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| Image from The Mission of God's People by Christopher J.H. Wright |
What is the mission of God’s people?
Matthew 28:18-20; Luke 24:45-49; John 17:18; Matthew 24:14; Acts 13:1-3; Matthew 25:31-46; Luke 4:18-19; John 20:21
Homily Scriptures | Isaiah 61:1-2; Luke 24:44-48; Mark 16:15
Homily Christian Practice Questions:
Homily Christian Practice Questions:
+ In the different facets of The Mission of God's People (People Who Care for Creation, People Who Are a Blessing to the Nations, People Who Walk in God's Way, People Who Are Redeemed for Redemptive Living, People Who Represent God to the World, People Who Attract Others to God, People Who Know the One Living God and Savior, People Who Bear Witness to the Living God, People Who Proclaim the Gospel of Christ, People Who Send and Are Sent, People Who Live and Work in the Public Square, People Who Praise and Pray), which one encourages you the most? Challenges you the most? Do you desire to see the most expressed in Emmaus City? Why?
+ Will you pray for Emmaus City to grow together in the areas that encourage and challenge you the most?
Prayers of Preparation for Eucharist
Matthew 26:26-29; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
Prayer seeking more from Jesus
Jesus, You claim to be the Way,
the Truth and the Life.
If what You claim is true,
please reveal to me who You are.
Give me an understanding of You
that is clear and convincing. Amen.
Prayer for Communion with Jesus
Jesus, grant that we may be filled
by You, the true Bread and Vine.
Be present with us, strengthen us,
and empower us to be Your witnesses
together as we seek first Your Kingdom
until You return and make all things new. Amen.
Matthew 26:26-29; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26
Prayer seeking more from Jesus
Jesus, You claim to be the Way,
the Truth and the Life.
If what You claim is true,
please reveal to me who You are.
Give me an understanding of You
that is clear and convincing. Amen.
Prayer for Communion with Jesus
Jesus, grant that we may be filled
by You, the true Bread and Vine.
Be present with us, strengthen us,
and empower us to be Your witnesses
together as we seek first Your Kingdom
until You return and make all things new. Amen.
Mission in Word & Deed, Evangelism & Justice
In the book of Acts, the mission of the early Church
involved verbal proclamation of the Good News of Christ:
Peter proclaims the Gospel again and again
(2:14-39; 3:12-26; 4:8-12); Stephen speaks (7:2-53);
Philip preaches (8:4-13); and Paul and Barnabas
are commissioned and sent out to share the Gospel
with Jews and then Gentiles (8:13-14).
The proclamation of the Gospel moves from Jerusalem
to Judea, Samaria, and out toward the ends of the earth.
The book of Acts also makes it clear that the mission
of the early Church involved attending to material needs.
In the earliest depiction of the Church after Pentecost,
meetings for prayer and worship flowed naturally into
making sure the material needs in their community
were met (2:43-47). Distributing food daily to widows
became a regular practice of these early Christians (6:1-6).
Paul returns to the church in Jerusalem from a missionary
journey in part to bring money for the poor in support of
the Church's mission (24:17). The Great Commission
was fulfilled not only as the disciples moved into
new geographic locations but also as they intentionally
addressed the social and economic realities at home
and abroad. Just as Jesus's mission manifested the many
layers of the Kingdom through His preaching and His acts
of justice and mercy, so should His Church's mission.
involved verbal proclamation of the Good News of Christ:
Peter proclaims the Gospel again and again
(2:14-39; 3:12-26; 4:8-12); Stephen speaks (7:2-53);
Philip preaches (8:4-13); and Paul and Barnabas
are commissioned and sent out to share the Gospel
with Jews and then Gentiles (8:13-14).
The proclamation of the Gospel moves from Jerusalem
to Judea, Samaria, and out toward the ends of the earth.
The book of Acts also makes it clear that the mission
of the early Church involved attending to material needs.
In the earliest depiction of the Church after Pentecost,
meetings for prayer and worship flowed naturally into
making sure the material needs in their community
were met (2:43-47). Distributing food daily to widows
became a regular practice of these early Christians (6:1-6).
Paul returns to the church in Jerusalem from a missionary
journey in part to bring money for the poor in support of
the Church's mission (24:17). The Great Commission
was fulfilled not only as the disciples moved into
new geographic locations but also as they intentionally
addressed the social and economic realities at home
and abroad. Just as Jesus's mission manifested the many
layers of the Kingdom through His preaching and His acts
of justice and mercy, so should His Church's mission.
+ Jim Martin, The Just Church: Becoming a Risk-Taking, Justice-Seeking, Disciple-Making Congregation
Build Your Kingdom Here
Rend Collective, 2012 A.D.
Come, set Your rule and reign
In our hearts again.
