Embracing Obedience: The Call to Go and Share

Devotional

Day 1: Embracing Weakness to Display God's Strength

God uses our weaknesses to display His strength and to further His kingdom. Our insecurities and shortcomings are not barriers to God's work, but rather platforms for His power to be displayed. When we surrender our weaknesses to God, He uses them in ways we could never imagine. [08:35]

2 Corinthians 12:9 - "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me."
Reflection: What is one area of weakness or insecurity in your life that you can surrender to God today? How might God use this weakness for His glory?

Day 2: Taking the Great Commission Seriously

The Great Commission given by Jesus is not just a suggestion but a command. As followers of Christ, we are called to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them and teaching them to obey His commandments. This requires a global vision and a willingness to step out of our comfort zones. [49:33]

Matthew 28:19-20 - "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
Reflection: What is one step you can take today to be more obedient to the Great Commission? How can you step out of your comfort zone to share the gospel?

Day 3: Demonstrating God's Love Through Action

Loving our neighbors involves more than just feeling empathy for them. It requires action and sometimes stepping out of our comfort zones. Demonstrating God's love can be as simple as offering a kind gesture or a word of encouragement. [22:02]

1 John 3:18 - "Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth."
Reflection: Who is one person in your life that you can show God's love to today? What is one specific action you can take to demonstrate this love?

Day 4: Being a "Goer" in Everyday Life

The command to "go and make disciples" is not just about traveling to foreign lands. It also involves spreading the hope and good news of Jesus Christ in our everyday lives, whether it be at work, the store, or on a hike. We are called to be "goers" who plant seeds of faith wherever we go. [13:50]

Acts 1:8 - "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
Reflection: What is one way you can be a "goer" in your everyday life? How can you plant seeds of faith in your current environment?

Day 5: Embracing Sacrifice for God's Mission

Being a "goer" for God's mission involves potential dangers and sacrifices. However, like Jesus and Paul, we should not let threats or potential loss deter us from fulfilling God's purpose. We are called to be obedient and follow Jesus' instructions, even if it means facing opposition or hardship. [49:33]

Hebrews 12:1-2 - "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."
Reflection: What is one sacrifice you can make today to be more obedient to God's mission? How can you embrace this sacrifice with joy, knowing it is for the glory of God?

Sermon Summary

The sermon begins with the speaker reflecting on their own insecurities and speech impediments, but is reminded by Jesus to focus on the Bible and to prioritize obedience over eloquence. The speaker emphasizes the importance of being obedient to God's call to go and be a part of His work around the world. The speaker shares a story about a missionary who tells a tribe about Jesus and his sacrifice for humanity. The chief of the tribe becomes emotional and asks why it took so long for this message to reach them, mentioning the deaths of his children and other family members. The speaker reflects on the difficulty of living a life that fully embraces Jesus and the process of discipleship and sanctification.

The speaker then discusses the disciples' encounter with Jesus on a mountain in Galilee. Despite the presence of doubt, Jesus reassures them by proclaiming that all authority in heaven and on Earth has been given to him. He then commissions them to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey his commandments. The speaker emphasizes the importance of having a global vision for reaching the unreached and taking Jesus' call to go seriously.

The speaker shares a personal experience about reaching out to their neighbors. They mention a situation where they were at a store and felt prompted by the Holy Spirit to offer fruit to the cashier as a representation of God's love. The speaker reflects on the importance of loving our neighbors and not stopping when it becomes uncomfortable. They emphasize the need to be willing to go and share the hope of Christ with those around us, even if it means stepping out of our comfort zones.

The speaker emphasizes the importance of taking Jesus' command to "go and make disciples of all Nations" seriously. The speaker reflects on the words Jesus used when calling his disciples, "follow me," and when sending them out, "go." The speaker encourages the congregation to be true "goers" who plant seeds of faith and trust that God will bring the growth. The speaker also highlights the importance of baptizing, teaching, and remembering that God is with us always.

The sermon concludes with the speaker emphasizing the importance of being a "goer" for God's mission, despite the potential dangers and sacrifices involved. The speaker references the story of Jesus and how he was not deterred by the threats against him, highlighting that Jesus did not allow anyone to stop him from fulfilling God's purpose. The speaker then transitions to the biblical account of Paul's journey, specifically focusing on his travels to various cities and his encounters with the disciples. The speaker emphasizes the obedience of the disciples in following Jesus' instructions to be witnesses in Jerusalem.

Key Takeaways

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Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Matthew 28:16-20 (NIV) — > 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.”

