Title: Let's Do Something For The Lord This Year
Bible Book: Matthew 28 : 19-20
Author: Jack Auten
Subject: Missions; Goal; Church
Objective:
Introduction
There is a story told about a great football coach who began to speak to his team after they were defeated tragically. He held up a football in the air and said, "Guys, this is a football." One of the players in the back spoke up and said, "Hold on Coach, you're going too fast."
It is good to review the basics every once in a while and that applies to the church as well as individuals or anything else. Let's review what our church is supposed to be doing and how to regain that vision of making an impact for Christ.
I. A Clearly Defined Goal
"If you aim for nothing, you will probably hit it..."
Jesus has already defined the church's goal - GROWTH! Increase numbers - increase depth of disciples maturity. Four marks of a growing disciple are:
A. The Mark of Maturity
The mark of maturity is the first characteristic. We are to grow in the knowledge and experience with the Lord.
Spending time in the Word and in prayer will bring maturity. Ever see an immature teacher or preacher? (sort of a grown-up in spiritual diapers?)
Spiritual maturity should be part of our goal for this year.
B. The Mark of Ministry.
The second mark is that of ministry. Following Jesus' example is one of the best ways to learn how to minister. Jesus washed the feet of His disciples, an act of humility and serving others first. Every disciple must be a servant to everyone else. A non-serving Christian is a contradiction.
C. The Mark of Mission
The third mark is the mark of mission.
Get a purpose, a duty, the one which Jesus started and modeled, of making disciples. Commitment to the same mission of Jesus, that of making disciples, is a mark of growth. Bringing lost people to Christ and helping them grow is the same mission of Jesus.
D. The Mark of Multiplication
The fourth mark is multiplication. Jesus started with 12 men and planned to evangelize the entire world as those 12 men reproduced more disciples. The ultimate mark of disciple maturity and growth is when a disciple reproduces another disciple. What would happen if everyone in this room reproduced one or two more disciples during this next year?
Our goal has been clearly defined by Jesus: "Go make disciples, train them, grow them, mature them.."
II. A Simple Focused Strategy
Secondly, we need to have a simple focused strategy. Again Jesus is our example: "He appointed 12, designating them Apostles, that they might be with Him and
that He might send them out to preach..." (Mark 3:14)
A. We Must Reach Out
We must reach out. Jesus likened it to fishing..."...fishers of men..." We must go where the lost people are. Fish don't come to the fishermen, neither do lost people come to be won and discipled.
B. We Must Bring In
We must bring in. Like our body, the church needs all members serving in their place. We must bring back into activity all our church members.
C. We Must Build Up
We must build up. Having additions is not all there is to growing. Every member must be growing spiritually and to do so there must be opportunities and qualified leaders available to teach and to help disciples grow spiritually.
D. We Must Sent Out
We must send out. Jesus sent His disciples out into the world after they matured. We want to keep all our members here and don't want to see anybody leave, even if it is to help start a mission or to help a struggling church.
When a disciple is mature in the Lord, that disciple needs to go out if the Lord so wants, not stay in the nest or at "home."
III. A Total Membership Involvement
We need every single member to be involved. "No one of us is as strong as all of us..." Everyone knows that a team is successful when every member of the team is giving a total commitment for the same purpose - to win.
It takes 10 hands to make a basketball goal. It takes 22 hands to catch a football and make a touchdown. Making an impact for Christ won't "just happen." We must become a team God can use.
A. Same Purpose for All
We must be committed to the same goal, the same purpose and that is growing disciples. Every member of this church needs to know our mission for this year is to grow disciples.
B. Same Perception for All
We must be committed to complete understanding of our united goal of growing disciples. As the quarterback and his receivers know what the play is going to be, so every member of our church family needs to know our goal of growing disciples and how we plan to reach it.
C. Same Participation for All
We must be committed to being involved in our united goal of growing disciples. Nobody sits on the bench, everybody is in the game. Everybody has a place and is needed to help in making an impact for the Lord Jesus Christ.
Conclusion
We have but one goal this year and it is the one Jesus set: Reach the Lost and Bring them to Spiritual Maturity. Every member is needed for us to make an impact for our Lord. Will you commit yourself to the goal of making disciples and helping them mature spiritually? This is not anything new. It started over 2,000 years ago when God started the Church this way and He wants us to continue it the way He started it. Reaching the lost for Him and then maturing them spiritually. Are you ready to commit yourself to doing your part in reaching the lost and helping them grow in the Lord?
