INTRODUCTION
• SLIDE #1
• Today we will begin a four-week series on the subject of our DNA in Christ.
• SLIDE #2
• Collectively, as individuals, our Christ-centered DNA describes the center of who we are as a church, since the church is the individuals who come together in Christ.
• Our mission, values, vision, as well as our strategy for ministry are built off our DNA in Christ.
• DNA is the code of life. Your DNA defines (physically) who you are. It not only defines who you are, but also tells where you are from (your lineage).
• My DNA decides my eye color, gender, skin color, physical capabilities, and our ethnicity.
• DNA tells us who the killer is in a CSI episode. DNA is the center of the physical aspect of being human.
• Being is important. In our fast-paced world, where we are constantly doing, it is important to remember that we are human beings before we ever do anything. Who we are, proceeds what we do.
• When one becomes a Christian, we are born again with a new spiritual DNA that tells us who we are (people redeemed by God) and who we belong to (Christ).
• The New Testament uses this biological language to describe our new life in Christ. Christians are born again (John 3:3;1 Peter 1:23). In Christ we have become a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).
• This is one of the miracles of becoming a Christian, we are changed at our very core when we allow Jesus to be the Lord or our life.
• Too many people as well as many Christians waste their time trying to clean up the outside image.
• In an effort to earn a ticket to Heaven, we try to be good without God.
• In order to be able to change who we are, not just what we do, not just what people on the outside see, we need something drastic, something miraculous to happen.
• Of the miracles Jesus performed, turning water into wine, healing the sick, raising the dead, the greatest miracle is a changed human being.
• When we are born again, Jesus is the center of our DNA strand. Everything comes from Him.
• Who we are changes as over time as we grow in Him, what we are changes, where we will be going changes. This is all part of the new creation we are in Christ, this new creation is not simply new activities, (prayer, church, giving), it changes us at the depths of our soul!
• So today we begin our four-week journey together.
• The main idea of the message is that our mission to reflect Jesus and make disciples is written into our NEW DNA we receive when we are baptized into Jesus!
• One of the final things Jesus said to the disciples is called the Great Commission.
• We are talking about our mission (what we do) while we are talking about being the church. But mission (doing) is a part of our identity, our DNA is intertwined with our mission.
• Let’s turn together to Matthew 28:19-20 as we examine the core of our mission.
• SLIDE #3
• Matthew 28:19–20 (CSB) — 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 everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
• I hope that you can keep up with me today as I unveil this extremely complex out line of three words. ?
• SLIDE #4
SERMON
I. Go
• Are you blown away? Once Jesus establishes that He has all authority, He tells His followers that they are to GO!
• He also tells them (us) that we are to go to ALL NATIONS.
• “Go into all the world.” We are commissioned to go. The word go means “going,” in the sense of “continuous action” (Kenny Burchard, Greek-Geeking the Great Commission in Matthew,” Think Theology.org, November 7, 2013, http://thinktheology.org/2013/11/07/greek-geeking-the-great-commission-in-matthew/).
• A better way of saying it is “as you are going.” As you are living everyday life—work, school, grocery store, family time, ball games.
• We need to constantly be reflecting Jesus. Just like my genetic code reflects aspects of my family lineage, my spiritual DNA needs to reflect who I belong to (Jesus).
• One of the things that is wired into us when we are in Christ is that we are called to GO.
• This simple word cannot be ignored because when too little is made of it when all attention is centered on the command to “go,” as in countless appeals for missionary candidates, so that foreign missions are elevated to a higher status of Christian service than other forms of spiritual activity.
• To “make disciples of all nations” does require many people to leave their homelands, but Jesus’ main focus remains on the task of all believers to duplicate themselves wherever they may be. (New American Commentary)
• So, this strand of our DNA is not just for those in the foreign mission field, it is for EACH one of us.
• Each and every day we are called, we are driven, we are compelled to go into our individual worlds and reflect Jesus.
• When I am at the grocery store, driving down Fry Boulevard, eating out for dinner, or even within my home, I am compelled to reflect Jesus.
• AS I GO, JESUS IS SUPPOSED TO GO WITH ME!
• This command to go into all the world was a NEW command, because previous to this exchange, Jesus told His followers to stay within the nation of Israel.
• The earlier instructions to go only to the “lost sheep of Israel” (Matthew 10:5-6; cf. 15:24) are now rescinded, replaced by a universal mission to all ethnic groups.
• However, the commission should not be construed as excluding a mission to Israel, because Israel is now “subordinated and absorbed into the comprehensive reference to the nations.”
