You Were Made For A Mission

Week Six - Week Six - You Were Made For A Mission:
Purpose Driven Life 40 Days StudyMessage Presented by Bob Koehler at the Seal Beach Naval Weapons StationFor the Military Community Christian Community
Sunday, June 8, 2008

Good Morning. Welcome to our Sunday Bible Study.

Let’s read our Scripture Verse together: “…Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.” Matthew 28:18-20

Sermon Outline Notes:

Welcome to our Sunday Bible study. Let me set the stage … You are in the military. You are off duty for the moment and are at home eating dinner with your family. The telephone rings. Your wife picks up the phone, says “Hello” talks for a moment, turns to you in amazement and says: Honey, It’s the White House. You think she’s pulling your leg, but, to humor her you take the phone. Sure enough, the President’s secretary is on the line. He says: I’m sending you a First Class ticket to Washington, DC. The President has a special mission for you.

You pack your gear, get your dress uniform on, fly to DC, there is a limo with a police escort waiting for you. You get to the White House and are escorted to the Oval Office. The President greets you like a long lost friend. All this time you just can’t figure out what this whole deal is all about. Then The President, your Commander in Chief says: “You are getting a promotion. I want you to be my ambassador. I have a special mission for you.” How would you feel at that moment? Your buttons would be popping off your uniform! You be proud! What a privilege that you were chosen!

That is exactly what happened when you accepted Jesus Christ into your life. God chose you for a mission. He wants you to share the good news about Jesus Christ with the world. He has provided the resources of His Word, the Holy Spirit and the Church to equip you. And he expects you to complete your mission.

At the beginning of your outline you can write in the blank:
MY 5th PURPOSE IS TO SHARE THE GOOD NEWS about Jesus Christ. Sharing the Gospel is called Evangelism or Outreach.

The Apostle Paul was given a mission from God. In the Book of Acts in Chapter 20 He is on his way to Jerusalem at the end of his 3rd missionary journey. He sends for the elders of the church at Ephesus and they come to Miletus to have a meeting with him. Paul gives a brief account of some of his mission activities and then he says: “But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” Acts 20:24 (NKJV)

The most important thing to Paul was for him to complete his mission, the work that the Lord Jesus gave him to do and that was to tell people the Good News about God's grace.

The Book of Ephesians is a great place to get a broad sweeping view of God’s master plan. In chapter 3 Paul talks about “…the eternal purpose which He (that’s God the Father) accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Eph. 3:11 (NKJV). And what is the plan that God has had since before the beginning of time? In Chapter 1 of Ephesians we find these words: “…having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him.” Eph 1:9-10 (NKJV)

So God’s plan is to bring everything together and He is accomplishing this through Jesus. If Jesus is the primary instrument for accomplishing God’s mission, maybe we should ask ourselves:

What was (or what is) Jesus’ mission? Jesus answers that question for us in His own words. He says in Luke 19: “for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10 (NIV)

He also tells us in John: “For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth.” John 18:37b (NKJV)

Jesus also says: “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10 (NKJV)

So Jesus’ own view of His mission is to seek and save the lost, to bear witness to the truth, and to give people life and not only just life but life in all of its fullness or abundance. Ok, that is Jesus’ mission. It sounds good, but, other than the fact that I am happy Jesus saved me and that I am going to spend eternity with Him in Heaven (which – don’t get me wrong – is a good thing) … what am I supposed do with this knowledge.

Why Is Jesus’ Mission important to me? Let’s look at 10 Reasons why Jesus Mission should be important to each one of us.

So here is the 1st reason:

1. My life mission must be like His mission.

In the Book of John Chapter 17 Jesus is talking with God the Father. He says: “As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.” John 17:18 (NKJV) God the Father sent Jesus (God the Son) into the world on a mission. Jesus sends his followers on the same kind of mission. Letting others know how they can have a relationship with God.

Next…

2. Jesus expects me to continue His mission.

Our Scripture verse today from Matthew has been called “The Great Commission. But there are actually 5 Great Commissions. One in each Gospel and one in the Book of Acts. One principle of Bible interpretation is that when God repeats a certain message in many different places it is especially important. So let’s review what the Bible says about our mission. Each of these 5 Great Commissions was spoken by Jesus Himself to the 11 remaining Apostles after He was risen from the dead during the 40 days he was on earth before He ascended back into Heaven. First from Matthew:

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.” Mat 28:19-20 (NKJV)

Now Mark: “And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” Mark 16:15 (NKJV)

Next Luke: “…“Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” Luke 24:46-47 (NKJV)

The Apostle John quotes Jesus saying: “As the Father has sent Me, I am sending you." John 20:21 (NIV)

And finally Jesus says in Acts: …you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8 (NKJV)

Putting all five of these verses together we find that the basic concept is action. We have been sent, we are to go, we are to go out, we are to tell others about Jesus, we are to teach them to do what Jesus has commanded, we are to disciple them, we are to be witnesses to the power of Jesus we have seen in our own lives. We do not do this in our own power or strength because Jesus has given us the Holy Spirit and our mission is not optional. Jesus does not say “If you feel like it or when you have a little extra time.” The Great Commission is not the Great Suggestion.

