So this summer we have been in a series about the church and I think it’s been a ton of fun so far and I think it’s been a really powerful time for us to dive into some penetrating truths about us as a church…about who we are, what we do, and why we do it.  We have really been pushing in one very specific set of questions.  How do you view the church?  How do you do church?  And where do the people of our community go to find God?  These are important questions with people’s eternal destinies on the line!  This is what it’s all about, us…the church…helping people far from God come to know Him in their own very personal way, helping people experience His love and grace, the way that we are experiencing His love and His grace.  This is what it’s all about, and this is who we are as the church.   A group of ordinary (and imperfect) people, living ordinary (and imperfect) lives who are coming to know Jesus and helping others all around us come to know Him as well…that is fun, and that’s what it’s all about and today we are really going to jump into what Jesus calls His disciples to do.  Which is go and make disciples.  This is the mission of Christ that we are all called into as His followers, and we are going to really look at what that looks like today.  But before we do, I want to kind of look at where all we have been so far.  I want you thinking today, so let’s think about where we have been some because this has been a very intentional process and I want you thinking about that today.

We started with looking at the church and what it is, and then the series really shifted to the five choices we expect you to make so that we can be the kind of church we read about in Scripture.  Those five choices were to love God, love others, love growing, love serving, and love giving.  We spent around three weeks really hanging out in those choices, and something was really interesting during that time…it got really personal didn’t it?  It was all about our own personal relationship with God.  Everything during those three weeks was about pressing in on the idea that those five choices are all about our own personal relationship with God.  It’s our heart condition that is such a big deal, and what we wanted you to see was that this life in Christ, is actually a new life, where we not only believe in Jesus, but we do what He says and actually live differently.  We really wanted you to see that so many Christian’s struggle because they have all the knowledge in the world, and they are into the idea of believing in Jesus…it’s just doing what He said that is the hang up…and if we aren’t willing to live differently it leads to a very frustrating spiritual journey.  So before we ever got to the idea of our values or what we believe as a church we spent weeks pressing in on your personal walk with God.  Your heart condition, this means that you are very important to the church…this means that our individual heart condition will reflect on our church community as a whole, and our church communities passion for Jesus will reflect out to those who need Jesus in their lives…or not.  Everything starts with you, and your personal and intimate walk with God.  I enjoyed a couple of weeks ago just having us sit in this idea how important our closeness to Jesus is by looking at His teaching where He tells us that He is the vine…

John 15:1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” NIV

We must remain in Jesus, connected to the vine.  He is our lifeline.  It’s that important.  Apart from Him we can do nothing.

So last week Ken was here and shifted the series again, where he took us to the first of seven “We Believe” statements that we will be working our way through for the rest of this series.  You can find these statements on our website in the “What Matters to Us” section under the heading “I’m New Here.”  These statement are really the heart and DNA of who we are as a church, but I don’t want you to lose site of the fact that these statements come after we spend time focused on our own walk with God, and our own personal heart condition…if that isn’t right, these statements will be very empty.  So Ken stepped into the first statement with you which was about the cost.

We believe the mission of Christ, His passion, cost Him dearly.

This means it wasn’t easy, but because Jesus was fully submitted to His Father’s will…He sacrificed Himself so that we all could have ever lasting life, tearing the barrier of sin down that stood between God and us so that we could once again engage true, pure, intimacy with our Heavenly Father.  Now this week we look at the second “we believe” statement.

We believe Jesus empowered His church to fulfill His mission as He ascended into heaven.

We call this the Great Commission, and it’s an incredible moment where Jesus hands His mission of making disciples off to the church to be fulfilled.  Frankly, this is what it’s all about.  Making disciples of all nations, helping others experience the life changing presence of Jesus in their lives.  This is who we are, and what we are to do, and today I want to study this specific moment of The Great Commission then talk about what this can look like for us practically speaking.

So to give you an idea of where we are headed, This moment of Jesus empowering His church to fulfill His mission can be found in Matthew 28.  This is the last moments the disciples spend with Jesus as He ascends into Heaven.  So at this point He has been crucified and after the Sabbath day Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to the tomb, and something amazing happens…I was going to just summarize it but let’s read it right out of scripture…it’s just too awesome not to soak this in through scripture.

