His Commission
Takin To The Streets
Back To Christmas (2)
Video – Who Will Reach Them (3:52)
16Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and 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
Prayer…
TODAY – is our second week in our Sermon Series “Back To Christmas…” FOR – the next several weeks we are going to look seven major events in the life of Christ that both shaped and defined who He was. SEVEN EVENTS – that God intends shape and define our lives today.
LAST WEEK – week the event we looked at was His Return, in a message called, “There’s No Place Like Home.” LAST SUNDAY – we let there heaven fill our thoughts. OUR – future home is going to be INCREDIBLE! Because of what is not going to be there…
And what is going to be there…
AND – this soon coming reality is intended to shape and define. What we do. How we live. What we value? How we respond to difficulty. How we spend out time, talents and treasure. What we live for and chase after. Where we put our hope. HOLD ON – to your fork because for those who are in Christ, the best is yet to come!
THE EVENT – that we are going to look at this morning is ‘His Commission.” AND – the way I want to attack our time of study today… IS – by talking about 3 things.
The Ultimate Reality
The Incredible Invitation and
The Primary Mission
The Ultimate Reality – Is His Story
In Revelation chapter 4 a door is opened and John is given a vision of the throne room of heaven… It is a VERY powerful scene… God is sitting on his throne… Lightening is flashing, sounds of thunder echo… ABOVE - the throne is a rainbow the color of emerald… BEFORE - the throne is what looks like a sea glass, clear like crystal… SURROUNDING - the throne are 4 living creatures (they have 6 wings… 2 wings - covered their faces, 2 wings covered their feet and with 2 wings the flew…) AND – day and night they NEVER stop saying… I MEAN – they are in the presence of God at this very moment (11/18 – 11:___ am); flying and saying these words…
“Holy, Holy, Holy
Is the Lord God Almighty
Who was, and is, and is to come” – Rev 4:8
UNDERSTAND – the ultimate reality is that God was, God is and God is to come… GOD – is the centerpiece of history… HE – is before all things. HE – is over (He is sovereign) over all things… HE – holds all things together… THIS IS – our Father’s world… THEREFORE – all of history is HIS STORY!
WHAT – I want to do now, is to give you the cliff notes of HIS Story… THERE – are 6 chapters to HIS story. A story that we could call God’s passionate pursuit of a prodigal people.
Chapter One – Created In His Image – In this chapter, God speaks a word and out of nothing creates all that we see… (talk about power)… THEN – God formed man out of the dust of the ground and He breathed life into him and man became a living being created in the very image of God. AND – called man, to rule and multiply and spread that image over all of the earth… UNDERSTAND – God created man because he was so in love with community that He wanted someone to share it with. LISTEN – the garden was not only a physical paradise, it was also a relational paradise. ADAM & EVE – had unhindered intimacy with each other and with God.
Chapter Two – The Prodigal Is Born… AGAIN - God was so in love with community that he wanted a world full of people to share it with… AND – what an awesome world He created for them… I love how one writer describes it…
“God begins our courtship with a surprise. Taking the blindfold off, he turns around and reveals his handmade wedding present. ‘Here,’ he says ‘It’s yours enjoy yourselves. Do you like it? take it for a spin.’
A lavish gift indeed. What’s he up to? Flowers, chocolates, exotic vacations, dinners at the finest restaurants – any person would feel pursued. But what are His intentions? Surprisingly we see the first glimpse of God’s wildness, the goodness of His heart – he gives us our freedom. YOU SEE – in order for true love to occur, we have to free to reject Him…”
AND - in Genesis chapter 3 man chooses to reject God. Adam & Eve, doubt God’s love and they turn their hearts from Him… It’s in chapter 2 that we meet the villain of His Story. Now every story has a villain.
The Three Little Pigs - The Big Bad Wolf
Star Wars – Darth Vader
Narnia – The White Witch
In the garden we meet the villain of our story: satan, The Father of lies… WHO - in the form of a serpent, lies to Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:1-7) about:
1. Who God is (you can’t trust Him, He’s holding back on you)
2. Where life can be found
3. What consequences of certain actions would and would not be
Man is forced to leave the garden of God’s presence…
But not before God gives mankind reason to hope, In Genesis 3:15, God reveals that one day Jesus would come and defeat their enemy and restore things to how they were supposed to be.
