May 7, 2024 • 16 mins
This episode sheds light on the role of the local New Testament church, its divine purpose, and the important role you can play as a member of a church.
This episode uncovers the truth about the local church as more than just a building or a social club but rather a fellowship established by Jesus Christ Himself. We explore the church's larger mission as God's instrument to seek and save the lost, mirroring Jesus's self-sacrifice, commitment, and purpose on earth.
This exploration extends to the understanding of 'The Great Commission', Jesus's last mandate to His church. We examine the five core parts of this divine assignment, revealing the broad picture of God's mission. Our message emphasizes that every believer should champion this purpose, sharing the Gospel to contribute to God's worldwide mission.
This episode challenges you to introspect and discover your place in God's mission, using your unique talents and divine gifts to fulfill God's purpose. We address the significance of seizing present opportunities instead of excessively focusing on the future.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:01):
Hey there, friends. Welcome to the Taking Your Next Step podcast from Collegians for Christ.
Through each episode, we will journey together, focusing on knowing what you
believe and why you believe it.
If you are eager, like I am, to strengthen your faith and take your next step
now by joining us in today's episode.
So we'll finish up our study here on the local New Testament church.
(00:23):
We're looking at God's mission for the local church. Also looking at your place
within the local church, how vital it is. We've been kind of stressing this.
It's very important that each believer have a place within the local church
because that's the way God designed it. Jesus Christ came.
His ultimate goal was he was going to die for humanity, and he began to build
(00:45):
his church because the church is vital.
Think about how important the church is to Jesus. He gave himself for it. He gave all for it.
He is building it. And if that's that important to him, then it must be that important to our lives.
And so I just say this, the church does not exist as just a social club,
to be some display of architecture in towns, to take up some space on a lot.
(01:07):
It's not because of man's idea.
You see, the church is Jesus's idea, and God has a specific mission for his church.
God desires to use each of us. And remember, the church is not the building.
The church is the people. And so God desires to use each of us in his plan.
There's something so much greater that you and I are a part of.
(01:28):
And God desires for you and I to have our place within the local church, to use our talents.
Paul uses the example of the body, that we're all a part and how essential each part is.
When we come to Scripture, we see in Luke 19.10, Jesus said,
I have come to seek and to save that which was lost.
So what does Jesus say his sole purpose for coming to earth is? is to seek.
(01:52):
And to save that which is lost. Think about the word seek. It means you must go out and find people.
Jesus came to find people. We play hide and seek with our son, Brayden.
He's five, and he loves to play it, and he loves to go hide,
and then we'll come and find him, and then flip-flop.
We'll go hide, and then he comes and tries to find us.
We say hide and seek because you go intentionally to find people.
(02:14):
And so Jesus gave the command to the local church, and we'll look at that in
just a moment, to go into all the world and preach the gospel to to every creature.
So he's, in essence, relayed what he was doing.
He came to seek and to save that which was lost, and now he's relayed that to
you and I, that you and I are to go out and do, to seek and to save by sharing
(02:34):
the message of Jesus Christ.
And to save the lost means that we share the gospel with people.
We share the message of the good news that Jesus came to this earth. He died.
He was buried and he rose again. And he did that because you and I need a savior.
And many times we need to expand on what we say the gospel is because people
have no biblical context or they have been taught that they're here by natural
(02:58):
processes and God is not their creator.
So when you begin to share Jesus with someone, they may look at you with a blank
stare, like, why do I need him?
Why do I need him to live a more moral life? What's he going to do for me?
But when you put them in the light of God created you, as a result, God has a law.
When we break God's law, we lie, we steal, we hate.
(03:19):
We can go through the Ten Commandments. We desire something that someone else has.
All these are breaking God's law. And as we break God's law,
we understand the punishment is the law.
The wages of sin is death, but God doesn't leave us there. And that's where
the good news comes in. But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
And so as we view this, we begin to see that you and I have been relayed the mission, if you will.
