SERMON SUMMARY
Sunday, February
10, 2008
The Year of Visitation : Eternal Impact Series
Sermon given by Senior Pastor, Dan Tabolt
Be Driven by
God's Mission
To have an eternal impact we need to understand what’s important to God.
As we catch his heart, we can be driven by God’s mission: to live not in
search of self-fulfillment, but to live in a continual, dynamic, personal
relationship with God and to help others do the same.
Max Lucado wrote
a book called, It's Not About Me: Rescue From the Life We Thought Would
Make Us Happy. Most of us have a dreamy sort of ideal that we think
would bring us real happiness. It may be an ideal date, mate, job, or
family. Whatever the case may be, those ideals are never achieved, and
often we’re left looking for the next ideal that will bring true
happiness. Our lists of wishes and wants only leave us frantically chasing
after the wind or disappointed and lethargic, wondering, is this all there
is?
The mission that
Jesus gave his closest followers before he left earth to be with his
heavenly Father is a missional he gives to each of us individually and as
a community, the church. That mission will bring eternal fulfillment that
begins now and continues into the next life, and will rescue us from the
wish lists that we think will bring us happiness, but instead leave us
empty.
“Velocity involves two things, speed and direction.”
If you knew you
were leaving on a long journey, and you had one last chance to say a few
words to your closest friends and family, what would you say?
I. Our mission
is to be Christ’s Witnesses.
The primary emphasis of the church must be its mission focus. The one
topic that Jesus emphasized in both accounts of his last words to his
disciples was helping people find their way back to God. In Matthew
28:19–20 he said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,” and in
Acts 1:8 he said, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes
upon you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and
Samaria and to the ends of the earth.”
This was the
final point Jesus made to his disciples. It was the exclamation point he
placed at the end of his ministry. It would appear that helping people
find their way back to God—making disciples—was the very reason for their
being.
Read Acts 1:1–11.
The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to
do and teach, 2 until the day in which He was taken up, after He through
the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen,
3 to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many
infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of
the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.
4 The Holy Spirit Promised
And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart
from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He
said, "you have heard from Me; 5 for John truly baptized with water, but
you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now." 6
Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, "Lord,
will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" 7 And He said to
them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put
in His own authority. 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit
has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in
all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
9 Jesus Ascends to Heaven
Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up,
and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked
steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in
white apparel, 11 who also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing
up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven,
will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven." NKJV
Who was the
writer of Acts? Luke, who also wrote the Gospel of Luke, wrote Acts.
Why do you
suppose he referred to the previous book he wrote?
Luke wanted the
recipient of the letter to understand that the story of Jesus’ mission did
not end with his ascension.
Why do you think
he gave a brief explanation of who Jesus was, what he did, and what Jesus’
mission was?
Since the Book of
Acts is all about the growth of the church, Luke reminded the letter’s
recipient that Jesus has a non-stop mission that must continue through his
followers.
II. In our
mission, we walk in the Comfort and Fellowship of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus’ instructions, included waiting (v. 5). For the Holy Spirit.
1. Jesus said that the apostles would receive power. How was that power
displayed later on in the Book of Acts?
Note: The
Holy Spirit displayed his power in many ways. A few were: Pentecost, Acts
2; Peter before the Sanhedrin, Acts 4:8; Phillip’s travels, Acts 8:39; he
encouraged the church, Acts 9:31; Paul at Cyprus, Acts 13:4, 9.
We are promised
that same power (Ephesians 1:18–20). Do you feel like you have that same
power?
Eph 1:18-21
18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know
what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His
inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His
power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power
20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated
Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,
III. We must
prepare ourselves by counting the cost of this mission.
In the original language of the New Testament, the word for witness
came from the same root word from which we get the word martyr. When Jesus
said, “you will be my witnesses,” the disciples knew he was calling them
to share the message of his life, death, and resurrection, and in so doing
they could face rejection, suffering, and even death.
What do you think
was going through the apostles’ minds when they heard Jesus say, “you will
be my witnesses…” (Acts 1:8)?
Acts 1:8 But you
shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall
be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the
end of the earth."
1. Our lives.
2. Our deaths.
3. Our resurrection, and in so doing they could face rejection,
suffering, and even death.
How do you feel
knowing that Jesus is telling you to be His witnesses today? Do you
understand what he is saying?
How do you think
Jesus’ words in Acts 1:8 apply to you today?
What are the
greatest barriers for you in embracing the mission Jesus has put before
you?
a. Time—too busy
b. Self centered vs. Christ centered
c. Fear
d. Lack of passion
e. Knowledge
f. Not seeing the opportunities
Jesus told the
apostles to be “witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and
to the ends of the earth” (v. 8). If Jesus were here today, speaking to
this group, to what areas do you think he would commission us?
Note:
Possible answers are: workplace, neighborhood, people groups,
socio-economic groups, cities, countries, etc.
Application:
Velocity involves two things:
- Speed:
How quickly and consistently do you do your part in the mission
opportunities the Holy Spirit gives you?
- Direction:
Is there a particular way or path that you believe God is directing you
to be a witness? If so, what is it?
“It
would appear that helping people find their way back to God and making
disciples is our mission.”
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Abundant Life Fellowship
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Boonville, NY 13309-0022
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