Chapter Three – The Passionate Pursuit Begins – in Chapter 3 of His Story, God prepares the world and His people for “image restoration…” AND - it would take over 2000 years.
UNDERSTAND – the real story of human history (every bit of it)… IS – the story of God providing a way for His people to once again have ‘garden’ intimacy with Him. AND – God chose one nation (Israel) to be the means to bring that about…
NOW – if you read the OT you will see that these people (like us) messed up a lot… BUT LISTEN – EVEN IN THE MIDST; of their countless mess ups, their exile, the burning city and destroyed temple… EVEN IN THE MIDST - of their sin and rebellion… EVEN IN THE MIDST – of their worship of idols and turning to other things for life… God keeps telling them (again and again) through His prophets; that a new day was dawning; that a new king would soon reign; that a time of forgiveness, a time of rescue – and a time of restoration was coming. AND – O’ how they longed and waited for that day!
Chapter Four – The Pursuer Arrives – God the Son leaves the glories of heaven, puts on flesh… AND - visits this planet… JESUS - lives a sinless life, dies a cruel death and is raised from the dead to forgive us from our sins and to give us new life… Establishing His Kingdom….Making it NOW possible for EVERY man and women to live the image bearing lives they were created to live…
Chapter Five – The Revolution Begins - LISTEN – before Jesus ascended back to the Father He appeared to His guys in a locked room. He tells them, “peace be with you… As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." AND THEN – just as He did long ago at the dawn of creation, God once again breathes into man… he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit…
RECEIVE – the new life that I came to give you… RECEIVE – the power to become more and more like me… AND – go out into the world… be fruit and multiply… make disciples of all nations… As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." BRING - others into this new life… SET FREE – the captives. HEAL – the brokenhearted. SHINE – the light upon those living in darkness. BREAK – the chains of the oppressed. HOW? BY – reflecting my image… BY – being like me… BY – displaying my glory. BY – dispensing my amazing grace. BY – showing the world (through your life, through the way that you life) what I am like…
YES – in chapter 5 of His Story a revolution begins.
• A Revolution won on the cross and born in Acts 2.
• A Revolution made possible because our sins are forgiven
• A Revolution empowered by the continued presence of God’s Spirit.
• A Revolution of changed lives changing the world for the glory of God.
• A revolution waiting to be lived again and again by idealistic faithful men and women who dare to follow the world’s greatest revolutionary.
GUYS - this is our chapter
What an awesome chapter to live in!
Chapter Six – We’re Home… – this is the final, never ending chapter… It is our never ending homecoming to a perfect world… To the home we’ve always dreamed of. To the place where those deep down desires are fully and forever satisfied. YES - as saw last week there is no place like home.
LISTEN – this is the what is real.
THIS IS – what is true.
THIS IS – the ULTIMATE REAILTY… God’s passionate pursuit of a prodigal people.
WHICH – brings us to the next point in your notes…
The Incredible Invitation – You Have A Crucial Role To Play
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. – Ephesians 2:10
But you are a chosen people, royal priests, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession. You were chosen to tell about the wonderful acts of God, who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. – 1 Peter 2:9 (NCV)
QUESTION – when you hear about the awesome things that God IS DOING in the world (restoring His image, freeing the captives, healing the broken, giving sight to the blind, releasing those in bondage, defeating the evil one)… WHEN – you hear about His Story, about the revolution that has been going on for 2000 years… AND - that you have a CRUCIAL role to play in it… What is your first reaction…? MAYBE – it is like Neo’s reaction in the movie ‘The Matrix…’
The film, The Matrix, is a modern day parable, a metaphor about life. ABOUT - what is real and what is not real… YOU SEE;
1. What Neo (the main Character in the movie) thought was real, wasn’t
2. What he had believed to be true was not
3. Neo thought that it was the year 1999 and that his name was Thomas Anderson, that he lived in an apartment and worked for a software company.
The reality was… it was the year 2199. AND – the life that Neo believed he was living was IN FACT just an artificial reality created by machines. Machines who used this simulated reality (The Matrix), to pacify and subdue the entire human race… IN ORDER – to use them as an energy source.
4. UNDERSTAND - the Matrix was a system that existed to keep people from seeing the truth. IT - was a system that was pulled over their eyes in order to blind them to reality. IT – was a system that made them slaves and kept them in bondage.
