Intentional Living.

Steve Gentry

[0:00] My name is Steve one of the pastors here [0:03] We’ve got a lot of work to do this morning. If you have your Bibles go ahead and open them up to the book of Colossians [0:10] Chapter 1 we’re gonna be going from verses 9 through 14 this morning

[0:17] Paul often in the New Testament [0:20] He he will start a book or sometimes end a book and he’ll write things like I write you by way of [0:27] Reminder or will say things of the nature of I’ve written you not that you don’t know these things [0:32] But that you need a constant reminder to live these things and so my goal this morning is not so much to [0:38] To really talk about anything new or to tell you anything new this morning [0:42] But rather it’s kind of bring reminders that we need so often and I know I do

[0:48] Asked my wife. She has to remind me constantly of everything. She’s ever told me because this is if I don’t remember any of them [0:56] But today I want to talk about a subject that kind of the past four weeks have been [1:02] Called starting points and so this week what I want to do is I want to talk about [1:08] The issue that all four of them when you actually live your life and you focus on [1:15] Those four things the gospel the satisfaction that it brings us the tension of what it means to actually [1:21] Live life following Jesus the the symbols of redemption in baptism and communion this

[1:28] Continuing ethic of redemption that takes place in our lives and the [1:32] Environments that really move us and spur us on to growth that our scripture and prayer [1:37] Those are the things we’ve been talking about and what I want to do today is really talk about what happens when those things [1:42] culminate into a life lived for the gospel of Jesus Christ and [1:48] So what I’ve kind of titled this is just this idea of [1:52] intentional living of

[1:55] A life in which we go from a person that has this kind of what is almost a static faith in the gospel [2:02] We know it’s true [2:03] We know we have a belief [2:07] But what must happen for a belief to be real for it to be valid for it to be something that’s legitimate if we really [2:15] Believe something it will affect the way that we live our lives and [2:21] Where the gospel is concerned we will become intentional people

[2:25] Who seek to live the gospel in our lives who seek to have the gospel? [2:33] move in our lives [2:35] We actually we sang in that first or see me in that third song there. I never remember how many we actually sing [2:42] And that third song that Jesus came to seek and save [2:48] The lost this Luke 19 10 Jesus has come out of a very [2:54] What is seen as a very sinful man’s home?

[2:56] He’d had dinner with him and the Pharisees the religious people of that day kind of gather around him and be like dude [3:02] Don’t you know what you were doing there when you were eating with a sinner? [3:06] You shouldn’t do that and Jesus looks at them and his response is the son of man [3:11] Has come to seek and save that which was lost [3:16] and [3:17] So his life is seen as this constant movement as he’s moving

[3:21] Towards those who do not know him for the sake that they will know him [3:26] I don’t know if you’ve ever kind of sought anything, but when you’re seeking something it requires movement [3:34] Because if you’re just kind of standing still and you’re just kind of looking around you you’re not really seeking anything [3:40] You’re kind of looking for it [3:42] But when you seek something out, it’s going to cause movement in your life [3:49] And you’re gonna move towards it if you want to run a marathon. You’re gonna really have to move

[3:56] You have to do it frequently and quickly and that’s what hinders me from running marathons [4:02] If you want to lose weight, you’ve got to move in some place in your life [4:07] You’ve got to eat right you’ve got to exercise if you want to gain intelligence [4:12] You’ve got to move somewhere in your life. You’ve got to read more. You’ve got to do them if you want responsibility [4:18] Well, you’ve got to take on responsibilities. If you want to get a job, you’ve got to look for it [4:23] You can move

[4:26] Anything that is worth doing in your life will require movement [4:33] So when we say that we believe the gospel [4:37] I think most of us would probably say that it is a very if not the most [4:42] Important thing in our lives and if that is true won’t it require movement

[4:50] Towards something

[4:54] Namely Jesus [4:56] Because you cannot define Christianity without defining it as following Jesus [5:02] I mean [5:04] Anything else would be something else. It would be another faith. It would be another religion [5:07] It wouldn’t be Christianity. It tends to be based on Jesus Christ and [5:12] Following him

[5:14] Well following him means to go where he is going to do what he is doing to seek [5:22] What he is seeking I? [5:24] Think we probably have to agree with that you may argue with me on the semantics of it, but I think initially that’s okay [5:30] Yeah, that’s true

[5:33] so [5:33] The question that I really want to tackle with this morning or to kind of fight with you over [5:38] Because I know what goes on in your brains while I’m talking. Well, that’s kind of true, but he doesn’t know my situation [5:45] You’re right. I don’t still true [5:47] Because it doesn’t matter [5:50] But the issue that I want to deal with this morning if you believe the gospel

[5:54] If you’ve trusted in Jesus if you’re following him [5:59] What is that doing in your life? [6:01] What is that changing in your life? [6:05] Because I have become convinced of one thing in scripture [6:09] that’s really kind of the overarching theme of why we kind of [6:13] Started this church and that’s this idea that the gospel is a journey of life change