(03:44):
We would say God has a mission and God's mission is important.
When you think about a mission, it's an important assignment.
It's a very strongly felt aim. It's meant to be fulfilled.
I always think about Navy SEALs as they go out. There's literally no point of
return until the mission is complete and you and I are to go out.
We can look throughout scripture and there's numerous verses that you'll find
(04:07):
there in the description about God's mission.
But God's mission is this, is to bring a sinful mankind back into a right relationship
with him through Jesus Christ.
Is that all people everywhere would know who God is.
To bring a sinful mankind back into the right relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
(04:27):
This this is what we refer to as world evangelism.
Now, how do we know that this is important to God?
Well, let me give you five quick reasons why you see God's heart in his mission.
One, God created the whole world.
Number two, God desires for the whole world to know him.
Number three, God loves the whole world. Number four, God gave his son for the whole world.
(04:50):
And lastly, God wants the the whole world to be saved.
And there's scripture that back up each one of those. And so we see God's mission
in the world includes everyone, but it also includes you and I being active in that.
And so God's command for his mission, we see that in.
And we refer to that as the Great Commission. It's really Jesus's last words to his disciples.
(05:14):
It's his dying words, his command.
Jesus's last command to the church is what we refer to as the Great Commission.
And so we would say we find this in the book of Matthew, Mark,
Luke, John, and the book of Acts.
And so we find five parts of this commission.
And when you put them all together, you get the whole, the totality of this
(05:35):
mission. So five parts make up the whole.
If you were to take them in chronological order, you would find it in the book
of John, then Luke, then Matthew, then Mark, and then the book of Acts.
You'll find the scripture references there in that chronological order.
I believe it would be a great help to you if you read that in a chronological order.
We see in the book of John, we're sent with the divine authority.
(05:57):
Like we have a right to go and to talk to people.
Luke, we see we are to be witnesses with something that we've experienced.
We witness we witness of what we have witnessed ourselves
uh we see matthew we're to go out and make disciples
we're to baptize them in the name of the father son and the
holy ghost mark 16 we learn there's no person or place to stop and in acts we
(06:18):
learn kind of the method we begin in jerusalem then judea samaria and the uttermost
parts of the earth and we also understand we're given a power to accomplish
it the holy ghost shall come upon you and it's interesting when When you read all those passages,
you hear these words, go ye,
go ye, go ye into all the world, into all nations, all the world,
(06:38):
the innermost parts of the earth.
You hear that word go, which is very simple. It means get up and go.
Can't remain stationary. There's
intent, there's movement, there's action that goes with the word go.
And so we understand that God has a mission, but can I say this?
Secondly, God's mission should be our mission.
As believers in Jesus Christ, God's mission should be our mission.
(07:00):
We look at Mark 16, 15, just to be a basis.
I believe it really sums up, if you will, a condensed version of what this great commission is.
It says, go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
So it says, go ye. Who is this command given to? It was given specifically to the disciples.
And then we understand because the church began with Christ and his disciples,
(07:23):
this command is given to you and I.
This command is not given to a building. It is not given to just the pastor
or the church staff or just the deacons.
It is given to every single believer who has accepted the free gift of salvation.
We are called to be personally involved in God's mission. Can I say this? It's not an option.
And in order to be personally involved,
(07:44):
we have to get up and go and do something. We must be intentional.
And so it tells us to go into all the world. That means there's no place that is off limits.
We must have a worldwide vision for God's work.
And we're to do what? He tells us exactly what to do, to preach the gospel.
Now, we said earlier, the gospel is the good news about the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
(08:06):
But can I say this? when you hear the word preach the gospel, what comes to your mind?
Typically, we envision the pastor standing behind the pulpit preaching the word of God.
Now, while this is one way to preach the word of God, it is not the only way.
This command was given to all believers, and not all believers are called to be a pastor.
Can I tell you, there are so many ways to preach the gospel to other people.