NOW AS – the movie begins Neo sees himself only as Thomas Anderson, computer programmer for a large software company. AND – as the story starts to really heat up and the enemy begins to hunt him down, he says to himself as he starts to climb out a window on to a scaffold hanging 100 or so feet off the ground, “This is insane. Why is this happening to me? What did I do? I’m nobody, I didn’t do anything.”
“This is insane… I’m nobody” A – very dangerous way of thinking… A way of thinking shared by many sitting in this very room. QUESTION…
WHY - is this truth, that YOU have a crucial role in God’s story of rescuing and restoring His creation, so hard to believe?
BECAUSE – you have an enemy. AN ENEMY – who… steals from you… AND – lies to you. ABOUT – who you are, what you’re worth. John Eldredge writes the following words in His book ‘Waking The Dead,’ I book that I strongly recommend.
“You are not what you think you are. There is a glory to your life that your Enemy fears, and he is hell-bent on destroying that glory before you act on it… The story of your life is the story of the long and brutal assault on your heart by the one who knows what you could be and fears it.” – John Eldredge (Waking The Dead)
NOW THERE – are 2 keys for you actually living out your crucial role…
FIRST – you need to Stop Listening to the lies of your enemy… WELL – how do you know that it is your enemy who is speaking to you? By the words he uses and what he says. WHEN – you listen closely you can tell they are not of God.
“Any word or suggestion that brings; discouragement, condemnation or accusation – that is not from God. Neither is confusion, nor any counsel that would led you to disobey what you know. Reject it all and carry on in your journey… The voice of God is never condemning, never harsh or accusing. His conviction brings a desire for repentance. Satan’s accusations kills our hearts…”
Awhile back … I was really trying to hear God’s voice… and I felt him speak the following words to me…
“Steve, I know you are feeling frustrated because you are not yet all you should be. You feel you should be further along in this journey. You feel that you have failed and wasted so much time and opportunity. That is not my voice!
You feel depressed, discouraged and defeated. That is not my voice!
My voice is telling you that My Spirit is STILL moving, hovering and quaking. And very soon new life will be created in you. Very soon you will be so much more of what I meant you to be!”
The second key for you to live out your role in HIS Story is to Start Believing in who you are.”
There is a scene towards the end of the Movie The Matrix… Neo has left behind his identity of Thomas Anderson, computer guy, nobody special… He has taken risks, lived by faith. BUT – the real moment of his glory comes when he finally turns to face the enemy. UP UNTIL – this moment everyone has run always run from these ‘agents’ who are a symbol of evil… BUT NEO – stops running and turns to take on this evil with incredible confidence…
As they watch Trinity says to Morpheus “What’s doing?”
MORPHEUS – He’s beginning to believe
BELIEVE WHAT? - Who he really is!!!!
LISTEN – Almighty God is calling us today, November 18, 2007;
• To join him in His Story
• To stop listening to the lies of the enemy
• AND – to believe in who we ARE…
If you are a Christ-follower
Your Not You Are
Your sin and failure A redeemed, blood bought, set free, forgiven…Child of God.
Worthless Royal
You have not been tossed to the God’s masterpiece, His work of art, a
Curb like a worn out piece of furniture brush in the hand of the Lord of all creation, a canvas reflecting his image, one that he has chosen to tell of his marvelous love.
It’s time for you to believe in you REALLY are!
The Ultimate Reality is His Story
The Incredible Invitation – is that you have a crucial role to play
The Primary Mission – Be The Light Of The World
“You are the light that gives light to the world. A city that is built on a hill cannot be hidden. And people don’t hide a light under a bowl. They put it on a lamp stand so the light shines for all the people in the house. In the same way, you should be a light for other people. LIVE so that they see the good things you do and will praise your father in heaven.” Mt 5:14-16
In August of 1980 I was 20 years old, I had just finished 2 years of schooling in the Navy and was reporting to my first Submarine, The USS Woodrow Wilson SSBN 624. I was on the blue crew, the gold crew was underway with the boat. SO – I reported to the off crew offices.
My first day there the captain of the Sub, Commander Moore asked me to come into his office. He had a coffee cup in his hands and his sleeves were rolled up. I WAS – scared to death, but Captain Moore (who a great guy) made me quickly feel at ease.
