Seek First: The Great Commission

You know, it's great to be together today if you haven't had the chance, if we hadn't had the chance to meet. My name is Jess Adkins and it's great to meet you, hopefully get to continue to meet you and get to know you better in the weeks and months ahead. One of the things I do here on staff is that I get to oversee our network or our mission, opportunities, partnerships and stuff. And I love, absolutely love doing it because of who I am. So it's a good thing.

And old men, the older you get, the more I think tearier you get. So I apologize for that. But it's something that's near and dear to my heart and so I appreciate being able to lead this area, be able to venture into new things and see what God has for us next. You know, we've been looking in depth over this last month at Seeking first the Kingdom, unpacking our 36 month vision. And today particularly, I want us to zone in on a certain section of it.

And so I want us to look at it as we begin just so we know where we're going. It says these words. We are unified in our aim to fulfill and embody the great Commission. We generously collaborate with local and global individuals and organizations that share our value and mission, offering financial support, resources, voice volunteers to advance kingdom work in other places. So what does that mean for us, you and me, in our everyday lives?

What does that look like to be people who are shaped by this vision everywhere we go, as ordinary, everyday folks trying to learn and follow in the example and practices of Jesus? Well, certainly there are some questions that we must ask ourselves that are deeply practical as well as important. We must ask, what orders my life? What takes command and shapes the hours of my days? What drives my decision about my bank account or my free time or my hobbies?

You see, to follow Jesus is about surrendering all of these things, every area of our life. Being led by his spirit every day doesn't look like being some religious guy or gal to those around us, but it looks like the love of Jesus that is so embodied within us that it just spills out and others around us can't help but notice that he's made a difference in our lives. Imagine if someone were to scroll through your last 20 Facebook posts, let's say, to kind of get a feel for who you were. Would they see any mention of God in there?

Would they see your love for Jesus Christ in the things you said in the post you put? Or would they hear about Your opinions on the economy or on politics. And don't get me wrong, those things matter. But my friends, there is a kingdom far bigger than this one. And there is a king who is over all.

And we just sung to him and he is King Jesus.

When we start living that way, embracing the practices and the rhythms of Jesus in our own lives, we become the type of people that this vision talking about. And over the next three years, that's the vision we want to unfold. The people we want to become moving in rhythm with the very heartbeat of God every single day of our lives. To advance his kingdom both here and not here, to the ends of the earth.

Coca Cola, it's the real thing. You know, if you're old enough, you might remember that back in the day been around a long time. 1886, Dr. John Pemberton first introduced Coca Cola in Atlanta, Georgia. The pharmacist concocted a caramel colored syrup and a three legged brass kettle in his backyard. The distribution of Coca Cola was a jug he took down to the local pharmacy for the very first time.

Jacob's Pharmacy. Since its humble beginnings in 1886, Coca Cola has grown to the point where 97% of the world has heard of it, 72% have seen a can or a bottle, and 51% of it have actually tasted it. Now here's a point that should hit us like a freight train. 1.7 billion people worldwide have never heard of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In fact, 17 million people died last year without ever hearing the name of Jesus.

Coca Cola, a product made of sugar and water, has reached an astounding number of people across the globe.

So here's the question. Why should a fizzy drink be more known than our King Jesus? When we think about the Great Commission and our call to go to make disciples, it's not a suggestion that Jesus has given his church. It's a mandate. It's a command.

You see, Jesus last words on this earth should be the very first work of our lives. Every day as his disciples emulating and embodying him in our lives. And the command is grounded in the very historical fact of his resurrection from the dead, conquering death and sin. Paul says it this way in First Corinthians 13. Excuse me, 15, 14.

And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is our faith. But he has. So knowing these things, it should drive us to a point with an urgency that nothing else does in fulfilling this command. Perhaps you've heard the Great Commission before. Perhaps you've read it multiple times.

You've heard it multiple times. It's plain enough, it's very simple. But I serve a God who does amazing things, open up hearts and minds afresh every time that we look into his word.

And my prayer today is that everyone in this room, no matter what you think about God or not, that your hearts will be open and that God will speak through his spirit specifically into your life, what he's calling you to do and to be. So let's go ahead. These are Christ's last recorded words here on this earth as he ascends into heaven. And let's examine what he has to say. Matthew 28th chapter.

We'll pick up in verse 16 where we find these words. Then the 11 disciples went to Galilee, to a mountain where Jesus had told them to go. And when they saw him, they worshiped him. But some doubted when they saw him, their resurrected king, their friend, he'd just come up from the dead, they had seen him. Yet some doubted there was some doubt.

