Matthew 28:16-20

“Go”

Worship à Grow à Go à

“Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.

When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.

Then Jesus came to them and said,

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 

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,

and teaching them to obey

everything I have commanded you.

And surely,

I am with you always,

to the very end of the age.”

Matthew 28:16–20

1. Personal Connection: Go

A Bad Search Result

The Good News: This is our competition

• The Answer is Not Marketing: Not wrong, but put it in it’s place
  • You see how much of that the world throws at us. It becomes white noise
  • Go, make a personal connection
• The Answer is Not in Building Projects: Not wrong, but put it in it’s place
• Build it and they will come.
• Don’t get your theology from Kevin Costner movies; no matter how good they make you feel
• Go, and invite them to fellowship personally
• The Answer is Not Programs: Not wrong, but put it in it’s place
• Talk to People first, then you find out what their needs are
• The need for programs grows with the church
• Meeting needs with the answers God provides: Make Disciples

• The answer is to Go and meet them where they are

Invited Into their lives: It is a privilege

Soldiers and Building Trust

2. The World Around Us: Connect

• The Hostility
• The Lies
• The Broken World

The Generation:

• Too Busy A
• Lack Experience
• Growing up in a world of lies and manipulation
• Emotional Decision Making

Meet Needs/Give Answers

• Too Busy A: A Place of Rest
• Lack Experience A: Guidance
• Growing up in a world of lies and manipulation A: Truth
• Emotional Decision Making: Value Community, Teamwork, Authenticity

A: Live it out with them

Ignorance is not a sin

Remember Early Christian Growth happened in the middle of Roman Decline

3. Human Nature: Make Disciples

Another Bad Search Result

Teaching: Some of the Answers People Need

Bad News

• You are Created in the Image of God

Imago Dei

                                    That’s Us

• You are Created For Fellowship With God

A God shaped hole

                                    That’s Us

• You Are Broken

Each persons fracture points are different

That’s Us

• Dis-Integrated/Deceived

                                    That Was Us

• Lost

                                    That Was Us

The Good News

• You Are the Object of God’s Love
• He Paid the Price
• If You accept He will Love You For Eternity

This is Where Discipleship Begins

• You can enjoy that love and fellowship in this life

4. The Field and the Harvest: And I Will Be With You

• A Different Time
• Maybe a different generation
• The same Answers
• Like the Failing Roman Empire: You know when the Church had it’s biggest exponential growth

++God’s Providence

            God is in Control

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me”

            God has a plan

            The Church is that plan

                        Capital C

                        Us

            You are part of that plan

++God’s Providence

“And surely I am with you always [Holy Spirit],

to the very end of the age [Until the Task is Done].”

Alistair Begg

Truth For Life: “An Unexpected Encounter” Alistair Begg

            Favorite, because of the accent

            First thing when I opened up a podcast for my drive last Friday

            Phillip in a place of bounty

            Removed to the dessert

            Q: “What’s in the dessert?”  A: “Dessert”

            The Ethiopian with an audience “retinue”

            Reading Isaiah

            Bold enough to ask if he understood