HE SAID – that he was glad to have me on board… AND THEN – he said that the reason he wanted to talk to me was to ensure that I FULLY understood the mission of the Woodrow Wilson. HE – told me that it was a matter of national security and he went on for the next 20-30 minutes to explain to me the role that a Fleet Ballistic Missile Submarine plays in our national defense. NOW – I can’t tell you much of what he said that because, if I did I’d have to kill you. BUT – if you ever wondered why you slept so well in the early 1980’s now you know why, because I was on watch.
IF – I was going to be a part of the crew, I needed to understand the mission and what my role was in fulfilling that mission. AND – let me tell you as a 20 year old I was kind of overwhelmed by the whole thing… BUT – at the same time I thought that it was pretty cool to be a part of something so important.
NOW – for the first 20 years of my life, not only did I not know about the mission of the Woodrow Wilson… BUT – even if I did, it would not have applied to me because I was not part of the crew… HOWEVER – once I came onboard her mission became my mission.
ABOUT – 8 months before I reported to the Woodrow Wilson… ON – December 30, 1979, I became a part of another crew… AND - another mission became mine. A FAR GREATER – mission than our National Defense. YOU SEE – on that day I became a disciple of Christ… I was baptized (immersed) into the name of the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit…
If you are a Christian imagine with me…think back to the day you finally fully surrendered to Jesus Christ.... Now imagine, Jesus immediately coming up to you asking you to step into His office. Now, you’re a little nervous but Jesus quickly makes you feel at ease and then He says something like this to you;
I am so pumped - that you have made this decision to be one of my followers... It’s awesome! I have been waiting for you to make this decision for a long time. And let me tell you I was getting a little antsy. It is always hard for me to wait to be in someone’s life.
I want you to know that you are totally forgiven - your past is canceled/deleted/it’s gone - and I also want you to know that I will be with you to help you live life in all it’s fullest. So, how do you feel - pretty good huh.
Listen, I am coming back real soon to take you with me (and heaven is going to blow your mind)- BUT until then I want you to understand what I want you to do.. It’s really simple - tell others....tell others about me and what I want to do in their life.
There are so many people who ARE just like you WERE, lost - headed for condemnation (so many people who have bought satan’s Lies). They need to know that there is hope, that there is life, that there is; purpose, fulfillment and forgiveness... AND I’m counting on you (your one of mine now) I am counting on you to make this THE priority of your life...THE thing that drives you...
Well, I’ll be seeing you soon. Stay strong. Remain focused. Do your best...AND remember I’ll be with you always until the very end of the ages..
Listen; Our greatest task - The life mission of a Christ-follower is to share the good news of the amazing grace and New Life found in Jesus Christ. There is no higher purpose. IT - is what we are to do HERE - until - we go THERE…
GO AHEAD – and turn over your notes. IF – you notice I have listed 4 keys that are essential for you being effective in your primary life mission. I am using the word RULE as an acrostic to help you remember what those 4 things are. WHY – the word ‘rule’ because when you & I are effective in our primary life mission, Christ will rule in the hearts of men.
R – Remember Who You Are
LISTEN – if we are to be successful in fulfilling our primary mission in life… It is critical that we remember who we are. I KNOW – we just talked about who we are… BUT – it’s worth mentioning again because it is so easy to forget who we really are.
A redeemed, blood bought, set free, forgiven…Child of God.
Royal
God’s masterpiece, His work of art, a brush in the hand of the Lord of all creation, a canvas reflecting his image, one that he has chosen to tell of his marvelous love.
IF we are to be successful in winning this world for Christ we must remember who we are…
U – Understand the World You Live In
In 1 Chronicles chapter 32; the Chronicler is listing all the warriors who were armed and ready for battle for King David... One group of men were from Issachar. Listen to what God said about them; “men of Issachar, who UNDERSTOOD the times, and knew what Israel should do...” What a great compliment - these men understood the world that they lived in, and because they did, they knew what God’s people needed to do...
God needs the same kind of warriors today... If we want to win the world for Christ - we need to understand our world. Let’s talk about the world we live in and the people we live with...
We Live In A Fast Changing World
First, we need to understand that our world is a fast changing world. Would you agree that our world is changing? Now understand that change is not necessary bad - if fact change is normal - Change is really a sign of life. Do you know, what the medical definition of death is? a body that does not change...