I mean, aren't these guys, the guys who just over the last several years, probably the last year, just saw Jesus walk on water? Isn't this the guy they just saw take five loaves and two fishes and fed more than 5,000, 10 to 15,000 people in front of their own eyes? Wasn't this the guy they were in the boat with? And the raging sea was crazy and the waves were everywhere, and he calmed it right there.

And now he's standing in front of him and there's doubt.

You know, I think if we were, to be honest, in this room, we've all been in a place of those disciples, those apostles, those human beings just like us, where we've experienced maybe God work in our lives through some miraculous way or through some healing or some financial or whatever it has been.

And yet a few days later or a week later, and our logic kicks in, our humanness starts to go to work, and we begin to question, huh, was that really God or just me following the right things, stumbling to the right consequences, and it all just happened. And we begin to have a little doubt and question God and what he has done in our lives and for us. And I think that's where the apostles are at this point, the disciples, that moment as they're standing there, they've seen these amazing things. It's an amazing moment of Jesus getting ready to ascend and give them his last commands, his commission. And they're saying, is this really happening?

Is this happening? And here's what I love about the moment. Because you know, Jesus knows everything we're thinking, even we don't have to say it. He knows exactly what's going on with those 11 that are there.

And he doesn't begin to lecture them. He doesn't get disgusted and say, ah, I knew you guys were hopeless and useless. Forget it, I'm going to go with someone else to get this job done. No, he leaned into them all the more and moves forward with them. Which again is great news for us.

Because when we're doubting God or anything he's done or what we think he has or hasn't done, he doesn't move away from us. He doesn't discard us. He moves into us. And he says, this is my plan and you are still the answer imperfect people to accomplish the mission that I'm going to give. Because that's who he works through, people like you and I who are totally surrendered, imperfect and all.

And that's what he tells his disciples and reminds us as we look on to verse 18 in Matthew 28. He then says this, Then Jesus came to them and said, all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. You see, authority is a God given right to command. So Jesus has been given the right as the king of this kingdom, the authority to command. And it's not just a far off idea, my friends.

It's something that should gear and direct our very lives, our church, our communities, every corner of this world should be impacted by it. Paul kind of describes his authority in this way in Ephesians 1, verses 20 through 23. When he says these words, he God raised Christ from the dead and seated him at the right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion in every name that is invoked not only in the present age, but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be the head over everything for the church which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. All authority in heaven and earth has been given to Jesus, our King.

And thus from that point he says, here's what I want you to do. Here's my command for you. And commonly we call it the great commission, verses 19 and 20 of Matthew 28. And he says, therefore go, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. Now as we unpack and look at the Greek here, the original language really go is an emphatic tense.

And so it's really to be understood as. As we go, another way we could interpret or look at it is so move. Get going. So as we're moving about our everyday life and the rhythms of taking the kids and going to work and all the things that we do, we're moving through this world. We're making disciples as we go, as we're moving about.

See, it's not about checking off some boxes. It's not about sitting in some auditorium in some place. It's about getting off of our blessed assurance and doing something that moves the kingdom forward. That's what he's calling us to. To go and liberate the captives.

To go and heal the brokenhearted. To care for the least of these, to help release the clutches for every man, woman and child of Satan into the consequences of sin. To release them by freeing them of the good news of Jesus Christ. That's what the Great commission is, to make disciples. And that, my friends, is what we want to do as a church.

That's part of our vision of a people we want to become, because it's what Christ has called us to be. And so we challenge and train everyday people into what it looks like to be disciples, to follow in the practices and the rhythms of Jesus in our everyday life. That's what we're about, and that's what we want to do. And of course, this command is a corporate command. It's for the church overall.

But, my friends, look around. The church is made up of individuals, and so is a command to every single one of us. We see the beauty of this being filled by the first disciples in the early church, as they are called. The Book of Acts tells us that they went out and took the word everywhere, spreading it. Not just the apostles, not just certain trained ones, but every one of them who knew the good news were released to share it.

Acts 8:4 says this. And those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the Word. And those who were scattered were all the Christians. They went the disciples and made more disciples as they were going. You know, generally in the church world, what we call this is evangelism, where there's no cultural barrier to get in our way.

There's no language that you have to learn. It's just having the courage to share your faith story or journey with those around you who speak the same language, who live in your neighborhood, who work at your work.

If we are going to be people to fulfill this great commission, we have got to understand as disciples, it starts first in the home. It starts first in the home. Ground zero. The nucleus of disciple making doesn't start at church, my friends. It starts in our homes.

