The Map

Tone-Setting • Sermon • Submitted 4 years ago

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Intro:

Good morning Parkside!!! We’ve been discussing tone-setting over the last few weeks. We discovered in order to be a Tone-Setter we need to know we are called and what are calling is. Simply put our calling is to be a disciple of Jesus. We realized the importance of the Holy Spirit. As Tone-Setters we are under the authority of Jesus. We then talked about identity, not only the importance of knowing our own identity but knowing also knowing who Jesus is. This morning we will be continuing our Tone-Setting series.

John 5:19–20 NIV

Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed.

Take a moment and think back to a time you went on trip with your parents. Maybe this was a far away trip for vacation, or maybe it was just to the grocery store. Most parents are very familiar with the phrases “Are we there, Are we there, are we there yet?” As kids I’m sure none of us annoyed our parents in this way. Why do almost all children ask the are we there yet questions? Simple, because they absolutely don’t know where they are going or how long the trip is supposed to take.

As followers of Jesus, Jesus is are example. In our text Jesus says he can do nothing by himself, he can only do what he sees the father doing. We can take that one step further. Jesus knew where he was going all along. Jesus knew from the beginning that he was going to the cross to be the sacrifice for our sins. Since Jesus is our example we too should know where we are going.

Where are we going individually

Let me ask a question. Do you know where you going spiritually? Most of us would say yes, I know I’m going to heaven when I die. That’s awesome, however this morning I’m going to challenge each of us to go deeper. First things first. Each of us must be able to define why we come to church. If we are going to know where we are going spiritually, we must know why we come to church, why we read our bibles, why we pray, why we give.

I came to Jesus when I was 14. I really only ended up in church because I was a teenage boy and was hoping to meet a teenage girl. However I found Jesus. My youth pastor was amazing and preached the bible, still does. For me probably due to my bullheadedness and my desire still to meet the girl of my dreams, I never quite figured out what a disciple of Jesus looked like or acted like. I never developed a deep relationship with Jesus, and in turn never really new God’s plan/map for my life. I would do well then stumble do well then stumble until I walked away from the Lord. If you would have asked me why I went to church during that time I would have claimed it was to have a relationship with Jesus but the truth was I was searching much harder to meet the girl of my dreams than I was to have a relationship with Jesus.

Ask yourself why do I come to church? So why do we read our bibles, why do we give, why do we come to church, why do we pray? The reason we should do all of these things regularly is because when we do we build relationship with God. I read my Bible to get to know God and myself for that matter. I give out of obedience to God. The Bible says anyone who loves me obeys my teaching. John 14:23. Giving is one of Jesus’ teachings. Anyone who loves me. Love is relational. When we pray we build relationship with Jesus. We come to church to worship corporately, we also build relationship with others.

To know where we are going individually requires us to follow Jesus. Think of it this way when believers read their bibles, when they pray, when we give, when they worship God, when they build healthy relationships with others, when we do these things with a pure heart, these things are like decoder to a hidden map.

It’s imperative that we know where we are going individually. Otherwise who wants to follow someone that doesn’t know where they are going. We are all called to make disciples, which by our calling makes each one of us a leader to some degree.

Matthew 28:16–20 NIV

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Where are we going as a church

I wonder if each of us could answer that question today? What is the vision of Parkside. Our vision and purpose is to Cultivate Disciples. That’s where Parkside is going. Someone might say that doesn’t sound like a destination. It might not sound like one but it is. And it is going to require each of us to make sacrifices and each of us to be disciples. In order to be a church that cultivates disciples we be healthy disciples individually. In his book “10 Qualities That Move You From A Believer To A Disciple” Pastor Dennis Rouse lays out 10 qualities a disciple should have. In the bulletin there is an insert with all 10 of these qualities. Let’s briefly look at these qualities.

Passionately Committed To Jesus Christ

Has Extraordinary Love for People

Has The Heart of a Servant

Is Sensitive and Submitted to the Holy Spirit

Is Governed By the Authority of God’s Word

Lives Morally Pure

Is Evangelistically Bold

Engages In Biblical Community

Is Just and Generous

Lives on Purpose

This is the vision and mission of Parkside, to be a group of disciples with these qualities. If we are willing to work together to be disciples that possess these qualities we will see change, we will see miracles. This is where we are going as a church.