(08:29):
Sometimes it's you praying with them. Sometimes it's sharing a word.
Sometimes it It is going and sharing the gospel. Sometimes it's asking a question.
Sometimes it's your life being lived out before them.
They see you going through something. They see you having hope and they say,
wow, there's something different.
Being creative, sharing a word of encouragement, sharing something on social
media, doing a podcast, being a witness at your kid's baseball game,
(08:53):
a wrestling match, be a smiling face, be an encourager.
These are all ways that go into preaching the gospel.
The Bible says some planted, some of water, but God gives the increase.
Not everybody's called to be a preacher, to stand behind a pulpit.
Not everybody's called to go to the college campus and share the gospel with students.
(09:15):
Not everybody's called to youth ministry, but everybody is called to go out
into the world and share the gospel with those that are around them. That's our Jerusalem.
And you and I must, and I guess this, we don't need to just narrow it down to
a one-time event once a week.
Like you can go and knock on a door and share the gospel, pass out a gospel
(09:36):
track. These are ways that you can share the gospel, but they are not the only way.
And some of you are better equipped to do it a different way.
Some of you are better equipped as teachers to teach and to be a witness and
to talk to young people and to students within your vocation.
I mean, there's vocational ministry. I love that aspect.
And we teach that often through our ministry on campus because so many of our
(09:58):
students are going into vocational fields.
So just because you're not a pastor or an evangelist or a missionary doesn't
mean you have no ability to be a minister. We're all called to ministry.
Don't separate somebody's call to full-time ministry. And then you don't,
we're all called to ministry.
We just all have to support ourselves in different ways. Some are called to lead the church.
(10:21):
There's a position there and they have to have a way to support themselves.
Some are called to be teachers. Some are called to be doctors.
And you can use that field. You can go into the military, use wherever God has
placed you as your mission field.
If God's called you to that office, then guess what? The patients,
the people that are working around you, that is your mission field.
(10:43):
Identify that and be ready to find creative ways to share Jesus, to share the gospel.
It can be to sit down and open up the Word, but it doesn't have to be.
Some people are just not ready for that. You have to think about most everybody
that we have seen saved, there has been so much groundwork in their lives,
whether it was a grandma, whether it was somebody on YouTube,
(11:04):
whether they had this question because a friend invited them to Bible study
or their doormate or whatever.
There's so much watering and preparing the soul that goes on in a person's life.
And that's preaching the gospel.
And I want you to get a hold of that and realize there's so many ways.
And ultimately, this idea of the Great Commission, or you and I sharing the
(11:25):
gospel, should become a lifestyle that we live rather than just a scheduled activity that we do.
It should become a lifestyle that you and I live rather than a scheduled activity that we do.
And it tells us to go into all the world, preach the gospel to every creature.
So there's no person that's off limits.
This is everyone that God has placed around you. This is your family,
(11:47):
your friends, strangers. strangers, this is co-workers, classmates, doormates.
So what is your plan within God's mission?
How are you personally active in God's mission?
You need to find a place of faithful service where you can live out your faith. Why is this important?
One, because you'll get bored with God if you don't. You'll miss your creative purpose if you don't.
(12:10):
God created you with purpose, and so So often we struggle with our identity,
with who we are, and that's so many times tied back into why God created us.
And when we're not fulfilling that creative purpose, you and I struggle with our identity.
You don't want to miss your purpose. You don't want to lose out on the joy and
the peace that God has for you.
(12:32):
Ephesians 2, 8 and 10 is a beautiful passage of scripture. We use verses 8 and
9 so often for salvation.
For by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves is a gift
of God, not of works lest any man should boast.
And then it goes into verse 10 talking about we are a workmanship created in
Christ Jesus, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them.
(12:54):
And that means that you and I are a masterpiece.
We're created for a purpose, and so often we're losing that purpose.
So often we're missing and we're losing our identity because we're not doing
what God has created for us to do.
So stop looking for that next thing.