[6:19] That’s the subtitle of this series and that that journey never ends. I don’t care how long you’ve been a Christian [6:26] I don’t care how long you’ve been in church. Okay, how long you’ve been religious to any degree [6:31] Once change stops in your life [6:35] Then you need to take inventory of where your heart really is [6:40] So join me in Colossians chapter 1 and I’ll just kind of want to get into this text

[6:48] Starting in verse 9 [6:51] and [6:52] So from the day we heard what has he heard? Well [6:55] Paul was in Ephesus when the church and Colossae started and this man

[7:03] Named Apaphris was traveling through head. Look at my notes. I forgot his name. Uh [7:08] Whenever I pause and run back over here real quick. That’s what that means [7:13] Means Steve forgot what he was gonna say [7:14] He was traveling through Ephesus where Paul was and he heard Paul preaching the gospel [7:20] preaching the death burial resurrection of Jesus the hope of eternity with God worshiping him and [7:25] He got saved he became a follower of Jesus

[7:29] Well Apaphris is traveling back home to Colossae and what happens is is inevitably and this is what naturally happens [7:35] Maybe it didn’t happen in your life and that’s a problem [7:38] But what naturally happens when you come to faith in Jesus is there’s a tendency for it to grab a hold of your life [7:45] And you just have to talk about it [7:47] So he goes back and he begins to tell people and people begin to get saved [7:52] Now he didn’t go to seminary didn’t go to Bible College didn’t get in any discipleship groups

[7:57] He was just him got saved [7:59] Apparently the Holy Spirit working in his life was enough and so he just goes home and he starts talking about it and friends [8:06] Family, they all come to faith in Jesus and a church is started [8:11] That’s church planning in biblical times people got saved and they started actually following Jesus together [8:16] That’s the way it goes and it can still happen today by the way [8:20] But so he goes back home

[8:24] starts a church [8:26] Paul of course hears about it [8:28] Communications starts he begins pouring into them as was Paul’s way to appoint elders and to help them grow up left some pastors [8:35] Their discipleship took place and he writes the book of Colossians [8:40] to help them begin to develop a [8:50] Or false belief and this is how he starts he says since the day we heard it

[8:56] We have not ceased to pray for you [9:00] One of those environments I talked about last week [9:03] It’s interesting how much more you’ll pray when gospel movement is taking place in your life [9:11] The gospel is moving in Colossae and Paul has a reason to beg God because of the movement of the gospel

[9:21] Asking that you be filled with the knowledge of his will and all spiritual wisdom and understanding [9:28] All right now [9:30] That’s a little bit of what we talked about last week [9:33] All right that being filled with the knowledge and wisdom of God [9:37] That’s this idea that there is something to be known about him [9:41] That he has given us a revelation about himself in Scripture through the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives

[9:47] And Paul is writing it is my prayer that you will constantly grow in your knowledge of God [9:52] Because this life is all about him. We talked about that last week those environments of movement [9:58] Well what I want us to understand is where those environments of movement goes number one day what I want us to know is [10:04] environments of movement lead to missional living a [10:09] Papyrus goes home. He’s growing in his faith and what’s hat what happens [10:14] He simply begins to live the mission of Jesus

[10:18] He simply begins to seek and save that which was lost it starts to overtake the reason for which he lives [10:26] And Paul writes to it to that church and says I pray that what happened to a papyrus will happen to you. I [10:33] Pray that you will be filled with the knowledge of God. I pray that you will understand his will [10:38] I pray that you will come to be wise in the faith, but then he gives a reason for it [10:44] In verse 10, he says so as [10:47] In other words, this is the point of that understanding and knowledge

[10:52] so as to walk in a manner worthy of [10:57] the Lord

[11:00] This is what’s so fundamental about the faith of Jesus Christ this is not simply a collection of disciplines [11:09] That we have in our lives that become this repetitious cycle of religious activity that we take part in

[11:18] If you have attempted to live a life in which you read the Bible [11:23] Spend time in prayer morning noon night [11:25] I don’t really care when you do it and then just kind of [11:28] Take that into the life that you’re already living or take that into life as usual it becomes so stagnant [11:35] so boring and so difficult and so [11:38] Unrelatable with your life that after a while

[11:42] You just stop persevering in it [11:46] The spiritual disciplines they don’t really have a place in my life outside of actually doing them

[11:56] and [11:56] For those of you that have struggled year after year with being able to be [12:01] Consistent and what we have looked at and said this is where growth is really going to spring out of I [12:07] Truly believe that’s why because there is no connection [12:13] Between doing those things growing in the knowledge of God coming to church on Sunday mornings being involved in a community group [12:21] praying

[12:23] There’s just no connection between those things and what I’m actually doing in my life

[12:28] And so after a while what is going to take place is you’re going to be changed by one or the other

[12:36] You’re either going to begin to see the life that you are living change [12:41] Or you’re going to see those disciplines and environments that you were heading into those are going to change and what I mean by changes [12:48] They’re just going to stop [12:51] Inevitably that’s what I’ve seen over and over and over in people’s lives [12:56] And so Paul writes the reason for growing in the knowledge of God