That is the basis of it. And that is why we as a church continue to partner and have resources and want to come alongside of parents to help them to become disciplers in their own home. Because that is the beginning of all discipleship. That's a crucial battleground.

You know, I don't envy being a parent. I'm a grandparent these days. I used to be a parent, but that parenting thing left at about 18, 19. I became a coach at that point by best reference and people guidance in my life. But as a grandparent, it's a little different.

But parenting, I don't care if you parented when I did or maybe even a couple of you. I doubt very many of you before I did. But parenting has always been tough. There's never been a ruba you get when they pop out of the womb, you pull out, oh, hey, okay, this happens. We're gonna do this, we're gonna do that.

It is tough. And you know what I've seen in recent years? It has gotten harder and harder because everything is available online. How to be the perfect parent parent. What to do in this situation.

Step one, do the all these things. And when you do these things, you're going to get these outcomes. My friends, parenting is way too hard, and we're making it way too hard on ourselves. Parenting is an art. It's not a science.

There's no guarantees. In fact, the only thing that can always be guaranteed of is if you tell your teenager to do one thing, they're going to do the opposite.

But yes. Do we need to create environments of discipline? Certainly, definitely. Do we need to create an environment of nurturing and love and care? Absolutely.

But are there any guarantees? No. No. But still, discipling begins in the home. It is the apex, the place we begin.

And so maybe some of you are thinking today, hey, I, I've never been discipled. I don't even know what that means. How am I supposed to do that in my home with my children or grandchildren? Well, I'm glad you asked because we've got lots of ways we want to come alongside of you. That's a whole part of our vision and mission as we go forward, is working together to accomplish this goal and this vision.

Sunday mornings at 9am we have Whitewater discovered. It's a great place to begin to understand the rhythms and practice of Jesus, to talk about them, to discuss them to begin to live them out. There's also another great training called foundations, which right now is currently Monday in the fall, but there'll be another one in the spring. There are so many ways to jump in and begin to grasp what this means to be a disciple. And that's what we're all about, we want to do.

In fact, Russ Howard on staff, he oversees our disciple making system and he would love for you, if you've got a question, you've got something you're looking for today, a next step or something you want to do, reach out to him. And just so you know, I did get his permission to put his email up there. He is willing, he is ready to have conversations with you, just like he had with Joe and his boys about baptism. We want to come alongside of you each step of the way because that's what we're about. My friends, when we think about the home, I'm not just talking about mom, dad and the kids.

I'm talking about single moms, single dads. I'm talking about singles who come together as a family in that home to create and begin in a discipleship process as they move forward. And then as a community, we grow from there and gain more support and get others involved. And as we reach out as a church and participate and begin to find others and send others and partner with others throughout the world, now realize we're not doing this just for an information dump. That's what not the whole purpose is.

It's not about checking off boxes, getting information to people. We're talking about life transformation, my friends, teaching people to obey everything Jesus has commanded us as his disciples and then walking alongside of them as they live it and as we live it out together. It's not just teaching and giving. It's about walking beside people. And that's why every one of us needs to be involved, because we have people in our lives who need us right next to them to help them walk through this.

It's not easy, but we are able with God's help. And this is how we do it. The assurance he gives us is at the end of verse 20, in going as he sent us, he says this, and surely I am with you always. To the very end of the age. The very end of the age.

Now, to the New Testament writers, the end of the age really commenced with the resurrection and the ascension of Christ. And no one in this room knows the hour or the day when time may come to an end. But we realize that we're moving toward that last Hour, those end times of some, some refer to our mission will one day come to an end. It'll either be when God calls us home or when he calls game over and everything's done. But either way, we have been called by God to make disciples as we go.

So I've heard it said this way. Live as if we were, as if he were coming today, and yet work as if he were not to return for another thousand years. So live in the moment, practicing rhythms of Jesus Christ to every person, everything we do every day, but working in such a way that we are reaching as many people in many ways as we can forever. And that's the assurance that we're given he is going to be with us as we go and make disciples. And certainly as we look at that, we have to link Acts, the first chapter, the eighth verse, which chronologically takes place shortly after this, because it tells us this.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you. You see, the Spirit of Christ is with us to the end of the age when he says, I am with you. It is the Spirit that is with us, that is within us. Jesus doesn't say, okay, go figure it out. I told you to go.

Now get out there and figure it out and get it done. He says, I'm going to go with you. And remember, you're not powerless. I've given you boldness, not timidity. I've given you power.

