Sent
Teaching Pastor; Staff Governing Elder; Staff Director
In his great kindness, God created and recreated us with a purpose—to be a light that points people towards Christ. As disciple-makers, we must go, baptize, and teach those around us about God’s great love through Jesus Christ. This mission means that we must be willing to release our own agenda, take risks, and use every opportunity to further God’s kingdom.
Study Questions
In his great kindness, God created and recreated us with a purpose—to be a light that points people towards Christ. As disciple-makers, we must go, baptize, and teach those around us about God’s great love through Jesus Christ. This mission means that we must be willing to release our own agenda, take risks, and use every opportunity to further God’s kingdom.Application
Discipleship is the act of helping people follow Christ. Who in your life has discipled you in a compelling way? What specifically made their discipleship effective?
Believers typically struggle to share the gospel for two reasons—fear of man or a focus on self. Which of these is more of a barrier for you when it comes to sharing your faith? What step can you take to begin breaking down that barrier?
We all have opportunities to point people towards Christ. Who are one or two people that God is directing you toward around this idea of discipleship? What would it look like for you to move towards them, share your story, and share the gospel?
Read Matthew 28:18-20 again. What is something that God has taught you either through sharing the gospel or investing in someone to teach them to obey God’s Word?
Key Points
When we are recreated by God, we must come underneath his authority and release control of our lives to him. Our new lives will look different, and God may call us to do things that we wouldn’t have chosen ourselves.
All throughout Scripture, God has sent his people to reach and bless others. Ultimately, God sent Jesus to redeem us and the Holy Spirit to sustain us. Now, we are the sent ones.
God sends because he is kind, benevolent, and generous. We cannot simply follow some rules or a formula around the mission of being sent. We must allow God to instill his kindness deep within our hearts
Making disciples involves going, baptizing, and teaching. This means we must be in personal space with people, explaining who God is, and calling them to live in accordance with his Word.
Ironically, we as Gentiles were originally outsiders—we are not God’s chosen nation. However, God in his mercy has extended the gospel to us, and we now live in a place and time where we feel like insiders. We must remember our status and strive to reach those outside the faith with the gospel.
We all have opportunities to connect with others and share our faith. We must be willing to take the relational risk, verbalize the gospel to those around us, and call for a decision.