[13:02] Is to walk [13:05] It’s to move [13:07] It’s to grow towards

[13:11] Something and that something that you’re growing towards is this idea of gospel change [13:18] This idea that the gospel is more than just a religious thing or a group of religious activities [13:24] It’s actually a movement that begins to take place in your life [13:30] real life change then [13:32] Leads to understanding God’s will of redemption

[13:38] Real life change will mean that you understand what God wants [13:43] Is that not what Paul’s praying for them? But why does he pray that for them? All right very quickly [13:48] I want to look at two passages to kind of break that down and they’re both in the same chapter [13:52] But first I want to look at 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 [13:55] starting in verse 6 [13:56] Paul is writing to a different church at this point as a church that’s come from a transition of

[14:01] Kind of wickedness to a transition of kind of starting to grow in the grace of God and Paul writes [14:07] So we are always of good courage [14:10] We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord [14:14] For we walk by faith not by sight [14:17] Yes, we are of good courage and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord [14:22] So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him

[14:25] It’s kind of the same idea [14:27] Whereas we’re growing in the knowledge of God and we’re walking this walk that’s gonna be worthy of God [14:33] But what Paul is saying here is in chapter 5 [14:35] He writes that we are people that are destined to live life in eternity with God those of us that are followers of Jesus [14:42] That’s our ultimate destiny. That’s our ultimate place that we’re going. It’s gonna last forever. It’s an eternity [14:48] It’s unending and when we live in this life, we walk by faith not by sight

[14:54] What that means is I don’t know about you but I’ve never seen heaven [14:57] I’ve never literally seen God [15:00] But I believe he’s there and I believe that he’s going to come through with his promise [15:06] To take me to be with him one day and to worship him for eternity before his throne in glory. I [15:13] Trust that and so what Paul is saying is when you trust that that will have a significant impact in the way [15:20] You will walk as if you’re going there

[15:26] And you will walk with a desire to be there because God has made himself known to you [15:32] And he is the greatest gift that comes from the gospel [15:37] But then he writes something very interesting at the end and this is where we can make it very subjective [15:43] He says and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. In other words, we look forward to it [15:50] So whether we are at home or away we make it our aim to please him [15:54] In other words the life of a follower of Jesus is a life that is spent in pleasing him here and there

[16:03] But the question then must be asked [16:06] What does that look like? [16:09] What is a life that’s meant to please God? This is where we can become very offensive [16:14] Because we can get into issues of morality we can get into issues of policy [16:18] I mean we can get into all sorts of stuff [16:21] But can we define what it means to live a life?

[16:26] pleasing God can we define what it means to walk [16:31] worthy of the Lord as Paul puts it in Colossians 1 or is it something that’s subjective it [16:39] Well, everybody’s different. So it’s gonna look different in everyone’s life [16:46] Remember last week when we talked about the scripture and how it is not a book about you

[16:53] Okay, yeah if you were here if you weren’t here catch podcast I don’t tell [16:59] You want to go to lunch, right? [17:02] Here’s the key [17:04] The only way [17:06] That pleasing him and walking worthy of him is based on you is this is a book about you [17:14] So what we said last week is true then it is not based on you what’s it based on it’s based on God

[17:20] It’s based on what he wants [17:22] Well, what does he want? [17:24] We’ll go further down in 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 and I’m gonna pick up in verse 17. I skipped a lot [17:29] That’s really good, but you’ll thank me

[17:33] Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he’s a new creation the oldest passed away behold the new has come [17:39] Okay, this is one of those youth group verses, you know that you like base the name of youth group on new creation and everyone’s day night

[17:49] But we never really break down what that means so inevitably we just take something like that and be like I was really sad [17:57] Before Jesus but now I’m really happy [18:00] Doesn’t mean more than that though. Can we go deeper and say well, what does that mean? [18:04] He does so we should all this is from God who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of [18:12] Reconciliation that is in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself [18:17] Not counting their trespasses sins against them and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation

[18:25] Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ be [18:32] Reconciled with excuse me to God

[18:38] Real life change furthers the work of the gospel

[18:46] God’s will for your life can be known

[18:52] It is not some mister mysterious mystical thing that you’ve got to look at and if you don’t hit the dot whoops [19:01] No, it’s not subjective it’s objective it’s right there when you are redeemed by him when you are growing in spiritual [19:10] understanding and wisdom you will become overcome with the same desires that he has [19:18] You will be overcome with the same wants that he has what does God want that was worth? [19:26] him killing his own son for [19:31] The redemption of those who do not know him

[19:38] And a walk that is worthy a [19:42] life that is pleasing [19:44] Will be a life that is overcome with the truth of the gospel to the extent [19:52] That you are satisfied in God you are passionate for God [19:57] You are following God you cannot know enough about God and then when that happens his [20:03] Burdens begin to overcome you and that burden is the burden of furthering the gospel to all who need to know it

[20:13] Believe the scriptures clear

[20:17] We’re redeemed [20:18] To become messengers of reconciliation. Do you know that means? [20:23] It means that I have been reconciled to God through Jesus Christ my offense [20:30] Towards him is no longer offensive because when he looks at me [20:35] He sees the very righteousness of his son Jesus Christ not based on anything that I have ever done or will ever do [20:42] but because of what Jesus has done for me and

