Legacy and Mission: Embracing Our Adventist Identity

Devotional

Day 1: The Great Commission—Making Disciples of All Nations

Jesus calls His followers to a mission that transcends boundaries, inviting them to make disciples of all nations, baptizing and teaching in His name. This commission is not just a historical command but a living invitation for every believer to participate in God’s ongoing work in the world. The promise that Jesus is with us always gives courage and purpose, reminding us that our legacy as a church and as individuals is rooted in sharing His love and truth with everyone we encounter. [29:10]

Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV)
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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: Who is one person outside your usual circle that you can intentionally reach out to this week, sharing Christ’s love in word or action?

Day 2: Empowered to Witness—The Holy Spirit’s Role

The mission Jesus gives is not meant to be carried out in human strength alone; He promises the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit. This power enables believers to be witnesses not just locally but to the ends of the earth, crossing cultural, social, and personal barriers. The call to be a loving witness is both a privilege and a responsibility, reminding us that our words and actions are meant to reflect Christ’s character wherever we go. [30:20]

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: In what area of your life do you most need the Holy Spirit’s power to be a more authentic witness for Jesus today?

Day 3: The Everlasting Gospel—A Message for All People

The heart of the church’s mission is to proclaim the everlasting gospel, a message of hope, redemption, and God’s unchanging love for all humanity. This gospel is not limited by time or culture; it is the good news that Jesus saves and invites everyone into a relationship with Him. The church’s identity and purpose are anchored in sharing this message, ensuring that it remains central to all we do, regardless of changing times or traditions. [31:24]

Revelation 14:6-7 (KJV)
And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

Reflection: How can you personally embody and share the hope of the everlasting gospel with someone who may feel excluded or overlooked?

Day 4: Legacy and Identity—More Than Just Symbols

While logos and symbols can change or fade, the true legacy of a faith community is found in the lived reality of its message and mission. It is easy to become attached to outward signs, but what matters most is whether the core truths—like the three angels’ messages—are alive in our hearts and actions. The challenge is to ensure that our identity is not just a matter of heritage or branding, but a daily commitment to the message we have been entrusted with. [53:35]

Deuteronomy 6:4-9 (ESV)
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

Reflection: What is one way you can intentionally pass on the core message of your faith—beyond words or symbols—to the next generation or to someone new in your community?

Day 5: Faithfulness to the Message—Living Out the Three Angels’ Call

The enduring relevance of the three angels’ messages is not in their visual representation but in their call to faithfulness, obedience, and trust in Jesus. The real question is whether these messages still shape our priorities, our mission, and our daily lives. Even if the language or imagery fades, the invitation remains: to keep God’s commandments, hold fast to the faith of Jesus, and proclaim His soon return with hope and conviction. [53:35]

Revelation 14:12 (KJV)
Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

Reflection: In what practical way can you demonstrate faithfulness to God’s calling today, especially when it challenges your comfort or expectations?

Sermon Summary

Today’s journey began with the idea of “legacy”—not just as a nostalgic look at our past, but as a living context for who we are and what we do as a church community. We explored our own local story, from the founding of the Boulder Seventh-day Adventist Church in 1879, through the physical spaces we’ve inhabited, to the present day with our current membership and the unique identity reflected in our church logo. But our story doesn’t exist in isolation. We are part of a much larger family, stretching from our local congregation to the Rocky Mountain Conference, the Mid-America Union, the North American Division, and ultimately the global Seventh-day Adventist Church, which now numbers over 22 million members in more than 200 countries.

This broader context is not just about numbers or organizational charts. It’s about understanding the mission that binds us together. The official mission statement of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is rooted in the Great Commission of Jesus: to make disciples of all nations, to live as loving witnesses, and to proclaim the everlasting gospel. But uniquely, our mission statement also explicitly references the “three angels’ messages” of Revelation 14:6-12—a passage that is both distinctive and, for many, mysterious or even uncomfortable.

We took time to read these verses, recognizing that their language is challenging and their meaning not always immediately clear. Yet, they are central to our denominational identity, appearing not only in our mission statement but also, often subtly, in our logos and visual symbols. We traced the evolution of these symbols—from the obvious three angels of earlier logos to the more stylized, sometimes nearly invisible, references in modern branding. This visual history raises important questions: Are the three angels’ messages still central to who we are, or have they become mere legacy—something we reference out of habit rather than conviction?

As we launch into a series exploring these messages, the challenge is not simply to preserve tradition for tradition’s sake, but to ask whether the content of these messages still has power to shape our lives and mission. The real legacy is not in the angels themselves, or even in the symbols, but in the proclamation of the message they carry—a message that calls us to faithfulness, hope, and a unique witness in the world.

