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Gospel Significance: Matthew 28:18-20 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Please take your copy of God's Word and turn to Matthew chapter 28.
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! Our text for this morning will be Matthew chapter 28, verses 18-20.
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!
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The gospel has eternal weight. It has massive significance.
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The world needs to be reconciled to God in Christ.
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The penalty of sin is death and it's eternal separation from the Lord God Almighty.
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And God has given to us the ministry of reconciliation.
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Restoring relationship between God and mankind.
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There's much talk these days about calling.
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And what you can be sure of is that if you have been called to follow Christ,
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you have been called to the ministry of reconciliation.
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Let me read to you from 2 Corinthians chapter 5.
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Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.
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The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come.
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We've been given a new identity.
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All of this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself
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and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.
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That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself,
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not counting their trespasses against them,
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and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
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Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ.
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God making his appeal through us.
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We implore you on behalf of Christ.
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Be reconciled to God.
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For our sake, he made him to be sin who knew no sin,
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so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
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This is the message of reconciliation that has been trusted to us as followers of Christ.
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And you may have noticed this morning that I placed a globe on the lectern.
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I really hope you noticed I placed a globe on the lectern.
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We have other issues to address if you didn't notice that I did that.
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This globe sat in my father's study when I was a child.
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I don't even know if he realizes that I have it.
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It's an old globe.
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In fact, it has still on it the Soviet Union,
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so it's not an accurate globe.
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But as a child, I used to look at this globe
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and dream about the places in the world that I might go.
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I love it because it comes off the stand,
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and I can play with it like a ball,
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and dream about as a child where I'd want to go in the world.
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When I discovered that it was being discarded,
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I grabbed it up, and it now sits in my study.
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And it sits right in front of where I sit in my study,
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and it reminds me to dream about the places that our church might go
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to declare the good news of Jesus Christ.
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And so, not to prop for silly reasons,
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but that's why it's sitting here this morning,
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both for me and for you to dream together
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about how God might use Christ's Family Church, Dahlonega,
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to advance the good news of Christ to the world.
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The world currently holds approximately 7.4 billion people.
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I can't even fathom what that number means.
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7.4 billion people.
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And those 7.4 billion people are divided into 11,498 ethno-linguistic groups.
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I don't know exactly what that even means.
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But divided into peoples, 11,498.
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6,803 of those people groups
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have less than 2% evangelical Christians as part of their population.
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Typically, missiologists talk in terms of 2% and above is a reached people,
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which is a low statistic.
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But 6,803 of those people groups
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have less than 2% of evangelical Christians,
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which I would say are the only type of Christians.
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3,040 of those people groups are not engaged by any Christian work.
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None whatsoever.
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There's no one on the ground working amongst those people.
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This means that today,
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roughly 7 billion people do not have the gospel.
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Today, 7 billion people could die eternally,
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separated from the goodness of God,
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if the gospel is not proclaimed to them,
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and if they do not believe.
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This is a great problem.
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This is a massive problem.
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And the great remedy to this great problem
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is found in our text this morning.
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It doesn't get any more complex than this.
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Matthew 28, beginning in verse 18.
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And Jesus came and said to the apostles,
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All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
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Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,
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baptizing them in the name of the Father,
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and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,
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teaching them to observe all that I have commanded
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you.
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And behold,
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I am with you always to the end of the age.
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Beloved, this is God's word to us.
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It was written for His glory and for our good.
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We would all do well this morning to listen to it
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in order to believe its promises
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and obey its commands.
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Now, over the past four weeks,
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we have been considering the Christian life.
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We have been giving you so-called hooks
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to hang the Christian life on,
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beginning with our gospel identity.
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And we've been kind of rolling out
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some summary statements to you
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and the summary statement for our gospel identity,
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what we want you to have in your mind
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when you see the church logo
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and all of the many places that it shows up,
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by grace alone,
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through faith alone,
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in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone.
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So this is both the nature of our faith
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and the object of our faith.
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We are justified before God,
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forgiven and adopted by Him.
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This is the new identity.
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This is now who we are
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if we have believed,
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by grace alone,
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through faith alone,
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in the personal work of Jesus Christ.
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We're justified before Him,
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forgiven and adopted.
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This precious truth,
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this gospel identity,
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is our great motivation for worship.
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So out of who we are
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comes everything that we do.
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We are accepted by God in Christ,
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so we live how He wants us to
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in all things.
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And this is worship.
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Not just music.
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It includes music.
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It's everything that we do
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is a result of who we are
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to God in Christ.
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Having experienced the mercies of God
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to us in Christ,
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we live for Him.
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Our identity motivates our action.
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So we've been talking about
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four areas of Christian living,
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and they are as follows.
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Gospel conviction.
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Being justified before God,
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forgiven and adopted by Him.
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We worship Him through gospel conviction.
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Knowing God,
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through His word and prayer.
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We worship Him through gospel community.
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Loving the church
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in varying means of fellowship and service.
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Last week we talked about
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worshiping Him through gospel character.
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Conforming to Christ,
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both in private and in public.
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And today we come to the last of these
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four C's and the conclusion
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of this little five-week series
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and our break from the book of Acts
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to talk about gospel commission.
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And the summary statement is
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as follows.
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It's found on your notes.
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I hope you have.
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Being justified before God,
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forgiven and adopted by Him.
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We're not tired of saying that, right?
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Because of who we are.
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Because of who we are.
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Because of who we are.
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Right?
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Justified before God,
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forgiven and adopted by Him.
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We worship Him through gospel commission.
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Proclaiming the gospel
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to the ends of the earth.
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We find in Matthew chapter 28,
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verse 18 through 20,
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what is most often referred to
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as the great commission.
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And we find in it a command.
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But what is that command?
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Many suggest that the command is go.
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You see therefore in verse 19.
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Go therefore.
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Or that the command is go.
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And the command is make disciples.
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And that the command is baptize them.
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And the command is teach them
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all that I have commanded you.
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Let me posit to you
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that the command found
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in Matthew 28,
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18 through 20,
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is make disciples.
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And if you study the Greek,
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if you look at these verbs,
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not a single one of those
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is an imperative form of the verb.
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All of them are non-imperative forms
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of the verbs.
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The only imperative form,
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which is the command form
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in the Greek language,
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is make disciples.
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So when we look at go therefore,
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we can rightly read it
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in your going therefore.
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Or as you're going along therefore.
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This doesn't exclude the ends of the earth.
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But what it does is it includes
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everywhere we go.
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It includes everything.
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It actually makes the verse
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much more powerful, right?
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That the command is to make disciples.
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As followers of Jesus Christ,
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those who claim to follow Him,
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we make disciples.
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Jesus sums up His ministry in this way
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in Luke 19, verse 10.
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He says,
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I came to seek and to save the lost.
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And He imparts this ministry to us.
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As followers of Christ,
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disciples under His overview,
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under His guidance,
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we do what He did.
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And what He does in us.
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We should be about the very same work.
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So what follows in Matthew 28
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is the where and the how
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of making disciples.
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What does that look like?
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What is the command to make disciples
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look like in a broader sense?
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And so let's address first the where.
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The where.
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To the ends of the earth.
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He says,
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last part of verse 19,
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make disciples of all nations.
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Matthew 24, 14,
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Jesus says,
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And this gospel of the kingdom
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will be proclaimed throughout the whole world
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as a testimony to all nations.