[20:48] That reconciliation is so powerful and so mighty it begins to transform [20:55] Me and the old is gone that death in sin [20:59] I was dead in my sin according to Ephesians chapter 2 [21:03] I could not do anything to please him, but I like we talked about last week from Roman 6 [21:07] I have been two weeks ago. I have been risen with [21:11] Jesus

[21:13] To walk a new life. I am a new creation [21:17] It’s gone [21:20] And I may live a life that pleases God [21:24] And that life is to be an ambassador for Christ

[21:31] God [21:31] Making his appeal through me be reconciled to God

[21:40] But that is not just the will of God for my life [21:45] Is also the will of God [21:47] for your life [21:49] It is why he has reconciled you to himself because you are not enough for him

[21:55] He also wants your friends he also wants your family he also wants your enemies, you know those people you don’t like he wants them too

[22:11] For a while [22:13] We’ve kind of had a saying and our core values go here [22:16] But it’s kind of one of these unstated values if you’ve ever looked at our core values it begins with redemption [22:21] It begins with his idea that Jesus wants to redeem us that he wants us to be with him [22:27] He wants to love us and for us to love him [22:29] So he redeems us and then begins this idea this thought this beautiful thing of transformation in my life

[22:35] So that I will live a life of mission [22:37] But so many that really want this life of redemption the idea of having a mission from Jesus to seek him to save the [22:46] loss of having a passion for taking the message of reconciliation to other people it’s it’s not foreign, but it’s untried I

[22:54] Think we have this concept that that’s what we exist for now. That’s why we’re redeemed [22:59] But what we do is we try everything else in the Christian life and we kind of forsake mission because that will require us to kind [23:07] sacrifice a few things [23:09] But the key with following Jesus and growing in discipleship is that without mission people fail

[23:17] You cannot do it without it you cannot follow him without mission

[23:24] When you [23:25] Forsake and when you forget [23:28] That without mission people fail [23:32] You will begin to neglect the mission of Jesus in your life [23:37] And you will begin to find everything in the Christian life

[23:45] Unsatisfying I [23:46] Don’t feel like anything’s happening in my life. I don’t feel like anything’s changing in my life. I don’t feel like I’m growing I don’t

[23:53] I’m trying to read my Bible, but [23:57] The but what is in the Bible doesn’t have anything to do with what I’m actually going through in my life, right? [24:03] That’s because Jesus wants you to go through something else

[24:07] He wants you to stop going through the same things [24:10] You’ve been going through over and over and over those things that are hurting those things that are burdensome [24:16] He wants you to trust him with them [24:18] He wants you to trust him with the baggage and the only way that you will begin to get through and get over [24:25] The pains and the trials and the sin that is so easily besetting to you in your life is for you to [24:33] Understand that you were meant to live a life of mission above everything else

[24:41] Mission is not something that you tack on at the end of the day when you’ve done your career

[24:48] Mission should drive your career

[24:53] It is what you were redeemed for [24:56] It is what you go to school for [24:59] It is what you live your life for [25:04] But here’s the key a lack of gospel activity will lead to spiritual atrophy

[25:11] You ever seen someone that does [25:14] You know used to be kind of an athlete ever watched some of these stories that were an athlete and then there was an accident [25:19] And and they’re paralyzed [25:22] Well, they’ll go from somebody that squat like 800 pounds or something to someone with very thin legs because they’re in a wheelchair [25:29] And they never walk is called atrophy [25:31] It’s where the muscles begin to degenerate and they begin to shrink and and just they’re not used and when a limb is not

[25:36] Used well, it will begin to shrink and then the muscle will go away and pretty soon [25:40] It’s just skin and bones. It’s a very hard thing to watch

[25:44] The problem is spiritually you don’t have to watch it with your eyes

[25:48] You just live it with your life

[25:52] Because you’re trying so hard to do religious activity [25:56] Without any gospel reality in your life whatsoever back in Colossians 1 10

[26:08] So as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord fully pleasing to him [26:14] Bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God [26:21] Notice that he does these two things. He says I’m praying that you’re growing in the knowledge of God [26:25] And then he says so that you’ll walk in a manner worthy of God fully pleasing him bearing fruit [26:32] So that you’ll grow in the knowledge of God [26:36] since his idea of this cycle that’s going to happen in your life that when you are overcome by what Jesus has done you

[26:43] grow in the knowledge of God and then you begin to do and take part in what Jesus is doing and [26:49] Then when you do that inevitably you grow closer to God and you get to know more about him [26:55] The only thing I can think of that parallels this is marriage

[27:00] You grow in knowledge of your spouse [27:04] So you inevitably fall in love with your spouse [27:08] Then you begin to do life with your spouse you begin to live together you begin to grow together [27:13] Intimately romantically and what inevitably happens you grow in knowledge of your spouse [27:20] But what happens when that cycle is discontinued [27:24] You grow in knowledge of yourself and you begin to drift away from your spouse

