Reclaiming Mission: Living Reconciliation in Changing Times

Devotional

Day 1: Chosen to be a light to all nations

Isaiah calls a people out of exile and redefines their identity as chosen witnesses—a servant not merely for Israel but as a light to all nations. This vocation refuses the politics of despair and insists that even a people twice conquered still have a global calling: to be channels of God’s salvation and hope to the ends of the earth. The congregation is invited to see itself in that same calling, not preserving comfort but embodying renewal and witness in a broken world. [09:30]

Isaiah 49:6 (ESV)
He says: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

Reflection: Who in your daily life feels marginalized, overlooked, or "exiled," and what specific, compassionate action will you take this week to be a visible sign of God’s light to them?

Day 2: Commissioned to make disciples; Jesus is with us

The risen Jesus commissions the disciples in a liminal moment between his embodied presence and his ascended reign, acknowledging their doubts while giving them authority and an enduring promise: “I am with you always.” Mission therefore is not merely institutional policy but a living vocation empowered by Christ’s abiding presence, enabling action despite uncertainty or hesitation. The call is to make disciples, baptize, and teach in ways shaped by love, humility, and cultural sensitivity. [12:04]

Matthew 28:16-20 (ESV)
Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 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: What doubt or hesitation most often prevents you from joining in disciple-making, and what single, tangible step will you take this month to act in faith under Jesus’ promise to be with you?

Day 3: Entrusted with God's ministry of reconciliation to all

Paul frames the church’s core work as the ministry of reconciliation: because God reconciled the world in Christ, the church is entrusted to carry that message and practice into fractured communities. This mission resists preservationist instincts and calls for creative partnerships, relational healing, and justice-oriented engagement in the city. The congregation’s identity is shaped not by institutional survival but by participation in God’s reconciling work in downtown life. [15:47]

2 Corinthians 5:18-19 (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.

Reflection: Identify one strained relationship or divided circle you belong to (family, neighborhood, work, or church). What concrete, humble first step toward reconciliation can you initiate in the next two weeks?

Day 4: Threshold moments demand faithful response and redefinition

Life and congregational history are full of liminal or threshold moments—times between what was and what will be—where outcomes are shaped not only by events but by how people choose to respond. Such moments can be seasons of grief, loss of old forms, or the collapse of social prominence; they are also openings for renewal when hope, courage, and imagination converge. Embracing the pattern of dying and rising means grieving what is lost, then intentionally imagining creative and courageous plans for what might be born. [03:51]

Isaiah 43:18-19 (ESV)
Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

Reflection: Where are you standing at a personal or congregational threshold right now, and what one faithful choice will you make this month that points toward renewal rather than retreat?

Day 5: Purpose and mission sustain flourishing life

Decades of studies show that a sense of mission and purpose fuels vitality and longevity; this truth holds for individuals and for congregations—their life is energized when guided by clear, meaningful purpose. Purpose motivates, energizes, and gives specificity to action; for a church it moves beyond vague statements to concrete practices of reconciliation, partnership, and creative worship that speak into people’s real lives. The task is to name a courageous, creative plan for mission that fits this place and time and then live into it together. [01:33]

Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV)
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Reflection: What one passion or sense of calling gives you energy and could be shaped into a small, regular ministry; what daily or weekly habit will you begin this week to steward that calling into action?

Sermon Summary

We hunger for a long and healthy life, and the best research keeps confirming what Scripture has long taught: purpose gives life. It moves us, animates our bodies and our communities, and gets us out of bed with renewed energy. That same principle applies to the church. Vague mission words don’t carry us very far; we need the kind of specificity that puts muscle on the bones of our calling, especially in liminal times like ours—caught between a fading past and an uncertain future.

Our readings all sit at thresholds. In Isaiah 49, Israel sits in exile—twice conquered, dislocated, and discouraged—yet God reasserts their vocation: not merely to rebuild themselves, but to be a servant people, a light to the nations. That is an audacious calling when the city lies in ruins and morale is low. Still, God insists purpose isn’t cancelled by circumstance; it is refined through it.

Jesus then stands at another threshold—the space between resurrection presence and ascension—and entrusts a mission to disciples who still doubt. The authority is his; the presence is promised; the sending is universal: make disciples, baptize, teach. The point is not to build systems for their own sake but to live from his nearness: “I am with you always.”

Paul steps into the messy reality of real communities—Jews and Gentiles, contested identities, no settled playbook—and he names the heart of it all: God was in Christ reconciling the world, and has now entrusted that ministry to us. That is not church as self-preservation but church as relational repair—healing with God, across generations, within neighborhoods, and among other churches.