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And then the end will come.
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There could be much debate
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about what is meant by all nations
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or the whole world
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or every tribe,
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nation,
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and tongue.
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I've heard a lot of explanations
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about what that could possibly mean.
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We recently,
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just a moment ago,
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talked about the classification
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of ethno-linguistic people groups.
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Is that number exactly correct?
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11,498?
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I don't know.
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We can't be sure.
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But what we can be sure of
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is that we are not done proclaiming
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because the end has not come.
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Disciple making,
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which begins with gospel proclamation
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as part of making disciples,
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proclaiming the gospel.
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It does not end with gospel proclamation, right?
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Verse 19,
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we're going to baptize them.
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Verse 20,
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we're going to teach them
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all that Christ has commanded.
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It includes guidance in obedience,
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growing people up in Christ.
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But disciple making begins
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with gospel proclamation.
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And it starts at home.
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Go, therefore,
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in your going,
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as your going,
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make disciples.
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That means that we are to make disciples
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of our roommates
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and our classmates
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and our co-workers
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and our families
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and people at the coffee shop
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and those we encounter at restaurants
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and that guy that cuts us off on the road.
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We are to make disciples,
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to regard no one any longer
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according to the flesh.
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We have the eyes of Christ, right?
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To seek and to save the lost.
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To see people as eternally secure
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or eternally damned.
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And to come to their rescue
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with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
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And I find for many of us
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the great problem
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in proclaiming the gospel,
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making disciples,
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is that we don't find ourselves
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that often around the unsaved.
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Now this congregation
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is a little unique
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from many churches in this nation
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in that a lot of you
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are college students
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and you're college students
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on a secular campus.
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And I say to you,
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that is a wonderful opportunity.
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Praise God
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that you have at your fingertips
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a bounding opportunity.
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So many of you,
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this is not very pertinent,
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but for some of us it is.
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For some of us it's extremely pertinent
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that we have a difficult time
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being around people
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who need the gospel of Jesus Christ
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because we tend
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to sequester ourselves off.
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We're being limited
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in our exposure to people
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because we're at home
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and we're at work
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and we're at church.
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There's a sociologist,
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a secular sociologist
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by the name of Ray Oldenburg
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who wrote a book
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and a number of other books
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on the idea
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that this book is called
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The Great Good Place.
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And my brain got turned on
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to this by John Cochran,
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so thank you.
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At least I think it did.
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I think the information came to me
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by way of John Cochran.
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The Great Good Place.
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And he talks about how
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societies have thrived
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because of these
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common gathering places
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that are informal,
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that are public,
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like the marketplace,
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right?
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or the pub,
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places where people
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gathered together
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and the community
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was drawn together
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because of these
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great good places.
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He also calls The Great Good Place
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a third place,
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right?
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So think in terms of work,
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home,
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and that other place
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that you frequent
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and that you're at.
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The bordega on the corner,
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it's where you go
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consistently
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and encounter people
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in that way.
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And we all need
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a third place.
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You need to be seeking out
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a third place
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where you can encounter
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the lost people here
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as you're going.
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Now, moms,
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this third place
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could be at home
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with your unbelieving children.
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Students,
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this could be at school,
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what you would deem work
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for many of you.
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It could be at school.
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It could be your place
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of employment.
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For some,
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there's many,
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many opportunities
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to encounter lost people
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at their place of employment.
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For some,
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they sit in a cubicle
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and they put on a headset
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and they might encounter
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a couple people
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from time to time.
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It's not a good place
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to foster relationships
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of this nature,
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although you should be
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sharing the gospel
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at your workplace as well.
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We need to be creative
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about this third place.
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many of you,
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I hope,
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and I hope in a continuing way
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as,
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particularly as college students
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come through,
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the life of this church
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will be sent elsewhere.
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And I hope that many of you
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are sent to the ends
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of the earth.
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I would love to see that.
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It is a dream
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of the leadership
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of this church
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that we would equip
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and send people
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to the farthest reaches
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of this planet
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to share the good news
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of Christ.
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But many of you
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will stay right here.
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You'll stay in North Georgia.
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You might go as far
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as Atlanta.
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And you have a part
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to play
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in this glorious process
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of advancing
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the kingdom of God.
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So many where we live
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claim to be followers
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of Christ,
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claim to be
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quote-unquote
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Christian,
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and they desperately
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need the gospel.
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They need to be shown
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what it looks like
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to follow Jesus.
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There's been this trending
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in relational evangelism,
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and I think that it has
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goodness at its root,
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but so often,
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people are investing
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themselves into the lives
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of other individuals
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in the hopes
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that maybe someday
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something might happen
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that will bring about
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a gospel conversation,
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and I'm just building
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the relationship,
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and I'm building
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the relationship,
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and I'm building
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the relationship.
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We see this happen often
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with well-intentioned
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individuals who get
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involved with fraternities
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and sororities on campus.
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They say,
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I'm going to get in there.
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It's a mission field.
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They're lost people.
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I'm automatically connected.
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We've got a club thing
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going on,
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and I'm going to get
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in the midst of that,
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and some years later,
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the trouble persists,
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and their life is declining
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in holiness
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rather than increasing
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in holiness.
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They're getting wrapped up
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in the society of it all.
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If you love people
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and you set your intention
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on them to be in relationship
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with them,
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the aim of it should be
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that you would fellowship
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with them around the things
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that matter most.
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If you're following Christ,
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you have very little in common
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with people who are not
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following Christ.
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Christ.
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Some of you experience this
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with your families,
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how you just have nothing
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to talk about anymore
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when you go home
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because you're pursuing the Lord
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and your family's heading off
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in an opposite direction
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or your old friends
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from high school.
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You used to be so close
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and have so much to say
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and so much to do,
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and suddenly you find
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that the way they live their lives
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is distasteful to you.
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We need to press,
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and we need to press
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as quickly as we can
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to gospel proclamation.
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To some,
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it's going to be
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a precious gift to them.
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And to some,
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they're going to hate it.
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And at least you know
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where you stand
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in your relationship with them.
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So the where is
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to the ends of the earth.
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It's to everywhere.
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It's to as you're going.
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The how
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is by the power of God.
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We proclaim the gospel truth
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by the power of God.
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And I'm so thankful
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for the way
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that this gospel commission
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is sandwiched.
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Verse 18,
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Jesus says to them,
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All authority in heaven
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and on earth
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has been given to me.
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Right?
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I am the king.
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I am reigning over all things.
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And then he gives this command
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to go and to make disciples
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and to baptize them
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and to teach them.
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And then verse 20 he says,
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And behold,
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I am with you
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always to the end of the age.
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And so until this mission
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is complete,
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I am with you
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with all of this authority
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bringing about
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my good will.
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What a massive motivation
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to share the gospel
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of Jesus Christ
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with the lost and dying
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around us.
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Jesus has all authority
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and he is with us.
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It is by the power of God
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that the gospel
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is proclaimed
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and believed.
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But it also happens
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by the activity of men.
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I promise you
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that you will never
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under some
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imaginary
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felt
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compulsion
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just start talking
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and you are not going
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to know what you are saying
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and you are just going
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to start sharing.
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You are going to be moved
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to get up
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and call that friend
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that you haven't talked to
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in a while.