3. Sharing the Good News is my responsibility.

Let’s go to the Old Testament Book of Ezekiel and find out how God commissioned his servants a few hundred years before Christ. Ezekiel’s ministry was during the time of the Babylonian captivity about 575 BC. God tells Ezekiel: “When I (God) say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you (speaking of Ezekiel) give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. 19Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.” Ezek. 3:18-19 (NKJV)

A person that God has appointed as his servant has obligations. Has God changed His mind since then? I don’t think so and Paul agrees. In 1 Corinthians he says: “For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!” 1 Cor. 9:16 (NKJV) If you are a Christian sharing the Gospel is not optional.

Now on to reason number 4…

4. Sharing the Good News is a privilege.

“Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation … Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. 2 Cor. 5:18 & 20 (NKJV)

“…I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.” Romans 1:16 (NKJV)

Paul says that he is not ashamed. What is the opposite of being ashamed? It’s being proud! Paul has the special privilege of sharing the life changing message of Jesus. He is proud about that!

5. I am grateful for what Jesus has done for me.

Paul tells us to remember that before we were saved we “were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.” Eph. 2:12 (NKJV)

He also says that “…the love of Christ compels us…” 2 Cor. 5:14 (NKJV). The idea here is that we were hopelessly lost, God sought us out and He saved us. We are so glad that God has forgiven us and cleansed us that we can’t hold it back. We can’t stop ourselves. We are bursting with enthusiasm. We’ve just got to share this great news with people around us. Is that how you feel? Are you excited about your relationship with Jesus? Are you grateful enough to Jesus that you share Him with others?

That brings us to reason number 6:

In the Bible in the Book of Acts after the Apostle Peter had been used of God to heal a man who had been lame from birth - he takes this opportunity to explain God’s plan of salvation through Jesus Christ. Peter says about Jesus: “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12 (NKJV)

6. People are hopeless without Christ.

The Book of Romans tells us that: “…“whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” That’s great, that’s the Gospel in a nutshell. We need Jesus. But so does everyone else in the world, so Paul goes on the say: “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” How shall they hear without a preacher!

Who is that preacher? It’s you and it’s me and it’s everyone who calls Jesus his or her lord. We are all called to tell others about Jesus because anyone who does not know Him and trust Him alone for their eternal life is hopelessly lost and will die in their sins without Jesus, everybody in the world needs to know this, they cannot know this unless they are told, and they won’t get told unless you and you and you and you I tell them.

Why does God want us to tell others? This moves us along to reason number 7…

7. God wants everybody to be saved.

In 1 Timothy Paul reminds us that God “…desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” 1 Tim. 2:4 (NKJV)

Peter tells us in 2nd Peter that the Lord is: “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9 (NKJV)

God loves us. He does not want to see us get punished. He does not want anyone to end up in Hell. He wants to forgive us. He gives us many opportunities to spend eternity in Heaven with Him. In fact, to end up in Hell a person literally has to trip over God to get there … and they do! Jesus is referred to in Scripture as a stumbling block. But it’s our choice to accept or reject that offer of forgiveness. God will not violate our free will. If we do not want to obey the Lord and join Him in that special place He is preparing for us He won’t force us to do it.

8. I will be rewarded for eternity.

Paul counsels us that “…whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.” Col. 3:23-24 (NKJV)

Some of Paul’s final words to Timothy are: “Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.” 2 Tim. 4:8 (NKJV)

Have you loved His appearing? Are you a faithful servant of Jesus? Are you sharing the Good News with others? Are you looking forward to Christ’s return? Then you will be rewarded.

The subject of Christ’s return is an interesting one. Near the end of Jesus’ ministry His disciples had some questions on the subject of the end times. In Matthew Chapter 24 Jesus tells them that “…this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”

Now I have to be honest with you, I don’t have all the answers to what this means but one thing is clear - in some way …

9. God’s timetable for history is linked with my mission.

God wants every one to be saved, but there will come a time when the door to salvation will be shut. In the Book of Romans, Paul talks about some special events that will happen “when the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.” Rom. 11:25 (NKJV) God has appointed a time and when He is ready Jesus Christ will physically and visibly return to rule and reign. “Every eye will see Him.” Rev. 1:7 (NKJV)

If you know Jesus then you are looking forward to that day. If you do not know Jesus, if you have not been walking closely with Him, if you are not certain about your salvation, then you are probably not very excited about having Him return any time soon, if at all.

10. Heaven rejoices when people turn to God.

In Luke Chapter 15 we find the parable of the lost sheep. We are going to talk about this in detail during our series on the parables of Jesus which is starting the last Sunday in June. In this illustration Jesus teaches that there is joy in heaven when even one sinner repents.

Ok, there are our 10 reasons why Jesus’ mission should be important to us. We know we have a mission and that our mission must be like that of Jesus. But what steps do we need to take to do what the Lord wants us to do? Well fortunately He gave us specific instructions – marching orders if you will - about how we are to go about completing our mission.

COMPLETING MY MISSION:

The Chapter 1 of the Book of Acts Jesus tells His followers: “You will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8 (NIV)

So here is the game plan: First we are to go to:

“Jerusalem” which would be the people closest to us, then to
“Judea and Samaria.” That would be people who are geographically close to us but are culturally different from us. Then we are to go to the “Ends of the earth” and that means everybody else! So next on your outline …

1. I MUST SHARE WITH THOSE IN MY WORLD.
In Luke Chapter 8 is the account of Jesus casting demons out of a man who lived in a graveyard. Christian recording artist Bob Bennett sings a great song about this called “Man of the Tombs.” You may recall that Jesus sent the demons out of this man and into a herd of pigs. Some believe that this is the first mention in history of “deviled ham.” At any rate after the herd of “deviled ham” ran off a cliff into the sea we read: “Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him. But Jesus sent him away, saying, and “Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you.” And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.” Luke 8:38-39 (NKJV)

This is just one of the many examples in Scripture of evangelism close to home. The woman at the well in John 4: “…left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” John 4:28-29 (NKJV)

We need to start close to home, but then...

