Embracing Our Identity and Mission as God's Family
Summary
In today's gathering, we explored the profound identity and mission of the church as God's family. The church is not merely an organization or a building; it is a living organism, a spiritual family, and God's dwelling place. This understanding shapes our identity as believers, reminding us that we are not just members of a congregation but part of a divine mission. Our identity is rooted in God, and as such, we are called to be missionaries, the "sent ones," carrying the presence of God into the world.
We delved into the Great Commission as outlined in Matthew 28:18-20 and Acts 1:8, emphasizing that our mission is to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This mission is not optional but integral to our identity as followers of Christ. We are called to be ambassadors of God's kingdom, representing His love, grace, and truth to a world in need of restoration.
God is a missionary God, and His desire is to restore creation to Himself. From the beginning, God has been on a mission to reconcile humanity to Himself, as demonstrated through the sending of His Son, Jesus Christ. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us, exemplifying the heart of a missionary who reaches out to those in need. As new creations in Christ, we are entrusted with the ministry of reconciliation, called to be ambassadors who carry the message of God's love and redemption to the ends of the earth.
The church, as the body of Christ, is filled with His presence and empowered to fill the world with His glory. Each member of the church is called to carry the kingdom of God into every sphere of life, just as American citizens carry their nation's identity wherever they go. We are sent as Jesus was sent, empowered by the Holy Spirit to be His witnesses, and tasked with the responsibility of spreading the gospel to all nations.
Key Takeaways:
- The church is a living organism, not just a building or organization. It is God's family, and as members, we derive our identity from Him, called to be His representatives in the world. [01:11]
- God is a missionary God, and His mission is to restore creation to Himself. As His followers, we are called to participate in this mission, carrying the message of reconciliation to those around us. [07:02]
- Our identity as new creations in Christ is inseparable from our role as ambassadors of His kingdom. Just as water cannot be separated from wetness, we cannot separate our salvation from our mission. [16:32]
- We are empowered by the Holy Spirit to be witnesses of Christ, tasked with the responsibility of spreading the gospel to all nations, making disciples, and baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. [21:33]
- God's ultimate plan is for His glory to fill the earth, and He accomplishes this through His church. Each believer is called to carry the kingdom of God into every sphere of life, representing His love, grace, and truth. [20:51]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[01:11] - The Church as a Living Organism
[07:02] - God's Missionary Heart
[09:31] - The Ministry of Reconciliation
[11:52] - God's Ultimate Plan
[16:32] - Identity and Mission
[20:51] - Filling the World with His Glory
[21:33] - Empowered as Witnesses
[23:00] - The Role of the Church
[25:00] - Conclusion and Call to Action
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Matthew 28:18-20
- Acts 1:8
- 2 Corinthians 5:17-21
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Observation Questions:
1. According to Matthew 28:18-20, what specific instructions did Jesus give to His disciples regarding their mission? How does this relate to the concept of being "sent ones"? [01:11]
2. In Acts 1:8, what role does the Holy Spirit play in empowering believers for their mission? How does this empowerment manifest in the life of a believer? [21:33]
3. How does 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 describe the transformation that occurs in a believer's life? What is the significance of being called an ambassador for Christ? [16:32]
4. The sermon mentioned that the church is a living organism and God's dwelling place. How does this understanding affect our view of the church's identity and mission? [01:11]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. What does it mean for God to be a "missionary God," and how does this shape the church's mission in the world? [07:02]
2. How does the concept of being "new creations" in Christ relate to our role as ambassadors of His kingdom? Why is this identity inseparable from our mission? [16:32]
3. The sermon emphasized that God's ultimate plan is for His glory to fill the earth. How does the church participate in this plan, and what are the implications for individual believers? [20:51]
4. In what ways does the empowerment of the Holy Spirit enable believers to fulfill the Great Commission? How can this empowerment be evident in our daily lives? [21:33]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your understanding of the church as a living organism and God's family. How does this perspective influence your involvement and commitment to your local church community? [01:11]
2. Consider the idea that God is a missionary God. How can you align your personal mission with God's desire to restore creation to Himself? What steps can you take to participate in this mission? [07:02]
3. As a new creation in Christ, how do you see yourself as an ambassador for His kingdom in your daily interactions? What practical actions can you take to represent God's love, grace, and truth? [16:32]
4. The sermon highlighted the importance of being empowered by the Holy Spirit to be witnesses of Christ. How can you seek and rely on the Holy Spirit's empowerment in your life? [21:33]
5. Identify one sphere of life where you feel called to carry the kingdom of God. What specific actions can you take to influence that area with God's love and truth? [20:51]
6. Reflect on the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20. How can you actively participate in making disciples and baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? [01:11]
7. Think about a person in your life who may be far from God. How can you intentionally reach out to them with the message of reconciliation and God's love? [09:31]
Devotional
Day 1: The Church as a Living Organism
The church is not just a building or an organization; it is a living organism, a spiritual family, and God's dwelling place. This understanding shapes the identity of believers, reminding them that they are not merely members of a congregation but part of a divine mission. As members of God's family, believers derive their identity from Him and are called to be His representatives in the world. This identity is rooted in God, and as such, believers are called to be missionaries, the "sent ones," carrying the presence of God into the world. The church, as the body of Christ, is filled with His presence and empowered to fill the world with His glory. Each member of the church is called to carry the kingdom of God into every sphere of life, just as citizens carry their nation's identity wherever they go. [01:11]
Ephesians 2:19-22 (ESV): "So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit."