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You are going to suddenly
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find yourself hanging out
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in that place
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where people need to hear
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the gospel
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and declaring it
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from the street corner.
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It won't happen.
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It is also by the activity
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of man.
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God gives this,
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Jesus gives this command.
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Right?
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I have got all authority.
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I am going to be with you.
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Go
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and make disciples
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of all nations.
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Baptize them.
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Teach them.
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There is command
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that comes along
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with this.
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We must recognize
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that we have a part
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to play.
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Romans chapter 10
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verse 13
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14
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and 15
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Paul writes
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for everyone
21:07
who calls
21:08
on the name
21:09
of the Lord
21:09
will be saved.
21:12
How then
21:13
will they call
21:14
on Him
21:15
in whom
21:16
they have not
21:17
believed?
21:18
And how are they
21:19
to believe in Him
21:20
of whom
21:21
they have never
21:22
heard?
21:23
Hear this carefully,
21:24
beloved.
21:26
No one is getting
21:27
some revelation
21:28
of Christ
21:29
post-death.
21:31
They have to hear
21:32
the gospel
21:32
of Jesus Christ
21:33
and believe in it
21:34
to be saved.
21:36
How can they
21:37
call on Him
21:38
in whom they have not
21:38
believed?
21:39
And how are they
21:39
to believe in Him
21:40
of whom they have
21:40
never heard?
21:42
And how are they
21:43
to hear
21:43
without
21:44
someone
21:45
preaching?
21:47
Paul is not
21:48
just talking
21:49
about what I
21:49
do on Sunday
21:50
mornings
21:50
and what many
21:51
men do
21:51
on Sunday
21:52
mornings.
21:52
He's talking
21:52
about you
21:53
preaching the
21:54
good news
21:55
of Jesus
21:55
Christ
21:56
to your
21:56
friends
21:56
and your
21:57
co-workers
21:57
and your
21:57
classmates
21:58
and your
21:58
family.
22:00
Verse 15
22:01
And how are they
22:01
to preach
22:02
unless they are
22:04
sent?
22:04
As it is written,
22:05
how beautiful
22:05
are the feet
22:06
of those who
22:07
preach
22:07
the good news.
22:10
So gospel
22:11
proclamation
22:11
is the beginning
22:13
of
22:14
disciple making.
22:17
There are
22:18
two
22:18
axioms
22:19
I want to present
22:20
to you.
22:21
Axioms
22:21
are statements
22:22
that ideas
22:23
hinge upon
22:24
that change
22:24
things.
22:26
So two
22:26
axioms
22:27
for gospel
22:28
proclamation.
22:30
Number one,
22:32
we are all
22:34
different.
22:38
We are all
22:39
different.
22:40
This means
22:40
in order to
22:42
share the
22:42
gospel of
22:43
Jesus Christ
22:44
well,
22:44
you need
22:45
to know
22:45
people.
22:46
You need
22:46
to know
22:47
people.
22:48
You need
22:48
to learn
22:48
the art
22:49
of asking
22:50
questions
22:51
and listening
22:52
to answers.
22:55
I find it
22:56
fascinating
22:57
that so many
22:57
Christians
22:58
walk into
22:59
some form
23:00
of spiritual
23:01
conversation
23:02
and they
23:02
bear the
23:03
burden
23:03
of proof.
23:05
We have
23:07
the upper
23:07
hand in
23:08
this.
23:08
You know
23:09
that,
23:09
right?
23:09
We follow
23:10
the one
23:11
true
23:11
living
23:12
God.
23:13
We have
23:13
the
23:13
scripture
23:14
in our
23:15
hands,
23:15
I hope
23:15
in your
23:16
minds
23:16
and in
23:17
your
23:17
hearts.
23:19
I would
23:20
suggest that
23:20
the burden
23:21
of proof
23:21
lies on
23:22
the world.
23:24
Ask the
23:25
atheist to
23:25
help you
23:26
understand
23:26
how they've
23:27
arrived at
23:27
their
23:28
conclusion.
23:31
Ask the
23:32
agnostic.
23:33
Did you say
23:33
you believe
23:33
in a God?
23:34
How can you
23:34
believe in a
23:35
God and
23:36
not follow
23:36
some version
23:37
of his
23:38
way?
23:40
Ask good
23:41
questions and
23:41
listen to
23:43
the answers.
23:44
Get to
23:44
know people.
23:45
Just have
23:46
conversations.
23:48
And I will
23:48
tell you,
23:48
and I use
23:49
the word,
23:49
learn the
23:50
art.
23:51
The only
23:52
way to get
23:52
good at it
23:52
is to do
23:53
it.
23:54
Start talking
23:55
to the
23:55
people you
23:56
know about
23:58
religion,
23:59
about the
24:00
world,
24:01
about the
24:02
gospel.
24:03
Understand
24:03
people's
24:04
uniqueness.
24:05
People have
24:05
a unique
24:06
history.
24:07
They have
24:07
a unique
24:07
set of
24:08
circumstances.
24:08
They have
24:09
a unique
24:09
set of
24:10
hurts.
24:11
They have
24:12
a unique
24:12
worldview.
24:15
We're all
24:15
different.
24:18
But the
24:18
second
24:19
axiom,
24:21
we're all
24:22
the same.
24:24
We're all
24:25
the same.
24:26
We're all
24:27
a part of
24:28
God's
24:28
redemptive
24:29
story.
24:31
We have
24:31
all at
24:32
one time
24:33
set ourselves
24:34
against
24:35
God.
24:36
We have
24:36
rejected
24:37
His
24:37
good
24:37
word.
24:38
We have
24:38
said to
24:39
Him with
24:40
our
24:40
activity,
24:41
I hate
24:42
you.
24:42
All of
24:43
us have
24:43
been in
24:44
that
24:44
place.
24:46
All of
24:46
us deserve
24:48
the just
24:49
condemnation of
24:50
God for
24:50
the way
24:51
that we
24:51
have
24:51
treated
24:52
His
24:52
good
24:53
reign
24:53
over
24:54
our
24:54
lives.
24:55
All of
24:56
us need
24:57
the salvation
24:57
that is
24:58
found in
24:59
Christ.
25:01
We're all
25:02
part of
25:02
God's
25:03
redemptive
25:03
story.
25:05
We call
25:06
this,
25:06
if you
25:06
want a
25:06
big word,
25:07
the
25:07
meta
25:07
narrative.
25:09
There's
25:09
stories
25:09
within a
25:10
great,
25:10
big story.
25:13
God's
25:13
creation of
25:14
the world
25:14
and the
25:15
fall of
25:15
that world
25:16
and His
25:16
rescue of
25:18
that world
25:18
and His
25:19
soon-and-coming
25:20
restoration
25:21
of that
25:22
world.
25:22
It's a
25:23
big,
25:24
beautiful
25:24
story that
25:25
we are
25:25
all a
25:25
part of.
25:26
So we're
25:26
all different.
25:27
That means
25:28
we have
25:28
to get
25:28
into the
25:29
mix with
25:29
people.
25:30
We have
25:30
to love
25:30
people.
25:31
We have
25:31
to know
25:31
people.
25:32
And we're
25:32
all the
25:33
same.
25:34
We all
25:35
need that.
25:35
Our little
25:36
stories
25:36
connected to
25:37
the great,
25:37
big story.