2. I MUST DARE TO REACH BEYOND MY WORLD.

In 1 Corinthians Paul says: “…I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more … I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.” 1 Cor. 9:19 & 22 (NKJV) The idea here is that whatever a person was like, Paul tried to find common ground with them so that he would have an opportunity to share Christ.

How can we do this in the year 2008? In Galatians 6:2 Paul tells us that we should “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” We are supposed to reach out to people who are poor, needy and oppressed. At Cypress Church we go into the Central part of Los Angeles on holidays like Thanksgiving and feed meals to the homeless. We also have a ministry that provides blankets for homeless people in Orange County. There are all sorts of opportunities available to serve others. The Book of James says that we should: “visit orphans and widows in their trouble.” (James 1:27) When we do things like this we build bridges that can open up opportunities to talk about how to know Jesus.

Jesus gives us a great lesson on this subject in Mathew. He says that when we do good things for others in need it is like doing them for Jesus Himself. “I was hungry, and you fed Me. I was thirsty, and you gave Me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited Me into your home. I was naked, and you gave Me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for Me. I was in prison, and you visited Me.” Mt. 25:35-36 (NLT)

And lest we think that there is all give and no take in this life of sacrificial service … just read in Mark Chapter 10 where Jesus tells us that those who give their lives to Him will be rewarded 100 times over.

3. I MUST CARE ABOUT THE WHOLE WORLD.

The idea of reaching out to the world did not begin in the New Testament. God’s mission for the Jewish nation was to be a witness to the world. In the Psalm 67 we find these words: “God be merciful to us and bless us, And cause His face to shine upon us … That Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations.”

Jesus said to His followers in Mark 16:15: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. .” Mark 16:15 (NKJV) In Acts 1:8 He says we are to be his witnesses “to the end of the earth.”

Many of you know the popular worship song: “Come, now is the time to worship.” But do you really know it? Let’s look at some of the words in that song:
“One day every tongue will confess You are God.One day every knee will bow.Still the greatest treasure remains for thoseWho gladly choose you now.”

Those words were not the figment of Brian Doerksen’s imagination when he wrote those lyrics.

Let’s look at Philippians 2:10 & 11: “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

You see some day there will come a time, the Day of Judgment, when every person will have to confess that Jesus is Lord. If you know Jesus and are trusting in Him alone for your eternal life then you will already be ruling and reigning with Jesus on that day. Those who have not accepted Jesus as their Lord during the time that the gift of God’s grace was available will hear God say: “…’Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’ There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth…” Luke 13:27-28 (NKJV) Why? Because those who do not know Jesus will spend all eternity separated from God. The Book of Revelation tells us: “And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” Rev. 20:15

So let’s summarize what we have talked about today up to this point. We were made for a mission - to share God’s Good News, the Gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ.

Our mission is like Jesus’ mission, He expects us to continue His mission. Jesus’ mission of sharing the Good News is not optional, it is our responsibility and it is also our great privilege. We do it because we are grateful that Jesus saved us and we know that everyone who has not accepted Jesus as the Lord of their life is absolutely lost, hopeless, destitute, and bankrupt. Our mission, should we choose to accept it, is to partner with God and be His body, his arms, his legs, his mouth and share Jesus with others during our time on planet earth. We will be rewarded eternally for fulfilling our mission, our mission is part of God’s overall plan and timetable for history and Heaven rejoices when people turn to God. We are to begin close to home and move out from there to other cultures and areas.

Ok, we know that we need to (and want to) share the Gospel, the Good News, the life changing message of Jesus, with others. But just exactly what do we say. How to we take this idea and put it into action?

First we develop our own personal testimony or our God story and then we make use of that to share Jesus with family, friends, neighbors and co-workers. Here is an example for you. In this illustration I am going to be having a conversation with my friend named “Bill.” Bill has just told me about some problems he has been having at work and that has opened the door for me to talk about Jesus.

Wow! Bill that’s a tough situation, but I want you to know you’re not alone. Several years ago I was having a number of issues in my life. I had a good job, but I also had a bad attitude. My boss gave me an ultimatum to shape up or I would get fired. I was worried about finances, wasn’t being a good husband or a good father, had few close friends and was drifting along with no real focus except how to have a good time.

One day a friend of mine helped me discover that I was definitely on the wrong track. From that point on my life changed dramatically. Now things are going very well at work, my family situation has improved; I am not worried as much about finances and have lots of friends. Sure I have problems to deal with just like everybody else. But I know where to turn for solutions. And the greatest thing of all is that I know for sure, if I were to die today, that I have eternal life![1]

May I ask you a question, Bill? Have you come to the place in your spiritual life where you know for certain that if you were to die today you would go to Heaven? Or is that something you would say you’re still working on? Bill’s response is that he does not think he can say for sure.

You know, Bill, God tells us in His Word “I write these things to you … so that you may know that you have eternal life?”[2] May I share with you how I came to know I have eternal life and how you can know it too? Bill says: “OK, I guess so.” May I ask you another question so that I can be more clear for you? Bill says: “Sure, Go ahead.”

