Gospel Identities | Baptized and Sent as Jesus' Beloved Disciples + February 3, 2018

Being Disciples of Jesus in the Every Day Stuff of Life

Jesus came as God in the flesh to show us the heart of God for people. In the words of Eugene Peterson, God "moved into the neighborhood" as Jesus ate, played, learned, celebrated, worked with His hands, and rested just like the rest of humanity.

In many ways this is why people in his hometown questioned Him and asked, "Isn't He the carpenter's son who lived among us, doing normal stuff like the rest of us?" (Matthew 13:53-58). The difference is that Jesus did everything for His heavenly Father's glory. He lived all of His life as an expression of His love for God the Father. Jesus did what Israel didn't do. He did what the people in Nazareth and we don't do. He set apart every aspect of His life as holy unto God. He served, shared with, and loved others because He knew God is a serving God who gives good gifts and is love Himself.

Jesus lived every part of His life in submission to God. Every action was an act of love to God and others, and every one of His thoughts was directed by God. Holy Jesus lived a holy life wholly unto God by the Holy Spirit. And after thirty years of living this way, Jesus began to publicly proclaim the Good News of God's Kingdom — that there was a new order to things for all, and He was going to bring all of life under God's authority as the Kingdom of heaven came near to the world through Him.

As the Kingdom of heaven was declared and demonstrated by Him, Jesus called His disciples to be a holy people who would live all of life wholly unto God with Him as God had always intended for humanity (Genesis 1:26-31; Exodus 19:3-6; 1 Peter 2:5, 9-10). Jesus proclaimed the Good New of the Kingdom of heaven and lived a Good-News life, showing what God's rule and reign looks like when God breaks into the normal stuff of everyday life.

Today, we are also invited by Jesus to come be His disciples, and called into a Good-News life with Him as we are baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and taught to obey everything He commanded as He leads us with all the authority of the Kingdom of heaven on earth (Matthew 28:18-20). To live out the purposes of the Kingdom of heaven with Jesus together as His disciples, we need to know and believe in the identity we have in Him, because it is out of this that we will do everything we do.

Being baptized into the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit as His disciples means we are called to live knowing God is our Father and we are His family; Jesus is our King and we are His Kingdom servants; and the Holy Spirit is our Helper and Sender and we are His Kingdom ambassadors. Our new name in the Father, Son, and Spirit represents both who God says we are and what He plans to do through us. In receiving the identity God has given us, our Good-News life together begins to reveal the Kingdom of heaven as we are sent to learn from, love, serve, and share Jesus with others.

+ Adapted from Saturate: Being Disciples of Jesus in the Everyday Stuff of Life by Jeff Vanderstelt

Old Testament Scripture Reading | I Kings 8:27-30, 41-43

New Testament Sermon Text | Matthew 3:12-4:25

Lord's Prayer | Praying for Jesus' Kingdom Impact in Us and in Worcester

Eucharist | Thanking God for Communion with Christ and His Church

Corporate Prayer of Confession and Assurance
Isaiah 6:5-8; Daniel 9:4-19; Nehemiah 1:5-10; Luke 23:34

One: Almighty God, our Father and King,
thank You for calling us to turn to You
and become disciples of Jesus who reveal
that the Good News of the Kingdom of heaven
is for all who know their need of You.

All: Jesus, our Rabbi and Friend, teach us.
Jesus, make us more like You as follow
Your words, works, and ways.
In this prayerful moment in Your presence
and power, grant us faith and confidence
that here today, broken lives are being
made whole by You and Your Good News
of the Kingdom of heaven.

Silent Personal Reflection and Confession

One: Jesus, thank You that You make all things new.
Thank You for bringing the Kingdom of heaven near.
Please continue to call us and transform us.
And when we come to You,
remind us of our baptismal identity in the name of
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
teach us to obey everything You command,
and make us disciples who make disciples like You.
And when we fall short, remind us that:

All: In You, Jesus, we are seen, called,
saved, loved and forgiven! Amen.

All Creatures of Our God and King
By West Coast Revival
Original by St. Francis of Assisi
Early 1200s A.D.

All creatures of our God and King

Lift up your voice and with us sing
“O praise Him! Allelujah!”
Thou, burning sun with golden beam,
Thou, silver moon with softer gleam.
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Allelujah! Allelujah! Allelujah!

Let all things their Creator bless
And worship Him in humbleness.
O praise Him! Allelujah!
Praise, praise the Father, praise the Son
And praise the Spirit, Three-in-One.
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Allelujah! Allelujah! Allelujah!

All the redeemed washed by His blood
Come and rejoice in His great love.
O praise Him! Allelujah!
Christ has defeated every sin.
Cast all your burdens now on Him.
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Allelujah! Allelujah! Allelujah!

He shall return in power to reign
Heaven and earth will join to say
O praise Him! Allelujah!
Then who shall fall on bended knee?
All creatures of our God and King
O praise Him! O praise Him!
Allelujah! Allelujah! Allelujah!

This is Amazing Grace
By Phil Wickham
2013 A.D.

Who breaks the power
Of sin and darkness?
Whose love is mighty
And so much stronger?
The King of Glory,
The King above all kings!
Who shakes the whole earth
With holy thunder?
And leaves us breathless
In awe and wonder?
The King of Glory,
The King above all kings!

