“Reach”

March 9, 2008

1 Corinthians 9:19-23

Objective Statement: Every believer can complete the “Circle of Life” by taking advantage of the variety of opportunities God provides:

1) Ends of the Earth – Hope for the Nations (Bruce Ruefer)

2) Samaria – Sacred Portion (Jan Druckenmiller)

3) Judea – ISI (Becky McKain)

4) Jerusalem – Personal Sharing

<Simple Church Slide>

Open: Two weekends ago, 17 other men and I were able to attend the Men’s Advance put on by the Rocky Mountain District. The speaker was Rod Handley, founder of a ministry called, “Character that Counts”. Rod has written a book by that same title, with ten chapters, based on ten accountability questions he has assembled for men (show blue card).

As I read the questions, I was able to answer them satisfactorily (read through)… Then I got to Number 7 and it stopped me short: “Have you shared the Gospel with an unbeliever this week?”

As a pastor, I have the opportunity to preach the gospel each week, but it stopped me short to think whether I had shared the Good News personally with another person!

This brings me to the topic for our study this morning: Reach.

We’re currently in the middle of a series of messages entitled,

Simple Church.

It’s the idea that we live in a world, including the church, which increasingly gets more complex.

It is necessary, but hard work to keep things simple.

Our series entitled “Simple Church” is designed to communicate the basics of what we’re about at Alliance Fellowship.

<Circle of Life Slide>

“Transforming hearts that transform the world” describes a growth process that we would love to see happen in the lives of people as they become followers of Jesus and grow in Him – process known as “discipleship”.

We would love to see people Connect, Grow, Serve and Reach

Connect is about: - Connecting with God - Connecting with Each Other – Connecting with God with Each Other

Grow is a passive, active and interactive pursuit.

When we grow, we join God in exerting effort toward becoming like Christ in our character.

Serve is a verb often found in the context of a character trait of humility

The next step of progression in growth as a follower of Jesus is moving to the point where we Reach.

* Up to this point, Connect, Grow and Serve have been primarily what we do with other believers in Jesus.

* Reach is primarily about your service to unbelievers.

We see this in the life of Paul, who wrote our primary text for today:

1 Corinthians 9:19-23 For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. 20 To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. 21To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. 22To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. 23I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.

* Reach is clearly understanding the mission that God gives to us as we join him in his efforts to reconcile people back to Himself.

The word “mission” comes from a Greek word, misseo, which means “to send”.

We see from 1 Corinthians 9, that Paul understood his mission.

In the Gospels, we also see that Jesus clearly understood his mission in life:

Luke 2:49 "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be about my Father’s business?

Luke 19:10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost."

John 19:30 "It is finished."

And then to his disciples he said,

John 14:12 "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.

John 20:21 “As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you."

Jesus understood his mission, from start to finish and he passed the torch of responsibility along to us!

It’s the Circle of Life!

We see this in the life of Jesus:

- Connect: Jesus became a human so that he could connect with us. (John 1:14)

- Grow: Jesus grew in wisdom, stature and in favor with God and man (Luke 2:52)

- Serve: Jesus came not to be served but to serve (Mark 10:45)

- Reach: God sent Jesus, not to condemn the world, but to save the world. (John 3:17)

And he passes the charge along to us!

In five places, Jesus’ commission is recorded:

Matthew 28:19-20 / Mark 16:15 / Luke 24:47 / John 20:21 / Acts 1:8

If basically the same thing is recorded five times (in red letters!) then we’d better pay attention!

Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

You know what?! As a pastor, it’s an extreme joy to observe people who believe God’s word, then act upon it!

Acts 1:8 talks about expanding influence into the world (Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, the ends of the earth.)

Alliance Fellowship is part of a denomination (The C&MA) that is highly motivated to complete the Great Commission and as a result, we’ve become known as a missions church – a church that reaches.

I want give three people an opportunity to share about their endeavors to reach, using Acts 1:8 as a model, working from the outside-in:

Bruce Ruefer – Hope for the Nations

Jan Druckenmiller – Sacred Portion

Becky McKain – International Students Incorporated

Close:

We’ve working from the outside-in, so I’d like to wrap up our time this morning, getting back to the accountability question: “Have you shared the Gospel with an unbeliever this week?”

Most of us shrink from the idea of sharing the gospel with others because we think we need to get a bullhorn and stand on the corner of Rouse and Main, annoying people.

I’d like to come at it from a different angle:

The Search to Belong, Joseph Myers – Four Social Spaces:

- Public

- Social

- Personal

- Intimate

Asking a person about their spiritual well-being is either a personal or intimate question.

Eg: Passport – what are we doing to gain “passport” into people’s lives, so that we can share the gospel out of natural relationship?

Challenge: Intentionally / Deliberately form friendships with people who don’t yet follow Jesus so that we gain “passport” and share the love of Jesus in a loving, natural way.

Closing Prayer – Who is the one person that God has brought to mind that we should share with?

Closing Song

Benediction