A Story Worth Telling
Sermon Notes
Sermon Title: A Story Worth Telling
We all desire to live a story worth telling and as Christians we are given a mission that matters.
The Mission: Be dangerous in the fight against Satan and in making Jesus' name great!
Ephesians 6:10-13 "10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand."
Three types of people in as it relates to this battle:
1. The person who doesn't recognize the battle. They treat everything as physical, based on what they see. 2. The person who recognizes the battle is going on but chooses to ignore it. They may see it, but they don't think they can do anything about it. 3. The person who recognizes the battle is going on, gets in the battle and becomes dangerous in the fight against Satan and the mission to make Jesus' name great.
Ephesians 1:18-20 "18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms."
The How:
1. Know Jesus
Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God."
Often we know a lot about Jesus, at the expense of truly knowing Jesus.
Until we full recognize what we have been saved from, we will never fully appreciate our Savior.
Truly encountering Jesus changes everything!
Paul understood this:
1 Timothy 1:15 "15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst."
Philippians 1:21 "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."
2. Grow in community
I need you, and you need me!
We were created for community.
1 Corinthians 12:12-14 "12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by[c] one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. "
We are better together!
Community is messy. It often means entering into each other's darkness and staying for awhile.
3. Go Out Together
Matthew 28:18-20 "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.”
GO is a command, not a suggestion!
Mission requires action.
2 Corinthians 5:20 "20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God."
Go'ing is not a chore. It is the greatest invitation for those who believe.
We aren't expected tobe extraordinary, we just need to be available.
"It's ordinary people, doing ordinary things, with Gospel intentionality"
Mission: To be dangerous in the fight against Satan and in making Jesus' name great!
How: 1. Know Jesus 2. Grow in Community 3. Go Out Together