Matthew 28:2-10 ² There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it.³ His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. ⁴ The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.⁵ The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. ⁶ He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. ⁷ Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” ⁸ So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. ⁹ Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. ¹⁰ Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.” NIV

Ok, so you can see why I didn’t want to give you the “Sam version” of this moment, I mean this is incredible!  This is what it’s all about!  Jesus has risen!  He is alive!  So the Mary’s run back to the 11 disciples…remember we have lost Judas at this point, in the mean time we see the soldiers reporting back to the chief priest who continue to try to discredit Jesus by paying the guards to say his resurrection is just a charade pulled off by His disciples and then we come to the moment, where Jesus speaks to His disciples prior to ascending into Heaven…this is huge and I want to take some time today and show you three things that stand out to me in this moment, then how you and I can live this out practically in our daily lives.

Matthew 28:16-20 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. ¹⁷ When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. ¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” NIV

This is the moment that gives us our mission, the moment that shapes what we as Christ’s disciples should do with our lives…and there is so much going on here!  First before I show you what really stands out to me, can you imagine how the disciples felt as they made their way to Galilee to the mountain where Jesus told them to go?  Don’t you wish you could listen to their conversations, and hear their thoughts as they went to meet Jesus…who they just watched die such a horrific death?  I mean since that moment, these men have been hiding out, terrified for their lives…and now they are going to see Him alive!?!?!?  What a moment, I mean talk about sensory and emotional overload here…but there He stands!  Alive!  Wow!  And then we see the last words that Jesus speaks to His disciples…

Matthew 28:18-20 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” NIV

So I have been taking some personal time this summer, to really study this particular moment, and I would like to show you something that really stood out to me as I was working through a teaching on The Great Commission by William Barclay.  I find this incredible.  In this last meeting we see that Jesus really does three things, that we will circle back to throughout the talk.   Check this out…

First – He talks of His authority and power.  Jesus starts this moment of sending out His disciples by assuring them of His power.  He is letting His disciples know, you are on the right team!  You are following the All-Powerful God of the Universe!  You are servants of Jesus Christ, whose authority on Heaven and Earth cannot be questioned!  This is the first thing He says to them and I think this is important, and assuring, and inspiring to let them know, you are on the right team here!  When things get intimidating or seem completely overwhelming, this is what we need to hold on to…we have Jesus, who is all powerful.  I think he very intentionally wants this in the disciple maker’s mind.

(Verse 18) “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” Jesus

So He starts with making sure we His disciples know and understand His authority and power and then He hands us the mission…

Second – He calls us to go and make disciples.

(Verse 19,20) “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Jesus

The challenge, the calling for us as His disciples is to help every man and women come to know Him!  This is the Great commission, to go and make disciples of all nations, to make all the world come to know Him!  The task may be a little daunting, but it’s so clear…go and make disciples.

Third – He reminds us that He is always with us.  

(Verse 20) “I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” 

In the Message version it’s worded this way…

Matthew 28:20 “I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.”

This is so huge, think about how daunting this mission actually is, it had to be a pretty overwhelming thought to the disciples and frankly it can still be pretty overwhelming today!  It’s a big ask isn’t it?  I mean we as His disciples are called to the greatest task in history, with eternal destinies on the line!  But Jesus is saying you are not doing this alone, I’m with you through it all…and as He told us in verse 18 we want Him on our side and we have Him on our side.  This is another important thing Jesus wants us to hold onto…being a disciple maker can feel lonely…but you are never alone, because He is always with us.

So this is it, The Great Commission is for you and I as disciples of Jesus to help everyone come to know Him!  This was Jesus’ mission and frankly it wouldn’t have snuck up on the disciples, I mean from day one He seemed to constantly be talking about making disciples and sharing the amazing good news of the Gospel with the world.  I don’t think it’s a coincidence that it’s the first and last thing He says to His disciples!  We just saw the last but remember how He called Peter and his brother Andrew in the first place?