And I continue … suppose you were to die today and stand before God[3] and He said to you, “Bill, why should I let you into My Heaven?” What would you say? Bill responds: Well, I guess I’m good enough, I mean I’ve done a few bad things, but I’m not as bad as some people I know.”

You are right on target with the majority of folks, Bill. Many people think the same way you do about this. But I’ve got some really good news for you. God tells us that Heaven, or eternal life, is a free gift.[4] Now I know that is hard to believe, I mean we all know that there’s no such thing as a free lunch, right? But this situation is different. Even if we were to try to pay to get into Heaven in some way,[5] God tells us in His Word that it is not earned or deserved.[6] Sure there is a price;[7] the good news is that it has already been paid.[8]

But there is a problem that needs to be solved.[9] As we look around us we can see that there are some major problems in the world[10] and even in us. These are due to something that God calls sin. Man is a sinner.[11] God says that everyone has sinned.[12] How would you define sin, Bill? Bill says: “Something bad, like stealing, I guess.” Well, God says that sin is anything that falls short of His perfect standards. He tells us in the Bible that we need to be perfect![13] How hard is that? I know there’s no way that I’m perfect. How about you? Bill says: “I don’t think I could ever be that good.” I continue: Ok, suppose that I invited you over for breakfast and fixed you an omelet with 2 good eggs and one rotten egg. Would you want to eat that omelet? No way! And we can’t ask God to accept us into heaven based on our imperfect lives. He doesn’t grade on a curve.[14] What this means is that man can’t save himself.

Why can’t we save ourselves? Because of what we know about God. The Bible tells us that God is love.[15] He is merciful and does not want to punish us,[16] but the same Bible also says that God is just[17] and will by no means let the guilty go unpunished.[18] The wages of sin is death[19] and so sin must be punished. Let’s suppose that I robbed a bank, got caught and stood before the judge. Even if I gave all the money back and promised never to rob another bank the law demands that a penalty be paid. So, how does God get us out of this mess?[20]

His solution for us is Jesus Christ! We all know the Christmas story and we’ve seen the nativity scenes with Jesus as a baby in the manger.[21] The incredible thing is that Jesus Christ is both 100% God and 100% man at the same time.[22] God tells us that the Word (that’s Jesus[23]) was God[24] and that the Word became flesh and lived here on earth among us![25] Jesus came to earth,[26] lived a sinless life,[27] died on the cross[28] and rose from the dead[29] to pay the penalty for our sins[30] and purchase a place in heaven for us.[31]

Let’s go back to the bank robber situation, God the judge[32] declared us guilty,[33] pronounced the penalty[34] and then stepped down from the bench, took off His robe[35] and paid our penalty for us.[36] Now that the penalty has been paid we are free to have a personal relationship with God.[37] Isn’t that incredible?

I remember when my son was about 4 years old. We visited the Grand Canyon. When he looked over the edge he said, “Daddy, I think God lives here.” Imagine that you are standing on one side of the Grand Canyon and that God is on the other side. The Canyon itself represents our sin. There is no way we can jump over to the other side. But God built a bridge in the person of Jesus Christ. God tells us that Jesus is the only way for anyone to reach Heaven.[38] God put all of our sins on Jesus when He was on the cross.[39] When Jesus had paid the penalty for our last sin He said, “It is finished.”[40] The phrase He used is exactly the same as the word the Greeks use for a debt that is “paid if full.” Now forgiveness and the free gift of eternal life are available to all.[41]

But … it’s not automatic.[42] How do we take advantage of this free gift of Heaven? By faith.[43] Now this faith that God talks about is not just head knowledge. The Bible tells us that even the demons know about Jesus,[44] but they aren’t going to heaven.[45] And this faith is more than just trusting God to provide us with a place to live or food to eat or praying when we’re sick or in trouble. That may be only a temporary, crisis kind of faith.[46]

True saving faith is trusting in Jesus Christ alone for our eternal life.[47] It means transferring our complete trust away from ourselves and anything we ever thought we could do that would get us into Heaven[48] and relying on Jesus. The Bible tells us that if we “believe on (or trust in) the Lord Jesus Christ we will be saved.”[49] It’s sort of like this chair next to me. I know the chair can support me. That’s head knowledge. But until I actually sit in that chair, I don’t really have faith.[50] We need to get up out of the chair we are sitting on that we made ourselves and sit in the chair that God provided, Jesus Christ.

Well, Bill, you’ve just heard the greatest offer of all time. Does this make sense to you? Would you like to receive God’s free gift of eternal life right now? If you would, I can pray for you and then, if you wish, I will lead you, step by step, in a prayer asking Jesus to come into your life.[51]

Bill says: Wow, this seems like a really big step. I’m not sure I’m ready right now. This sounds almost too good to be true.” I respond: “Tell you what Bill, I found out about God’s Free Gift of Eternal Life at the Sunday Bible study right here on the base. How about I come by Sunday morning about 10:30 and we can go over there together and get some of your questions answered, what do you say? Bill responds: “OK, you know where my place is, I’ll see you at 10:30.”

Now in this scenario Bill did not want to make a decision right away and that is OK. The main thing is he has heard the Gospel, I have shown that I love him enough to care about his future and I have invited him to investigate further. You can do this too. You have many relatives and friends who need to hear about Jesus Christ.