Stop thinking when I get there, this happens, then I will serve God,
(13:17):
then I will share the gospel, then I will engage engage in active ministry once
I graduate from college or get that next job or am able to take that position within the church.
You see, too often we miss what God has for us when it's right in front of us
because we're staring off into the future, hoping and thinking and wondering,
when will that next thing come?
(13:37):
Can I say this? As we read that verse, you are a masterpiece.
God created you and ordained that you would walk in these good works.
That means God has dreamed a dream for your life, and that dream for your life
is greater than any dream you could ever dream.
God is a dream, and as you walk within that dream, that is God's will for your
(13:58):
life, and you walk in that, you get to feel like God created you.
You get to feel as that masterpiece.
You get to fulfill your creative purpose. You begin to see your identity. I was put here for this.
This is why God created me. This is why God gave me this talent.
This is why God gifted me this way, so so that I could reach this segment of people.
You're not called to reach the same people I'm called.
(14:21):
I'm not called to reach the same people. You're gifted different than I am and vice versa. Why?
Because you're created as a masterpiece, just as God intended you to be.
And when you can find that intention and that creation that God created you
to be, and you put that where God wants you to be, you will be fulfilled and
you will be a huge, huge impact for God's kingdom and for God's work.
(14:44):
So are you living out the dream that God has dreamed for you?
Settle in where you are. I know sometimes we deal with students and they're
like, man, when I graduate or I get to this or I get over this class or this
semester or I get to my job or I move out of here, you got to stop looking out
and start looking where you're at.
Be faithful where God has placed you. Give it all. Give God 100% in those mundane,
(15:09):
ordinary days where you're at. And so ask yourself these three,
these questions, where are you serving?
When are you serving? Who are you serving? And why are you serving?
There should be a place that you're serving, whether it's through your local
church, you have active ministry, your campus, your dorm, your workplace.
(15:29):
When are you serving? Hopefully it's not just a one hour block time.
Some people just schedule the time. There's nothing wrong with that.
That's one way to preach the gospel, but that is not the only way.
And like I say, it should become a lifestyle, not an activity that we do.
And then who are you serving?
We're serving God. It's the least we can do for what he's done for us.
And why are you serving him?
(15:52):
You see, God's mission should be our mission. God has a mission and God's mission should be our mission.
Thank you for taking the time to listen. If this podcast has been helpful to
you, please share it with a friend or subscribe to stay up to date on the latest episodes.
Music.
Hey there, friends. Welcome to the Taking Your Next Step podcast from Collegians for Christ.
Through each episode, we will journey together, focusing on knowing what you
believe and why you believe it.
If you are eager, like I am, to strengthen your faith and take your next step
now by joining us in today's episode.
So we'll finish up our study here on the local New Testament church.
(00:23):
We're looking at God's mission for the local church. Also looking at your place
within the local church, how vital it is. We've been kind of stressing this.
It's very important that each believer have a place within the local church
because that's the way God designed it. Jesus Christ came.
His ultimate goal was he was going to die for humanity, and he began to build
(00:45):
his church because the church is vital.
Think about how important the church is to Jesus. He gave himself for it. He gave all for it.
He is building it. And if that's that important to him, then it must be that important to our lives.
And so I just say this, the church does not exist as just a social club,
to be some display of architecture in towns, to take up some space on a lot.
(01:07):
It's not because of man's idea.
You see, the church is Jesus's idea, and God has a specific mission for his church.
God desires to use each of us. And remember, the church is not the building.
The church is the people. And so God desires to use each of us in his plan.
There's something so much greater that you and I are a part of.
(01:28):
And God desires for you and I to have our place within the local church, to use our talents.
Paul uses the example of the body, that we're all a part and how essential each part is.
When we come to Scripture, we see in Luke 19.10, Jesus said,
I have come to seek and to save that which was lost.
So what does Jesus say his sole purpose for coming to earth is? is to seek.