This is amazing grace,
This is unfailing love,
That You would take my place,
That You would bear my cross!
You lay down Your life
That I would be set free!
Jesus, I sing for
All that You've done for me!

Who brings our chaos
Back into order?
Who makes the orphan
A son and daughter?
The King of Glory,
The King above all kings!
Who rules the nations
With truth and justice,
Shines like the sun in
All of its brilliance!
The King of Glory,
The King above all kings!
(Chorus)

Worthy is the Lamb
Who was slain!
Worthy is the King
Who conquered the grave!

Establish the Work of Our Hands
By Aaron Keyes, Sandra McCracken, and Urban Doxology
2017 A.D.

If You don't build it, we labor in vain.
Without Your Spirit, we stand with no strength.
I know my life is passing away,
But the works of Your hands are what will remain.

Let the favor of the LORD rest upon us.
Oh LORD, establish the work of our hands!
Oh LORD, establish the work of our hands!

Teach us to number the length of our days.
Pour out Your power, we'll pour out Your praise.
Teach us to run, to finish the race,
For only what's done in love will remain.
(Chorus)

Al-le-lu-ia! Al-le-lu-ia! Al-le-lu-ia!

Humble
By Audrey Assad
2013 A.D.

Humble and human,
Willing to bend You are

Fashioned of flesh
And the fire of life You are.
Not too proud to wear our skin,
To know this weary world we're in,
Humble, humble Jesus.

Humble in sorrow,
You gladly carried Your cross
Never refusing Your life
To the weakest of us.
Not too proud to bear our sin,
To feel this brokenness we're in,
Humble, humble Jesus.

We bow our knees,
We must decrease,
You must increase,
We lift You high.

Humble in greatness,
Born in the likeness of man.
Name above all names,
Holding our world in Your hands.
Not too proud to dwell with us,
To live in us, to die for us,
Humble, humble Jesus.
(Chorus)

Humble, You are humble.
Make me humble like You.
We lift You high.

The Rock Won't Move
By Vertical Church Band
2013 A.D.

When the ground beneath my feet gives way,
And I hear the sound of crashing waves,
All my world is washing out to sea.
I'm hidden safe in the God who never moves,
Holding fast to the promise of the truth
That You are holding tighter still to me.

The Rock won't move and His word is strong,
The Rock won't move and His love can't be undone!
The Rock won't move and His word is strong,
The Rock won't move and His love can't be undone,
The Rock of our Salvation!

My hope is in the promise of Your blood,
My support within the raging flood,
Even in the tempest, I can sing!
I'm hidden safe in the God who never moves,
Holding fast to the promise of Your truth
That You are holding tighter still to me!
(Chorus)

Woah, Woah, Woah, the Rock of our salvation!

On Christ the Solid Rock we stand,
All other ground is sinking sand,
The Rock won't move, the Rock won't move!
When darkness seems to hide His face,
We rest on His unchanging grace,
The Rock won't move, the Rock won't move!
(Chorus)

Reckless Love

Bethel Music

2017 A.D.

Before I spoke a word,
You were singing over me.
You have been so, so good to me.
Before I took a breath,
You breathed Your life in me.
You have been so, so kind to me.

Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending
Reckless love of God!
It chases me down,
Fights 'til I'm found,
Leaves the ninety-nine!
I couldn't earn it, and
I don't deserve it,
Still You give Yourself away!
Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending
Reckless love of God!

When I was your foe,
Still Your love fought for me.
You have been so, so good to me.
When I felt no worth,
You paid it all for me.
You have been so, so kind to me.
(Chorus)

There's no shadow You won't light up,
Mountain You won't climb up,
Coming after me!
There's no wall You won't kick down,
Lie You won't tear down,
Coming after me!
(Chorus)

Heidelberg Catechism
Q&A 1, 1563 A.D.
Q. What is your only comfort in life and death?

A. That I am not my own, 1
but belong with body and soul,
both in life and in death, 2
to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ. 3
He has fully paid for all my sins
with His precious blood, 4
and has set me free
from all the power of the devil. 5
He also preserves me in such a way 6
that without the will of my heavenly Father
not a hair can fall from my head; 7
indeed, all things must work together
for my salvation. 8
Therefore, by His Holy Spirit
He also assures me
of eternal life 9
and makes me heartily willing and ready
from now on to live for Him. 10

1. 1 Cor 6:19, 20.
2. Rom 14:7-9.
3. 1 Cor 3:23; Tit 2:14.
4. 1 Pet 1:18, 19; 1 Jn 1:7; 2:2.
5. Jn 8:34-36; Heb 2:14, 15; 1 Jn 3:8.
6. Jn 6:39, 40; 10:27-30; 2 Thess 3:3; 1 Pet 1:5.
7. Mt 10:29-31; Lk 21:16-18.
8. Rom 8:28.
9. Rom 8:15, 16; 2 Cor 1:21, 22; 5:5; Eph 1:13, 14.
10. Rom 8:14.

Benediction

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. + 2 Corinthians 13:14

Next post: Gospel Identities | Baptized and Sent as the Family of God

Christ is all,

Rev. Mike “Sully” Sullivan

Email Pastor Mike | Website | Visit Us | Support Us | Facebook Us