Friday when I was at work in Long Beach Harbor I was piloting a big container ship. While I was up on the bridge of the ship I went to get something to drink. The cup I picked up had the ship owner’s company logo on it and these words in bold type: “Take it personally!” When I looked at that cup I thought, these guys definitely have the right idea. When you have a job to do the way to be successful to really care about what you are doing. As members of the body of Christ we have a job to do. We are on a mission from God. We need to tell the world about Jesus. In order to be successful in completing our mission we need to “Take it personally!”

Let’s pray: "Father God, more than anything else, I want to fulfill the purposes you made me for. So today, I accept this fifth purpose, my mission to tell others. I want you to use me any time, any way, any place. I want to bring others to you. I want to serve your purpose in my generation. And I want to be a part of what you are doing in the world. From this day forward, I want to build my life around Your eternal purposes, and I want to help our church do the same. Help me to reach one more person for Jesus. I take my mission personally. In Jesus Name. Amen.”
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Outline for this message drawn from material provided by Rick Warren & Saddleback Church. Some content drawn from "Share Your Faith" workhop resources.
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Footnotes:

[1] 1 John 5:13
[2] 1 John 5:13
[3] Revelation 20:11-12
[4] Romans 6:23 (NLT)
[5] Matthew 7:22-23
[6] Ephesians 2:8-9
[7] Romans 6:23
[8] 1 Peter 1:18-19 (NLT)
[9] Isaiah 59:2
[10] John 3:19
[11] Romans 3:23, 1 John 1:8-10
[12] Romans 5:12
[13] Matthew 5:48
[14] James 2:10
[15] 1 John 4:16
[16] John 3:16-18
[17] Isaiah 45:21
[18] Exodus 34:7
[19] Romans 6:23
[20] Ephesians 2:8-9
[21] Luke 2:7, 12 & 16
[22] 1 Timothy 2:5; Romans 9:5
[23] 1 John 1:1; Revelation 19:11-13
[24] John 1:1; 1 Timothy 2:5
[25] John 1:14; 1 John 5:20
[26] 1 John 4:2
[27] 1 John 3:5
[28] 1 Corinthians 5:3
[29] 1 Corinthians 5:4; 1 Thessalonians 4:14
[30] 1 John 4:10
[31] John 14:2-3
[32] Romans 2:16
[33] Numbers 5:6
[34] Ezekiel 18:4 & 20
[35] Philippians 2:8
[36] 1 Corinthians 6:20; Hebrews 9:15
[37] 1 John 1:3
[38] John 14:6
[39] Isaiah 53:6, Hebrews 9:28; 1 Corinthians 15:3; 1 Peter 2:24
[40] John 19:30
[41] Acts 16:31, 1 John 2:2
[42] 1 John 2:12 (NASB)
[43] Romans 1:17, Galatians 2:16
[44] James 2:19
[45] Matthew 25:41
[46] Matthew 7:22-23
[47] Acts 4:10-12
[48] Titus 3:5
[49] Acts 16:31
[50] John 6:29; James 2:17
[51] Romans 10:9:

You Were Shaped For Serving God

You Were Shaped For Serving God:
Purpose Driven Life 40 Days Study - Week 5
Message Presented by Bob Koehler at the Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station
For the Military Community Christian Community
Sunday, June 1, 2008

Good Morning. Welcome to the Seal Beach Military Christian Community.

Deep down inside we all want to be successful – we need to believe that our lives have meaning. But most people feel uneasy about where they are at in life. They want something more.

The literary genius Henry David Thoreau said, "Most men live lives of quiet desperation." H. G. Wells, the famous historian and philosopher, said at age 61: "I have no peace. All life is at the end of the tether."
Ralph Barton, a top ranked cartoonist, left this note pinned to his pillow before taking his own life: "I have had few difficulties, many friends, great successes; I have gone from wife to wife, from house to house, visited great countries of the world, but I am fed up with inventing devices to fill up twenty-four hours of the day."

So how do we find meaning and success in our lives? Here is what Kareem Abdul-Jabar has to say about the subject: "Ive had enough success for two lifetimes. My success is talent put together with hard work and luck."

Here is another idea from a web page called “Top 7 Business/Life quotes: "The perfectness of who you are, knows which direction is right for your life. In order to discover this path, you must be quiet, calm your mind, and LISTEN intently to your subconscious mind as it will guide you to what your role on Earth is supposed to be." Now those are some the ways that “the world” tells you to find meaning and success.

Today we’re going to find out more about God’s way as we continue our 40 Days of Purpose Bible Study. In our first week we asked the question “What on earth am I here for? We discovered that God has five primary purposes for our lives: We have studied worship, fellowship and discipleship. Today we are going to look at God’s fourth purpose for your life, there on the top of your outline…you were Shaped For Serving God.

“We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Eph. 2:10 (NIV)

Now whenever God gives us an assignment to do something, He never gives it to us without equipping us first. As Job was talking about God he said: “Your hands have made me and fashioned me, An intricate unity;” Job 10:8a (NKJV)

God uses five things to fashion or shape you: Spiritual gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, and Experiences. That spells ‘SHAPE’. Those five things make you who you are and God uniquely shapes you, different from anybody else in the world, for a purpose. And that purpose is to serve Him.

