LUKE 2:8-13

Sometimes we don’t see the true gift we’ve been given.

BATTLESHIP
A game played with paper and pencil up until Milton Bradley created the first board game version in 1967
– Someone is trying to sink your battleship—Someone is out to get you

This is why are the shepherds “filled with fear”?
For thousands of years before Jesus—throughout all of human history—religion was about making peace with the gods.

Jesus came to make peace for us.

Romans 5:1,6-11

RUBIK’S CUBE
Invented by Hungarian architect, Ernő Rubik in 1974.  On sale in the USA in 1980.
– It’s so messed up… how can it ever get better?
– Where do we even start?

‘And the angel said to them, ‘Fear not,…'” – Luke 2:10

Jesus’ birth signals the shift in the trajectory of human history.

REVELATION 21:3-5

VIEWMASTER
Introduced in 1939
– A momentary illusion of a prettier place

Anything that brings you peace in life apart from Jesus is only a temporary distraction.

When you focus on Jesus you put your problems into context.

JOHN 16:33

The peace we have been given isn’t an excuse to ignore the world, it’s an invitation to take it head on.

“The kingdom is to be in the midst of your enemies. And he who will not suffer this does not want to be of the Kingdom of Christ; he wants to be among friends, to sit among roses and lilies,” – Martin Luther

ROCK’EM SOCK’EM ROBOTS
First manufactured in 1964
– An endless cycle of senseless conflict

LUKE 2:16-18

Jesus models being an agent of peace – John 18:36, Matthew 5:38-47

Jesus champions the peacemakers – Matthew 5:9

“The followers of Christ have been called to peace. . . . And they must not only have peace but make it.  . . . His disciples keep the peace by choosing to endure suffering themselves rather than inflict it on others. They maintain fellowship where others would break it off. They renounce hatred and wrong. In so doing they overcome evil with good, and establish the peace of God in the midst of a world of war and hate.“

“There is no way to peace along the way of safety. For peace must be dared. It is itself the great venture and can never be safe. Peace is the opposite of security. To demand guarantees is to want to protect oneself. Peace means giving oneself completely to God’s commandment. Wanting no security… Battles are won not with weapons, but with God. They are won when the way leads to the cross.”
– Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Peace begins with YOU and ME.

ISAIAH 9:6
For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Does impacting the world take only actions?  Just words?

“We don’t just have the red letters in our Bible; we also have what he did. Both his words and actions were important in ushering in the Kingdom of God. In fact, if there ever was a person who could get away with doing only one of these, it was Jesus. And yet he gave us a different example. He showed us that we are to both live and speak the gospel. And in doing so, we will carry the message of God’s redeeming love into the world.” – Krish Kandiah

SHARING THE “GOSPEL?” – Evangelion – Good news

Acts 17:1-6

Are we turning the world upside down?

If we aren’t doing something we know we’re supposed to be doing, what’s the most likely reason?

1) Do we really want to?

Mark 10:17-27

The more you focus on what you want, the more empty your dreams become.  But when you spend your life like Jesus did, focused on the needs of the lives connected to yours, you will find true, meaningful purpose that leaves a lasting impact on the world.

Matthew 16:25

2) Do we think it’s important?

Matthew 26:38
We never really know what other people are going through.

3) What’s Stopping Us?

If you already know Jesus, you are both CALLED and you are CAPABLE to share Jesus with the world. 

If Jesus is who He says He is…
and you’re following Him…
then you already have

• The only message that is ALWAYS worth sharing.
• The power to share that message whenever the need arises.
• The blueprint to live in a way that raises questions.
• The love and humility that will allow you to be heard.

Luke 22:54-62
What Peter learned that night: 1 Peter 3:14-15

“There are people in our communities, families, and friend circles who have never heard the good news of the gospel. If we say we follow Jesus, then this should bother us. The notion that so many wander through life apart from his love should motivate us to share the hope that we have in Jesus Christ.” – Ed Stetzer

There’s only one Spider-Man… right?

MATTHEW 3:13-15

Jesus is inviting us all into this story.

John 10:9-10 CEV

“What I like about the costume is that anybody reading Spider-Man in any part of the world can imagine that they themselves are under the costume. And that’s a good thing.” – Stan Lee

Saul’s experience on the road to Damascus

Pharisees (like Saul) had their way of thinking challenged by Jesus.

