full

The Mission Is In Motion

Published on: 26th November, 2024

Have you ever felt like you’re stuck at a red light in your spiritual journey, just waiting for the go-ahead? In his sermon "The Mission is in Motion," Pastor Travis Nicholson shares a powerful reminder: the green light has been on all along!

Pastor Travis dives deep into Matthew 28:18-20, transforming the Great Commission into a relatable call to action. He uses a clever traffic light analogy to illustrate our common hesitations, even when God has already cleared the way.

Feeling hesitant about stepping up? This sermon might be the nudge you need. Whether it’s engaging more in your community, mentoring others, or living out your faith boldly, Pastor Travis encourages us to shift into gear and embrace our role in God’s ongoing mission.

Tune in and discover how to stop waiting and start moving. It’s time to accelerate your faith journey and make a real impact!

Transcript
:

Well, good morning.

2

:

How's everyone doing?

3

:

Doing good.

4

:

I want to say good morning to

Milton and Plymouth and Bethlehem

5

:

and anyone watching online.

6

:

And if I could get help with a

table, that would be fantastic.

7

:

Um, I can try to juggle all this, but

it wouldn't end well, I promise you.

8

:

I think you guys would

enjoy that, but I would not.

9

:

Uh, it's a blessing to be here.

10

:

It's a blessing to, uh, it's always

a blessing, uh, when we get to come

11

:

home to family at Restoration Church.

12

:

For those that do not know

who I am, as Pastor Victoria

13

:

said, I am Travis Nicholson.

14

:

My wife actually works, is

on staff here at Restoration.

15

:

Uh, but, uh, due to my job, uh,

yeah, you can cheer for her.

16

:

She's awesome.

17

:

Uh, due to my job working with the

district, we live in central Maine

18

:

and, uh, we're constantly traveling.

19

:

So, uh, the, uh, when we're not

traveling, we try to make it down here.

20

:

Uh, and then sometimes I get blessed

and honored to be asked to speak here.

21

:

And so, first, let me, uh, Before I

continue, just thank Pastor Nate publicly.

22

:

Uh, it's not, uh, likely that

I take the honor of speaking

23

:

in another pastor's pulpit.

24

:

And, uh, or on their

stage on a Sunday morning.

25

:

And so, uh, I want to thank Pastor

Nate for his trust, uh, in me

26

:

and his trust in this church.

27

:

Um, and let's get into it.

28

:

Um, actually, let's not get into it.

29

:

Uh, because before I jump right into the

message, I do want to take just a moment.

30

:

And, uh, and offer some recognition

and, and honor someone that needs

31

:

to be honored within your church.

32

:

As Pastor Victoria said, I'm

the district youth director.

33

:

What that basically means is I just hang

out with teenagers and I get paid for it.

34

:

It's great.

35

:

But part of that is that Speed the Light.

36

:

I, I help champion and cast

vision for Speed the Light.

37

:

If you don't know what Speed the Light is,

Speed the Light is within the assemblies

38

:

of God, it's teenagers giving to missions.

39

:

For And here at Restoration, we've put

Speed of Light under Kingdom Builders.

40

:

So, uh, your teenagers, when they

give to Kingdom Builders, they're

41

:

giving to, uh, Speed of Light.

42

:

And, uh, for those that, We just want

a quick history of Speed of Light.

43

:

In 1944, a man by the name of Ralph W.

44

:

Harris, who at the time was the National

Youth Director, he was in charge of youth

45

:

ministries all across the nation, he saw

the need to disciple students in missions.

46

:

He saw the need to disciple

students in generosity, and

47

:

he said something can be done.

48

:

He said our, our, our missionaries

still need help on the field, and

49

:

teenagers can be a part in that.

50

:

And so in 1944, he created what

we now know as Speed the Light.

51

:

And since that day, teenagers

across our nation have been, uh,

52

:

giving generously to Speed the

Light year after year after year.

53

:

And so this year in 2024, uh,

we, uh, developed the Ralph W.

54

:

Harris award.

55

:

It is an award that is given to a student

in our district in Maine, Vermont, New

56

:

Hampshire, that we believe not only

personifies generosity and missions,

57

:

but also inspires others to do it.

58

:

When we decided to come up with

this award, we knew who we knew the

59

:

moment we came up with it, who would

receive the inaugural Uh, Ralph W.

60

:

Harris Award, because he has inspired

not only this church to get into

61

:

missions, he has inspired not just

those around him to get into missions,

62

:

but he's inspired our entire district.

63

:

It's it's because of this family.

64

:

It's because of this church

that we've seen missions and

65

:

generosity become a focus across

Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire.

