We Can Do This

WE CAN DO THIS

Matthew 28:18-20

Intro: There’s a story told about a Barber who got saved. Now this Barber was known to be eccentric. He was actually mentally deficient and although he had a good heart, he usually did or said things the wrong way. People would overlook him because they knew who and how he was. One day not long after he was saved a stranger walked into his barber shop and asked for a hair cut and a shave. The barber cut the mans hair and had lathered up his face for his shave and something inside of him said that you need to tell this man about Jesus. The Barber had his razor in his hand and he walked around to the front of the chair and looked at the man with his razor held high and said “are you prepared to meet your God today”. The man jumped up from the chair and ran out of the barber shop screaming still lathered up.

. While we need to witness, maybe we should consider how we do it don’t we?

. A 9-year-old boy swam the precarious waters between Alcatraz island and the San Francisco shoreline right after hurricane Katrina, raising $30,000 in donations for Hurricane Katrina victims.

Johnny Wilson, a fourth grader from Hillsborough, called the swim in the 53-degree San Francisco Bay "tiring" but said he kept telling himself, "I’m almost there, I’m almost there."

"The beginning was the hardest because I was all cold," said the boy, who had practiced swimming in San Francisco Bay to get used to the chilly, choppy water. The waters also are known for sharks.

His classmates were waiting on shore, cheering as he made it to Aquatic Park. "Go, Johnny! Go, Johnny!" the group chanted. Johnny finished the 1.4-mile swim from the infamous prison island in under two hours. He was accompanied by two adult swimmers. Two kayakers followed and a Coast Guard helicopter monitored from above.

. That’s commitment for a cause!

. That young boy was on a mission wasn’t he.

. This morning I want to introduce our mission statement to you.

. As a church and a Christian we have a mission folks.

. As most of you know we have been having meetings once a month on Saturdays. These meetings have been open and everyone in the church has been invited.

. This group of people has done a remarkable job over the past four months.

. They not only have developed a Mission statement but a Vision statement and have identified and defined six core values that are important to us as a church.

. I will share all of this with you in two weeks during our Family meeting.

. Today I want to look at our Mission statement.

. Our mission is to encourage and develop those we meet into committed followers of Jesus.

. Folks that’s our mission.

. Simple isn’t it? We can do this can’t we?

. You know what, while we spent a lot of time wording this statement just the way we wanted it, we had an example to go by.

. You see Jesus gave us, the church and individual Christians this mission just before He ascended into Heaven.

. What we as a group did was to personalize this mission for our church.

. Our scripture this morning was the foundation or basis for our mission statement.

. Any church that doesn’t have the Great commission or great mission as I like to call it as their basis, then they have a misunderstanding of what God has called us as Christians and corporately as a church body to do.

. We are to make and teach Jesus commands to disciples. Make followers of Jesus Christ.

. We are to be the light of the world. Jesus tells us that in Matthew chapter 5:14-16.

. “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.15No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.16In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly kFather.

. I had them play that song this morning, “ Learning to be the light.”

. That’s what were called to be. The light

. That’s our mission. To encourage and develop those we meet into committed followers of Jesus.

. Lets look at our scripture. Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.19Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, jbaptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.20Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”