Let’s look for a moment at 1 Peter Chapter 4 Verse 10. Take a look at your outline and you will see the first part of the verse:

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to “make lots of money???” Is that what the Bible says? No

“Each one should use whatever gift he’s received to serve others.” 1 Pet. 4:10 (NIV)

Do you remember the first line in the Purpose Driven Life book? “It’s not about you.” Your purpose in life is to be what God made you to be. And He gave you gifts and talents and abilities and background and experiences and all these things for the benefit of other people, to be used in serving others.

So write this down:
MY 4th PURPOSE IS TO: SERVE GOD BY SERVING OTHERS

Let’s turn in our Bibles to Mathew Chapter 20 … move down the page to verse 27. Two of Jesus’ disciples, James and John, the “Sons of Thunder,” have just asked Him (through their Mom!!!) if they can get promoted. They want to sit on either side of Jesus when He rules in His kingdom. Jesus tells them that the people who will sit in those places of honor have already been pre-determined by God the Father. Then He uses their question to teach an important lesson.

Listen to the words of Jesus Christ on the subject of service and ministry: He says: “…whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave - just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Mt. 20:27-28

So Jesus has told us that : Our attitude … must be like His attitude … Because He did not come to be served, but to serve...”

So let’s talk about LEARNING TO SERVE LIKE JESUS:
First of all SERVING LIKE JESUS MEANS BEING AVAILABLE.

One of the interesting things about Jesus’ teaching method is that He almost always gives us a principle that is closely linked to an example of He … Himself … doing what He wants us to do.

Let’s look at verse 29: “Now as they went out of Jericho, a great multitude followed Him.” So Jesus is with his entourage. He is in the limelight. He is being admired. People are following Him. He is BUSY!!!

Verse 30: “And behold, two blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!”

These guys know that Jesus is someone special. They have never seen Him but they have heard about Him. They believe that He is the Messiah. They believe He can help them.

Let’s listen to the normal human reaction to this situation. Vs. 31:
“Then the multitude warned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!”

The crowd has pre-judged these blind men. They probably thought, as many of us do in our hearts, that the reason these guys have a problem is because of some sin or personal failure in their lives. The crown is selfish. They want Jesus for themselves. After all just a few chapters back he fed them for free. They react as many of us normally react. We do not want to interrupt the flow. We do not want to stop what we are doing. We are TOO BUSY to help anybody else.

But look at what Jesus does! In verse 32: “So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, “What do you want Me to do for you?”
Jesus stopped – He took the time to care – He made Himself available. Verse 33: “They (the blind men) said to Him, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened.”

Verse 34: So Jesus … said He had to hurry and find a room at the inn and He might be able to see them tomorrow??? NO
So Jesus … said call Mary and make an appointment??? NO
So Jesus … said its not in my job description. You see, I’m in my civvies today but I am actually the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. I’m in a hurry to get to Jerusalem because I’m scheduled to be Grand Marshall of the Triumphal Entry parade. These Spec Four Healers here can take care of you!! No!

The Bible tells us in Verse 34: “So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.”

Jesus took the time to care and to actually do something for people in need. The Bible tells us in the Book of Proverbs: “Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come back, And tomorrow I will give it,” When you have it with you.” Prov. 3:28 (NKJV)

What is the matter with us? Why is it that we are so unwilling to actually stop what we are doing and serve other people? Let’s talk about three barriers or mental roadblocks we have that can keep us from doing what God has told us to do:

Write this down … the 1st Barrier is: SELF-CENTEREDNESS

In Philippians Paul says: “Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” Philippians 2:4
This means we need to “Forget (ourselves) long enough to lend (others) a helping hand.” Phil. 2:4 (MSG)

Let’s turn to the Gospel of John the 15th Chapter: Jesus and His disciples have just finished the last supper. He is giving them final instructions because He will soon be going to the cross. He has just talked with them about bearing fruit and shared with them that the only way a person can bear fruit that is pleasing to God is to be connected with or to abide in Him - Jesus Christ.

Let’s go to verse 9: Jesus is speaking:
“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.
“These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. 12This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”

OK – so how do we have a joy filled life, how do find purpose and meaning? We love others and we serve them by laying down our lives for them. If you are in the military you may actually be called to put your life on the line. You might have to go to Iraq. You might get shot at. You might have to risk your life to save someone else. You might die for your country. If you have a civilian job you go to work and you follow the boss’s instructions. You know what it means to serve. That’s your job.

So yes, you are serving when you are at work. You follow orders. But while you are wearing your uniform or while you are at your job, are you serving your fellow soldiers or the other men and women in your unit or your department? When you get back from drill or from work, when you are on leave or vacation with your family, when you are out in the community, are you making sacrificial service to others a priority?

We need to have correct priorities. The military is loaded with alphabet soup acronyms. Here is one to help you remember a biblical truth:

JOY: J = Jesus; O = Others; Y = Yourself. Put Jesus first, then you will want to serve others, and you will have plenty of time to spare for yourself. The result of this will be a joy-filled, purposeful and successful life.

Now we turn to the 2nd Barrier, you can jot this in your notes:

The 2nd Barrier is: PERFECTIONISM

When I was in charge of a boat group for the SEAL Team in Viet Nam, the SEAL platoon leader would always plan our missions very carefully. One false move might mean detection by the enemy. Careful planning is important but when our goal is actually accomplishing a mission there is a time to stop planning and move out.