66

:

And so would you please join me in

recognizing Benaiah Gagney as the

67

:

inaugural receiver of the Ralph W.

68

:

Harris Award across all locations.

69

:

You are blessed.

70

:

You are blessed.

71

:

With Pastor Nate as your

pastor, you're blessed with the

72

:

Gagney family and your church.

73

:

You are blessed as a church to focus on

generosity and missions the way you do.

74

:

And it's because of Restoration, I

can't say it enough, that not only is

75

:

New England becoming more generous and

more mission minded, but the nation is

76

:

seeing what is happening in New England.

77

:

And so we thank you, Gagneys.

78

:

We thank you, Benaiah.

79

:

We thank you, Restoration.

80

:

Uh, and so, with all that out of the way,

let's jump into the Word of God, shall we?

81

:

All right.

82

:

So, this morning, I know for the past few

weeks you guys have been talking about

83

:

Kingdom Builders, and this morning I'm

going to kind of stay in that same vein.

84

:

Uh, but I want to kind

of shift it a little bit.

85

:

Uh, before we jump into the Word, uh,

how many of you know there's an epidemic

86

:

that's sweeping across our nation?

87

:

Um, And it's called road rage Yeah,

yeah, yeah, you know if if you don't

88

:

have road rage You know someone who

does and if you don't know someone who

89

:

does I've got news for you this morning.

90

:

It's you

91

:

Listen I already warned my wife

On our way to church this morning.

92

:

I said, hey, hey, babe.

93

:

I'm gonna use you in my illustration

this morning And she said, well, how?

94

:

And I said, I'm gonna

talk about road rage.

95

:

And she said, Travis, don't you dare.

96

:

And I said, relax.

97

:

I'm still gonna do it.

98

:

Uh, and so, My, I, I typically drive.

99

:

Um, just because I have

a bit of a control issue.

100

:

Um, but also, if I'm

not driving, I'm asleep.

101

:

Like, if I'm riding in a car,

if I'm not physically, like, you

102

:

put me in a plane, I'm asleep.

103

:

You put me on a train, I'm asleep.

104

:

You put me in the passenger

seat of a car, I'm asleep.

105

:

I can sleep anywhere,

and it's usually awesome.

106

:

Uh, so, I typically drive.

107

:

But every now and again, she'll drive.

108

:

Um, or even sometimes while

I drive, this happens.

109

:

Uh, but We pull up to a red light.

110

:

There's a car in front of us.

111

:

We pull up behind that car.

112

:

The light turns green.

113

:

The car doesn't move.

114

:

And all of a sudden I have

to question whether or not

115

:

my wife is truly a christian.

116

:

I'm just kidding.

117

:

It's not that bad.

118

:

It's not that bad, but it is like go.

119

:

What are you waiting for?

120

:

Go!

121

:

I'm like Aaron, it's literally been 0.

122

:

01 second.

123

:

The light just turned green.

124

:

It's okay.

125

:

It's okay.

126

:

But you know that frustration when you're

stuck behind a car and the light turns

127

:

green, and you're, you're trying to get

somewhere, you're trying to do something,

128

:

you're trying to accomplish something,

and the car in front of you isn't going.

129

:

And I, I, I think sometimes in life,

maybe, I could be wrong here, but maybe

130

:

God looks at his church the same way.

131

:

Where he's like, the light is green, go.

132

:

Do something.

133

:

The light is green.

134

:

I've given you the green light.

135

:

Go, go stop.

136

:

You're stopped.

137

:

Keep going.

138

:

And so this morning when, when, when

I'm talking about kingdom builders,

139

:

I, I want you to hear my heart here.

140

:

We should be giving to kingdom builders.

141

:

Generosity matters, but kingdom

builders isn't just something we give

142

:

to kingdom builders is something we are.

143

:

You and I are called

to be kingdom builders.

144

:

If, if you're in this place this morning,

you've given your heart to Christ, you

145

:

are called to be a kingdom builder.

146

:

And so my goal this morning is to

show how the mission of God is moving.

147

:

It's active throughout our lives

since the beginning of time.

148

:

If you have your Bibles, you can open them

up to Matthew 28, verses 18 through 20.

149

:

This is a passage of verses that's

typically known as the Great Commission.

150

:

If Uh, this is the moment that we

kind of get our mission from God.

151

:

Uh, this is the moment that we as

believers are told, this is what I want

152

:

you to do from Jesus Christ himself.

153

:

He's speaking to his disciples, but we

today take it as a command for us as well.

154

:

But the, the verse here, this

is after Jesus has resurrected.

155

:

All right, he's been crucified,

he's been resurrected.