Matthew 4:18-20 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ¹⁹ “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” ²⁰ At once they left their nets and followed him.  NIV

So this shouldn’t sneak up on us, as His disciples we are to help connect others to Jesus.  I don’t think this would have snuck up on the 11…it was what Jesus was doing, and what He called them into from the beginning.  This is the mission of Christ is clear…and it’s just as clear that Jesus is inviting us into that mission…this is The Great Commission to go and fish for people so that we can all experience eternal life, and God’s amazing love and grace.

With the time I have left, I would like to ask you a question or two.  You know by now that I really like you thinking, and I want you thinking about some things when it comes to this whole mission of Christ, and making disciples “thing.”  First, what does it look like to actually help make disciples?  I mean how do we become these ‘fishers of people?’  We hear the term a lot but what does it really look like to be on this mission of Christ?  And can we be on this mission of Christ, in our everyday lives?  Maybe that is something we need to think through, I mean can I who isn’t in full time ministry or a Pastor or Church leader be one of those disciple makers too?  Pretty important question really isn’t it?  Who it is that should be sent out and making disciples?  Because I think for many of us, we kind of think that the whole mission of Christ, and making disciples thing, is more the job for the Pastor or church leader, or maybe some Missionary rather than me just heading back out to my jobsite tomorrow.  I mean I’m just me, and that seems like something for the super spiritual, am I right?  And while we are thinking and questioning things, can I really be a fisher of men, a disciple maker in my normal everyday life, or do I need to go on a trip or what?

Well let me start by saying that you are essential to the mission of Christ.  You in your everyday going to work, walking around life are a really, really big deal.  Remember scripture tells us that we should be looking at our everyday ordinary lives as actually profoundly spiritual times.  Paul says this in Romans…

Romans 12:1 So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: take your everyday, ordinary life-your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life-and place it before God as an offering. MSG

What if your everyday life is your mission field?  What if you were placed in every relationship by God intentionally as a bridge to someone far from God to Him?  Have you ever thought of your work life this way?  Did you ever think that as you go to your children’s sporting events or activities you were walking into the mission field?  Had it ever crossed your mind that you may not be a Pastor or out in the mission field of Uganda…but you have been called by Jesus as one of His disciples to this Great Commission?  You are called to help others connect to Him as you are!  Is that a new thought for you today?  Your work, the sports fields, you time out in the community all of these moments that used to be so ordinary to you, now can be looked at as profoundly spiritual!  Why?  Because you are there, around people who don’t know the love of Christ the way you do…you are around people who if the end was today, would die and go to hell…you are a fisher of people right there in the life you thought was just so ordinary.  Which means you are extremely important…you have an intentional purpose…and there is nothing ordinary about the life you live!  You are getting up and going to the mission field everyday of your life and I think Paul is helping us there in Romans realize that should be our mindset each and every day.

So you are a disciple maker!  This isn’t just reserved for the Pastor, or the church leader, in fact it’s most essential that you working outside of the church understand this…because who is around more people who don’t know Christ the Pastor…or you?  It’s you!  So if you might be thinking ok, Sam you are right.  I see it, I am a disciple maker…but I’m not really sure how to do that.  Well I’m glad you asked how, because I would like to end the talk with some simple ideas on how to be a disciple maker…and maybe the best way to do it, is to go back to that moment where Jesus called Peter and Andrew, and told them He would teach them a new way to fish…

Matthew 4:18-20 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ¹⁹ “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” ²⁰ At once they left their nets and followed him.  NIV

So I was camping with my family this week, and I love fishing…and I just think this imagery of fishing is a simple and clear way to help us here as we think through the idea of being these fishers of people.  So let’s stay with this for a bit…

Fishing tip #1 – Go where the fish are!  Now this first statement is going to sound astoundingly obvious…If we want to catch fish we need to go where the fish are right?  My family is a little competitive, and we all want to catch the most fish when we are out on a fishing excursion.  Typically the one who catches the most fish has kept their line and bait in the water the longest.  I often joke with my kids that the one who catches the most fish is typically the one who keeps fishing!  Some of them get bored and start doing other things other than fishing…some cast into trees or the weeds around the pond and get stuck for a while, or they get snagged on a rock in the water and break their lines off…but whatever the reason, we can’t catch anything if our line isn’t in the water.  You know it really isn’t any different when it comes to helping reach people for Christ.  We must go where the people who need Jesus are!  Jesus says this in Matthew 5…