The power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead is in each and every one of us who claim to have Jesus in our lives. We have the power of His Spirit to enable us to make disciples as we go, to share the simple Word, to smile, to do the simple act, to walk alongside people who are going through tough and hard times. The Holy Spirit is a power of life. Transformation is an agent that brings life and vitality into situations and relationships that were once marked by death and decay. Yet often, if you're like me, we neglect the Holy Spirit.

We limit or seek to control it. Perhaps you have a conservative background, as I do in this area. And so many times I want to put the Holy Spirit in a box and I expect him to show up as long as he does it within this realm and these ways.

But my word for us today would be we've got to make room. We've got to make room for him to do whatever he wants to in our lives. And he wants to do is push forward his kingdom through his people, imperfect people like you and me. So verse eight of chapter of chapter one of Acts Continues to say this then, but you will receive my power when the Holy Spirit comes on you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere in Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria and to the ends of, of the earth.

You see, the kingdom work is urgent. And it's not just for there, in some distant land. It starts here, as we've said, in our homes. And this really is, excuse me, strategic plan that he lays out for them. They were meeting, they were living in Jerusalem.

So he says, start right where you're at, starting your home, in your workplace, in your community. Start there and then go from there to Judea, to the other areas, Ohio, surrounding areas and regions, and then to Samaria and the ends of the earth. He's calling us to make disciples, and it'll be up to us of how we will respond. But I can tell you what Jesus expects. He expects our obedience.

He expects our obedience no matter the circumstances. And you know what I found in my life? That obedience puts me in a place where God can use me when I obey what I hear from Him. He uses that in great ways. And that's exactly what happened.

When these disciples came that day. They were obedient to meet Jesus on this mount where he told them to. Then they listened to the commission and they were obedient and went forward from that place. And it's recorded in the Book of Acts of what they were able to accomplish. This is a mandate that he has given us, a commission for every single one of our lives.

And so I would challenge us to be the people who will step into this mission with obedience, to trust that God will be with us every step of the way, no matter what's ahead, no matter what we go through. He will provide. Positioning ourselves in a place of opportunity to do things that we can never do on our own. We will do things that we could never do on our own when we have the power of Jesus Christ in our lives and we're obedient. And here's a spoiler alert.

There's always a price to our obedience. If you've been walking the journey or been a disciple very long, you understand that and you know that, but you also understand that really as true and lasting satisfaction as a disciple, as a follower of Jesus. It only comes when, when we're able to throw our lives into the purpose for which we were created by the Creator, we find the purpose of our lives. And that brings out the satisfaction and fullness of our lives. And so I encourage you to be obedient, to listen to what God's calling you to do.

Because certainly I'm not standing up here today saying every one of us needs to go sign up to be a cross cultural, leave your home as missionaries. That's not what I'm saying. I don't expect that, nor do I believe that that's even biblical. But it is my prayer and it is our hope that as we grow as disciples that some of us will be called both here and not here, to the ends of the earth. Some of you have already found that calling.

Some of you have heard that voice and you've responded obediently because some of you are already missionaries sharing the good news. You're just disguised as schoolteachers. Some of you are missionaries already. You're disguised as CEO or engineers. You're already fulfilling making disciples as you go.

Some of you are just disguised as volunteers or retirees. Some of you are leaders of your HOAs. And you're already sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. You found the calling. You become obedient.

And God is using you in amazing ways. You may not even know to push forward his kingdom. We've all been called. We've all been called. And maybe it's not to a distant land, but it's to listen to the voice of a God who says, go and make disciples and I'll be with you as you do it.

I don't know a better way to invest my life and my resources and than in laying up treasure in heaven, rewards that are eternal through the actions, through my life, through my resources here and now on this earth, pushing forward the kingdom. Some of the greatest things I can do with my resources in my life. You know, as I look around this morning, I'm reminded that Whitewater for a long time has had a reputation of being generous, of having an outward focus. And really it's because of the people who are sitting in this room and those who are watching online who are a part. You've made it happen because you've believed in what God has called us to do and you've responded obediently even with some of the hardest area of our lives in personal areas, which is our finances.

And you've chosen to give so thanks to, to those of you who are part of our giving community, who allow us to do these things, to reach across the street on either side and across the world. Thank you for your help in doing that. If you're not a part of that, there are several ways you can be a part of that. We'd love to have you Join us on this mission, this vision that God's given us as we have been blessed to be a blessing. Really, everything that we have is to be a blessing to others around us.

Our time, our energy, our resources, everything. And so as we get that perspective, God will use us even more and more. Because I don't know about you, but I still want to spend and be spent for the sake of fulfilling the great commission, of taking the good news to people who have not heard it yet. And whether that's right next door or whether that's on the other side of the world. That's what I want to be about.

