Being a Great Commission Church | Revelation 3:7-13

This week’s title: “Being a Great Commission Church”

Our series is “The best is yet to come” as we walk through the prophetic apocalypse that is the Revelation of the Risen Christ, a circular letter to the early church—and to us today. My prayer is that you’ll be strengthened, comforted and encouraged through this word today.

Tension: We must evaluate our church and ourselves to see if we’re being faithful to the Savior, the gospel, and the great commission for God rewards those who are.

Though we may be modestly influential culturally, the church that is faithful to the Savior, the gospel, and the great commission will be rewarded by God.

Be Prepared To Answer | 1 Peter 3:15-16

Bottom line: Doing good means always being prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you why you have hope and to do so w/ gentleness, respect, and a clear conscience. That includes your enemies and your persecutors. Be prepared & ready to share with anyone why you have hope.

In the Old Testament, the tabernacle (and later the temple) was the place where people went to meet with God. This was God’s home as we see in our Old Testament passage for today (Ezekiel 43:5).

The message of our New Testament passage though is that the glory and presence of God is to be found supremely in Jesus. It is at the very moment that Jesus is rejected and crucified that God’s presence among people is finally and fully realized. From that point on there is no need for a physical temple. The only church building the New Testament speaks about is a building made of people (Ephesians 2:20–22), founded and built upon Jesus, the chief cornerstone. The holy temple in the New Testament is one made of ‘living stones’ (1 Peter 2:5) – in other words, people like you and me. This is God’s new home.

The Amazing Grace of God | Titus 2:11-15

Recap

1. Grace isn’t cheap. Don’t treat it cheaply and don’t represent it as cheap. That’s false teaching.

Grace Christian Fellowship –the sign says: “Love God, Love People”. We love God, and we love

people because we so strongly desire to show people the true Grace of God through Jesus Christ.

That tells people

the message is more important than the brand…

that love is more important than a logo…

that the objective is more important than optics

that it’s better to be a hospital for the lost, than a country club for the saved

that Grace itself is precious…that time here is short, but eternity isn’t…

that conviction is more important than comfort

we can’t say “we’re good”, when we know we’re all bad

Grace is costly. Grace is Honest. And Grace is redemptive

but at the same time, any of this done without love is worthless

2. Let Grace train you…like a marathon. Training can hurt, but understanding what you’re training for

puts everything in perspective.

3. Put away anything in your life that doesn’t bear fruit for God’s kingdom, and keep Him as your main

focus.

4. Know His word and teach it with authority.

5. Stand tall, confidently and passionately love God and love people.

Our hearts should well up with praise in response to the Grace of God.

Grace has a Face and He truly is amazing.

Sons & Daughters, Saved, Selected, & Sent to Serve | Titus 1:1-4 | Undeserved Grace

Have you ever felt like a failure, or of no use to God, or thought that God wouldn’t want to answer your prayers?

Until I first read Colin Urquhart’s book, In Christ Jesus, I had never realized how significant that little word ‘in’ is in the New Testament. Understanding that, as a Christian, you are ‘in’ Christ Jesus revolutionizes how you see yourself, your self-image, your identity and how you understand your value to God.

Write your name on a piece of paper. Take hold of your Bible to represent Christ. Place the paper in the book and close it. You are in Christ. Where the book goes you go. Where the paper goes he goes. You are not part of the book, but you are now identified totally with the book.

Paul uses this expression, ‘in Christ Jesus’, over and over again. God has taken hold of you and placed you inChrist. In Christ, you have received ‘every spiritual blessing’ (Ephesians 1:3). All of the blessings, including those that the Old Testament speaks about, are yours in Christ.

Who are we? Why are we (still) here?

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