The past few years as your pastor have been incredible. This year, my first year as your pastor at Sandridge Baptist Church, has been incredible. Throughout this year, there have been many pleasant surprises and Joys, but the greatest joy has been seeing different ones of you encounter God while you have served Him upon different Mission Fields. The Joy of seeing someone discover that God can use them that God does have a purpose for their Life- and that no matter the age God can begin a new fresh work.
Over this year it is not been hard to figure out some of the areas that I am passionate or excited about. One of those areas is missions. Throughout this month, missions will be emphasized in many different ways. It is my personal hope that by the end of this month fresh commitments will be made by individuals and families. Commitments that will foster a deeper commitment to be On Mission with God.
So what does it mean to be On Mission with God
It begins first with the realization that it flows out of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
God loved us so much that he gave his only son to be our sacrifice that we might have eternal life. We hear that phrase so often that we become numb to the awesome incredible sacrifice God made for us. Romans 5:8 spells it out that while we were yet sinners Christ Died for us. Romans 3:10 say that there is no one who does Good not one and Romans 3:23 Spells it out even further when it states that we have all sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God.
Even our best attempt at being good falls way short. The only hope the only way was and is through Jesus.
A story is told, be it truth or legend, that helps us grasp the significance of the sacrifice God made on our behalf. The story states that back in the days of the Great Depression a Missouri man named John Griffith was the controller of a great railroad drawbridge across the Mississippi River. One day in the summer of 1937 he decided to take his 8 year old son, Greg, with him to work.
At noon John Griffith put the bridge up to allow a ship to pass and he sat on the observation deck with his son to eat lunch. Time passed quickly. Suddenly he was startled by the shrieking of a train whistle in the distance. He quickly looked at his watch and noticed it was 1:07 - the Memphis Express, with 400 passengers on board was roaring toward the raised bridge!
He leaped from the observation deck and ran back to the control tower. Just before throwing the master lever he glanced down at the ships below. There a sight caught his eye that caused his heart to leap pounding into his throat. Greg had slipped from the observation deck and had fallen into the massive gears that operate the bridge. His left leg was caught in the cogs of the two main gears!
Desperately John’s mind whirled to devise a rescue plan. But as soon as he thought of a possibility he knew there was no way it could be done.
As the train drew nearer he tries to yell and scream for the train to stop. He tried waving his hands up in the air, but some who noticed only thought he was being friendly. Finally He looked down at his son and up at the train barreling down the track- He could hear the clicking of the locomotive’s wheels on the tracks. That was his son down there - yet there were 400 passengers on the train. John knew what he had to do, so he buried his head in his left arm and pushed the master control switch forward. The great massive bride lower it’s gears crushing his son, as the Memphis express began to roar across the river.
How many of those passengers even knew of the father’s sacrifice that saved their lives? John 3:16 spells it out: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life.
And yet many still ignore or deny this supreme sacrifice. Only because if this sacrifice, can we have hope and life, and that’s not all he wants to enter into a personal relationship with Him that will direct, lead, change, correct, and transform our lives But many would rather study about Him than enter a personal relationship with him. Today pray that God would give you fresh eyes and appreciation on the cross of Jesus and the sacrifice that it took. This morning if you are trusting in anything other than a personal relationship with Jesus you are on the wrong boat. Don’t wait until it is too late.
In order to Be On Mission with God you must not only be willing to enter into a relationship with Jesus You must make him supreme boss or Lord of all of your life.
That means that what comes out of listening to God in your relationship you must obey no matter what. Even when it does not make sense. It means symbolically you climb out of the drivers seat, the seat of control and you welcome Jesus there. And then as the great hymn proclaims wherever he leads I’ll go.
In my sophomore year in college after listening to God I felt like he wanted me to serve as a summer missionary through Teen Missions in England and Scotland. The catch was that I had to raise close to 2000 dollars. This made no sense to me, but because Jesus Christ was my Lord, I chose to obey, and in obeying I drew closer to my Lord than ever before. Through Obedience.
Over this past year many of you out of your relationship with Jesus have been led to go on one of mission trips. Many of you have shared that you wonder why? Or what would or could you offer. But out of that obedience You have draw nearer and closer to God. Through obedience. And your lives are changed. Because you obeyed.
It is time that men and women boys and girls rise up and get involved. At the end of this week 18 more individuals will be given the opportunity to personally discover this truth- The truth of serving God. Later in this message, we will personally commission this group, but for right now I want to ask you, What is God saying to you? And are you willing to be On Mission with Him? Are you willing to be a Player not a spectator? An alive church is filled with men and women boys and girls daily seeking God’s purpose for their lives and then radically obeying it.
Out of that Lordship relationship with Jesus flows an On Mission Lifestyle and attitude.
This On Mission lifestyle is fleshed out or lived out in many different ways. One way involves prayer.
At this point some of you are saying prayer is that all that he preaches. Well yeah kind of because everything in a relationship be it friend, family, spouse and especially with Jesus involves communication. And Communication with God is called prayer. So if you want to have a strong healthy relationship you must pray-You must talk to God. Praying not only for yourself but for others.
A second way where an On Mission lifestyle is fleshed out is through Financial Sacrifice.
During this month through a personal letter, various sermons, special evening services, and a On Mission Commitment banquet, You will be challenged to give weekly or monthly to Mission action. As a Southern Baptist we support missions through the cooperative program sort of like a church tithing. Above this percentage giving we as a church give to 4 major mission Offerings, Annie Armstrong, Lottie Moon, Aaron Tyner, and Janie Chapman- supporting missions and missionaries in the United States, world, state and our local community. Many times these offerings come right after another limiting what we can financially give, In light of that, we are asking each of you to pray about what you can give to missions and divide that figure out over 52 weeks or twelve months. Over the last two years we have given about 2500 dollars each year to these special offerings. It is my hope that with a new emphasis and fresh mission commitments we can double or triple that figure in just One year. And further join God in what he is doing all over the world.
Another way that this lifestyle is fleshed out is to simply to Go
Stepping out of our comfort zone and our familiar homes and world and going. Going as Jesus Commanded in his great Commission. Matthew 28:19-20 says:
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.
This best illustration for this principle of Going is found by introducing our 18 youth and adults who this coming Friday will be leaving their comfort zone to be On Mission. When I call your name, come forward and stand in front of the pulpit. Larraine Singletary, Cody Singletary, Olivia Rudd, Jonathan Rudd, Daisy Rudd, Amanda Poston, Whitley Holman, Gary Poston, C.J. Singletary, Boots Weatherford, Christopher Peagler, Tiffany Rudd, Linda Harkins, Jessica Porter, Clinton Aultman, Brian Wiggins, Ruby Weatherford and Kevin Litchfield
As a church you have financially supported them, and have prayed and will pray for this team, and some have chosen to risk and go.
I would like to close this message by asking you our church family to come and surround those who standing here- touching them commissioning them as they go.
God is calling us to the great adventure of being On Mission With Him. Rick it today.