25:41
I want to
25:41
show you,
25:42
I tend to
25:42
shy away
25:43
from stuff
25:43
like this,
25:44
I think
25:44
because of
25:44
the
25:44
hokiness
25:45
of so
25:45
many
25:46
churches
25:47
that do
25:48
multimedia
25:48
things.
25:50
That may
25:51
even be
25:51
sinful on
25:51
my part.
25:54
I want
25:55
to show
25:55
you,
25:55
I think
25:55
the guys
25:56
are getting
25:56
ready,
25:56
a video
25:57
that's a
25:58
little over
25:58
five minutes,
25:59
which is
26:00
the story.
26:01
It's actually
26:01
called
26:01
the story.
26:02
The story,
26:03
short film.
26:06
It's a
26:07
wonderful telling
26:08
of this
26:08
great,
26:09
big,
26:09
redemptive
26:10
picture.
26:11
It uses
26:11
that pattern,
26:12
creation,
26:13
fall,
26:14
rescue,
26:15
restoration.
26:16
So I'm going to
26:16
let those guys
26:16
play it for you
26:17
and then I'll
26:17
pop back up
26:18
here.
26:18
there is only
26:23
one story
26:23
that answers
26:24
life's most
26:25
essential
26:25
questions
26:26
and gives
26:27
a lasting
26:27
sense of
26:28
purpose
26:28
and meaning.
26:31
It's the
26:31
story that
26:32
inspires
26:32
all other
26:33
stories.
26:34
It's the
26:35
true story
26:36
that defines
26:36
every one
26:37
of us.
26:38
This is
26:39
that story.
26:42
How did
26:43
it all
26:43
begin?
26:44
Like all
26:44
stories,
26:45
this one
26:46
begins in the
26:46
beginning with
26:47
the author,
26:48
who is God.
26:49
He spoke
26:50
everything into
26:51
being.
26:52
With a word,
26:53
galaxies appeared
26:54
with stars and
26:55
planets.
26:56
Earth was
26:57
designed for
26:57
life to
26:58
flourish.
26:59
Everything God
27:00
made was
27:00
gloriously good
27:01
and breathtakingly
27:03
perfect.
27:04
The highlight
27:04
of God's
27:05
creation was
27:06
the first man
27:06
and woman,
27:08
Adam and
27:08
Eve.
27:10
God entrusted
27:11
everything he
27:12
created to his
27:12
beloved children,
27:14
giving just one
27:14
more.
27:15
They were not
27:16
to eat fruit
27:17
from a specific
27:17
tree.
27:19
They lived in
27:20
loving obedience,
27:21
worshiping God
27:22
as their heavenly
27:23
father, and
27:24
enjoying perfect
27:25
harmony with
27:25
creation, each
27:27
other, and
27:28
God.
27:31
Considering our
27:32
world today,
27:34
its obvious
27:34
perfect peace
27:35
didn't last.
27:37
Turmoil,
27:38
! War,
27:39
sickness,
27:40
troubles.
27:41
We each have
27:41
our share.
27:43
What went
27:43
wrong?
27:44
It started
27:45
when a fallen
27:46
angel named
27:47
Satan grew
27:47
jealous of
27:48
God and
27:49
determined to
27:50
ruin the
27:50
perfection of
27:51
creation.
27:52
Satan took
27:53
the form of
27:53
a serpent and
27:54
enticed Adam
27:55
and Eve to
27:56
question God's
27:57
goodness and
27:58
rebel against
27:59
his one rule.
28:00
In disobedience
28:01
they ate the
28:02
fruit, and
28:03
peace unraveled,
28:05
ushering in sin
28:06
and death, which
28:07
still plagues us
28:08
today.
28:09
If we are
28:10
honest, we are
28:11
very much like
28:12
Adam and Eve.
28:12
We all rebel
28:14
against our
28:14
Heavenly Father,
28:16
making our
28:16
hearts heavy
28:17
with fear,
28:18
guilt, and
28:19
shame.
28:20
Our bodies are
28:21
weary with
28:22
sickness, disease,
28:24
and death.
28:25
Earth is
28:25
afflicted with
28:26
storms, calamities,
28:28
and disasters.
28:29
Even worse, sin
28:30
has separated us
28:31
from God, causing
28:32
a permanent
28:33
divide, a
28:35
miserable
28:35
separation
28:36
called hell.
28:38
The fallout of
28:39
sin has been
28:40
catastrophic.
28:41
it's inescapable
28:42
with no way to
28:43
fix it, leaving
28:45
us all to
28:46
wonder, is
28:47
there any
28:48
hope?
28:49
The love that
28:50
prompted God to
28:51
create us also
28:53
prompted him to
28:54
send a Savior who
28:55
would set everything
28:56
right again.
28:57
As centuries
28:58
passed, God
28:59
shared exact
29:00
details of the
29:00
coming Savior's
29:01
birth, life,
29:03
and death.
29:04
Everything in the
29:05
Bible points to
29:06
this rescuer.
29:07
Father, almost
29:08
2,000 years
29:09
ago, Jesus
29:10
came to
29:10
earth as God
29:11
the Son to
29:12
fulfill the
29:13
promise.
29:14
He was born
29:14
miraculously, as
29:16
his mother was a
29:17
virgin.
29:18
Just like us, Jesus
29:19
grew up and
29:20
experienced life on
29:21
earth.
29:22
But unlike us, Jesus
29:23
never sinned and
29:24
always obeyed the
29:26
Father.
29:26
When Jesus was in
29:27
his 30s, he began
29:28
teaching all around
29:30
Israel, pointing
29:31
people to God's
29:32
kingdom, and
29:33
performing many
29:34
miracles.
29:35
after a few
29:36
years, he was
29:37
wrongly accused
29:38
and sentenced to
29:39
an agonizing death
29:40
on a cross.
29:42
Jesus lovingly gave
29:43
up his perfect
29:44
life as a
29:45
sacrifice to pay
29:47
for the sins of
29:48
mankind.
29:49
He died a perfect
29:50
death, taking our
29:52
place, the
29:53
innocent for the
29:54
guilty.
29:56
But the grave
29:57
couldn't hold
29:58
Jesus.
29:59
Three days later,
30:00
God brought Jesus
30:01
to life again.
30:02
Jesus defeated
30:05
sin by dying on
30:06
the cross, and
30:07
defeated death by
30:08
rising from the
30:09
dead.
30:11
Today, Jesus sits
30:12
at God's right
30:13
hand as king and
30:14
judge over all
30:16
creation.
30:17
This is the story
30:18
of rescue God has
30:19
authored.
30:20
He invites us,
30:21
through repentance
30:22
and faith, to make
30:24
his story of rescue
30:25
the one we trust in
30:26
and live from.
30:28
When we do,
30:29
everything changes.
30:30
And now, what
30:33
will the future
30:34
hold?
30:35
For everyone who
30:36
trusts in Jesus
30:36
alone for rescue,
30:38
God has promised to
30:39
restore your heart
30:40
and set you free
30:42
from sin's hold,
30:43
because God is
30:44
loving, kind,
30:46
merciful, forgiving,
30:48
tenderhearted, and
30:50
true.
30:51
God has also
30:52
promised to make
30:53
all things new.
30:55
One day, there
30:56
will be a new
30:56
heaven and a new
30:57
earth, forever free
30:59
from sin.
