Love Others While On Mission

Series: Come Live The Church's Vision

Love Others While On Mission

June 28, 2020 | John Ewart

Passage: Matthew

I preached a series from the book of Acts called, Come Join the King’s Mission.

God has an unchanging, eternal plan, a mission to redeem and to be glorified. 

We do not decide that mission, but we are bound to decide whether we join it or not.

Then came this sermon series called, Come Live the Church’s Vision.

How will RCCC, you, specifically, contextually, live out a plan to fulfill His mission here, now? 

How can we be authentic disciples? 

This sermon series has been to guide us.

Your pastors have written a discipleship goal guide to help us know some of the areas of spiritual maturity which we must pursue. You can download it. 

This is the last sermon in the series.

This is a time to reflect, repent and recommit.

This is a time to examine and decide what actions you must take next. 

We must be defined by God’s Word. We must be devoted to prayer. We must be dependent upon the Holy Spirit

From Discipleship Guide: Who We Are

In Matthew 22:34-40 Jesus summarizes two basic commands: Love God and love others. Both of these commands exist under God’s love for us as demonstrated in Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. Loving God draws us deeper into relationship with the One Who redeemed us, establishing us in an unwavering faith in His character and a certain hope in His promises. By loving others, we express to the world God’s love for them – we become the hands, feet, and voice of Christ in His ministry of reconciliation. As imperfect people, saved by grace and rooted in Christ, we seek to imitate Jesus by loving God and loving others. We believe every member is equipped by the Holy Spirit to grow in the following core competencies, which define who we are and set the agenda for our ministry focus:

In our last of the 8 goal areas…we must…

Love Others While On Mission 

We will love others by intentionally and sacrificially engaging our communities and the world with the Gospel. 

  • Identify my responsibility as a Christian to make disciples among all nations.
  • Understand that God’s heart is for all peoples to worship Him, from every tribe, tongue and nation. 
  • Develop a plan to be involved in the church’s cross-cultural missions efforts by praying, giving, and going to support the mission of God both near and far.

We must move with one heart, one mind, in one accord, with one vision to fulfill one mission. 

We must build a train, coupled together in unity and synergy, running down the tracks pre-laid by God heading toward the station of mature, fruit-producing discipleship that glorifies Him.

No bumper cars. 

The couplings holding the train cars in unity are a shared, understood, valued mission and vision, coordinating our hearts and actions.  

His Holy Spirit is the engine driving this. 

And we serve a sovereign King who seeks those who will get on board with His Mission to glorify Him and redeem the nations.

Part of that mission requires a vision plan to join His work to make disciples.

The first step in making a disciple is to share the Gospel with a lost person. 

I sometime hear students or church folks say things like, “I am not personally into evangelism. I much prefer to just teach and help people grow deeper and more mature in their discipleship.”

That is ironic. That is actually immature discipleship itself speaking. 

We are incomplete in our maturity if we do not share about our Lord to the lost. 

It must be a never-ending cycle with one feeding the other, not some false division. 

One reason we are left here after we are saved is to take the Gospel to peoples that have never heard all around the world.

We must engage in evangelism. What is real evangelism? 

John H. Ewart (with nod to Bill Bright): Intentionally preparing for and pursuing opportunities to personally share the gospel of Jesus Christ with those who are unsaved in the power of the Holy Spirit while leaving the results to God.

How intentional are you? In preparing and pursuing?

July 2 for 2 Evangelism Emphasis: Intentionally share 2 things with 2 people: your testimony and the Gospel

Curriculum, resources and videos will be available; examples will be shown. 

Go back and re-read the first 20 days of this month’s prayer guide. 

Begin asking God to show you who your two people need to be.

We will love others by intentionally and sacrificially engaging our communities and the world with the Gospel. 

Are you prepared to do this sacrificially? 

What, then, is the difference between evangelism and missions? Is one just a subset of the other?

Missions is usually broader and can include pre-evangelism, evangelism and post-evangelism.

It normally includes some cross-cultural context and engagement.

Understand that God’s heart is for all peoples to worship Him, from every tribe, tongue and nation. 

Develop a plan to be involved in the church’s cross-cultural missions efforts by praying, giving, and going to support the mission of God both near and far.

What, then, is a definition of missions? John H. Ewart: 

Intentionally preparing for and pursuing personal and corporate opportunities to engage in pre-evangelism, evangelism and post-evangelism in cross-cultural contexts in the power of the Holy Spirit and toward the fulfillment of His Mission.

I believe in intentionality!

Missions in its purest form is a natural but intentional overflowing and outpouring of our response to God’s grace and mission. 

Our intentional relationship with God and His people overflowing into our very intentional relationship with the world and its people. 