Increase in us, we pray.
Unveil why we’re made.
Come set our hearts
Ablaze with hope
Like wildfire in our very souls.
Holy Spirit, come invade us now!
We are Your Church.
We need Your power in us.
We seek Your Kingdom first.
We hunger and we thirst.
Refuse to waste our lives
For You’re our joy and prize.
To see the captive
Hearts released,
The hurt, the sick,
The poor at peace,
We lay down our lives for
Heaven’s cause.
We are Your Church.
We pray, “Revive this earth!”
Build Your Kingdom here!
Let the darkness fear!
Show Your mighty hand!
Heal our streets and land!
Set Your Church on fire!
Win the nations back!
Change the atmosphere!
Build Your Kingdom here!
We pray!
Unleash Your
Kingdom’s power
Reaching the near and far!
No force of Hell can stop
Your beauty changing hearts!
You made us for
Much more than this!
Awake the Kingdom seed in us!
Fill us with the strength
And love of Christ!
We are Your Church.
We are hope on earth.
(Chorus)
All the Poor and Powerless
All Sons and Daughters, 2011 A.D.
All the poor and powerless,
And all the lost and lonely.
All the thieves will come confess,
And know that You are holy.
And know that You are holy.
And all will sing out, "Hallelujah!"
And we will cry out, "Hallelujah!'
All the hearts who are content,
And all who feel unworthy.
And all who hurt with nothing left
Will know that You are holy.
(Chorus)
Shout it, go on and scream it from the mountains,
Go on and tell it to the masses, that He is God!
(Chorus)
May Your Power Rest on Me
Isaac Watts, Early 1700s A.D.
Sojourn Music, 2009 A.D.
Let me hear my Savior say
“Your strength shall return.”
Then I’ll rejoice in my weakness
As I lean on Your grace,
As I lean on Your grace.
May Your power rest on me.
You are strong when I am weak.
I can bear all things
When temptation springs
For You sustain me all my days.
Let me know my Savior’s face.
Let my hope be secure.
Then I’ll rejoice in my weakness
As I lean on Your grace,
As I lean on Your grace.
(Chorus)
Once from the Lord withdrawn
I thought that I could live my life alone.
Leaving the solid ground,
I sank beneath His wisdom.
The harder I tried to climb,
The closer I was to find
How great is my weakness.
(Chorus)
Though the trial still goes on,
Your grace will be my song!
For I can bear all things
When temptation springs
For You sustain me all my days.
All Creatures of Our God and King
St. Francis of Assisi, Early 1200s A.D.
West Coast Revival, 2013 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!
Questions as You Consider Jesus
Are you curious? Consider asking someone a question or two about Jesus and Christian spirituality even if you don't believe.
Are you open? Consider your emotional and spiritual needs, and step into asking if Jesus can meet them and help you.
Are you searching? Consider exploring more about Jesus even if you are not sure who He is; example: "If I could ask Jesus one honest question that would help me trust Him, what would I ask?"
Are you beginning to believe? Consider how your life would be transformed if you followed Jesus. Ask God to help you understand the Good News that through Jesus' life, death, and resurrection, He is restoring everything sin has ruined in your life and in the world.
For this reason I kneel before the Father
from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named.
I pray that He may grant you, according to the riches of His glory,
to be strengthened with power in your inner being through His Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.
I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love,
may be able to comprehend with all the saints
what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love,
and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge,
so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now to Him who is able to do above and beyond
all that we ask or think according to the power
that works in us—to Him be glory in the Church
and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. + Ephesians 3:14-21
Next sermon audio and liturgy: Emmaus City Values Series | Justice & Joy
Are you curious? Consider asking someone a question or two about Jesus and Christian spirituality even if you don't believe.
Are you open? Consider your emotional and spiritual needs, and step into asking if Jesus can meet them and help you.
Are you searching? Consider exploring more about Jesus even if you are not sure who He is; example: "If I could ask Jesus one honest question that would help me trust Him, what would I ask?"
Are you beginning to believe? Consider how your life would be transformed if you followed Jesus. Ask God to help you understand the Good News that through Jesus' life, death, and resurrection, He is restoring everything sin has ruined in your life and in the world.
Benediction
For this reason I kneel before the Father
from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named.
I pray that He may grant you, according to the riches of His glory,
to be strengthened with power in your inner being through His Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.
I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love,
may be able to comprehend with all the saints
what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love,
and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge,
so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now to Him who is able to do above and beyond
all that we ask or think according to the power
that works in us—to Him be glory in the Church
and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. + Ephesians 3:14-21
Next sermon audio and liturgy: Emmaus City Values Series | Justice & Joy
Christ is all,
Rev. Mike "Sully" Sullivan
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