31:00
Everything that
31:01
causes pain and
31:02
sadness will be
31:03
gone.
31:06
God has also
31:07
promised to be
31:08
with us forever.
31:10
The moment you
31:11
trust in Jesus,
31:12
your relationship
31:13
with God is
31:13
restored, because
31:14
Jesus has closed
31:15
the divide sin
31:17
caused.
31:18
Getting to know
31:19
this all-loving
31:20
God starts today
31:22
and continues
31:23
forever.
31:25
For God's story
31:26
never ends.
31:30
You can make
31:31
God's story the
31:31
foundation of your
31:32
life even now
31:33
by admitting your
31:35
need for God's
31:36
rescue,
31:38
asking forgiveness
31:40
for your sin,
31:42
trusting in Jesus
31:43
Christ alone to
31:44
rescue you,
31:46
following Jesus in
31:47
faith from this
31:49
moment on.
31:51
This is God's
31:53
story.
31:53
will you make
31:55
it yours?
32:00
So I think
32:00
that's a wonderful
32:01
like big flyover
32:03
of the redemptive
32:04
story of
32:05
scripture.
32:05
You have creation
32:06
and fall just in
32:07
the first three
32:08
chapters of the
32:09
book of Genesis.
32:11
And everything that
32:12
follows through the
32:13
Old Testament is
32:14
about pointing to
32:15
the future promise
32:16
of Christ.
32:17
People were saved
32:18
then by faith in
32:19
this future promise.
32:21
And we're now
32:22
drawn back to
32:23
believe in the
32:23
realized promise of
32:25
Christ and the
32:26
redemption of our
32:26
sin in his
32:27
person and his
32:29
work.
32:30
It's a wonderful,
32:31
wonderful story.
32:32
And this is what we
32:32
want to draw people
32:33
into.
32:34
They're unique,
32:35
but we are the
32:37
same.
32:39
Now,
32:40
each year,
32:42
Lifeway Research
32:42
conducts and
32:43
releases a
32:44
denominational
32:45
report entitled
32:46
the Annual
32:47
Church Profile
32:48
Report.
32:49
Some of you may
32:50
not know this,
32:50
but we're a
32:51
Southern Baptist
32:51
Church.
32:52
So this is for
32:53
the SBC.
32:54
In 2006,
32:55
they reported
32:56
that the member
32:58
to baptism
32:59
ratio for SBC
33:00
churches was
33:01
86 to 1.
33:04
So that's saying
33:05
that they're just
33:05
counting the stats
33:06
up and we know
33:07
stats can get all
33:08
skewed and funky
33:09
like probably a lot
33:10
of those people
33:11
that were counted
33:11
as members were
33:12
counted multiple
33:12
times because they
33:13
probably had
33:13
membership at
33:14
multiple churches.
33:16
Certainly,
33:17
we can't be
33:18
sure that every
33:20
baptism was a
33:21
true conversion
33:21
or that every
33:22
person that
33:22
converted was
33:23
necessarily
33:24
baptized,
33:25
recognizing full
33:26
well that
33:27
statistics can be
33:29
skewed,
33:30
but all the same,
33:32
this report
33:32
looks at the
33:33
number of
33:34
members of
33:35
SBC churches
33:35
and the number
33:36
of baptisms
33:37
reported,
33:37
and that's
33:38
86 to 1
33:39
in 2006.
33:39
So that's to
33:40
say that it
33:40
took 86 members
33:42
to see one
33:43
person converted
33:44
to faith in
33:45
Christ.
33:47
I hope that's
33:47
a staggering
33:48
number to you.
33:49
That means there's
33:49
a lot of
33:50
inactivity in
33:51
the church in
33:53
2006.
33:55
This year,
33:55
they reported,
33:56
so for last
33:57
year, an
33:59
improvement on
33:59
that ratio.
34:00
I'm thankful
34:01
for, praise
34:02
God, that it's
34:03
for last year,
34:04
2015, 52 to
34:07
1.
34:08
Better, but
34:09
not great.
34:10
Now our
34:12
church.
34:14
You recall
34:15
that we
34:15
have sent out
34:16
a survey for
34:17
our members,
34:18
we've called it
34:19
the Member Health
34:19
Survey, in
34:20
which we made
34:21
this statement
34:22
and we asked
34:22
people to
34:23
strongly disagree
34:24
or strongly
34:25
agree and a
34:26
range of
34:27
answers in
34:27
between, and
34:28
the statement
34:29
was this,
34:29
I have led
34:30
someone to
34:31
faith in
34:31
Christ this
34:32
year.
34:33
I have led
34:34
someone to
34:34
faith in
34:34
Christ this
34:35
year.
34:35
And again,
34:35
we recognize
34:36
that gathering
34:37
this kind of
34:37
information,
34:38
even the way
34:39
some people may
34:39
have read
34:40
the question
34:41
could be
34:41
misleading.
34:42
So we
34:44
recognize this
34:45
full well, but
34:46
all the same,
34:46
if we take
34:48
the answers
34:49
that were
34:49
given, three
34:51
people said
34:52
agree and
34:54
three people
34:54
said strongly
34:55
agree.
34:57
That's six.
34:59
That's six.
35:01
Which brings
35:02
our ratio, and
35:03
again, praise
35:04
God, praise
35:04
God our ratio
35:05
is better than
35:06
the average
35:07
Southern Baptist
35:08
church, I
35:09
suppose, with
35:09
this ratio of
35:10
52 to 1 to
35:11
15 to 1.
35:14
So this is
35:14
us right
35:16
now.
35:18
I'm thankful,
35:18
man I'm
35:19
thankful, I
35:19
am so thankful
35:20
that last
35:21
year, by the
35:22
work of six
35:23
members of our
35:24
church, or
35:26
maybe one, I
35:28
guess is
35:28
possible, no
35:29
it's not
35:29
possible, six
35:30
members, they
35:31
answered in
35:31
that way, agree
35:32
or strongly
35:32
agree, that
35:34
six people came
35:35
to faith in
35:35
Christ.
35:36
What a
35:37
wonderful,
35:37
wonderful reality,
35:38
we should
35:38
rejoice in
35:39
that, but I
35:39
would say to
35:40
you, beloved,
35:40
it's not
35:41
enough.
35:43
It's not
35:43
enough.
35:44
That means
35:44
that a lot
35:45
of us are
35:46
not actively
35:47
sharing the
35:48
gospel with
35:49
those around
35:49
us.
35:51
So the
35:51
challenge that
35:52
the elders of
35:54
CFC Dahlonega are
35:55
issuing to our
35:56
fellowship this
35:57
morning, we
35:58
want to see
35:59
happen across the
36:00
next year, is to
36:01
change that
36:01
ratio, to see
36:02
that ratio
36:03
change.
36:03
And I am not
36:04
saying that this
36:04
is not a work of
36:05
God.
36:06
I am not
36:06
saying that we
36:07
are going to
36:07
knuckle down and
36:08
get it done.
36:09
That is not
36:09
what I am
36:09
saying.
36:11
What I am
36:11
saying, though, is
36:12
that this work
36:13
of God also
36:14
requires work on
36:15
our part.
36:16
And I am going
36:17
to go on to
36:17
suggest to you
36:18
that I think
36:18
it is that we
36:19
are not doing
36:19
the work, not
36:20
that he doesn't
36:21
desire to work
36:22
out salvation in
36:23
the lives of
36:24
this community.