Key Takeaways

1. Legacy is not just about history, but about living context. Our church’s story—its founding, growth, and present identity—reminds us that we are part of something much larger than ourselves. Legacy challenges us to ask not only where we have come from, but what we are called to be and do now, in our time and place. [15:19]
2. The global Adventist family is vast and diverse, yet united by a common mission. While our local experience may feel small, we are connected to millions around the world, each facing unique challenges and opportunities. This perspective humbles us, reminding us that God’s work is bigger than any one culture or region, and that we are called to be part of a global movement. [22:54]
3. The mission of the church is rooted in the Great Commission, but also carries a distinctive calling. The inclusion of the three angels’ messages in our mission statement is not accidental; it reflects a conviction that God has given us a particular message for this time. Wrestling with what that means is essential if we are to be faithful to our calling, rather than simply repeating inherited formulas. [31:24]
4. Symbols and logos can both reveal and obscure our identity. As we traced the evolution of Adventist logos, we saw how visual language can drift from clear meaning to mere style. This is a caution: it is easy to let the heart of our message fade into the background, even as we maintain outward forms. The real test is whether the message itself is alive in us, not just in our branding. [41:05]
5. The three angels’ messages are not just a legacy—they are a living challenge. Whether we understand them deeply, vaguely, or not at all, the question is whether their content still shapes our faith and mission. The call is to move beyond symbols and slogans, to engage with the substance of the message, and to let it inform all we do as a community of hope and witness. [53:35]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[13:07] - Introducing the Theme: Legacy
[14:14] - Our Church’s Story and Logo
[15:19] - Boulder Church in Historical Context
[16:23] - The Rocky Mountain Conference and Beyond
[18:28] - The Mid-America Union and Regional Conferences
[20:26] - The North American Division and Global Church
[22:54] - Adventist Presence Worldwide
[26:14] - Membership Realities and Global Perspective
[31:24] - The Mission Statement and Its Biblical Roots
[36:40] - Reading the Three Angels’ Messages
[38:09] - Why the Three Angels’ Messages Matter
[39:21] - The Meaning Behind Adventist Logos
[41:05] - The Three Angels in Symbolism
[42:45] - Evolution of Adventist Logos
[51:53] - Are the Three Angels Still Central?
[53:35] - Legacy or Living Message? Final Reflections

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Matthew 28:18–20 (ESV) — > And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 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.”

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.

Revelation 14:6–12 (ESV) — > Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people. And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.” Another angel, a second, followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all nations drink the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality.” And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.” Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.

Observation Questions

According to the sermon, what is the official mission statement of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and which Bible passages are directly referenced in it? [[31:24]]
What are some of the key elements or symbols found in the current official Seventh-day Adventist Church logo, and what do they represent? [[39:21]]
How does the sermon describe the global reach and diversity of the Adventist Church today? [[22:54]]
When the three angels’ messages are read from Revelation 14:6–12, what emotions or reactions does the pastor say people might have? [[13:07]]

Interpretation Questions

The sermon suggests that legacy is not just about history, but about a “living context.” What does it mean for a church’s legacy to be alive and active, rather than just a memory? [[15:19]]
The three angels’ messages are described as both central and sometimes “mysterious or even uncomfortable.” Why might these messages feel challenging or unclear to many Adventists today? [[31:24]]
The evolution of church logos is used as an illustration in the sermon. What does the shift from obvious to subtle symbolism suggest about how the church relates to its core messages over time? [[41:05]]
The pastor asks whether the three angels’ messages are still central to who we are, or if they have become just a legacy. What are some reasons a church might let its core message fade into the background? [[53:35]]

Application Questions

The sermon challenges us to see legacy as a living context. In your own life, what “legacy” have you inherited from your faith community, and how does it shape your actions today? [[15:19]]
The global Adventist family is described as vast and diverse, yet united by a common mission. How does knowing you are part of a worldwide movement affect your sense of purpose or responsibility as a Christian? [[22:54]]
The three angels’ messages are included in the church’s mission statement, but the pastor notes that many may not understand or feel connected to them. What steps could you take to engage more deeply with these messages, rather than just accepting them as tradition? [[31:24]]
The sermon points out that symbols and logos can both reveal and obscure our identity. Are there ways in your own spiritual life where you have held onto outward forms or traditions, but lost touch with their deeper meaning? How can you reconnect with the substance behind the symbols? [[41:05]]
The pastor asks whether the three angels’ messages are just a legacy or a living challenge. What would it look like for these messages to actively shape your faith, your choices, or your witness to others this week? [[53:35]]
The sermon describes a range of reactions to the three angels’ messages—from deep understanding to total unfamiliarity. Where do you find yourself on that spectrum, and what is one practical thing you could do to move forward in understanding or living out these messages? [[51:53]]
The idea of “proclaiming the message” is emphasized as more important than just displaying symbols. Who in your life needs to hear a message of hope, faithfulness, or unique witness, and how might you share that with them in a real way this month? [[53:35]]

Sermon Clips

But let's start with the concept of legacy.And in order to understand that, let's create a larger context here. [00:13:47]

Sometimes it makes more sense for you to have an organizational unit that is aligned to the culture that you're specifically trying to reach. And there have been discussions at different times to try to bring this back together in more of a united context, but it doesn't necessarily make the most sense from a missional context, even though it's very uncomfortable, the reality of its existence. So it goes on, so the regional conference, the central state's regional conference covers the entire union, and those are primarily African American churches within the region, and they will have their centers of strength in different places. [00:20:37]