[27:30] Life no longer is about them. It’s about you [27:34] That’s a cycle many people live [27:37] We do the same thing with God [27:40] We grow in knowledge of him. Oh, he’s so good. Oh, he’s done so much for me. He’s done so much for us

[27:47] but then [27:47] When it doesn’t come into the way that when it doesn’t challenge our values when it doesn’t change our core [27:56] We drift away [27:57] and the relationship [28:01] Stagnates it doesn’t fill us the way that it used to fill us because we’re not [28:05] Growing in the gospel activity in our lives. We’re not applying the gospel to every way in our life

[28:12] So what does it mean to grow in the gospel is that subjective or is it objective? It’s clear [28:17] When Jesus saves us when he redeems us when we come to the knowledge of salvation we say yes [28:22] You do have to say yes at some point [28:24] Well, this scripture says that the life of God through the Holy Spirit comes into our lives and it begins to change us [28:31] Like we saw in 2nd Corinthians it transforms us and we walk a new life. What does that look like? [28:36] Well Galatians chapter 5 is really the reminder of of everything that anyone ever tells you about what the gospel is gonna

[28:42] Do in your life as the fruits of the Spirit [28:44] Galatians chapter 5 and starting in verse 22 [28:47] Here’s what it says the fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace patience kindness goodness [28:52] faithfulness gentleness self-control [28:54] Against such things there is no law and those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires [29:01] If we live by the Spirit let us also keep in step with the Spirit

[29:09] So here’s the question [29:11] The fruits of the Spirit what is the purpose of God putting that into our lives

[29:19] And I think many of us struggle to answer that and at the end of the day we might just say [29:25] So that our lives will be better [29:28] So that will be happier [29:30] So it will be nicer [29:32] So you just you know love joy peace patience kindness gentleness self-control [29:37] How you doing today

[29:39] Full of love joy peace patience kindness and self-control. How about you full of those things, too. We’re just happy people

[29:48] happy [29:50] And then we get in our car

[29:54] Oh [29:55] Gotta go to work tomorrow [29:57] Gotta run need to exercise. Let’s go to McDonald’s. All right [30:04] No, no, no, no [30:07] Be real life’s not like that and neither are you I know enough of you and [30:14] Unfortunately, you probably know me too. That’s not the way it goes. I’m grumpier than most ask my wife

[30:21] So why what happens when we don’t seem to be able to get these into our life? [30:26] Why the reason for which these things exist is not simply to make you a happier person? [30:32] It is to give you number one joy rather than happiness because joy can’t be taken away [30:37] But it is to produce gospel fruit in your life and you’re like, okay [30:42] Okay, so the fruits of the spirit so the fruits will be those coming out of me, right? [30:46] Well, the gospel brings fruit, but it also

[30:51] produces fruit of [30:53] redemption

[30:56] Do you understand the difference there it brings fruit but it produces fruit [31:01] What happens when you are a person overcome with the fruits of the spirit

[31:07] The same thing that happens when anything else of the Holy Spirit overcomes your life love for the gospel

[31:15] Rejoicing in the fact that you’ve been redeemed [31:18] And what it’s going to do is is it’s going to cause you to grow closer to God [31:22] Grow in knowledge of him and then want others to do the exact same thing [31:26]

[31:28] None of the fruits of the spirit can be lived just with you [31:34] Love joy peace patience kindness gentleness self-control. They all are relational attributes [31:43] All of them I have a son self-control

[31:49] That’s what it exists for right other people my wife lives with me she needs lots of patience [31:56] I pray for her [31:58] She’s over here that that’s why I’m doing that. All right. Um, sometimes I do these hand gestures [32:03] I’m like they have no idea where I’m going. All right [32:07] They do not exist just for you they exist for the hope of others [32:14] apply Galatians 5 22 through 25 with

[32:18] 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 so we constantly say the fruits of the spirit [32:22] But we never look to the end of that Dewey keep in step with the spirit [32:30] They exist for you to continue walking in a manner that is worthy of the Lord [32:37] What does that manner look like? Well, it looks like something that pleases him. What pleases him the mission of Jesus?

[32:46] Everything that we have about Jesus leads to the cross or goes away from it [32:52] Redeeming people Jesus said to go make disciples Jesus said go preach the gospel acts 1a go reach [32:58] Jerusalem Judea Samaria the ends of the earth [33:03] Romans chapter 10 how will people believe the gospel if they’ve never heard the gospel and how will they hear the gospel if no one [33:08] Is preaching and how will they preach if no one is sent?

