Ignite, Part 2 “Passionate About Being the Church”

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S.O.A.P. – “Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer”

Cars, nails, and golf balls are all “driven.” What “drives” your life?

Scripture:

After Jesus left the girl’s home, two blind men followed along behind him, shouting, “Son of David, have mercy on us!” They went right into the house where he was staying, and Jesus asked them, “Do you believe I can make you see?” “Yes, Lord,” they told him, “we do.”

Then he touched their eyes and said, “Because of your faith, it will happen.” Then their eyes were opened, and they could see! Jesus sternly warned them, “Don’t tell anyone about this.” But instead, they went out and spread his fame all over the region.

When they left, a demon-possessed man who couldn’t speak was brought to Jesus. So Jesus cast out the demon, and then the man began to speak. The crowds were amazed. “Nothing like this has ever happened in Israel!” they exclaimed. But the Pharisees said, “He can cast out demons because he is empowered by the prince of demons.”

Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.” Matthew 9:27–38 NLT

Sermon Insights:

Jesus traveled all over and saw a lot of people and a lot of misery. Matthew says this wonderful thing: “When Jesus saw the crowds, he had compassion on them.” Not judgment. Not superiority. Not disdain. Jesus just saw people with compassion.

Jesus was raising awareness for the coming of the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God refers to the church, the gathering of God’s people who would be created through the Holy Spirit’s coming after Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. Jesus had not died yet. This is why he would do a compassionate miracle and ask the individual NOT to spread the news. If the countryside came out for short-term meals and healing, they would miss the point of Jesus’ mission. Feeding and healing are temporary; repenting and turning to God is eternal. Jesus showed great compassion even when it seemingly slowed him down.

How can you slow down and show Jesus’ compassion?

Are you tempted to retreat into the false comfort of judgment, superiority and disdain rather than compassion?

What is “tough love”? Is it compassionate?

Lord, thank you for showing me compassion. Fill me with your heart for others!

What is the most enjoyable job you’ve ever had?

He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.” Matthew 9:37–38 NLT

So the Jewish leaders began harassing Jesus for breaking the Sabbath rules. But Jesus replied, “My Father is always working, and so am I.” So the Jewish leaders tried all the harder to find a way to kill him. For he not only broke the Sabbath, he called God his Father, thereby making himself equal with God. John 5:16–18 NLT

As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. “Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?”

“It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him. We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work. But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world.”

Then he spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and spread the mud over the blind man’s eyes. He told him, “Go wash yourself in the pool of Siloam” (Siloam means “sent”). So the man went and washed and came back seeing! His neighbors and others who knew him as a blind beggar asked each other, “Isn’t this the man who used to sit and beg?” Some said he was, and others said, “No, he just looks like him!”

But the beggar kept saying, “Yes, I am the same one!” They asked, “Who healed you? What happened?” He told them, “The man they call Jesus made mud and spread it over my eyes and told me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash yourself.’ So I went and washed, and now I can see!” John 9:1–11 NLT

Sermon Insights:

Jesus invited his disciples to join him in his work and instructed them to pray for more workers. Not consultants. Not experts. Not supervisors. Not spectators. Not consumers. Not VIPs or CEOs or MBAs. Just this very humble word “workers.”

Meeting short-term needs to lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ—that’s a great strategy to accomplish our mission! What short-term needs is God asking you to meet?

Are you praying for God to raise up and strengthen and empower more workers?

Are you willing to be the answer to your own prayer?

If you have children, are you encouraging them to love God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength?

Lord, the harvest of people willing to be led into a growing relationship with Jesus is enormous; please raise up more workers for your harvest fields. Help me be one answer to my own prayer through my willingness to give myself to serve you!

If you could create a club of people, who would you invite and what one rule would you impose?

Scripture:

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.” Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.” Then he sternly warned the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah. Matthew 16:13–20 NLT

Sermon Insights:

The rock is Jesus, the cornerstone of the church. We must get Jesus right or we won’t get church right!

How are you building your life on Jesus, the “rock”?

Jesus said, “I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.” Can anything stop the church, the body of Jesus on the earth?

There was a time when you were not a part of the church. If you have given your life to Jesus, then you are a part of the unstoppable church! How does this change:

…your significance as a “worker” for the Kingdom of God?
…your security as a loved and accepted child of God in the middle of a very uncertain world?

Jesus said you cannot serve both God and money. Which are you using as a tool to serve the other?

Lord, thank you for building your unstoppable, unbreakable church out of frail human beings who trust you. Thank you that death itself cannot stop your church, and when we “pass away,” it is simply to go home and be safe with you forever. Teach us to leverage everything we have to lead people into a growing relationship with you!

Who is the most “powerful” person you know? How do you define “power”?

Scripture:

When [Jesus] saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.” Matthew 9:36–38 NLT

This clearly means that Christ also descended to our lowly world. And the same one who descended is the one who ascended higher than all the heavens, so that he might fill the entire universe with himself.

Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. Ephesians 4:9–13 NLT

Sermon Insights:

Jesus did not start a church and then give it a mission. Jesus began a mission and then gave it the church.

The Greek word translated church (VS 18) is ekklesia, which is a gathering of people called out for a specific purpose. The church of Christ is not a building or a place, but a group of people, ekklesia, who gather and go in Jesus’ name.

What are the outcomes that Jesus is looking for from his body, the church?

Is the church’s goal to simply be strongly, healthy, and secure…or is that the preparation for the church to accomplish Jesus’ mission?

What role do you play in accomplishing Jesus’ mission through the church?

Lord, thank you for teaching us what real power is—choosing to sacrifice for the good of others. Thank you for using us, the church, to accomplish your mission. Teach us to be filled with your powerful compassion and help us to be powerful workers so that we can participate in your mission to reconcile people to God.

Is it easier for you to see potential in yourself or others?

Scripture:

When the apostles returned, they told Jesus everything they had done. Then he slipped quietly away with them toward the town of Bethsaida. But the crowds found out where he was going, and they followed him. He welcomed them and taught them about the Kingdom of God, and he healed those who were sick.

Late in the afternoon the twelve disciples came to him and said, “Send the crowds away to the nearby villages and farms, so they can find food and lodging for the night. There is nothing to eat here in this remote place.”

But Jesus said, “You feed them.”

“But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. “Or are you expecting us to go and buy enough food for this whole crowd?” For there were about 5,000 men there.

Jesus replied, “Tell them to sit down in groups of about fifty each.” So the people all sat down. Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he kept giving the bread and fish to the disciples so they could distribute it to the people. They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftovers! Luke 9:10–17 NLT

Sermon Insights:

Potential is a capacity that has yet to be realized. Humanly speaking, we all have potential: intellectually, financially, and educationally! With God in the equation, you can live at your full redemptive potential!

Redemptive activity is activity focused on the good news of Christ’s kingdom. What do you think might happen if Antioch achieved its redemptive potential?

What potential do you see in yourself for leading people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ? Be specific.

Will you pray, “God, raise up workers to build your Kingdom”?

Who has helped you see and reach your potential in your life?

Who is looking to you to help them reach their potential?

How do you see Antioch-Stoney Point helping to build God’s Kingdom on earth?

Lord, help me to see the potential you have placed in me and others. Help me not to be a spectator or a consumer but to be a builder and a sacrificial leader!

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Ignite, Part 2 “Passionate About Being the Church”

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