36:25
So the
36:25
challenge being
36:26
issued to our
36:27
fellowship this
36:27
morning is to
36:28
see this ratio
36:28
change next year
36:29
to one to
36:31
one.
36:31
And that
36:34
means, and this
36:35
is being pressed
36:36
upon and
36:36
expected of,
36:37
members of
36:38
Christ Family
36:38
Church, if
36:39
you are not a
36:39
member of
36:39
Christ Family
36:40
Church, you
36:41
should be a
36:41
member of a
36:41
church, whether
36:42
it is here or
36:42
not, so you are
36:43
not entirely off
36:44
the hook in this
36:45
regard.
36:45
If you are a
36:45
follower of
36:46
Jesus Christ, you
36:46
are not off the
36:47
hook, you are
36:48
meant to be sharing
36:49
the gospel of
36:49
Jesus Christ, but
36:50
we are going to
36:51
place an expectation
36:52
upon members of
36:53
our church that
36:54
they be working
36:54
at this.
36:55
Not that you
36:56
are going to get
36:57
your t-shirt when
36:58
you see somebody
36:58
come to faith in
36:59
Christ, that
37:00
we are going to
37:00
get some extra
37:02
points, a gold
37:03
star on your
37:04
chart, that you
37:04
get a new ESV
37:07
study Bible or
37:07
anything like
37:08
that.
37:10
But to set some
37:11
goals together and
37:12
say, we can do
37:13
this, let's start
37:14
encouraging and
37:16
pressing at one
37:17
another to be
37:17
actively sharing
37:18
our faith in a
37:19
way that we're
37:21
used like this by
37:22
God.
37:24
I'd love to see
37:25
it go beyond
37:25
this.
37:25
I'd love to see
37:26
it be 1 to 2
37:27
or 1 to 10
37:28
or 1 to 20.
37:30
Let's press
37:32
this next year
37:32
to see it be
37:33
1 to 1.
37:36
Not legalistically,
37:37
I'm not suggesting
37:38
that.
37:38
You won't be
37:38
kicked out of
37:39
the church if
37:39
you're not seeing
37:41
someone converted
37:42
in your life.
37:44
If this seems
37:45
extreme to you,
37:46
if you go,
37:46
but Nathan,
37:47
come on,
37:48
man.
37:48
We're going to
37:49
double the
37:51
fellowship in
37:52
this next year.
37:54
Let me say to
37:55
you that I
37:56
have for a
37:56
long time
37:57
operated under
37:58
this notion
37:59
that we live
38:00
in the days
38:00
of Jeremiah.
38:02
Jeremiah,
38:02
if you're not
38:02
familiar with
38:03
him as a
38:03
prophet,
38:04
we see some
38:04
evidence across
38:06
his whole ministry,
38:06
his lifelong
38:07
ministry of
38:08
calling people
38:08
back to God.
38:09
Possibly one
38:10
person who
38:11
turned back
38:12
to God,
38:13
a very fruitless
38:15
ministry as far
38:17
as following
38:18
God was
38:19
concerned.
38:21
And I have
38:21
long thought,
38:22
if we're going
38:23
to be true and
38:23
we're going to
38:24
be faithful,
38:24
that's not
38:25
appealing to
38:26
people.
38:26
We're just
38:26
going to have
38:27
to keep
38:27
grinding,
38:28
right?
38:28
We're just
38:28
going to keep
38:29
grinding,
38:29
keep doing
38:30
the thing
38:30
that we're
38:31
doing.
38:32
And I don't
38:32
think we live
38:33
in the days
38:33
of Jeremiah,
38:34
and I want
38:35
to show you
38:35
that.
38:35
I want you
38:35
to turn to
38:36
Luke chapter
38:37
10 with
38:37
me to see
38:38
this.
38:57
this is the
38:58
account of
38:58
Jesus sending
38:59
out a broader
39:00
group of
39:01
disciples to
39:02
proclaim the
39:03
good news of
39:03
the gospel.
39:05
Beginning in
39:06
verse 1,
39:06
after this the
39:07
Lord appointed
39:07
72 others
39:09
with 36 pairs
39:10
and sent them
39:11
on ahead of
39:12
him,
39:13
two by two,
39:14
into every
39:14
town and
39:15
place where
39:15
he himself
39:16
was about
39:16
to go.
39:17
They went
39:17
ahead of
39:17
him as
39:18
heralds.
39:20
And he
39:21
said to
39:21
them,
39:22
the harvest
39:23
is plentiful,
39:24
but the
39:24
laborers are
39:25
few.
39:25
Therefore,
39:27
pray earnestly
39:28
to the Lord
39:29
of the harvest
39:29
to send out
39:30
laborers into
39:32
his harvest.
39:33
Jesus goes
39:34
on to tell
39:35
them that
39:35
some will
39:36
receive them
39:36
and their
39:37
message and
39:37
others will
39:38
not.
39:39
There should
39:39
be an
39:40
expectation on
39:40
their part
39:41
that as
39:41
they're going
39:42
and proclaiming
39:43
the coming
39:43
of the kingdom,
39:44
the good news
39:44
of Jesus
39:45
Christ,
39:45
that some
39:46
will accept
39:46
it and
39:46
some will
39:48
not.
39:50
But then
39:50
he does
39:50
this really
39:51
curious thing.
39:53
Note carefully
39:54
this thing
39:54
that he does
39:55
say,
39:56
the harvest
39:57
is plentiful,
39:58
but the
39:59
laborers are
39:59
few,
40:00
and then he
40:00
tells them
40:00
to pray.
40:02
And he
40:02
doesn't suggest
40:03
that they
40:03
pray for
40:03
the harvest.
40:04
Now,
40:04
I don't
40:04
believe that
40:05
what we
40:05
should take
40:06
from this
40:06
is that
40:06
we ought
40:07
not pray
40:07
that people
40:07
be converted
40:08
to Christ.
40:08
We should
40:09
definitely
40:09
do that.
40:10
We should
40:10
definitely
40:10
be praying
40:11
that people
40:11
would respond
40:12
in faith
40:12
to the
40:13
gospel
40:13
proclaimed.
40:14
But that's
40:14
not what
40:15
he tells
40:15
them to
40:15
do.
40:16
He says,
40:16
there is
40:17
a harvest.
40:18
It's a
40:18
plentiful harvest.
40:20
It's a
40:20
huge harvest.
40:21
Souls ready to
40:25
but there's
40:26
a problem.
40:28
The
40:28
laborers
40:29
are few.
40:32
So pray
40:32
for
40:34
laborers.
40:35
Therefore,
40:36
pray earnestly
40:37
to the
40:38
Lord of the
40:38
harvest to
40:39
send out
40:40
laborers
40:41
into his
40:43
harvest.
40:45
And I
40:45
think reading
40:46
this rightly,
40:47
we should
40:48
see that
40:48
there is a
40:49
harvest in
40:49
the place
40:50
that we
40:50
live.
40:51
People that
40:52
God intends
40:53
to save.
40:55
And he
40:56
wants
40:56
laborers
40:57
to go
40:57
out and
40:57
bring the
40:58
harvest in.
40:58
There's a
40:59
harvest.
41:00
It is the
41:00
Lord's
41:01
harvest.
41:02
Pray for
41:03
laborers.