156

:

He, he told the women of the tomb, go

get my disciples, bring them to Galilee.

157

:

And this is at that moment,

this is what he says.

158

:

It says in verse 18, and Jesus came and

said to them, all authority in heaven

159

:

and on earth has been given to me.

160

:

Go therefore and make disciples of

all nations, baptizing them in the

161

:

name of the father and of the son and

of the Holy spirit, teaching them to

162

:

observe all that I've commanded you.

163

:

And behold, I am with you

always to the end of the age.

164

:

Father, I thank you for

your word this morning.

165

:

I thank you that we get to be here and

hear you speak truth into our lives.

166

:

Father, I pray right now that you open up

the eyes and the ears and the hearts of

167

:

everyone that's here, and even those that

are not, to see, to hear, and to know the

168

:

truth that you're speaking this morning.

169

:

Lord, we just pray right now,

God, that you give us the strength

170

:

and the courage To be the hands

and feet of Christ in Jesus name.

171

:

We pray.

172

:

Amen.

173

:

So here in these first few verses,

you see the great commission.

174

:

What does Jesus say?

175

:

He says, go and make disciples,

baptizing them and teaching them.

176

:

A lot of the times when, when I, when

I hear this message preached or, or

177

:

even sometimes when I've preached it

myself, I've, I've done so in such a

178

:

way to say, Jesus is telling you to go.

179

:

Or we, we talk about missionaries.

180

:

Jesus is telling you to go to

another country or to go to another

181

:

state or to go and be a missionary.

182

:

Jesus is telling you to go.

183

:

But in reality, that's not what

Jesus is saying at all right here.

184

:

Because if you look at the original

Greek in which the Bible in the New

185

:

Testament was originally written

in, the way that the word for go is

186

:

translated here is as you are going.

187

:

So when, when, what Jesus is

saying here is he's not saying

188

:

go therefore and make disciples.

189

:

He's saying as you are

going, make disciples.

190

:

Baptizing and teaching.

191

:

The only command in the Great

Commission that Jesus gives that we're

192

:

not already doing is make disciples.

193

:

He expects that we are already going.

194

:

He's expecting that the

disciples are already going.

195

:

As you are going, make disciples.

196

:

And as you make those disciples,

you will be baptizing them and

197

:

teaching them because that is part

of making disciples The only command

198

:

he gives is to make disciples.

199

:

He's not telling us to go this morning

because we as christians should

200

:

already be going We as christians

already have the green light if you've

201

:

given your life to christ The moment

the day that you said yes to christ

202

:

you got to the green light to go

203

:

But in life, sometimes we stop

at those green lights or we

204

:

get stopped by red lights.

205

:

I remember not growing up, but I lived

in Waterville, Maine for quite a while.

206

:

And, uh, there's a, there's a

strip on a Waterville, Maine

207

:

called Kennedy Memorial drive.

208

:

It's about two miles ish from

the highway to where our church

209

:

was and where our house was.

210

:

We lived in the Parsonage at the church.

211

:

It's about two, a two mile stretch

and there's like eight or nine, uh,

212

:

stoplights in that two mile stretch.

213

:

And we would always joke when,

when we'd get ready to go, are we

214

:

going to ride the red wave or are

we going to ride the green wave?

215

:

Because it never seemed like

You, you, you kind of got both.

216

:

You either, every light was

green, or every light was red.

217

:

And so the light would turn

green, and you'd go about 500

218

:

feet, and the next light was red.

219

:

And then you'd have to stop and wait.

220

:

And then that light turns green, and

then you go, and the next light's red.

221

:

And so then you have to stop and wait.

222

:

And it's just exhausting.

223

:

Going and stopping, going and

stopping, going and stopping.

224

:

Especially if you're in

the car with my wife.

225

:

I'm just kidding.

226

:

I'm sorry, babe.

227

:

I'm done.

228

:

I'm done.

229

:

She's gonna hurt me.

230

:

She's gonna hurt me.

231

:

God, forgive me.

232

:

Aaron, forgive me.

233

:

I'm done.

234

:

But, the beauty of Christ, and the beauty

of God, is there are no stoplights.

235

:

They're all green lights.

236

:

We just, we can just keep

going, and going, and going.

237

:

The problem is, is we stop ourselves.

238

:

The problem is, is, is we, we

stop at a green light because we

239

:

don't really know what's next.

240

:

Or we're nervous about cars

coming the other way, even

241

:

though they have a red light.

242

:

We're nervous we might get T boned, or

we're nervous we might get side swiped.

243

:

And so we stop.

244

:

And then we go, and then we stop, and then

we go, and then we stop, and then we go.

245

:

Something happens in

our life, and we stop.

