faith. In the Mormon religion, a child can choose to go on a mission for 18 months up to 2 years to serve somewhere within the world. As the child is waiting to hear where they will be sent, they gather with loved ones, and upon receiving the news, their family and friends shout with excitement as they celebrate. As David Platt stated, these family and friends celebrate with joy as this child goes to spread a false gospel.

Now go back to the earlier scenario. How would you react when your child chooses the missionary hat to go on the mission field to spread the true gospel? Would you respond with joy and excitement or walk out in shame?

As Christian parents, here are seven truths to remember when it comes to fulfilling the Great Commission:

• First, the Great Commission is a command for all Christians. The Great Commission is not just for pastors or a special group of Christians. God does not have His Great Commission Navy Seal Team that he sends out on a special mission. The Great Commission is for all Christians. You were called to the Great Commission the moment you became a Christian.

• Second, joining God in His mission to take the gospel to those who have yet to hear is an honor and a privilege. Think about this. God could have done anything to get the gospel to the nations. He could have written John 3:16 in the sky. He could have shouted the gospel from heaven. But instead, God has chosen, in His sovereignty, to use His people for His mission.

• Third, to fulfill the Great Commission, people must be sent. Paul tells us in Romans 10:14-15 that in order for people to believe the gospel and be saved, they must hear the gospel, and they will not hear the gospel unless people are sent to preach it.

• Fourth, God will call some of our children to the mission field. Yes, God will call our children to different professions; for some, that will be the mission field.

• Fifth, what if we do not send? Again, according to Romans 10:14-15, if we do not send and if we do not go, and if we do not preach and they do not hear, then they will never believe and be saved. They will spend eternity away from Christ in hell.

• Sixth, as Christian parents, we are not called to raise our children with desires to be successful, have a great job, and make lots of money; I am not saying these are bad things. Ultimately, we are called to raise our children to glorify God, live in a way that is honoring and pleasing to Him, be obedient to God, and join Him in His mission to fulfill the Great Commission in whatever he has called them to be and do.

• Seventh, as Christian parents, we should be excited and supportive in whatever God has called our children to do, no matter if he calls them to be a doctor, a lawyer, or a missionary.