41:06
And we
41:07
asked some
41:07
other questions
41:08
in the
41:09
member health
41:09
survey.
41:12
We asked
41:13
the question,
41:13
I share the
41:14
gospel or
41:14
made the
41:14
statement,
41:15
I share the
41:15
gospel with
41:16
my friends,
41:17
co-workers,
41:18
classmates,
41:20
and or
41:20
family.
41:22
And we
41:22
went through
41:22
and we
41:23
scored this.
41:23
I hope that
41:24
you can hear
41:24
this right.
41:25
I don't want
41:25
to confuse
41:26
you with
41:26
the way
41:26
we scored
41:27
it,
41:27
but out
41:27
of a
41:27
hundred
41:28
possible
41:29
points,
41:30
the way
41:30
this
41:31
statement
41:31
was
41:32
answered,
41:33
we got
41:33
seventy.
41:36
Not too
41:36
bad,
41:36
but not
41:37
too good.
41:38
I share
41:39
the gospel
41:39
with my
41:39
friends,
41:40
co-workers,
41:41
classmates,
41:42
and or
41:42
family.
41:43
If I were
41:43
a college
41:44
professor,
41:44
that would
41:44
be a
41:45
failing
41:45
grade.
41:48
Secondly,
41:48
I frequent
41:49
a place
41:50
where I
41:50
interact
41:51
with the
41:51
lost.
41:53
Out of
41:53
a hundred
41:53
possible
41:54
points,
41:54
we scored
41:55
a seventy-five.
41:57
I think
41:57
a lot
41:58
of those
41:58
points,
41:59
possible
41:59
points,
42:00
came from
42:00
college student
42:01
members that
42:02
are responding.
42:03
Which means
42:04
particularly for
42:05
us non-college
42:06
adults,
42:08
we need a
42:08
third place.
42:10
We need a
42:10
place where
42:11
we're consistently
42:12
interacting with
42:13
lost people.
42:14
So we're going to
42:14
start expecting
42:15
that.
42:15
We're going to
42:15
start talking
42:16
about it with
42:16
members of the
42:17
church.
42:17
This doesn't
42:18
preclude you
42:18
non-members.
42:19
We'll be
42:19
talking about it
42:20
with you too.
42:20
What I'm
42:21
saying is that
42:21
it's going to
42:22
be an
42:22
expectation of
42:23
members.
42:23
You need a
42:24
third place.
42:25
And again,
42:25
that might be
42:26
work.
42:26
And it's
42:27
possible that
42:27
it's home.
42:28
And it's
42:28
possible that
42:29
it's school.
42:30
But the
42:30
place that
42:31
you're
42:31
intentionally
42:32
inserting
42:32
yourself to
42:33
build relationships
42:34
for the sake
42:35
of the kingdom.
42:37
This is a
42:37
weakness in my
42:38
life.
42:38
I'm going to
42:38
walk through
42:39
this with
42:39
you because
42:40
I preach
42:41
the gospel
42:41
all the
42:42
time.
42:43
Barely a
42:44
day goes
42:44
by that I
42:45
don't preach
42:45
the gospel
42:46
to somebody,
42:47
but it's
42:48
ninety-nine
42:49
percent believing
42:50
people.
42:51
Counsel,
42:51
I preach
42:52
the gospel.
42:52
I get up
42:53
here and
42:53
I preach
42:53
the gospel.
42:54
I interact
42:55
with believing
42:55
people most
42:57
of the time.
42:59
I need a
42:59
place to
43:00
plant myself.
43:01
I'm working
43:02
right now on
43:02
freeing up my
43:03
schedule.
43:04
You're going to
43:04
hear me say
43:04
more and more,
43:05
that's not my
43:05
job.
43:06
That's not my
43:07
responsibility.
43:08
Go see.
43:09
And one of the
43:09
things I'm trying
43:10
to free my
43:10
schedule up for
43:11
is for this.
43:12
I want to give
43:12
you leadership in
43:13
this.
43:13
I want to be
43:14
around lots of
43:14
people on a
43:15
consistent basis.
43:17
So ask me.
43:18
Nathan, where's
43:18
your third place?
43:19
I don't know where
43:19
it is yet.
43:20
I'm trying to
43:20
figure it out.
43:23
Another statement
43:24
we made,
43:25
right?
43:26
And I was
43:27
encouraged by
43:27
this.
43:28
The statement
43:28
was, I am
43:29
equipped to
43:30
share the
43:30
gospel.
43:32
I'm equipped to
43:33
share the
43:33
gospel.
43:35
Eighty-six of a
43:36
possible hundred
43:37
points are scored
43:39
here.
43:39
Let's say that the
43:40
members of our
43:40
church are saying,
43:41
yeah, we're
43:42
equipped.
43:43
We've got what
43:43
we need to share
43:44
the gospel.
43:45
But it's not
43:47
happening in the
43:48
same measure,
43:48
right?
43:50
And those who
43:51
are saying they
43:52
are equipped still
43:53
are not comfortable.
43:55
Another statement,
43:56
I am comfortable
43:56
sharing the gospel.
43:57
We only scored a
43:58
sixty-eight out of
43:59
a hundred there.
44:00
And I do not have
44:01
fears or anxieties
44:02
about sharing the
44:03
gospel.
44:03
A fifty-seven out
44:05
of a hundred there.
44:07
So the feeling of
44:08
members of our
44:08
church is that
44:09
they're equipped,
44:09
but they're not
44:10
equipped, which is
44:11
an interesting
44:12
response.
44:13
My guess would
44:16
be that members
44:18
of our church
44:19
have heard me
44:20
say, you are
44:21
equipped because
44:21
you believe the
44:22
gospel and you
44:23
have the word.
44:24
And they've gone,
44:25
okay, but they
44:26
still don't feel
44:27
that that's enough.
44:30
Final statement
44:31
to address today.
44:33
I have attended
44:34
an evangelism
44:35
training held by
44:37
our church.
44:38
There's a forty-eight
44:38
out of a hundred
44:39
for that.
44:40
Now, that could
44:40
be largely because
44:41
we haven't offered
44:42
that many evangelism
44:43
trainings.
44:43
That's going to
44:45
change.
44:47
Because we're
44:48
seeing this
44:48
response of, I'm
44:50
equipped, but I'm
44:51
not really equipped.
44:52
We're going to
44:53
hold evangelism
44:53
trainings.
44:54
We're planning
44:54
for three this
44:55
year.
44:56
So think of it
44:57
as a school
44:57
year.
44:58
Before summer's
44:59
out, we're going
44:59
to offer three
45:00
evangelism trainings.
45:01
There's going to
45:01
be three different
45:02
evangelism trainings.
45:03
We're going to
45:03
have guys that
45:04
are regularly
45:05
practiced in
45:05
this, that can
45:06
serve and lead
45:07
as models in
45:08
consistent and
45:09
clear gospel
45:11
presentation.
45:12
I fear that
45:14
we're having a
45:15
lot of gospel
45:15
conversations as
45:16
a church, but we
45:17
may not actually
45:17
be presenting the
45:18
gospel itself.
45:19
We may not be
45:20
presenting it in
45:21
its entirety to
45:23
people.
45:23
Maybe we're
45:24
having spiritual
45:24
conversations, but
45:25
we're not pressing
45:26
people to repentance.