(01:52):
And to save that which is lost. Think about the word seek. It means you must go out and find people.
Jesus came to find people. We play hide and seek with our son, Brayden.
He's five, and he loves to play it, and he loves to go hide,
and then we'll come and find him, and then flip-flop.
We'll go hide, and then he comes and tries to find us.
We say hide and seek because you go intentionally to find people.
(02:14):
And so Jesus gave the command to the local church, and we'll look at that in
just a moment, to go into all the world and preach the gospel to to every creature.
So he's, in essence, relayed what he was doing.
He came to seek and to save that which was lost, and now he's relayed that to
you and I, that you and I are to go out and do, to seek and to save by sharing
(02:34):
the message of Jesus Christ.
And to save the lost means that we share the gospel with people.
We share the message of the good news that Jesus came to this earth. He died.
He was buried and he rose again. And he did that because you and I need a savior.
And many times we need to expand on what we say the gospel is because people
have no biblical context or they have been taught that they're here by natural
(02:58):
processes and God is not their creator.
So when you begin to share Jesus with someone, they may look at you with a blank
stare, like, why do I need him?
Why do I need him to live a more moral life? What's he going to do for me?
But when you put them in the light of God created you, as a result, God has a law.
When we break God's law, we lie, we steal, we hate.
(03:19):
We can go through the Ten Commandments. We desire something that someone else has.
All these are breaking God's law. And as we break God's law,
we understand the punishment is the law.
The wages of sin is death, but God doesn't leave us there. And that's where
the good news comes in. But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
And so as we view this, we begin to see that you and I have been relayed the mission, if you will.
(03:44):
We would say God has a mission and God's mission is important.
When you think about a mission, it's an important assignment.
It's a very strongly felt aim. It's meant to be fulfilled.
I always think about Navy SEALs as they go out. There's literally no point of
return until the mission is complete and you and I are to go out.
We can look throughout scripture and there's numerous verses that you'll find
(04:07):
there in the description about God's mission.
But God's mission is this, is to bring a sinful mankind back into a right relationship
with him through Jesus Christ.
Is that all people everywhere would know who God is.
To bring a sinful mankind back into the right relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
(04:27):
This this is what we refer to as world evangelism.
Now, how do we know that this is important to God?
Well, let me give you five quick reasons why you see God's heart in his mission.
One, God created the whole world.
Number two, God desires for the whole world to know him.
Number three, God loves the whole world. Number four, God gave his son for the whole world.
(04:50):
And lastly, God wants the the whole world to be saved.
And there's scripture that back up each one of those. And so we see God's mission
in the world includes everyone, but it also includes you and I being active in that.
And so God's command for his mission, we see that in.
And we refer to that as the Great Commission. It's really Jesus's last words to his disciples.
(05:14):
It's his dying words, his command.
Jesus's last command to the church is what we refer to as the Great Commission.
And so we would say we find this in the book of Matthew, Mark,
Luke, John, and the book of Acts.
And so we find five parts of this commission.
And when you put them all together, you get the whole, the totality of this
(05:35):
mission. So five parts make up the whole.
If you were to take them in chronological order, you would find it in the book
of John, then Luke, then Matthew, then Mark, and then the book of Acts.
You'll find the scripture references there in that chronological order.
I believe it would be a great help to you if you read that in a chronological order.
We see in the book of John, we're sent with the divine authority.
(05:57):
Like we have a right to go and to talk to people.
Luke, we see we are to be witnesses with something that we've experienced.
We witness we witness of what we have witnessed ourselves
uh we see matthew we're to go out and make disciples
we're to baptize them in the name of the father son and the
holy ghost mark 16 we learn there's no person or place to stop and in acts we
(06:18):
learn kind of the method we begin in jerusalem then judea samaria and the uttermost
parts of the earth and we also understand we're given a power to accomplish
it the holy ghost shall come upon you and it's interesting when When you read all those passages,
you hear these words, go ye,
go ye, go ye into all the world, into all nations, all the world,
(06:38):
the innermost parts of the earth.