Matthew 5:14-16 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.¹⁵ Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. NIV

Can I tell you something, how bright can your light shine if it’s only in the lightest places?  If I’m a disciple maker or a fisher of people, don’t I need to be where those who need Jesus are?  This is where my light can shine.  So many Christians find Christ and then spend all of their time with Christians, who have the same eternal destiny that they do!  But if we are to help make disciples of all men and women don’t we need to actually be around people who don’t know Jesus the way we do?  I understand the importance of being in good, healthy Christian community and relationships.  I also understand the quote so many of us use when it comes to being good Christian’s that we are to be in the world not of the world.  I think this quote often spoken by Christian’s is a good thought, and I do think it is important to have healthy boundaries, and not put yourself in places where you can be pulled into sin.  If you struggle and are getting pulled away from holiness you aren’t you shouldn’t be there in the name of the mission of Christ, but I do feel we must go where the fish are!  I do not think our light shines bright in the brightest places but in the darkest.

So what could this look like for me practically?  Could I engage community events outside of the church?  Could I build relationships with people at work who need Jesus?  Could I coach my children’s youth sports team or just engage their team and those families in a good way?  Maybe you could join a golf league, or a mom’s group amongst people who need Jesus.  These are just a few suggestions on ways to go where the fish are in a practical way.

Fishing Tip #2 – You actually have to cast your net…or bait into the water to catch fish!  So here’s another really amazing tip for you to be a good fisherman.  It’s one thing to be physically with the fish, but if we don’t cast our lines out into the water, we won’t catch any fish.  And really the same thing is true of helping people find Jesus the way we are.  If we never actually witness, and talk about Jesus, if we never show the love of Jesus to those who need Him…we can’t make disciples right?  I love those couple of verses we just read in Matthew 5 and this is really what it’s all about…

Matthew 5:14-16 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.¹⁵ Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. NIV

If you remember a couple of weeks ago as we talked about Jesus as the Vine we saw at the end that with Holy Spirit in us, we will testify.

John 15:26 “When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me. 27 And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning. NIV

But just remember it’s through the love we have that people will truly know that we are His disciples…and I like to add this to those who talk of talking about Jesus, because it’s very important that your actions and your words line up…if your actions aren’t showing the love of Christ…I would rather you not talk about the love of Christ to a non-Christian because all you do will do is tell them things you are not, and as they watch how you act, they will have another reason to not want to be one of those Christians.  As we saw in John we should talk about it (testify), but as we saw in Matthew, part of letting our light shine is in those of this world seeing how we act as well…not trying to be offensive but this is very important.

Fishing Tip #3 – Walk with and stay in a close relationship with Jesus!  Ok, you got me…I couldn’t figure out how to make this about fishing but it’s just so essential.  Everything comes back to your relationship with Jesus.  This is what matters, just remember you can’t be a good fisher of people if you aren’t connected to Jesus, and walking with Him in your own personal relationship with Him…everything you do for Christ is coming out of the overflow of your relationship with God.  If you do not have the love of Jesus flowing out of you, how would you share the love of Jesus with others.  Jesus is our lifeline…which is where I would like to end this talk today.  We must be with Jesus, walking in relationship with Him if we want to be these disciple makers…these fisher’s of people that Jesus calls us to be.  I leave you with these vital words from Jesus which we must take literally…

John 15:1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. NIV

This is what it’s all about, this is the mission of Christ…and we are all invited into it, and if we remain in Him, if we engage the lost and hurting people all around us, and model and speak of the love Jesus we can be effective disciple makers in each and every moment of our lives!  There is nothing ordinary about you.  There is nothing ordinary about your life.  You matter.  Your life matters.  Your community, those around you at home, at work, at school, around the sports fields…it all is so profoundly important, it’s not ordinary at all, and it’s time we realize that we are called to more.  We who know Christ are called to help others know Him too!  This is profoundly spiritual, and God has so intentionally placed us where we are…at work, at home, at school, and even play.  It’s time to engage this mission and become those fishers of people that Jesus invited us into…this is big…with eternal ramifications.