During my sermon your body is going to change - about ½ million cells in your body are going to die and be replaced with a half a million new cells during my message.
Our skin replaces itself every month... Did you know that 70-80% of the dust in your house is dead skin that has flaked off.
Your stomach lining undergoes a complete change every 5 days; your liver every 6 weeks; your skeleton every 3 months.... your whole body every 5 years for men & 7 for women.... So you see, change is natural - to not change is to die....
But understand that our world today is in a warp drive kind of change...
Did you know that the digital watch you have on your wrist contains more computing power than existed in the entire world in 1961.
Your car? It has more computation power to get down the street than all the computers combined in the Apollo 11 space craft that carried Neal Armstrong to the moon.
And the pager they give you at Outback. Listen; we are now living in a world where it is cheaper, faster and safer to a send a signal over 20,000 miles to a satellite and back again than it is to walk the 20 feet to tell you that your table is ready...
We live in a fast changing world...
It has been estimated that more information has been generated in the last 30 years than in the previous 5,000 years. The average consumer will see or hear 1 million marketing messages in a year - that’s 3,000 per day...
When I was born the United Nations had about 60 member nations. There are now 185 nation states in the world, over a 100 of which did not exist when I was born.
When I was born, a “crack salesman” meant someone was really good at what he did.
When I was born weather forecasting was a joke - well some things never change.
I think you get my point - we live in a changing world.
Not only do we live in a changing world;
We Live In A Post Christian World
Listen; The attitude of western world towards Christianity is this “been there done that - we gave you a chance to create a society and we didn’t like what you created...” WE – can no longer assume that the people come into contact with having any understanding of Christ or Christianity.
An Uncertain World
The events of the past few years (911; hurricanes like Katrina; fires; floods; wars; terrorist attacks; economy, housing market, stock market…) – have rocked the foundations upon which many have built their lives on and placed their trust in… MANY – in our world are uncertain, unsure and afraid. Therefore they are looking for and open to something or someone that is unshakeable (sure, steadfast and true)
A Hurting World - a world full of: pain, sickness, poverty, death, loneliness, and things that our broken… Like: dreams, hopes, relationships, homes, hearts
WE LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE:
• Though people have rejected church they still are pretty high on Jesus
• People resist rules but will respond to reasons, they want to know the why’s not just the don’ts
• People have legitimate questions about spiritual matters, BUT don’t except ‘real’ answers from Christians (what an opportunity we have to really surprise them).
• People not only don’t understand Christianity but they haven’t really thought out their own belief system
• People don’t just want to ‘know’ something they want to experience it… (Do people go to Starbucks for coffee or the experience; Do they go to Hard Rock Café’ for food or the experience.) People don’t want to simply come and sit in a pew and star forward, they want to encounter God.
• People don’t want to be somebody’s project but they would like to be somebody’s friend.
Where People Are Still Basically The Same
Listen - though the people in our world - though the unbelievers have been effected by this fast changing - post Christian world – uncertain world. There are still some things about them that remain the same... They are still people who whether the realize it or not, whether culture has changed or not - They STILL need Jesus....and they still need what only he & his church have to offer; hope, security, purpose, fulfillment, relationships, peace, joy, love, forgiveness and salvation
Listen; We need - if we are going to be effective in carrying out our mission - we need to be like the men of Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what God’s people should do.... TO be a effective in THE PRIMARY mission of your life
R – Recognize who you are
U – Understand the world you live in
L – Live a Life that attracts attention
LIGHT – by it’s very nature attracts attention. QUESTION - What are some positive ways that we can stand out in this world? I came up with things, about our lives that will attract attention.
Our Hope Will Attract Attention;
Much of our world today is without hope. WHY - Because they have nothing stable to believe in - no anchor to hold them. They put their hope in a marriage and they get divorced - in a career and they get laid off - in their health and they get sick....In the economy and it heads south. Listen; Our rock solid/unwavering hope in our God and our future… as we live in THIS uncertain world, will attract attention.
Our Consistent Life will attract attention - when we say one and thing AND actually DO that one thing. When our yes means yes and our no means no…
3rd;
Our Servants Heart will attract attention - A true servants heart in this, “ me generation” and in this, “ just do enough to get by society” will certainly attract attention. Especially of those we work with and for.