[33:13] Everything in life for the follower of Jesus is about furthering the gospel of Jesus and you’re like well [33:21] Steve this all sounds great. So it’s all about evangelism. None of this is about going deeper in the knowledge of God [33:27] I don’t know about that. What about discipleship? [33:30] If you are not seeking to live the mission of Jesus to those outside of the gospel [33:36] Then you will not grow deeper in the gospel [33:39] I don’t care how many times you read the bible. I don’t care how many theology books you read

[33:43] I don’t care if you can do greek. I don’t care if you can parse hebrew [33:47] I don’t care what you do to convince yourself that you’re growing deeper in the knowledge of God [33:53] But this is not a religion about how many books you have read

[34:01] This is a faith about movement towards God who loves us but in our sin [34:08] We are children reserved for [34:11] wrath [34:13] And Jesus came to redeem us from that and every bit of knowledge that you gain about God will send you to love other people [34:22] harder [34:23] And more and it will give you satisfaction to grow in the gospel

[34:27] But if you are not moving with him, then you are not seeing the fruit of the gospel produced in your life [34:33] The gospel is the fruit of the gospel

[34:37] Missional living requires an intentional pursuit of God’s redemptive work

[34:46] It has to be intentional it’s not going to happen by accident

[34:52] Colossians 1 11 says this

[34:56] May you be strengthened with all power [34:58] According to his glorious might for all endurance and patience with joy

[35:09] The life of the gospel is one that requires endurance

[35:17] It’s one that requires patience, but it’s one that will give you joy [35:21] Here’s the thing [35:24] If there is no intentional effort needed in [35:28] Growing in the gospel and in living the gospel. Why time and time again? [35:35] Does paul [35:36] john

[35:36] James all of the new testament authors why there are more of them. I just kind of didn’t feel like going there but why [35:44] Would they constantly write of the need for endurance? [35:48] Endurance have you ever done anything that required endurance?

[35:55] What’s endurance it’s when it gets hard you keep going that’s like the easiest definition you endure

[36:05] But so many of us attempt to live a christian walk that requires zero endurance because it requires zero effort

[36:17] Zero

[36:19] Zero [36:20] Here’s why it requires endurance [36:24] Many people call it the great commandment remember this is about reminders today [36:29] In matthew chapter 22 [36:32] jesus [36:33] He’s answering questions about the law to those who already know the law

[36:37] But they’re trying to get him to slip up and jesus says this [36:42] Excuse me somebody asked him the question jesus what is teacher? Which is the great commandment in the law?

[36:48] That’s a pretty easy question right there’s only six hundred and thirty nine of them in the old testament [36:53] So you know what he wasn’t trying to slip jesus up or anything. He’s like jesus, which is the biggest one?

[37:00] And he said to him [37:01] You shall love the lord your god with all your heart with all your soul and with all your mind [37:05] This is the great and first commandment and a second is like it [37:08] You shall love your neighbor as yourself on these two commandments depend all of the law and the prophets [37:15] You ever look the ten commandments you realize the first four are about your relationship with god the final six are about your relationship with others

[37:24] You see jesus number one, I love it when jesus takes people to school [37:28] I mean, it’s pretty awesome [37:29] but number two [37:31] We have to understand that jesus is not simply giving us some things that we can put on a coffee cup or can put on a t-shirt [37:38] But rather he’s telling us that something is going to require [37:42] Everything about us that our entire lives need to be lived towards god

[37:47] And we do that we will live life for the sake of others [37:51] You cannot love god and not be overcome with a burden for loving others [37:57] And you do not truly love others without trying to point them to the god that you love

[38:04] You can’t do it it’s impossible we must see ourselves as active in the mission of jesus with our entire lives [38:12] When jesus says oh and this hangs all of the law and the prophets [38:17] He’s telling them this is where your life needs to be pointed in its entirety [38:22] This involves viewing yourself as being empowered [38:25] To be an active agent of god’s kingdom in every sphere of life [38:31] Every place in your life is for god or against god because there’s not for him. It’s against him

[38:39] You’re like well I need to have something that’s just for me no

[38:45] Because it’s not for your benefit if it’s not for god [38:49] It’s only for your benefit if it’s for god [38:52] Here’s how alan hirsch puts if you want gospel movement to happen in your life [38:57] A missional movement must apply the gospel to all spheres of life business family art education science [39:05] politics, etc [39:07] It cannot be limited to simply coming to church or participating in building-based programs

[39:14] We must surmise that the fruits of the spirit come as we are moving with the spirit into a life of mission [39:20] Therefore missional movement is the hope of real change in my life

[39:27] Your life exists for the mission of jesus [39:34] All of it [39:37] And you’re like well, what about that thing? I’d if you can’t figure out how something furthers the mission of jesus stop doing it

[39:50] It’s that simple

[39:53] And that hard

[40:00] Because here’s what inevitably happens

[40:06] I [40:06] Grow in the gospel [40:08] I’d take part in discipleship. I’d get involved in a movement of god, but [40:14] I’ve got these obligations [40:16] I have to be to do I have to do all these things [40:20] So anything that i’m going to do for the gospel has to fit in this what you’re doing is is you’re saying god

[40:25] If you want me you’ve got to fit in my life because I refuse to fit mine in yours

[40:33] Who’s god in that scenario you are and he lives to serve you

[40:44] The gospel is about reconciling us to a god whom we have offended

[40:50] It is not about you continuing in your rebellion and him just sweeping it under the rug

[41:00] Your life exists [41:01] For the mission of jesus you must believe that if you believe the gospel if you believe this is true [41:09] You will trust that you will not be burdened by it [41:13] But you will be overcome with joy about it because the mission of jesus exists for your joy [41:19] Because this is the greatest life that you can go into [41:23] Everything else is a lesser joy. How could it be unloving to tell you if it’s not for your best joy