You hear that word go, which is very simple. It means get up and go.
Can't remain stationary. There's
intent, there's movement, there's action that goes with the word go.
And so we understand that God has a mission, but can I say this?
Secondly, God's mission should be our mission.
As believers in Jesus Christ, God's mission should be our mission.
(07:00):
We look at Mark 16, 15, just to be a basis.
I believe it really sums up, if you will, a condensed version of what this great commission is.
It says, go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
So it says, go ye. Who is this command given to? It was given specifically to the disciples.
And then we understand because the church began with Christ and his disciples,
(07:23):
this command is given to you and I.
This command is not given to a building. It is not given to just the pastor
or the church staff or just the deacons.
It is given to every single believer who has accepted the free gift of salvation.
We are called to be personally involved in God's mission. Can I say this? It's not an option.
And in order to be personally involved,
(07:44):
we have to get up and go and do something. We must be intentional.
And so it tells us to go into all the world. That means there's no place that is off limits.
We must have a worldwide vision for God's work.
And we're to do what? He tells us exactly what to do, to preach the gospel.
Now, we said earlier, the gospel is the good news about the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
(08:06):
But can I say this? when you hear the word preach the gospel, what comes to your mind?
Typically, we envision the pastor standing behind the pulpit preaching the word of God.
Now, while this is one way to preach the word of God, it is not the only way.
This command was given to all believers, and not all believers are called to be a pastor.
Can I tell you, there are so many ways to preach the gospel to other people.
(08:29):
Sometimes it's you praying with them. Sometimes it's sharing a word.
Sometimes it It is going and sharing the gospel. Sometimes it's asking a question.
Sometimes it's your life being lived out before them.
They see you going through something. They see you having hope and they say,
wow, there's something different.
Being creative, sharing a word of encouragement, sharing something on social
media, doing a podcast, being a witness at your kid's baseball game,
(08:53):
a wrestling match, be a smiling face, be an encourager.
These are all ways that go into preaching the gospel.
The Bible says some planted, some of water, but God gives the increase.
Not everybody's called to be a preacher, to stand behind a pulpit.
Not everybody's called to go to the college campus and share the gospel with students.
(09:15):
Not everybody's called to youth ministry, but everybody is called to go out
into the world and share the gospel with those that are around them. That's our Jerusalem.
And you and I must, and I guess this, we don't need to just narrow it down to
a one-time event once a week.
Like you can go and knock on a door and share the gospel, pass out a gospel
(09:36):
track. These are ways that you can share the gospel, but they are not the only way.
And some of you are better equipped to do it a different way.
Some of you are better equipped as teachers to teach and to be a witness and
to talk to young people and to students within your vocation.
I mean, there's vocational ministry. I love that aspect.
And we teach that often through our ministry on campus because so many of our
(09:58):
students are going into vocational fields.
So just because you're not a pastor or an evangelist or a missionary doesn't
mean you have no ability to be a minister. We're all called to ministry.
Don't separate somebody's call to full-time ministry. And then you don't,
we're all called to ministry.
We just all have to support ourselves in different ways. Some are called to lead the church.
(10:21):
There's a position there and they have to have a way to support themselves.
Some are called to be teachers. Some are called to be doctors.
And you can use that field. You can go into the military, use wherever God has
placed you as your mission field.
If God's called you to that office, then guess what? The patients,
the people that are working around you, that is your mission field.
(10:43):
Identify that and be ready to find creative ways to share Jesus, to share the gospel.
It can be to sit down and open up the Word, but it doesn't have to be.
Some people are just not ready for that. You have to think about most everybody
that we have seen saved, there has been so much groundwork in their lives,
whether it was a grandma, whether it was somebody on YouTube,
(11:04):
whether they had this question because a friend invited them to Bible study
or their doormate or whatever.
There's so much watering and preparing the soul that goes on in a person's life.