Our hope and goal are to bring God glory by being used by Him to make disciples.

Identify my responsibility as a Christian to make disciples among all nations.

The fulfillment of what we call the Great Commission has been a major drive for the creation of these goals by your leaders. 

Remember, a true disciple in NT Greek is a mathetes: A trained one; not just a student but one who follows the teaching.

Discipleship is living a certain way, because we believe a certain truth, because we know a certain One. 

We live out our obedient discipleship and lead others to do the same. 

Matthew 28: 16-18 

16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.

18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.

  1. Christ’s Power for Making Disciples 

They worshiped Him, but some doubted.

After all that had happened, they still needed assurance.

The Holy Spirit had not come yet. 

They needed His help.

So, do we! He is our engine and our guide.

We must follow His lead. He keeps us on track!

The disciples needed authentic, spiritual power.

Exousia is the authority to do, the right strength.

There is a difference between authentic vs. assumed authority and power.

The God-sent missionary has both the authority and power to fulfill His Commission.

Jesus told His disciples in Acts 1 they would receive the power of the Holy Spirit to be witnesses of His grace and glory.

Acts 1:8

8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

I am praying you receive and are filled with Holy Spirit power.

This is no time to back up RCCC.

This is the time to move forward!

This is a test, a crossroads for you.

The world cries out in the desperation of darkness for the light we possess. 

How will you respond?

In fear? Shame? Or in power? 

Romans 1:16  

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

We have both the right and the power to make disciples. 

Not because we are a special church but because of the special and unique work of King Jesus.

It is His power not ours.

And how much authority does He have? = all authority in heaven and on earth!

Who gives you the right to reach out and share the Gospel?

Who gives you the right to bring up Jesus in our conversation?

Who gives you the right to knock on my door, call me on my phone, or reach out to me on Facebook?

Who gives you the right to share your testimony? 

Well, as a matter of fact, Jesus, the Lord and Master over all the universe gives me not just the right, but also the power!

The creator of your life and the sustainer of your breath and the only one in whom you must have hope, gives me the right!

The One who died for us and rose again and the only One who could, gives me the right!

In fact, I don’t have the right to remain silent.

I must love others by intentionally and sacrificially engaging our communities and the world with the Gospel. 

I must identify my responsibility as a Christian to make disciples among all nations.

I have the power and authority to be obedient because Jesus gives it to me through the Holy Spirit.

Therefore, I can be used by Him to make disciples.

We must recognize His power to make disciples.

Matthew 28:19-20a  

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; 

  1. Christ’s Plan for Making Disciples  

I am always amazed when I visit this text.

How in the world could His plan involve us?

Do you understand what a master of grace He is to allow and plan this?

To give us the incredible privilege of joining Him in His mission?

To be so honored as to be able to tell others about and introduce them to Him? 

To be sent out and used in His harvest?

To be a tool for making disciples?

What is His great plan?

One main primary verb in the sentence, disciple, with basically three words modifying that verb.

A literal translation could read: “Going therefore, disciple you all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things whatever I gave command to you.”

To join the King’s Mission and live the church’s Vision, we must make disciples according to His plan. 

  1. As you are going, make disciples.

This certainly carries with it the idea of making disciples as you go through the normal patterns of your life.

The organic, natural, relational lifestyle of sharing about Him with all whom we come into contact should characterize our lives. 

If you know me, if you encounter me, you will hear of my love for Him, and His for us. 

But we also recognize God challenges us in this passage to move beyond our normal patterns of going into the abnormal.

It is not enough to simply go where and when we want to go and to only those to whom we want to go.

Your worldview must be expanded. 

Remember my sermon a few weeks ago. 

We must become global Christians.

I would challenge and propose that the greatest problem for the world’s future is lostness. 

I have the read the book and already heard the end of the story, I know!

God’s Great Commission says we must go.

And we must go to panta ta ethne.

To all the various peoples.

There are still over 7,000 unreached people groups (UPG) representing billions of people with less than 2% of the population saved and no way to sustain something like church planting. 

There are over 3,000 unreached and unengaged people groups (UUPG), that have no churches at all.

There are more than 5.8 million people in North Carolina who don’t know Christ. 

Remember, right around us within 5-10 miles, more than half are not attending church in anyway. 

There are 1000’s of unreached individual people living right here and billions who have never heard the name of Jesus out there.

Praise the Lord that globally, Christianity is growing faster than the world’s population. 

We must join our global brothers and sisters in this effort in the power of the Holy Spirit.

We must go to both far and near.

We must go to all, everywhere we can. 

Acts 1:8

8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Even our Samaria. 

Ways we can go:

  • Local, personal, evangelism and discipleship (2 for 2 this July).
  • Short term mission trips to local, national, and international.
  • Sending out and supporting long term missionaries.
  • Church planting.