Reflection: How can you actively participate in your church community to reflect its identity as a living organism and spiritual family?
Day 2: God’s Missionary Heart
God is a missionary God, and His mission is to restore creation to Himself. From the beginning, God has been on a mission to reconcile humanity to Himself, as demonstrated through the sending of His Son, Jesus Christ. While humanity was still in sin, Christ died for them, exemplifying the heart of a missionary who reaches out to those in need. As followers of Christ, believers are called to participate in this mission, carrying the message of reconciliation to those around them. This mission is not optional but integral to their identity as followers of Christ. They are called to be ambassadors of God's kingdom, representing His love, grace, and truth to a world in need of restoration. [07:02]
2 Corinthians 5:18-20 (ESV): "All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us."
Reflection: Who in your life needs to hear the message of reconciliation, and how can you share it with them this week?
Day 3: Identity and Mission
Our identity as new creations in Christ is inseparable from our role as ambassadors of His kingdom. Just as water cannot be separated from wetness, believers cannot separate their salvation from their mission. As new creations in Christ, they are entrusted with the ministry of reconciliation, called to be ambassadors who carry the message of God's love and redemption to the ends of the earth. This identity and mission are intertwined, and believers are empowered by the Holy Spirit to be witnesses of Christ, tasked with the responsibility of spreading the gospel to all nations, making disciples, and baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. [16:32]
1 Peter 2:9-10 (ESV): "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy."
Reflection: In what ways can you live out your identity as an ambassador of Christ in your daily interactions?
Day 4: Empowered as Witnesses
Believers are empowered by the Holy Spirit to be witnesses of Christ, tasked with the responsibility of spreading the gospel to all nations. This empowerment is not just for personal edification but for the purpose of fulfilling the Great Commission as outlined in Matthew 28:18-20 and Acts 1:8. The mission to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, is integral to the identity of believers as followers of Christ. They are called to be ambassadors of God's kingdom, representing His love, grace, and truth to a world in need of restoration. [21:33]
Acts 1:8 (ESV): "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: How can you rely on the Holy Spirit's empowerment to share the gospel with someone in your community this week?
Day 5: Filling the World with His Glory
God's ultimate plan is for His glory to fill the earth, and He accomplishes this through His church. Each believer is called to carry the kingdom of God into every sphere of life, representing His love, grace, and truth. Just as American citizens carry their nation's identity wherever they go, believers are sent as Jesus was sent, empowered by the Holy Spirit to be His witnesses. They are tasked with the responsibility of spreading the gospel to all nations, making disciples, and baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This mission is not optional but integral to their identity as followers of Christ. [20:51]
Habakkuk 2:14 (ESV): "For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea."
Reflection: What specific steps can you take to bring the knowledge of God's glory into your workplace or community?
Quotes
"The church is a spiritual family, it's not an organization, it is not a building... The church is a living organism, the church is a body... The church is God's family... It's always an organism, not just an inorganic structure. It is the church is just a living organism." [00:01:11]
"Part of our identity is that we are sent... We are missionaries, we are the sent ones, we are the presence, we carry the presence of God and therefore we are also sent by him into the world... God is a missionary God, because God is a missionary God, we also are missionary." [00:04:42]
"God's desire is to restore mankind to himself... God initiated the thing by sending his son into the world... The father sent Jesus Christ to come and redeem all of human beings back to himself... God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." [00:07:02]
"God's ultimate plan is that everything will be filled with himself... Christ has received all dominion and that ultimately Christ will fill the church, will fill everything. So God wants to fill the whole world with his glory... The glory of the Lord will cover the earth as the water has covered the sea." [00:11:52]
"Ultimately where God wants is that everything will be in a state of bliss, state of peacefulness, state of righteousness... His kingdom will be seen in everything that we are doing... That's where God is going but he needs us... Jesus has already come... Jesus took ordinary people and decided to use ordinary people." [00:13:16]
"God picks ordinary people like you and I, he empowers us with his mission... His mission is that we become... new... The moment you become new, not only are you new, you're also an ambassador... You cannot separate the fact that you're a new creature from being an ambassador." [00:15:22]
"As children of God we are new creatures... You cannot separate the fact that you're a new creature from being an ambassador... An ambassador is a representative of a government... The same way as children of God we are new creatures, you cannot separate the fact that you're a new creature from being an ambassador." [00:16:32]
"God looks at us, we are a new creature... As people that have become saved, we're not just saved to be enjoying the kingdom, we are saved to become missionaries... You cannot be a missionary of God and not be saved... You cannot separate both of them." [00:20:03]
"For his kingdom to fill everywhere, he's going to take some people that are going to take that gospel everywhere... For the kingdom to fill everywhere, some people are going to do the work of taking it everywhere... Every member of the church is the one that is going to be filling the spaces." [00:20:51]
"Jesus fills his body and his idea is that the church through him... will be able to fill everywhere with his glory... Every member of the church is the one that is going to be filling the spaces... We are also supposed to carry the kingdom of God everywhere." [00:21:33]
"We are sent just as Jesus was sent... Just as the father has sent me, so send I you... This is an instruction to every member of the body of Christ... We have the responsibility to take the word of God to everywhere." [00:23:00]
"We are empowered as his witnesses... We are empowered by the Holy Spirit to be witnesses of Christ, tasked with the responsibility of spreading the gospel to all nations, making disciples, and baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit." [00:25:00]
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