• To “Go” implies that the disciples, and this holds for all Christians in general, must not concentrate all their thought on “coming” to church.
• They must also “go” to bring the the Good news about Jesus to others.
• We have to be careful not to think the parameters of GOING only focuses around church. Coming to Church is extremely important, we come together to grow, to worship, and to encourage one another as Hebrews tells us.
• SLIDE #5
• Hebrews 10:24–25 (CSB) — 24 And let us watch out for one another to provoke love and good works, 25 not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching.
• As a Christian, you should want to come to Church; however, our drive to GO is meant for us to reach our individual worlds for Jesus. Then we come together collectively to do the things we are called to do together.
• As a church we have to guard against having so many programs that the only opportunity you have to GO is to Church.
• We must have a world to go to, a world to share the gospel of Jesus, and more importantly, a world that we can REFLECT Jesus to, a world where we can be a bible that they can read.
• Let’s look at our passage again.
• SLIDE #6
• Matthew 28:19–20 (CSB) — 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 everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
• SLIDE #7
II. Disciple
• Ok, my might have been thinking this word would be MAKE, and I can understand that.
• Here is one of the reasons I chose the word DISCIPLE instead of MAKE.
• In the Great Commission, there are four main words, GO, DISCIPLES, BAPTIZE, and TEACH.
• Three of these words are participles. A participle is a word formed from a verb that functions as an adjective. In the English language, these words usually end in ING or ED is it is past tense.
• A verb is an action word, such as run, walk, punch. An adjective is a word that that describes a noun.
• Of the four key words, three of them are participles in the Greek.
• The other word is an imperative verb.
• This is key. Whichever word is the imperative verb, that is the word that tells you what to do. Whichever words are the participles tell you HOW to do it.
• In the Great Commission, the participles are GO, BAPTIZE and TEACH.
• The IMPERATIVE VERB without a noun is DISCIPLE.
• The Greek word DISCPLE is a verbal command, not a verb followed by a noun.
• Besides
• The text does not say MAKE DISCIPLES, it simply says to DISCIPLE. Like saying RUN, or JUMP. http://thinktheology.org/2013/11/07/greek-geeking-the-great-commission-in-matthew/
• So, the mission Jesus gives us, the mission that is in our DNA is to DISCIPLE, GOING, BAPTIZING, AND TEACHING are how we fulfill this command.
• To DISCIPLE means we are to reflect and live this life for Jesus, and then we should be inviting others to join this new family. We disciple others. We are to help others become born again in this new life in Jesus.
• Paul nails this concept on Galatians 2:20
• SLIDE #8
• Galatians 2:20 (CSB) — 20 I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
• To DISCPLE is written into our DNA as a new creation in Christ. To be a disciple and encourage others to do the same is something that we should be driven to do.
• SLIDE #9
• The last big word…
III. Teach
• “Teaching them.” Jesus taught on love, money, sin, redemption, sex, lies … everything that our culture obsesses over.
• The teachings of Jesus represent the mission, values, vision, and destiny of all of humanity. We reflect these teachings with our lives.
• If you look at a handheld mirror you will see your reflection. Your reflection is what the world sees (that’s why you look in the mirror to make sure your hair looks okay).
• It is the same with our reflection of Christ. Are you reflecting the teachings of Jesus in your life?
• Teaching requires that I spend time with baptized disciples teaching them to obey everything that Jesus taught.
• This implies that I teach them all that Jesus commanded and I teach them to obey the same. I do this through words and actions.
• The word TEACHING further conveys both imparting ideas (theology), and living the things I am teaching (consistent modeling).
• The word translated OBSERVE in verse 20 means to CONFORMS ONE’S ACTION OR PRACTICE TO.
• The word also implies to guard, keep, hold, fulfill the same.
• We always need to remember that Church is not about programs, it is about people. We need to cultivate relationships with one another so that we can teach each other.
• To teach also implies that we know something as well as how to apply what we know to real life.
• We need to have a passion to teach others about Jesus and to show others how to live for Jesus by the way we live for Him!
CONCLUSION
• Now do you see how my individual new creation DNA can affect the church and the Kingdom of God in either a positive or negative way?
• Our life is a mission for Jesus. Written into our code is the call to be God’s people in this world and invite them to a life in Jesus.
• If you think that being a Christian negates you from sharing Christ with others, you’re going against the DNA of Christ.
• We are called to reflect Christ daily and invite others into this new family in Jesus.
• Our mission is Jesus!