Our Love will attract attention, Listen; genuine sacrificial love for people AND for each other will attract the attention of the world.... “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another...” (Jn 13:35)
Our Controlled Tongue
WE LIVE – in a world of put downs, gossip, slander and verbal assaults… LISTEN – when we use our tongues to encourage and build others up it will attract attention.
Finally, Our Faith In God will attract attention. Listen – when the world doesn’t just hear someone talk about Jesus - but live like AND trust in Jesus.....When we live a life of victory, when we live like Children of the King, when we live a life of power, love & self-control and NOT fear & timidity, WHEN – we live out what we believe, all eyes will be on us – because that kind of faith moves mountains…
Do everything readily and cheerfully—no bickering, no second-guessing allowed! Go out into the world uncorrupted, a breath of fresh air in this squalid and polluted society. Provide people with a glimpse of good living and of the living God. Carry the light-giving Message into the night so I’ll have good cause to be proud of you on the day that Christ returns. You’ll be living proof that I didn’t go to all this work for nothing. – Phil 2:14-16 (Msg)
R – Recognize who you are
U – Understand the world you live in
L – Live lives that attract attention…. AND
E – Equip Yourself For Victory
UNDERSTAND - there are attitudes and actions that you need to equip yourself with in order to fulfill your mission for Christ…
Be Efficient In The Use Of Your Weapons
“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.” 2 Cor 10:3,4
Now I could talk all day about our weapons, BUT I can’t – but let my just mention what our 2 most important weapons are; the word of God & prayer… I’ve included in your outline some scriptures for you to study about this weapons… (S/S, wed night)
Word - Eph 6:17; 2 Tim 2:15; 3:16,17; 4:4-5; Hebrews 4:12; 1 Pe 1:22;
Prayer – Pr 15:8; Mt 7:7-11; Lk 18:6-8 Phil 4:6,7; Heb 4:16; James 5:16; 1 Pe 5:8;
Keep An Open Mind To All People
Everyone needs Jesus… THE - rich, the poor, the educated, the uneducated, the pretty - the not so pretty... Don’t ever pre-judge people and say to yourself; “Oh they would never be interested in the gospel...” You’d be surprised, who might just be ready for Jesus; On the way to the cross a crooked tax-collector came to Jesus, and on the cross a thief and a Roman centurion came to Him, and then there is the proud Pharisee named Paul... A tax collector - a thief a roman soldier and a Pharisee... Equip yourself with an open mind toward all people…
Be Willing To Go Into Their Comfort Zone
Listen - For someone who has hardly or never, been to church, church is not a place where they feel comfortable. It’s our comfort zone not theirs.
Therefore we need to do 2 things... FIRST - we need to meet people in their comfort zone; go out to dinner, lunch, have them over, ball park, tennis court..etc
SECOND - we as a church need to try to make church a comfortable place for those who do not know Jesus, AND for those who have never really been in church... We need to remove as many barriers as possible in order to make it easy for them to find Jesus... OUR - primary goal is to build a church that at the same time both, attracts the lost to Jesus Christ, and provides a way for the saved to grow in their walk… It is not our desire to just create a comfortable place for the saved to hang out on Sunday..
Be Ready
Raise your hand if you know anyone; family member, friend, neighbor..etc who does not go to church and does not know Jesus. Write their names down in your outline... And tell God - “You can use me to reach them - I’m ready...”
Don’t Do It Alone
UNDERSTAND – we can’t do it alone… SOLDIERS – do not fight wars alone. Athletes do not win championships alone… LISTEN – all around us in books, in stories, and in life we see the truth of God…that TOGETHER is better.
UNDERSTAND… Frodo doesn’t even stand a chance against the evil powers that seek the ring… WITHOUT; Sam, Merry, Pippin, Gandalf, Aragorn and the rest of the fellowship… AND - Dorothy will not make it very far down the yellow brick road UNLESS – the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, the Lion and of course little Toto join her on the journey. AND NEO – though set free from THE MATRIX has no hope survival without Morpheus, Trinity and the rest of the crew of the little hovercraft, The Nebuchadnezzar.
The Ultimate Reality
The Incredible Invitation
The Primary Mission
We face a humanity that is too precious to neglect
We know a remedy for the ills of the world too wonderful to withhold
We have a Christ too glorious to hide.
We have an adventure that is too thrilling to miss