There is a reported presence of Adventists in 212 countries, which is pretty good because some counts say there's only 195 countries. So we've even gone over. But, you know, it gets kind of weird. Does that count or does that not count? You know, that region, is it independent? I don't know. The main point is there aren't many countries on earth that don't have Seventh -day Adventists in them. Just a handful. Hardly any at all. [00:24:43]

Now, sometimes we have a tendency to think of ourselves as significant on the larger world scale. But just to put it all in perspective, let's go to the next slide here, and this might surprise you a little bit. You might think North American Division is one of the big ones. We're actually number six, which is right in the middle. [00:26:14]

If you were to turn it north south and drop the center of it on Denver one end of it would reach to Loveland the other end would reach down to Colorado Springs and width wise it would be like golden to Bennett you kind of know where Bennett is I mean it's a little further than the airport but it's not that far not Lyman you could put Jamaica in that space and there's three hundred and seven thousand Adventists can you imagine if in the space from Colorado Springs to Loveland there were three hundred and seven thousand of us you know you you you you youour whole conference had 17 ,000it's pretty shocking now now there's a lot of factors to this and the point here is not to make you feel bad that we haven't done what we're supposed to do there are significant reasons why Europe North America Australia are very difficult fields and there are other factors here too about what actually takes place in some of these places where we do really well [00:29:52]

Any organization this size obviously is going to have to have some sort of mission statement for the whole of the organization and in fact Seventh -day Adventist Church does so let's go to the next slide this is the official mission statement of the Seventh -day Adventist Church here it is make disciples of Jesus Christ who live as his loving witnesses and proclaim to all people the everlasting gospel of the three angels messages in preparation for his soon return and then come three texts Matthew 28 18 to 20 Acts 1 8 and then Revelation 14 6 through 12 now I want to walk through this just just briefly [00:31:30]

At this point if we were to just kind of stop at this point it's fairly generic isn't it you might find this in any Christian church and appropriately so because this is both the commission and addressed on how you will do it and where you will do it but it goes a step further doesn't it go on to the next slide then we get this who proclaim the everlasting gospel now you might hear that and think okay sure yeah everlasting the everlasting gospelBut the key word there being gospel, and you would likely get that anywhere because that is the message of the church to bring the good news, but there's a reason it's written that way, everlasting gospel, but if you don't know the context, you wouldn't know why. [00:34:17]

You won't find any other church bold enough to put a text like that in the mission statement, I mean, those first two, pretty straightforward, pretty easy, right?I put a note there, or crazy enough, maybe, to put a text like that in the mission statement, because the goodies are not on the low shelf there, are they? What in the world is that even about?And why would it be there in the mission statement? [00:37:28]

If it is going to be there, we better take the time to know why, or else that's kind of weird, really. Really? [00:38:31]

We as a people have desired to call ourselves people of the book. [00:39:42]

In our earliest days we used to say we have no creed but the Bible.It's a lovely intention, it's a lovely sentiment and it is in fact what we hope is true about us. But you do ultimately have to define some things a little more clearly than that. And so we kind of did called them fundamental beliefs. But anyway, that's a whole different conversation. But hopefully it is truly based on the Bible. [00:39:48]

But then you also see above the Bible a cross. Right? Because the cross of Jesus sits at the center of our faith. And so it sits at the center of the logo. [00:40:12]

The cross of Jesus sits at the center of our faith. [00:40:17]

The three lines represent the three angels.And it is the three angels message at the end of time that goes to the whole world. And the three angels message comes from Scripture and from the reality of the cross of Christ. So this is the intention to be communicated in this logo. [00:41:32]

But you begin to wonder as you see this do we actually know what we're doing anymore or do we just have this stylized process that I don't know but you got to put three lines on it somewhere do we even know [00:45:17]

But here's what happens to us we lose track of what we're doing and we think it's just style so for a while there was a thought that that a different name that Advent health was going to take over so the university rebranded itself Adventist University of Health Sciences and that middle one is their new logo but they added an angel they got four because whoever designed it didn't know what it meant if it did in fact mean that at all by then and then finally it settled into the current name Advent Health University and four is how many it has now interesting isn't it [00:51:23]

So here's some questions are they still key to who we are or should we just let them slowly fade away like they have in our logos you'll still see it in the official church logo you'll still see it in the official language of the church mission statement but we don't have three lines in the Boulder church logo and we don't have any official phrase in our local mission statement that says three angels so have we let it go [00:52:25]

Are they just legacies or do they still have something to say that ought to inform all we do and let me just leave you with this thought perhaps even if they have fallen off the visual logo even if the language of them has faded maybe that's okay because it's the proclamation of the the content of the messages that matters far more than any exposition about the existence of angels it's the three angels messages not the three angels just legacy maybe by the time we get to the end you'll see how it really is core to who we are [00:54:40]

It's the proclamation of the the content of the messages that matters far more than any exposition about the existence of angels. [00:55:20]

It's the three angels messages not the three angels. [00:55:34]

Maybe by the time we get to the end you'll see how it really is core to who we are. [00:56:02]

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