All our lives, for all our lives. That's what we've been called to give. And my friends, there's no greater way to be spent than in the work that God's created you to do and to be. And don't forget that if the church won't disciple people, the world will and is, especially our younger generations. So what's our response today as a church individually?

How do we respond to. To this great commission that Jesus has put before us? You know, in recent years, quite frankly, as a church, we've not been as committed to this as we would have liked to been. We're a little distracted and focused in different ways. But now we're kind of zoning back in on a vision and we're making changes to that.

Both Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. We want to do more. We're pledged to do more as the weeks and months and years go forward. We've reestablished a global network to team, which was before our missions team, who are looking at opportunities and ways to connect with people, to get you all stirred, to connect, to go, and to either send or be sent into the things that God's calling you to do, whether it's here or not here. It's our desire as a church.

That's our heart as we move forward. And this team that has come together, they are amazing, amazing people with multiple years. And I don't want to be like the business world and tell you we have 150 years of mission experience because nobody on the team's as old as I am. Well, there's one other person, but everybody else is young. They're all young, 20, 40 years younger than I am.

But it's amazing who God has brought together to help steer this portion of where we're going, because it's so vital, and that's what he has. And in case you didn't know, Christmas is coming again. This year and it's December 25th, so make sure it's on your calendar. Each year at Christmas time we have a Christmas Eve offering in which 100% of that money goes outside of these walls for great commission work. So I just put that on your radar.

If you want to invest in some great ways, think about that. You'll be hearing more about that in the weeks ahead. Personally, what can I do? Well, we can start right where we're at. We start right in our homes, in our neighborhoods and our workplaces.

And if you need help, if you have questions, I've already stated it, we're here. We're available on Sundays, throughout the week via email, the website Reach Out. We want to come alongside of you. We're doing this together. God's called us together to work it and make it happen to make disciples.

You know, over the span of my years as a Jesus follower, the one thing that I have found that helps me really to grow the most and I've seen in other people's lives grow closer to Jesus and being his disciple has been the opportunity to participate in a short term mission trip. And so I'd love for you to watch a short video with me. At Whitewater Crossing, we are committed to expanding God's kingdom by serving others with humility and love. We're starting in our homes and and extending into our neighborhoods, workplaces and communities. And now we can extend this mission even further across the globe.

Whitewater Go trips offer a powerful opportunity to live out our calling as disciples of Jesus, bringing hope, care and the healing power of God to communities beyond our borders. On a GO trip, every step we take is a chance to seek God's kingdom. Whether we're building relationships, sharing the good news of Jesus, or simply serving others in a new culture every day, in every place, we strive to make Christ known and joyfully build his kingdom for generations to come. But these trips aren't just about changing the world. They're about allowing God to change you.

As we step out of our daily comforts, we are transformed by the power of God and challenged to trust him in new and unique ways. And you'll come home with a renewed heart and purpose. Don't miss this chance to experience God in new ways as part of his global kingdom. Will you join us on a life changing adventure?

That's my challenge and invitation for some of you in the room today to consider being a part of a short term mission trip, a go trip as we call them here again, I've seeing God work so powerfully through different people's lives over the years who have experienced this GO trip. I want to invite you in as we go to serve others as we sacrifice and even have some suffering via obedience in our lives. By wrapping those up, you get a full spectrum of being more like Jesus than ever before. And leave your comfort zones and your expectations and you let God come in and his spirit moves and shows up in amazing ways. And I could talk all day and give you stories, but that's next week, November 3rd.

We'll have a short meeting after each service for our go trips for 2025. Again, this is a re establishment, this is a foundation. Our hopes is this is just the beginning to continue to expand great partnerships we already have in ways that we can be a part of those partnerships, personal, personally, of course. We want to encourage and love those who we have sent. We want to come alongside of them as well as go into new places.

I encourage you after each service next week we'll meet to talk about why we go, who's going, the trip leaders, all about those trips. So if you have interest, please go. If you can't make it, just reach out to me via email and we'll fill you in on what's happening. Every one of us today can become more intentional of how we disciple, starting right in our own homes, letting the authority of Christ and his Spirit's power take control so that we live like the mission that he gave us is the most important thing we could ever do. Because my friends, it is.

God, we thank you for the commission you've given us to go and make disciples. Dear Father God, for the power and your Spirit that goes with us, we thank you. You thank you for the opportunity, what you're placing on our hearts, the obedience to listen to you, whatever that calling is today, God, we just ask that your Spirit will work and challenge and convict us. We ask it all in Jesus name, Amen.