Using the example of agriculture, the Book of Ecclesiastes says: “He who observes the wind will not sow, And he who regards the clouds will not reap” Eccl. 11:4. Now what is this verse talking about. If the farmer waits for absolutely perfect conditions the job will never get done. And there will be no crop – i.e. no fruit.

I am a student in Bible College. When Cypress Church opened the door last fall and asked me to be responsible for Outreach I could have said, “I’m not sure this is the right time. I still have some more classes to take to finish the program.” Instead I recognized the need and asked God to use me, as an admittedly imperfect tool, to accomplish His purpose on a moment by moment basis. We need to train to expect the unexpected. We need to pray for God to open doors of opportunity. When the door for service opens we need to move out.

Now on to the… 3rd Barrier which is: MATERIALISM

In the Gospel of Luke we read: “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” Or “money” in the NIV.

All of us like money. Why? Because we use money to buy stuff or go on vacation or go out to dinner or go to a Lakers game. Speaking of money, I’ve got some good news for military families. The House of Representatives has just approved a possible 3.9% pay increase starting in 2009. Assuming this goes through, where will that extra money go?

I would like to invite you to give yourself a couple of little tests. First, open your checkbook or look at your last couple of bank statements or credit card statements and see where you spend most of your money. Have you given any to charity? Have you contributed to God’s work?

Next, start keeping track of how you spend your time. How much time do you spend studying God’s word and praying for your family, your church, your community, your nation and the world? How much time do you spend actually doing something for someone else?

You have control over two very basic assets in your life: Time and money. Whenever you spend time or money doing one thing you are sacrificing the opportunity to have or to do something else. You will spend the most time and the most money on what you care about the most. Whatever that thing is … it is in essence your Lord and Master or your God.

Paul tells us in the Book of Romans: “Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? Romans 6:16

Romans 12 Verse 1 tells us: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.”

Jesus tells us that as his disciples we must be obedient to His word and sacrifice our time and energy and money … the things that the world thinks are valuable … so that we will be able to devote our time, our energy and our money (everything available to or produced by our bodies) as a living sacrifice to serve God by serving others. In the process of serving others, we (that is our character) will be gradually transformed into the image of Christ.

We have all seen the bumper sticker that reads “He who dies with the most toys wins.” But that is a very short sighted, secular, non-Christian viewpoint. How many of you have ever seen a hearse pulling a U-Haul trailer to the cemetery. You can’t take it with you! Invest in God’s kingdom and you will receive eternal rewards in heaven and a joyful, abundant life here on earth.

Next - #2 - SERVING LIKE JESUS MEANS BEING GRATEFUL.

In the Gospel of John Chapter 11 we read: “Jesus looked up and said, ‘Father, I thank you that you have heard Me. I knew that you always hear Me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here...’" John 11:41-42 (NIV)

The Book of Psalms says to: “Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with singing.” Ps. 100:2 (NKJV)

Paul writes in Philippians: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:6 (NKJV)

And later in 1 Thessalonians he tells us: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thes. 16-18 (NKJV)
I want you to notice that each of the last three verses we just looked at were not suggestions but commands. We must find ways to be thankful for the opportunities God gives us to serve.

But, once again, there are barriers in our path. Serving others is not always easy. Our sinful human nature tells us that we really need to compare ourselves with others, see ourselves as overburdened and be critical. The first barrier that keeps us from following God’s command to be thankful as we serve others is:

1st Barrier: COMPARING & CRITICIZING

How many of you have every tried to get some help with a project and run into some of the members of the Tate Family? They are everywhere. You find some of them at work, some right here on the base, some in your family and also some at church.

There is old man Dic-Tate who wants to run everything, while Uncle Ro-Tate tries to change everything. There's sister Agi-Tate who stirs up plenty of trouble, with help from her husband, Irri-Tate. Whenever new projects are suggested, Hesi-Tate and his wife, Vege-Tate, want to wait until next year. Devas-Tate provides the voice of doom, while Poten-Tate wants to be a big shot. Then there is Aunt Imi-Tate, who wants her church to be like all the others.

In Romans chapter 14 Paul says: “Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.” Rom 14:4 (NKJV). So Paul is telling us here: “Who are you to criticize someone else's servant? The Lord will determine whether His servant has been successful.” Rom. 14:4 (GW)

Jesus says in Luke Chapter 6:37-38: “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”

Now the 2nd Barrier: WRONG MOTIVATIONS

Self-promotion and servant hood don’t mix, but it’s easy to get them mixed up. A lot of our service, let’s just be honest, it can be self-serving at times. Sometimes we serve to get others to like us. We serve to be admired. We serve to achieve our own goals. We serve as sort of a bargaining chip with God. You know … we say: “God, I’ll serve and You take care of me over here.” There are all kinds of wrong motivations.

Jesus said: “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.” Mat. 6:1 (NKJV)

So this means that when you do good deeds, don't try to show off. If you do, you won't get a reward from God.