And that's preaching the gospel.
And I want you to get a hold of that and realize there's so many ways.
And ultimately, this idea of the Great Commission, or you and I sharing the
(11:25):
gospel, should become a lifestyle that we live rather than just a scheduled activity that we do.
It should become a lifestyle that you and I live rather than a scheduled activity that we do.
And it tells us to go into all the world, preach the gospel to every creature.
So there's no person that's off limits.
This is everyone that God has placed around you. This is your family,
(11:47):
your friends, strangers. strangers, this is co-workers, classmates, doormates.
So what is your plan within God's mission?
How are you personally active in God's mission?
You need to find a place of faithful service where you can live out your faith. Why is this important?
One, because you'll get bored with God if you don't. You'll miss your creative purpose if you don't.
(12:10):
God created you with purpose, and so So often we struggle with our identity,
with who we are, and that's so many times tied back into why God created us.
And when we're not fulfilling that creative purpose, you and I struggle with our identity.
You don't want to miss your purpose. You don't want to lose out on the joy and
the peace that God has for you.
(12:32):
Ephesians 2, 8 and 10 is a beautiful passage of scripture. We use verses 8 and
9 so often for salvation.
For by grace are you saved through faith and that not of yourselves is a gift
of God, not of works lest any man should boast.
And then it goes into verse 10 talking about we are a workmanship created in
Christ Jesus, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them.
(12:54):
And that means that you and I are a masterpiece.
We're created for a purpose, and so often we're losing that purpose.
So often we're missing and we're losing our identity because we're not doing
what God has created for us to do.
So stop looking for that next thing.
Stop thinking when I get there, this happens, then I will serve God,
(13:17):
then I will share the gospel, then I will engage engage in active ministry once
I graduate from college or get that next job or am able to take that position within the church.
You see, too often we miss what God has for us when it's right in front of us
because we're staring off into the future, hoping and thinking and wondering,
when will that next thing come?
(13:37):
Can I say this? As we read that verse, you are a masterpiece.
God created you and ordained that you would walk in these good works.
That means God has dreamed a dream for your life, and that dream for your life
is greater than any dream you could ever dream.
God is a dream, and as you walk within that dream, that is God's will for your
(13:58):
life, and you walk in that, you get to feel like God created you.
You get to feel as that masterpiece.
You get to fulfill your creative purpose. You begin to see your identity. I was put here for this.
This is why God created me. This is why God gave me this talent.
This is why God gifted me this way, so so that I could reach this segment of people.
You're not called to reach the same people I'm called.
(14:21):
I'm not called to reach the same people. You're gifted different than I am and vice versa. Why?
Because you're created as a masterpiece, just as God intended you to be.
And when you can find that intention and that creation that God created you
to be, and you put that where God wants you to be, you will be fulfilled and
you will be a huge, huge impact for God's kingdom and for God's work.
(14:44):
So are you living out the dream that God has dreamed for you?
Settle in where you are. I know sometimes we deal with students and they're
like, man, when I graduate or I get to this or I get over this class or this
semester or I get to my job or I move out of here, you got to stop looking out
and start looking where you're at.
Be faithful where God has placed you. Give it all. Give God 100% in those mundane,
(15:09):
ordinary days where you're at. And so ask yourself these three,
these questions, where are you serving?
When are you serving? Who are you serving? And why are you serving?
There should be a place that you're serving, whether it's through your local
church, you have active ministry, your campus, your dorm, your workplace.
(15:29):
When are you serving? Hopefully it's not just a one hour block time.
Some people just schedule the time. There's nothing wrong with that.
That's one way to preach the gospel, but that is not the only way.
And like I say, it should become a lifestyle, not an activity that we do.
And then who are you serving?
We're serving God. It's the least we can do for what he's done for us.
And why are you serving him?
(15:52):
You see, God's mission should be our mission. God has a mission and God's mission should be our mission.
Thank you for taking the time to listen. If this podcast has been helpful to
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