45:29
So we're going to
45:30
have evangelism
45:30
trainings.
45:31
And of our
45:32
members, we're
45:33
going to expect
45:34
that you'll attend
45:34
one of those this
45:36
year.
45:37
They're going to
45:37
be different
45:37
formats.
45:38
We're going to
45:38
offer them at
45:38
different times.
45:39
If you are one
45:41
of those amongst
45:43
us that are
45:43
comfortable sharing
45:44
the gospel, good,
45:46
we need you to
45:47
come to the
45:47
training and help
45:48
those who are less
45:49
comfortable sharing
45:50
the gospel.
45:51
So no one's
45:52
excluded from this.
45:53
As a church, we
45:53
need to be growing
45:54
in this way, moving
45:55
forward.
45:57
In a week or two,
45:58
we're going to
45:58
have the first one
45:59
ready to go.
45:59
We're going to
46:00
have, we'll say
46:00
plenty about it.
46:01
We'll have sign-ups
46:02
for it, etc.
46:03
It's actually going
46:04
to be the video
46:05
that you watch,
46:06
the story training
46:07
that goes along
46:08
with that media
46:10
and the presentation
46:10
that you can
46:11
present with that.
46:13
So hear me,
46:14
members, an
46:15
evangelism training
46:15
across this next
46:17
year.
46:19
So being justified
46:19
before God,
46:20
forgiven and adopted
46:20
by Him, we worship
46:21
Him through gospel
46:22
commission, proclaiming
46:24
the gospel to the
46:24
ends of the earth.
46:25
Followers of Christ
46:26
proclaim the gospel
46:27
to make disciples
46:29
everywhere.
46:32
On your bulletin,
46:33
Spurgeon quote,
46:34
love this one.
46:44
I'm going to
46:44
explain a phrase
46:45
to you and I'm
46:45
just going to
46:46
read it.
46:47
I want you to
46:47
know what the
46:48
phrase means so
46:48
that you know it
46:49
when I get to it.
46:50
Towards the end
46:51
he says, in the
46:52
teeth of our
46:53
exertions, that is
46:54
to say, it's an
46:55
old phrase, it
46:55
is to say in the
46:56
face of our
46:57
exertions, right?
46:57
That we are
46:59
present in our
47:01
exertions.
47:02
So if sinners
47:04
be damned, at
47:05
least let them
47:06
leap to hell
47:07
over our dead
47:08
bodies.
47:09
And if they
47:09
perish, let them
47:11
perish with our
47:11
arms wrapped about
47:12
their knees,
47:13
imploring them to
47:14
stay.
47:15
If hell must be
47:16
filled, let it be
47:18
filled in the teeth
47:19
of our exertions,
47:20
and let not one
47:21
go unwarned and
47:23
unprayed for.
47:25
If you do not
47:27
share the gospel,
47:30
there are some
47:31
options.
47:32
Number one, you
47:33
may not be a
47:34
Christian.
47:35
If you do not
47:36
share the gospel,
47:37
you may not be a
47:38
Christian.
47:38
If you have no
47:39
desire for others
47:40
to experience the
47:41
mercy of God, you
47:42
may not have
47:42
experienced the
47:44
mercy of God.
47:46
Number two, you
47:47
may be a
47:48
Christian, but the
47:48
truth of the
47:49
gospel may have
47:50
grown cold in
47:51
your heart.
47:52
You've forgotten
47:53
who you are.
47:54
You're having an
47:55
identity crisis.
47:57
Christ family
47:59
church exists to
48:00
glorify God by
48:02
experiencing.
48:03
So there's a
48:04
reality of who
48:06
Christ is,
48:07
proclaiming and
48:08
displaying the
48:09
supremacy of Jesus
48:10
Christ in all
48:10
things to all
48:11
peoples.
48:12
So your experience
48:14
of the supremacy
48:14
of Christ, of the
48:15
beauty of the
48:16
gospel may have
48:17
grown cold.
48:18
And you need to
48:18
do the work that's
48:19
necessary to fan
48:20
that flame back.
48:21
You need to be in
48:22
the scripture.
48:23
You need to be
48:23
praying.
48:23
You need to be
48:23
with community.
48:24
You need to be
48:25
obedient.
48:25
Do those things
48:27
that your passions
48:28
may increase.
48:31
You talk about
48:32
what you love.
48:34
Isn't this true?
48:36
I used to be a
48:37
rock climber many
48:38
years ago.
48:39
I would say it in
48:40
many ways defined
48:41
me in an unhealthy
48:42
way.
48:43
And man, if you
48:44
wanted to talk about
48:45
rock climbing, I
48:45
would talk about it.
48:46
I love to talk
48:48
about it.
48:48
And so often you
48:50
try to strike up a
48:51
conversation about
48:51
it with a person
48:52
that would just
48:52
go, that seems
48:53
scary.
48:54
And you'd go,
48:54
I'm not going
48:55
to be able to
48:56
talk about it.
48:56
It's got its own
48:57
language.
48:58
It's got this
48:58
whole, like, the
48:59
vernacular is
49:00
totally different
49:00
for it.
49:01
You found a
49:01
person who knew
49:02
what you were
49:02
talking about.
49:03
It was so
49:03
exciting.
49:04
Talk about
49:04
climbing.
49:06
You talk about
49:07
what you love.
49:08
Pay attention to
49:09
what you talk
49:09
about.
49:10
It'll expose
49:10
kinds of
49:11
idolatry in
49:13
your heart.
49:13
And I'm not
49:13
saying we don't
49:13
talk about,
49:15
talk about, you
49:15
know, I got some
49:16
new pants today.
49:17
It doesn't mean I
49:17
worship my pants.
49:19
But what controls
49:20
your conversation?
49:21
What's controlling
49:22
your conversation?
49:23
What do you
49:24
mostly talk about?
49:26
You talk about
49:26
what you love.
49:27
So the truth of
49:27
the gospel may
49:28
have grown cold
49:28
in your heart.
49:30
Number three, you
49:31
might not know
49:32
lost people.
49:34
It might be like a
49:34
really like honest,
49:35
like I just don't
49:36
interact with lost
49:37
people.
49:37
And I'm suggesting
49:38
to you that needs
49:38
to change, right?
49:39
We need to press
49:40
out and change
49:41
that.
49:41
You need to know
49:42
people whose end
49:44
is hell and draw
49:45
them away from it.
49:46
Or fourthly, you
49:48
may not believe
49:49
that you can be
49:50
used by God to
49:51
proclaim the
49:51
gospel.
49:52
You may feel so
49:54
guilty for your
49:55
sin and you need
49:55
to remember who
49:56
you are, that
49:56
you're forgiven and
49:57
adopted and you're
49:58
equipped, right?
49:59
That God wants to
50:00
send you out.
50:01
He's given you the
50:02
gospel message.
50:03
We want to help
50:03
you wrap your mind
50:05
in clearer ways
50:05
around that to have
50:07
those tools to pick
50:07
up and go out and
50:09
share the gospel of
50:10
Christ.
50:11
So you may not be a
50:12
Christian at all or
50:13
you're a Christian
50:14
who's struggling and
50:16
there's some work
50:16
to be done in
50:18
these regards.
50:18
And so to that
50:19
end, I'm going to
50:20
pray for us and
50:20
then we'll take the
50:21
Lord's Supper
50:21
together.