Rethink Church - Guarding the Mission
Rethink Church • Sermon • Submitted
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Guarding the Mission
Guarding the Mission
All that has changed:
Time spent on mobile devices - 32 minutes -132 minutes
Social media users - 970 million - 2.96 billion
Alexa and Siri were just names
We now can see what everyone had for dinner through Instagram
We can steam our movies and not rent them
We don’t have to leave our homes for food, clothes, or anything
Culture has changed and continues to change
God’s command defined culture - God’s commands equal culture - Culture defines God’s commands - Culture ignores God’s commands
We live in a society with no baseline understanding of God
Yet in that we are commanded to “Go”
Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. 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 everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
How we do church is changing and must change, but the mission remains the same
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
How do we do it
Acts 15
Guarding the Message
God was moving
The church is growing - Gentiles are filling the ranks and things are changing
Some men came down from Judea and began to teach the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom prescribed by Moses, you cannot be saved.”
Guarding the Message
Not circumcised - cannot be saved
Grace plus anything is not the Gospel
We spoke on this last week - the Gospel and it alone is what works
For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—not from works, so that no one can boast.
The message does not change
We need not make it difficult
Guarding the Members
The created a council - Peter recounted his experience
The Gentiles were always part of God’ plan - this is fulfillment
Therefore, in my judgment, we should not cause difficulties for those among the Gentiles who turn to God,
Guarding the Members
It is our heart to remove obstacles
The Church is the Church only when it exists for others- not dominating, but helping and serving. It must tell men of every calling what it means to live for Christ, to exist for others.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
We don’t load down - come as you are
We want a service close enough to drive to
Guarding the Unity of the Body
we have unanimously decided to select men and send them to you along with our dearly loved Barnabas and Paul,
Guarding the Unity of the Body
Disagreement does not mean division
Trust the leadership
The unity of Christendom is not a luxury, but a necessity. The World will go limping until Christ's prayer that all may be one is answered. We must have unity, not at all costs, but at all risks. A unified Church is the only offering we dare present to the coming Christ, for in it alone will He find room to dwell.
- Charles H. Brent
“I pray not only for these, but also for those who believe in me through their word. May they all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us, so that the world may believe you sent me.
Guarding the Mission
Guarding the Mission
Our mission remains
Our mode is changing.
We are rethinking church
The question is:
Is it grace and grace alone for you?
Have you found freedom - or are you burdened?
Do you bring unity or division
Are you part of the mission or the one the mission is focused on