MADE FOR A MISSION
THE PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE - PART 6
May 28, 2006

4 things you'll do in heaven

  1. Worship - to know and love God
  2. Fellowship - to learn to love each other
  3. Discipleship - to learn to become like Christ
  4. Service - to learn to use my SHAPE for God

In the same way that you gave Me a mission in the world, I give them a mission in the world.

John 17:18 (Mes)

You need:

  • A ministry in the church
  • A mission in the world
  • A ministry to believers
  • A mission to unbelievers

Each of us has a Common Mission - that we all share together with every believer.

As the Father has sent Me, I am sending you.

John 20:21 (NIV)

The most important thing is that I complete my mission, the work that the Lord Jesus gave me - to tell people the Good News about God's grace.

Acts 20:24 (NCV)

MY 5th PURPOSE IS TO SHARE THE GOOD NEWS

Once you Know

  1. God is in control
  2. God made me to love me
  3. My life isn't an accident and has a purpose, God expects me to share this with other people who don't know this.

"Evangelism" means good news

Where am I supposed to share it?

You will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

Acts 1:8 (NIV)

"Jerusalem" = the people closest to me
"Judea/Samaria" = people near but different from me
"Ends of the earth" = everybody else!

Why does God say this? God is building a family!

God has not asked you to be:

  1. His defense attorney
  2. His prosecutor
  3. His salesman

This was God's plan for all of history which He carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Eph. 3:11 (GW)

Here's the Point: God has chosen us to complete the mission that Jesus Christ started when He came to the earth.

HOW TO COMPLETE MY MISSION

1. I MUST SHARE WITH THOSE IN MY WORLD. [people I already have relationships with]

'Go back home and tell people how much God has done for you.' So the man went all over town telling how much Jesus had done for him.

Luke 8:39 (NCV)

Be ready at all times to answer anyone who asks you to explain the hope you have in you.

1 Peter 3:15 (TEV)

SPIRITUAL BASE CARD
4 things you need to know to establish a spiritual base

WHY DOES GOD LEAVE YOU HERE ON EARTH?

Because in heaven you will:

  • Sing
  • Pray
  • Fellowship
  • Serve God
  • Rest

2 things you can't do in heaven

  1. Sin
  2. Tell people who don't know the good news of God's love

...God does not want anyone to be lost, but He wants all people to change their hearts and lives!

2 Peter 3:9 (NCV)

Should anyone be left behind? The church that doesn't grow and reach out is basically saying to the world "you can go to Hell!"

2. I MUST DARE TO REACH BEYOND MY WORLD.

Love demands I move beyond my comfort Zone.

Whatever a person is like, I try to find common ground with him so that he will let me tell him about Christ and let Christ save him.

1 Cor. 9:22b (LB)

Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ's law.

Gal. 6:2 (Msg)

Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight...

James 1:27 (Msg)

I was hungry, and you fed Me. I was thirsty, and you gave Me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited Me into your home. I was naked, and you gave Me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for Me. I was in prison, and you visited Me.

Mt. 25:35-36 (NLT)

Jesus replied, "Let me assure you that no one has ever given up anything... for love of Me and to tell others the Good News, who won't be given back, a hundred times over...

Mark 10:29 (LB)

If your not fishing, you're not following Jesus. Jesus said "you would fish for men"

You need to identify your personal fishing pond. Witnessing is really being a matchmaker - you're just introducing people to Jesus so they can fall in love.

Fishing is based on attraction, you attract them through love
Fishing lets the fish have a choice to have God's love or not.

3. I MUST CARE ABOUT THE WHOLE WORLD.

Jesus said to His followers, "Go everywhere in the world, and tell the Good News to everyone.

Mark 16:15 (NCV)

This kind of caring will take you up a level in your spiritual maturity! You have to care because God cares!

If you insist on saving your life, you will lose it. Only those who throw away their lives for My sake and for the sake of the Good News will ever know what it means to really live.

Mark 8:35 (LB)

If you have taken 101, 201, and 301, you are eligible to take 401. CLASS 401 you will learn how to discover your life mission. Today you can sign up for CLASS 401 at Grand Central.

You can sign up for a missions trip to one of our missionaries, a trip to Vietnam, RoeWanda, or anywhere in the world. If you like to travel, you've chosen the right church.

You could travel to Australia, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Cambodia, China, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Haiti, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Kenya, Korea, Nepal, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Taiwan, Thailand, Tibet, Ukraine, Venezuela, plus more.

David served God's purposes in his own time...

Acts 13:36a (TEV)

Send us around the world with the news of Your saving power and Your eternal plan for all mankind.

Ps. 67:2 (LB)

Is anyone going to be in heaven because of you? When you get to heaven is anybody going to say thank you? You didn't keep it a secret, you passed it on!

IN the next 365 days, 2.4 million Americans will die and 54 million people in the world will die. If you care, you must share!

What is more important than doing what God put you on earth to do?

4 possible responses

  1. You can say like Moses, Who me?
  2. You can say like Jonah, Not me?
  3. You can say like Habakkuk, Why me?
  4. You can say like Isaiah, Send me?

The most dangerous prayer you can pray is "God used me." Do you have enough courage to do the right thing and say, "God use my life"?

Pray

Father, as I looked out on these faces in this service, I know you're calling all of us to accept our mission from you, and I pray you'll give people the courage to do the right thing and not walk away in disobedience. Thank you for the privilege of being invited to be a part of the greatest cause, the building of your family.

Now you pray, Father, more than anything else, I want to fulfill the purposes you made for me. So today, I accept this fifth purpose, my mission to tell others. I want you to use my anytime, anyway, any place. I want to bring others to you. I want to serve your purpose in my generation. And I want to be a part of what you're doing in the world. From this day forward, I want to build my life around your eternal purposes and I want to help our church do the same. Help me to reach one more for Jesus. Amen.