# 3. SERVING LIKE JESUS MEANS BEING FAITHFUL.

Now what does that mean? It means you don’t give up. You keep on going. You don’t quit in the middle of your assignment. At the end of Jesus’ ministry on earth, Jesus said this in John 17:4: “I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.” John 17:4 (NKJV) In the NIV this verse reads: “I have brought You glory on earth by completing the work You gave me to do.” John 17:4 (NIV)

We need to be faithful not just because it sounds like it might be a good idea. We need to be faithful because God tells us to do so:

Look at the next verse in your outline (1 Cor. 4:2 and Fill in the blanks): “Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. 1 Cor. 4:2

Paul tells us: “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” 1 Cor. 15:58 (NKJV) Another way to say this might be: “Throw yourselves into the work of the Master, confident that nothing you do for Him is a waste of time or effort.” 1 Cor. 15:58 (MSG)

In the book of Hebrews we read: “He (that’s Jesus) will not forget how hard you have worked for Him and how you have shown your love to Him by caring for other Christians.” Heb. 6:10 (NLT)

Some of Paul’s final words in 2 Timothy are: “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.” 2 Tim 4:6-8 (NKJV) That’s you and me he’s talking about. Because we love God we will love our others and serve them and God will give us a reward.

So how do we find meaning and success in life? We serve Jesus by serving others. We make ourselves available to Him. We do this by having our hearts and minds God centered instead of self centered. We do not allow the barriers of perfectionism and materialism to slow us down. We are thankful to Jesus for saving us and opening doors of opportunity for us to serve others. We avoid comparing ourselves to others and criticizing them. We search our hearts regularly to be certain that our motives are pure. And we determine to be faithful to whatever God has called us to do.

This sounds like a hard job and if we try to do it in our own strength it is absolutely impossible. But if we rely on the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit we will one day hear Jesus say: “'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things so; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!” Matt. 25:21 (NIV)

Jesus is telling us here that as we serve others and are obedient to Him in small tasks, He will use our obedience in small things to train us and change our character so that we will be ready for more. And that this process of fulfilling His purpose for us, through serving others, gives our lives meaning and as a result we will be successful in God’s eyes and we will share in His happiness.

Let’s pray together: Father I realize that I was shaped to serve You by serving others. Forgive me for the times I’ve put a “do not disturb” sign on my heart. Help me to see the interruptions as opportunities to serve. Help me to make time for what matters most. You’ve been so good to me. I want to give something back. I want to serve You freely and gratefully and faithfully, and I want to practice before I get to heaven so one day I can hear You say “Well done, good and faithful servant … Come and share your master's happiness.” In Jesus Name I pray, Amen.

(Above message outline and materials drawn in part from resources provided by Saddleback Church and the Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren)

Now let’s turn to the subject of Communion:

Let’s open our Bibles John Chapter 6. Here we have one of the Gospel accounts of Jesus miraculously feeding the 5,000. Afterwards He goes across to the other side of the lake and the people follow him. Jesus knows that they are following him in hopes of another free meal.

In Verse 26: “Jesus answered them and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. 27Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.” 28Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” 29Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” 30Therefore they said to Him, “What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do? 31Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” 32Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34Then they said to Him, “Lord, give us this bread always.” 35And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.” John 6:26-35 (NKJV)

Then skipping down to verse 53: “Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. 54Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” John 6:53-54 (NKJV)

So let’s unpack this concept. Jesus says that we are not supposed to work to get stuff … because “stuff” is the food that perishes. We are to work for the food that endures forever … the food that will give us everlasting life. Then Jesus tells us that we must “eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood” in order to have eternal life. But … we know from the book of Ephesians that we are not saved by anything we can do. We are saved by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ. When we admit we are sinners, believe that Jesus’ finished work on the cross has paid our sin debt in full, confess our sins to God, turn away from our sins and commit our lives to Jesus by asking Him to be the Lord of our lives … at that moment we have partaken of Jesus because we have fully joined our new lives to Him.

Once we have been born again in Christ we will desire to be obedient to Him. We are told in Ephesians 2:10: “For we (that means every Christian believer) are His (that is God’s) workmanship (that means that your new life in Christ is all God’s doing), created in (meaning we trust and abide in) Christ Jesus for good works (we are supposed to serve others), which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (that means to actually serve others – not just talk about doing it).”

From the beginnings of the early church, believers have gotten together on a regular basis to study God’s Word, worship Jesus and fellowship with each other. From the very start we, as Christians, have observed two customs or ordinances: Baptism, that we talked about 2 weeks ago, and communion. At Cypress Church our custom is to offer communion to believers on the first Sunday of each month.

How did communion originate? At the last supper, just before He went to the cross, Jesus explained in detail about how Christians should remember Him. Paul tells us about this moment in 1 Corinthians Chapter 11:

23For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” 26For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.27Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.” 1 Cor. 11:23-28 (NKJV)

Let’s bow out heads. As our heads are bowed and are hearts are turned towards God, let’s silently ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to us anything sinful in our lives that we need to confess. I’m going to give you a moment to talk silently to God and then we will pray together asking Him to forgive us.

Heavenly Father, thank you so much for sending Jesus to die on the cross and pay the penalty for our sins. Lord we know that we have not always done what is pleasing in your eyes. We confess our sins to you and we turn away from them now. Thank you Lord that your Word promises us “If we confess our sins, (You are) faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” We believe in you Jesus and we place our eternal destiny in your hands. Thank you for the free gift of eternal life. Amen

When you are ready you may take the elements. The bread represents (but does not literally become) the body of Jesus Christ that was broken for you. The grape juice represents (but does not literally become) the blood He shed to pay the price for your sins. Please take a piece of bread, dip it in the juice, and we will partake of the elements together.

Lord Jesus, thank you for your finished work on the cross. We do this in remembrance of you. Thank you for giving us new life so that we can use our time, our energy and our resources to serve others in your strong Name. Amen