[41:31] Stop doing it [41:32] So you can have greater joy

[41:36] Everything that god has done for us through jesus is so that we can have more joy [41:44] In the gospel of jesus you must believe that if you believe the gospel of jesus you will not be burdened by it [41:49] But you will be overcome with joy about it

[41:53] Because then you will know what love is like then you will know what joy is like [41:58] Then you will keep in step with the spirit because you will just take utter joy in my mission [42:07] And those other joys that you are seeking in your life they are less than [42:12] In verse 11 back in colossians it finds paul praying for their endurance [42:17] With all of god’s glorious might you have to ask yourself [42:20] Is there anything that you are doing in your christian life requiring anything close?

[42:26] To that type of endurance that paul’s talking about

[42:30] Are you sacrificing anything are you risking anything for the gospel then do you really believe that the gospel is great?

[42:43] You will sacrifice things to never miss certain television shows

[42:51] Oh you don’t well I do I mean seriously dvr can only go so far guys [42:58] But that’s how we live our lives. I can’t do that [43:03] Man that’s when some show is on I don’t know for some reason glee came into my mind and I [43:09] I feel like somebody should come take my man card immediately [43:13] Because I don’t know why i’ve never even watched that’s why I don’t watch that I promise

[43:20] It’s popped in there it’s weird [43:22] Because I assume some of you do [43:25] But you mean you you’ll have parties for it. You’ll sacrifice friendships for it [43:30] You just won’t do anything so that you can see this thing [43:34] And then you look at the gospel and you say ah [43:37] I can’t sacrifice for that

[43:40] It’s not about effort anyway, is it it’s not about me sacrificing something no, but it’s about jesus sacrificing something, isn’t it?

[43:49] It’s about him sacrificing his very life [43:51] But what did he sacrifice for some of you live as if he sacrificed himself just so you can go to heaven

[44:01] He sacrificed himself so that you could have a relationship with god now

[44:07] Your relationships exist for the mission of jesus. What is love apart from that?

[44:18] What is it folks missional living reflects the continued growth of gospel trust

[44:28] Missional living reflects the continued growth of gospel trust [44:34] Look in james chapter one

[44:39] What good is it my brothers if someone says he has faith but does not have works [44:43] Can that faith save him? [44:46] If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food and one of you says to them go in peace [44:51] Be warmed and filled without giving them the things needed for the body. What good is that? [44:56] So also faith by itself. It does not have works [45:01] Is dead

[45:07] What is taking place in your life that points to you trusting the gospel?

[45:16] This is what’s taking place in your life that requires you to trust your career

[45:24] A lot mortgage

[45:29] Car payment [45:31] Clothes credit cards

[45:37] Tons tons

[45:41] Why have we [45:43] as followers of jesus [45:45] Convinced ourselves [45:47] To have more things in our lives that require a paycheck [45:52] Than things in our lives that require gospel faith

[46:01] Trust in the gospel is revealed by acting for the gospel

[46:09] You don’t gain [46:11] By living for the gospel where god is concerned. Jesus has done that and I think that’s the most confusing thing about christianity [46:17] And I kind of get it [46:18] I kind of get why that’s confusing

[46:23] We don’t follow him so that he’ll love us we follow him because he loves us

[46:31] It’s kind of like again my relationship with my wife

[46:38] If I had we’ve been married for almost seven years [46:42] If for all of those seven years [46:44] I felt like I had to pursue pursue pursue without any inkling that she finally loves me [46:52] Without any thought that she finally loves me [46:56] How tired would I get?

[47:00] How worn down would I be? [47:03] Would I possibly give up after a while? [47:06] I hope so [47:09] But do you know what freed me

[47:13] To just live for my wife [47:17] To just [47:18] With reckless abandon be free to pour my love on her to show her love over and over again [47:24] You don’t freed me to do that [47:26] The day that she told me she loved me [47:30] It was liberating what’s funny is is it didn’t make me stop loving her

[47:39] It actually freed me to love her more

[47:44] That’s what life is like with god and when we’re in the ephesian series i’m going to talk even more in depth about why marriage [47:50] Is about the gospel

[47:54] If we really believe god loves us through jesus that will free us [47:59] Not to do whatever we want but to do whatever he wants [48:04] Because we know he loves us [48:06] And in a world where not many things can be known for certain [48:11] When you can know that for certain [48:15] Why would you waste your time living for anything else?

[48:21] Why would you do it?

[48:25] Because here’s the key [48:26] So many times when we talk about this stuff we’re going to leave here [48:29] And most of you will forget what we talked about by the time you reach your car

[48:34] But some of you will be left with a nagging question now what? [48:38] Okay, so what do I do? [48:40] Okay, what steps need to be taken?