All of this reframes our moment. Post-Christendom is not failure; it is a threshold where old forms may die so that true life can rise. At Dominion-Chalmers, that means choosing a creative and courageous plan that embodies reconciliation locally—partnerships across downtown, justice work, and worship that actually connects with people’s real lives. Death precedes life. Let’s trust that pattern and live into our vocation as a light-bearing, reconciling people.

Key Takeaways

1. Purpose fuels a living church A clear, concrete sense of calling energizes congregational life the way purpose fuels a person’s health. Without specificity, we drift, and drifting churches default to maintenance. Purpose clarifies priorities, animates prayer, and focuses our use of time, money, and attention. It strengthens us precisely when the future feels uncertain. [02:03]
2. Called as a servant nation Isaiah dares a devastated people to imagine themselves as witnesses to the nations. Vocation is not postponed until conditions improve; it is discovered in the rubble and grief. God’s people carry light not by triumphalism but by resilient faithfulness that refuses to shrink its vision to self-repair alone. Hope expands when mission points outward. [08:20]
3. Commissioned amid questions and doubts The risen Jesus doesn’t wait for perfect certainty before sending his disciples; he names their doubts and still entrusts them with his work. Authority rests in him, and presence accompanies us. Obedience here looks like moving with him, not waiting until every question resolves. Faith grows as we go. [12:04]
4. Reconciliation is our core vocation Paul gathers scattered communities around a single center: God’s reconciling work in Christ. The church is most itself when it repairs relationships—with God, neighbors, and even those we’d rather avoid. Reconciliation is not sentiment; it is a practiced, public way of life that crosses boundaries for the sake of a new creation. [15:47]
5. Embrace death before resurrection life The pattern of Jesus reframes our losses: dying forms can be faithful participation, not failure. Letting go of old prominence creates space for new imagination and courage. Lament and grief are not detours but companions on the road to renewal. We trust that in Christ, death is never the final word. [17:48]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:44] - What makes life flourish?
[02:03] - Purpose energizes congregations
[03:51] - Liminal, threshold moments
[05:28] - Isaiah across three eras
[07:12] - Return to ruined Jerusalem
[08:20] - Servant nation, chosen witnesses
[10:09] - Light to the nations vision
[12:04] - Great Commission amid doubts
[13:38] - Mission in a post-Christendom world
[15:12] - Early church’s messy questions
[15:47] - Ministry of reconciliation
[16:49] - Local relationships and healing
[17:48] - Death precedes life; renewal
[18:37] - Creative and courageous plan

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading (ESV)

- Isaiah 49:1–6
1 Listen to me, O coastlands, and hearken, you peoples from afar; the Lord called me from the womb, from the body of my mother he named my name.
2 He made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me a polished arrow; in his quiver he hid me away.
3 And he said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”
4 But I said, “I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely my right is with the Lord, and my recompense with my God.”
5 And now the Lord says, he who formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him; and that Israel might be gathered to him—for I am honored in the eyes of the Lord, and my God has become my strength—
6 he says, “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

- Matthew 28:16–20
16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them.
17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted.
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
19 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,
20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

- 2 Corinthians 5:17–21
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 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.
20 Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Observation questions (look closely at the text and the sermon points)

In Isaiah 49:1–6, what new identity and task are given to the people, and how does the text describe the scope of that task? [08:20]
In Matthew 28:16–20, what two assurances accompany the sending of the disciples (look at verses 18 and 20)? [12:04]
In 2 Corinthians 5:18–19, who initiates reconciliation, and what responsibility is given to the community? [15:47]
Where does the sermon describe the present moment for individuals and congregations, and what phrase is used to name that in‑between time? [03:51]

Interpretation questions (consider what the passages and sermon imply)

How does being called “a light for the nations” reframe a community’s priorities when it is broken or impoverished rather than powerful? [09:30]
What does it mean for mission that the disciples were sent even while some still doubted (Matthew 28:17)? How should a community interpret the relationship between doubt and obedience? [12:04]
If reconciliation is the central ministry entrusted to the church, what kinds of church activities or attitudes would indicate a shift from self‑preservation to outward repair of relationships? [15:47]
When old forms “die” and grief is present, how should lament and courage be held together in a congregation’s planning for renewal? [17:48]

Application questions (personal, concrete steps)