• Jesus did this by building relationships with…
  • People of different races
  • Those with different beliefs
  • The poor
  • His “oppressors”
  • People with a bad reputation
  • Those religion deemed “unclean”

THESE WERE INTENTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS

Jesus was all about including EVERYONE

If you draw your circle too small, you eventually end up alone

1 Timothy 2:1-4

We’ve got to take care of our “neighborhood.”

“Every Christian is either a missionary or an impostor.” –  Charles Spurgeon

1 CORINTHIANS 10:33

I never thought I’d be able to do any of this stuf—but I can!  Anyone can wear the mask.  YOU can wear the mask.  If you didn’t know that before, I hope you do now. -MILES

JESUS BELIEVES IN US

ACTS 1: 8

We cannot do it on our own

“When I feel alone, like no one understands what I’m going through I remember my friends who get it.” – Miles

1 CORINTHIANS 11:1

God uses our relationships with each other to bring us closer to Him.
Jesus knew this.  That’s why he said, “Love one another as I have loved you.”

We may fail… but we can’t lose.

Jesus and Peter walk on water

TAKE THE LEAP

GENESIS 4

This race isn’t against each other…
Hebrews 12:1 

Genesis 4:9
AM I MY BROTHER’S KEEPER?

“You have never talked to a mere mortal.”
–CS Lewis   (read full quote)

Cain left no legacy because he failed as his brother’s keeper.

To leave a legacy of our own, we must be each other’s keeper and there are some things we must keep doing!

We need to keep REACHING

There is someone who doesn’t know Jesus today that will before the end of 2019—if you reach out to them. 

MATTHEW 28:19&20

We need to keep DISCIPLING 

• Discipling is just passing on what we’ve learned.

There are people who need the Small Group you are already ready to lead.

Learn more about leading a Small Group

We need to keep SERVING

Galatians 5:13

“One of the principal rules of religion is, to lose no occasion of serving God. And, since He is invisible to our eyes, we are to serve Him in our neighbor; which He receives as if done to Himself in person, standing visibly before us.” – John Wesley

There are opportunities all around you. 

CHURCH 29:11 exists to reach the disconnected.

Are you an owner… or just a consumer?

YOU HAVE SOMETHING AWESOME TO DO FOR JESUS

Reaching—Serving—Discipling.
When you stop doing these things, coming to church becomes all about YOU.  (and quickly stops making sense!)

LET’S OWN THIS.

Abel’s sacrifice was messier, and more difficult… but that’s sacrifice!

“And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased” – Hebrews 13:15-16

If it’s easy, it’s not a sacrifice.

A Parable – Matthew 25

▷ This story is about an upcoming event

▷ This story is about the Kingdom of Heaven  

▷ This story is about JESUS returning   

Because Jesus is returning that gives us HOPE!
We know God is doing something—history is headed somewhere.
And if you are following Jesus, then you’re a part of that!

THEY MISCALCULATED THE TIME.        

MATTHEW 24:45-51

By focusing on Jesus, we take the focus off of ourselves and leave the focus where He put it—on those who don’t know Him yet.

THEIR PRIORITIES WERE OUT OF WHACK      

They were either misinformed about the magnitude of the upcoming event, or just didn’t regard it with enough importance.

LUKE 14:28-33

LUKE 10:30-35

He gave…
– His stuff
– His sweat and effort
– His care
– His time
– His money

We all have something to give — and you don’t get to take it with you.

“This earth is the little isle; eternity the ocean round it; on this shore we have been cast. There is seed; but the mines of gold attract us. We spend spring and summer there; winter overtakes us in our toil; we are without the Bread of Life, and we are lost. Let us then value all the more the home which holds the treasures that no one can take away.” —D.L. Moody (read the whole quote here)

Are your priorities out of whack?          

Are you ready to play your part?

The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’
“‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ – Matthew 25:8&9

There are some things you have to get for yourself.

So… What’s a Goonie?

 RICH STUFF 

Matthew 13:44

“So the point here… is that the people who receive the kingdom, treasure it more than everything else. You don’t buy it. You get it freely because you want it more than you want anything else… In other words, there is a condition for having the kingdom… but the condition is not wealth or power or intelligence or eminence. The condition is that you prize the kingdom more than you prize anything else.” – John Piper

The man understood the true value of the treasure he’d found.  Do we?