[48:43] And you’ll look back at the church and you’ll say well you guys need to start a lot of programs so that we can live this mission [48:50] You guys need to organize more stuff for us to do

[48:56] That’s been done [48:58] Because inevitably what you’ll do is is you won’t show up to them [49:01] But you’ll be excited that you have a church that does them. Am I right? Yeah

[49:08] Or you’ll show up and it’ll just be one more thing for you to do

[49:14] I don’t want you doing missional activities. I want you living a missional life

[49:22] The environments and programs that we do have because you know as a church you have to have some things [49:27] We have sunday morning worship experience. We have community groups and we have some discipleship groups that take place [49:34] I don’t know that I ever want to add a lot to that and some of you are like, oh no

[49:41] You got to do this other thing you got no wait wait [49:44] No, I don’t want to I don’t want us doing 26 different things every week [49:48] So that we’ve convinced ourselves we’re missional I don’t want you showing up at a building over and over again [49:55] So you can pat yourself on the back

[49:59] We’re limited in what we do not because we don’t have space but because it’s not the life god has for you [50:07] the sunday morning worship experience exists [50:11] To reach people with the gospel of jesus christ and to teach you how to live the gospel of jesus christ community groups [50:17] exist [50:19] To force you into relationships that lead to discipleship so that you can come together and you can [50:26] Collaborate how to live the mission of jesus more strategically in this community

[50:32] And then what we do is is we send you out

[50:37] And wherever you go you are an agent of change [50:43] For that job for that school for that family for that marriage for that coffee shop [50:51] For that bar for that fitness center wherever it is that you are going [50:56] You are going as a person on mission with and for jesus [51:02] That is intentional missional living if I give you 17 things to show up to every week. I am afraid you will

[51:12] I’m afraid you will [51:14] You don’t need to be here you need to be out there taking the gospel to people [51:23] You need to be the person at your job that people know [51:27] Won’t criticize them and bash them behind their back and gossip with them about all their problems everybody else [51:34] But rather you’re the person that will pray for them [51:38] You’re the person that will love them unconditionally

[51:44] And why would I have you at another thing here when you can be there?

[51:52] When you can maybe watch one less tv show a week

[51:58] And spend that night having coffee with that person that you know needs the gospel you know who needs the gospel you’re just scared to death

[52:08] And I think some of you are scared because you don’t think you’re qualified

[52:18] Trust in the gospel qualifies you to live for the gospel

[52:28] Remember our good buddy apaphris didn’t go to seminary but planted a church [52:34] Look in verse 12 [52:38] Giving thanks to the father

[52:42] Who has qualified you [52:46] To share in the inheritance of the saints in light and you’re like well, but that’s in the future [52:51] Look in verse 13 [52:53] He has

[52:56] He has [52:58] That’s now [53:01] Delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved son in whom we have [53:08] redemption the forgiveness of sins [53:11] You do not need to take 17 discipleship courses go to seminary learn all the languages read all the books [53:19] To be used by god god has qualified you in jesus christ

[53:24] He has equipped you with his holy spirit [53:26] He has done everything that needs to be done. He has transferred you from the domain of darkness [53:34] He has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints and that starts now [53:40] With living as if it is so because you believe that it will become so [53:45] When you go to heaven and you stand before him and when I go I want people with me [53:51] I want you with me. I want people at starbucks with me. I want people at american family with me

[53:57] I want people in my running team with me [53:59] I want people in every sphere of my life to be with me because they saw me [54:05] Living for the gospel and they said what has he got?

[54:12] And that’s the life that god has for you

[54:16] And I don’t care what you’ve done I don’t care where you’ve been [54:21] He’s qualified you if you trust him

[54:28] Grow in the knowledge of god [54:32] Walk in a manner worthy grow in your understanding of his will

[54:41] And you’ll come back to wanting more knowledge of him

[54:46] God has done everything in jesus [54:51] that you need [54:53] to live his mission

[54:57] Just do it

[55:01] Just do it

[55:05] As the band comes up [55:09] As we close

[55:13] I want us to understand this morning that at the village we do not want to be [55:18] A church of people that just hear the word of god you do that we make sure you do

[55:28] We want to obey james 1 22 that says [55:32] Don’t simply be hearers of the word [55:35] But be doers of the word

[55:40] His mission is needed all over the place [55:44]

[55:46] Get in a community group if for no other reason than to come together with other believers [55:54] And collaborate to live the mission [55:57] And one of our community groups we’ve seen a small movement start where they’re beginning to feed the homeless [56:05] We didn’t start a program for that

[56:09] We had people that just said we want to live the mission of jesus and they looked for a place to do it and they started doing it

[56:18] I don’t want to just give you something to do. I want [56:22] Ideas birthed out of this community, but when you are not actively seeking to see the gospel take place in your life [56:30] It’s not going to happen

[56:34] We cannot just parade around each other and fake it [56:39] We have to do it [56:42] Let’s be who we say we are and live the mission

[56:49] Take responsibility

[56:53] For the people in your neighborhood don’t leave that on me [56:58] I don’t know what’s going on in your neighborhood you do [57:00] Take responsibility for the people at your workplace

[57:08] Because god has redeemed you to be his ambassador

[57:15] All of us [57:17] And we’re on this mission together [57:20] Let’s help each other guys