2. Acts 1:8 (NIV)
> But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

3. Romans 10:14-15 (NIV)
> How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

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Observation Questions

What command does Jesus give to His disciples in Matthew 28:19-20?
According to Acts 1:8, what will the disciples receive when the Holy Spirit comes upon them, and what will they become?
In Romans 10:14-15, what sequence of actions is described that leads to people believing in Jesus?
How did the speaker describe their personal experience of overcoming insecurities to preach the gospel? [08:35]

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think Jesus emphasized "all authority in heaven and on earth" before giving the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20?
How does the promise of the Holy Spirit's power in Acts 1:8 relate to the task of being witnesses for Jesus?
What might Paul mean in Romans 10:14-15 when he says, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news"? How does this relate to the concept of being a "goer"?
Reflecting on the speaker's story about offering fruit to a cashier, what does this teach us about practical ways to show God's love in everyday situations? [22:02]

Application Questions

Jesus commands us to "go and make disciples of all nations." What steps can you take this week to share your faith with someone in your community? [13:50]
The speaker mentioned the importance of stepping out of our comfort zones to love our neighbors. Identify one neighbor or coworker you can reach out to this week. What specific action will you take? [22:02]
The sermon emphasized the need for a global vision in fulfilling the Great Commission. How can you support global missions, either through prayer, financial support, or other means? [49:33]
Reflect on a time when you felt insecure about sharing your faith. How can you rely on God's strength and the Holy Spirit's power to overcome these insecurities? [08:35]
The speaker shared a story about a missionary who faced significant danger. How can you prepare yourself mentally and spiritually to face potential challenges or opposition when sharing the gospel? [49:33]
The speaker encouraged being a "goer" in everyday life. What are some practical ways you can plant seeds of faith in your daily routines, such as at work, the store, or during leisure activities? [13:50]
How can you cultivate a lifestyle of obedience to God's call, even when it involves personal sacrifice or stepping out of your comfort zone? [49:33]

Sermon Clips

"Jesus reminded me Marcus as we talked last week just focus on the Bible and Marcus I don't need your eloquence I just want your obedience so what if we were simply obedient to the call of God to Simply go and we became goers and we got to see God move around the globe starting here in San Diego and everywhere else in the world if we got to be part of what God is calling us to do today right now in this moment." [08:00]

"What part of go don't we understand? You're thinking it's just so difficult and I feel like I have to have it all together and I just by myself can't do it. You're right, I'll leave you off the hook, you don't have to go by yourself but you will go with the Holy Spirit because Jesus said you'll receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you'll be my Witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the Earth." [18:46]

"What if we took the single word that Jesus tells us at the beginning when he called the disciples he gave them two words follow me and as he sends them out he says one word go what if we took him seriously when he said go... Jesus said to go we must be willing to go... as you are going anywhere going to work going to Smart and Final going to the store going on a hike you should be a goer someone that has seeds in your pocket of the hope and the good news of Jesus Christ just dropping seed everywhere and saying someone's going to pick this up." ([13:17])

"I believe when it comes to our focus of discipleship and our process of baptizing teaching and remembering that he is with us always we need to focus on the definition and also the demonstration... the definition of a disciple is someone who is following Jesus being changed by Jesus and committed to the mission of Jesus... I'm going to follow wherever he goes, I'm going to allow God to change me however he wants because he has all authority and all power and I'm going to be committed to." ([15:24])

"This is why Gilbert contras was able to send the missionaries because he said there's 8 billion people in the world and 40% of them are the unreached people groups who will never hear about Jesus until they meet a goer who shows them who Jesus is. I don't care how much it costs we're going to send them we're going to send them I'll take the sacrifice it doesn't matter we need to send them they have to go and we're like well God that's not convenient for me I've gotten really comfortable with what I have and what I'm doing and my Pace got him very comfortable and I want to ask this question that I've I felt like God has asked me multiple times where have I let my personal Comfort get in the way of God's calling for my life where have I missed the opportunity when God said go and I've said I'm not ready instead of responding like Paul I'm ready where have I avoided what is costly to keep what is comfortable what part of go am I not." [34:12]

"He tears himself away from them because he says you're not going to stop me from what God is doing within me and what he wants to do through me." #!!26:14!!#

"Paul answered why are you weeping why why are you breaking my heart I'm ready not only to be bound but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus he said I'm walking in the footsteps of Jesus no matter where they lead me because I'm a goer." #!!30:31!!#

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