Purpose fuels life. What specific personal mission or calling gives you energy right now, and what is one concrete thing you can do this week to act on that calling? [02:03]
The people are called to be servants and a light. Name one practical way you could serve someone in downtown life (a neighbor, an organization, a church partner) in the next 30 days. [16:49]
Doubt is not disqualifying. What doubt holds you back from a next step in mission, and what small, low‑risk step could you take despite that doubt? [12:04]
Reconciliation is a practiced way of life. Who in your circle needs a first step toward reconciliation, and what is one specific, humble action you could take (a conversation, an apology, a phone call) this month? [15:47]
Letting go makes room for new life. What is one church tradition, program, or assumption you might need to grieve or release to make space for something new? How will you notice grief and move through it? [17:48]
The congregation is called to a creative and courageous plan. What gift of time, skill, or resource could you offer to support a concrete reconciliation project (partnerships, justice work, or worship that meets people’s lives)? When could you make that offer? [18:37]

Sermon Clips

And yet, what does God say to the Israelites through the prophet Isaiah? He says something pretty dramatic. He says, basically, God says, I have not abandoned you. I know that we've had this on-again, off-again relationship, God says. That's the covenant that we've talked a lot about. But, I'm going to refer to, when I say I, God, through the prophet Isaiah, refers to the notion of a servant nation. This is one of the suffering servant passages in the book of Isaiah. And it's a remarkable thing, because the purpose of the prophet in this case is to awaken faith, to rebuild hope, and to redefine the people's identity as God's chosen witnesses. [00:07:51] (59 seconds) #ChosenWitnesses

You want to talk about having a big purpose, having a very demanding purpose, be chosen as God's witnesses, and try and live that into your life and into the world. So, the prophet announces that God still has a purpose for them, even in exile. And it's a vision into the future that the Persian Empire will initiate, but to become a channel of God's light and salvation to all peoples. So, think about that for a second. The Israelite people have been twice conquered, they've been exiled, and God still says, I'm going to reconstitute you as my chosen witnesses, and you will be a light to all the nations. [00:08:49] (58 seconds) #LightToNations

That was the verses we just read. That the resurrected Jesus, he meets the disciples, and he says, this liminal time, this heaven and earth between my embodiment with you and my eternal place, Jesus is in that threshold moment. The disciples have no idea, truly the magnitude of what Jesus is about to call them to do, but he commissions them nonetheless, and he says that you can do this even though you have doubts. Because you notice the text says that? The text talks about the earliest disciples having doubts. [00:12:01] (44 seconds) #ThresholdCommission

and he says that you can do this even though you have doubts. Because you notice the text says that? The text talks about the earliest disciples having doubts. But Jesus says, that's okay, because I have the authority, and I'm giving it unto you. Mission, therefore, does not just arise out of some kind of rules and regulations and institutions and denominational structures and, you know, somebody writing some policy document. [00:12:31] (32 seconds) #FaithDespiteDoubt

So, in that case, the great commission for us really is a universal vocation. To make disciples, to baptize, and to teach. And we can have a long conversation about how to do that. How to do that without making the mistakes we've made in the past as Christians. Trying to evangelize others. Putting aside the chauvinism, but instead seeing that underlying from the prophet Isaiah to Jesus, that same renewed sense of purpose and mission. And that's so true in this post-Christendom world we live in. How do we reclaim that sense of mission when the rest of, it seems like the rest of society no longer understands the role of the church as integral to that. [00:13:12] (55 seconds) #ReclaimTheMission

So, this is this notion that we start to get this word that Paul picks up on. This word of reconciliation. Now, that word reconciliation has taken on different meanings, particularly in a Canadian context over the last number of years. But really, it is about that extraordinary vision of uniting and bringing togethertowards a common, shared, and united mission and purpose. [00:14:08] (32 seconds) #UnitedInMission

The church's purpose is not, in this case, doing everything we can to preserve ourselves. No, the church's purpose and mission is about that reconciliation spirit, a restoration of broken relationships between God and humanity and our place as uniting agents in that. So that spirit of reconciliation is with us today. And in a practical sense, it's about building relationships, strong relationships with our brothers and sisters in other churches in downtown Ottawa, with the community organizations that we support, with the Christian mission work that is happening, you know, up on Bank Street and other places that that's, that's where we have to be engaged. [00:16:28] (52 seconds) #ReconciliationInAction

``So it's about relational healing. First of all, relational healing across generations, but about within communities. And that's where we find ourselves. So let me, let me offer you this kind of summary paragraph of what I'm, what I'm trying to get at today, because it says, for churches today, the resurrection story means embracing the truth that death precedes life. The death of old forms, buildings, traditions, social prominence is not failure, but it is participation in Christ's pattern of dying and rising and renewal with a combination of those things we've talked about in the last few Sundays, the grief and the lament living into those things. [00:17:19] (50 seconds) #ResurrectionRenewal

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