As we are going, we must make disciples.

  1. As you are baptizing, make disciples.

Being saved begins a new life.

Converts should not hide, they must shine.

Baptism is an opportunity to show the world what has happened to you.

It is a public proclamation and demonstration that one has trusted in Christ for salvation and proclaims the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord and themselves.

It is a time to confess the Lord before men, so He can confess you before the Father.

It is not simply some time through which to rush people in order to be counted but an incredibly important act of obedience through which we testify and bring Him glory. 

It is also the doorway to local church membership here at RCCC. 

Not to salvation but to covenant participation in the local body of believers.

Next Sunday, I will preach about baptism and the Lord’s Supper as we share in the Supper. Prepare!

Both boldly proclaim the Gospel and Christ. 

Do not be ashamed of the Gospel, boldly proclaim it. Contact the church if you are interested or need to be baptized.

We must bring new believers into church fellowship, discipleship and accountability. They need the encouragement and fellowship of the church.

As part of the body they can truly be discipled if we will be that intentional discipling church.

We must make disciples as we are going and baptizing and…

  1. As you are teaching, make disciples.

A lady was on a packed bus one day with a friend. She was telling her about her sister’s bout with viral meningitis. The bus was noisy, and she was talking in a very loud voice. “How did the doctor know it was more than a cold?” “He told her to bend her neck until her chin touched her chest and she could manage only a slight nod.” At this point she looked around and about half the passengers on the bus were looking at her with their chins pressed all the way down securely against their chests.

The world is watching you Richland Creek. Believers are listening church. 

They are watching your lives, hearing your voices, seeing your actions. 

What will we teach them?

God’s commands or our opinions?

New lambs and older sheep all need instruction.

We must not only encourage them to be part of the body, we must teach them once they are here.

And note what we must teach…

Matthew 28:20a 

…teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; 

We must make certain that brand new, current and long-term members of the body are not simply knowledgeable about the commands of Christ, we must teach them to observe all them.

Remember a true disciple is not just a student but one who follows the teaching by which they have been trained. 

That is why we are building an intentional plan with intentional goals that include being, knowing and doing.  

But you must decide, you must willfully choose, to live out this vision plan. 

We recognize His power, His plan and…

Matthew 28:20b  

…and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

III. Christ’s Presence for Making Disciples

We talk about who we are discipling or who discipled you when in fact we recognize that the process of sanctification is led by the Holy Spirit and not by us. 

It is His Commission, His harvest.

Apart from Him I can do nothing; but I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.

Not alone, but together.

Because Christ dwells in us, we are empowered to go and help disciple others. 

We are continually empowered for His mission and encouraged to press forward by His presence.

These are the two bookends of the Great Commission: His Power and His Presence.

Both are absolutely necessary in order to make disciples.

I have seen God do amazing things through simple folks like us.

If we submit to His power and plan and rely upon His presence, we never go alone.

He is with us guiding and directing us to do His will.

We must abide in Him, and He in us, in order to bear fruit according to John 15. 

Do you abide in Him? Does He abide in you? Do you walk together? 

Will you engage in the ministry of His presence?

Will you represent Him and engage in the intentional pursuit of true discipleship?

Will you recognize and rely upon His power and presence in your life?

Will you Go? He came so we would. He died to make it so.

He sacrificed everything on the cross for this to be possible.

Love Others While On Mission 

We will love others by intentionally and sacrificially engaging our communities and the world with the Gospel. 

  • Identify my responsibility as a Christian to make disciples among all nations.
  • Understand that God’s heart is for all peoples to worship Him, from every tribe, tongue and nation. 
  • Develop a plan to be involved in the church’s cross-cultural missions efforts by praying, giving, and going to support the mission of God both near and far.

This sermon series is now over. So what? 

From Discipleship Goals: 

We believe every member is equipped by the Holy Spirit to grow in the following core competencies, which define who we are and set the agenda for our ministry focus:

We must love God 

  • In His Word
  • In Prayer
  • In Our Witness
  • In Our Worship

We must love others

  • Through Church Community
  • Through Our Ministry
  • Through Our Generosity
  • While On Mission

Press these up against your personal life. Your public life and your very private life. 

The life of your family. The lives of your colleagues and classmates.

Those around you in your communities. Those around the world who need Christ. 

Which of the 8 areas is the one in which you are experiencing the greatest growth? 

Which one needs the most work? Why? 

Some of you listening may sense a specific calling to serve in cross-cultural missions. 

We would love to visit with you about that as well. 



Series Information

Other sermons in the series

April 26, 2020

Love God In His Word

Dr. John Ewart, our interim pastor, leads us through this weeks message...