ROMANS 10:11-14

“THE GOONIES” IS PLURAL

SEE YOUR LIFE AS A TEAM UP MOVIE

 1 COR 12:12-19

 WE NEED EACH OTHER

[ctt template=”3″ link=”1leiX” via=”no” ]Church is not about just GOING… it’s about BELONGING[/ctt]

OUR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES EVEN OUT.
Only when we know them and own them does it begin to work.

THIS IS OUR TIME

 Mikey’s doing three things…

1.  HE’S CALLING THEM BACK TO THE ADVENTURE

2.  IT’S NOW OR NEVER

 3.  IT’S NOT ABOUT WHAT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED, IT’S ABOUT WHAT CAN HAPPEN NOW.

John 9:4

This is our time and we can spend it wondering…

How this happened
Why it happened
What should have happened
What could have happened

… OR we can spend it making something happen.

 HERE’S HOW YOU CAN MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN…

• Be part of a Small Group
• Serve somewhere
• Go through Growth Track
• Invest in ministry
• Reach someone

Jeremiah 31:3

1 John 3:16

Ephesians 3:17-18

Just because it’s “inconceivable” doesn’t mean it can’t be known!

AS YOU WISH

Romans 5:8

LUKE 15 — SHEEP / COIN / SON

WHEREVER YOU ARE, GOD’S LOVE IS REACHING OUT FOR YOU.

THE MAN IN BLACK

She’d heard the rumors… but hadn’t found the truth

IF YOU’VE HEARD RUMORS… I DARE YOU TO FIND THE TRUTH BEHIND THEM.

Hosea 2:5,8

2 Timothy 2:13

HELLO, MY NAME IS…

1 John 4:16-17

“Love isn’t something we fall into; it’s some one we become.” – Bob Goff

YOU CAN’T BE SOMETHING YOU DON’T KNOW.

When we know love…

• We think of ourselves last
• We believe the best
• We forgive others more often
• We’re less possessive
• We worry less about the future
• We begin to see others like Jesus does

John 15:20

What does Love do?

LOVE STORMS THE CASTLE

“Death cannot stop love. All it can do is delay it for a while.” – Westley

1 Corinthians 13:8

Acts 3:23&24

1 John 3:14

• Instead of issues you’ll see people.
• Instead of arguments to win, you’ll see people to love.
• Instead of problems that need fixing, you’ll see people that need Jesus

“the greatest thing we can do is to let people know that they are loved and capable of loving.” – Fred Rogers

1. YOU ARE LOVED

You were worth the most daring rescue mission ever put to action.

2. THERE’S A WORLD FULL OF PEOPLE THAT NEED THIS LOVE

-What did it cost Jesus for you?
-What will it cost you to reach them?

HAVE FUN STORMING THE CASTLE!

Jonah 1:1
The word of the Lord came to Jonah, son of Amittai…

His Word has come to us…
– Love God, love people – Matt 22:36
– Let your light shine before men – Matt 5:14,16
– Get rid of what causes you to sin – Matt 5:29
– Put God first – Matt 6:33
– Care for the needy – Matt 23:34
– Go make disciples of all – Matt 28:19

Jesus seems less concerned with our titles, our family history, our salaries, our past experience, our intentions and our qualifications,
and more concerned with the action we need to be taking right now.

Jonah 1:1-3 
THE ACTION YOU TAKE  (or don’t take) MATTERS…

Jonah 1:3-5

This storm isn’t punishment… it’s a wake up call.

God uses the storms in our lives to wake us up; to force us to check ourselves…
—our motives
—our direction
—our destination.

SO WHAT DO WE DO?
What did Jonah do?

1. Wake up
2. Be honest & humble
3. Don’t fear the outcome
4. Get busy

Jonah 1:1-3

It doesn’t tell us what was going through Jonah’s mind…

You get to put yourself in Jonah’s shoes.
Why would he run?  Why do people run?  Why do you?

Jonah 4:2

WHATEVER THE REASON MAY BE, WHEN WE RUN INSTEAD OF TAKING ACTION, WE ARE NOT THE ONLY ONES AFFECTED.

Easter commitment:

Commit to reach 1
Commit to volunteer

If you’ll accept that challenge, CLICK HERE to take the next step.