246

:

But what Jesus is telling

us this morning is to keep.

247

:

Going.

248

:

As you are going, I want

you to be making disciples.

249

:

As you are going, I want you

to be baptizing and teaching.

250

:

As you are going, I want you

to be living a life on mission.

251

:

At no point does Jesus

ever ask us to stop.

252

:

At no point does Jesus ever

say, Hey, actually, just take a

253

:

break right here, and just wait

a second, there's a car coming.

254

:

No, he's like, go.

255

:

You have the green light.

256

:

You Keep going, keep going, keep going.

257

:

The mission is in motion.

258

:

The mission doesn't stop.

259

:

The mission continues to go and go and go.

260

:

And the thing that we need to

understand is the mission has been

261

:

in motion for a very, very long time.

262

:

And I'm not talking about just from

this moment when Jesus tells the

263

:

disciples to go and make disciples.

264

:

I'm talking about since

the beginning of time.

265

:

Because the mission is in our DNA.

266

:

If you flip all the way to the front

of your Bible into Genesis chapter

267

:

one, scroll down to the bottom of

Genesis chapter one in verse 28.

268

:

It says this, it says, and God

blessed them, them being Adam and Eve.

269

:

And God said to them, be fruitful and

multiply and fill the earth and subdue it.

270

:

And have dominion over the fish of the sea

and over the birds of the heavens and over

271

:

every living thing that moves on the earth

272

:

In the new testament we see christ's

command to his disciples to go

273

:

into all the nations And make

disciples in the old testament the

274

:

very first chapter of the bible.

275

:

We see god's command To his creation

to be fruitful and multiply God has

276

:

always been a god of multiplication

God has always been a God of addition,

277

:

never division, never subtraction.

278

:

We see it time and time and time again.

279

:

He created us to multiply.

280

:

He created us to add to our family.

281

:

He created us to add

to the kingdom of God.

282

:

In the Old Testament, it's

physically in the Old Testament.

283

:

It's it he, he, he's saying, be

fruitful and multiply on the earth.

284

:

And then in the New Testament,

we see it's spiritual.

285

:

Go into all the nations

and make disciples.

286

:

Multiply yourself as a Christian,

multiply yourself as a believer,

287

:

and create new believers.

288

:

My boss, the superintendent

of the Assemblies of God,

289

:

he says often the fruit.

290

:

of a healthy tree, the fruit of

a healthy apple tree is what?

291

:

Anyone know?

292

:

Apple?

293

:

Not quite.

294

:

The fruit of a healthy apple

tree is another apple tree.

295

:

Yeah, you might get an apple from it,

296

:

but what we want is another apple tree,

because that apple is going to drop a

297

:

seed, and that seed, you plant it, and

another apple tree will come from it.

298

:

The health Or, or the, the

fruit of a healthy Christian

299

:

is another healthy Christian.

300

:

We're meant to multiply ourselves.

301

:

We're meant to add to

the kingdom of God daily.

302

:

And there's this juxtaposition

between Adam in the Old Testament

303

:

and Christ in the New Testament.

304

:

Because really what happens directly after

this in Genesis is Adam and Eve do what?

305

:

They disobey God.

306

:

They, they, they take the fruit of the

tree of knowledge of good and evil.

307

:

They, they eat of it and they're,

they're banished from Eden.

308

:

And it's, it's in that moment that

God spends the rest of his, his

309

:

creation chasing after us, hoping

to come back into alignment with

310

:

us, hoping to be reunited with us.

311

:

And that's a whole nother

sermon for a whole nother day.

312

:

But because of Adam's

disobedience, death enters.

313

:

Into the equation.

314

:

But when christ comes onto the scene and

because of his obedience at the cross

315

:

because remember christ prayed to the

father If it's your will take this cup

316

:

from me Christ christ didn't want to be

crucified But he knew what needed to be

317

:

done and through his obedience through

his crucifixion life enters the equation

318

:

No longer do we have to live in death, but

we are conquerors in Christ through life.

319

:

That's the gift that Christ

gave each of us this morning.

320

:

Across the locations, across

New Hampshire, across the

321

:

country, across the world.

322

:

Christ has given us life

through his death on the cross.

323

:

And what can be hard sometimes

is, is, is when we talk about

324

:

the mission being in our DNA.

325

:

You don't always get to

choose your DNA, right?

326

:

You don't always get to choose,

like, like, you didn't choose

327

:

the family you were born in.

328

:

Some of you are like,

yeah, I know, I wish I did.

329

:

Don't say that this week at Thanksgiving.

330

:

But you didn't get to choose

the family you were born in.

331

:

And you're dealing with being part of it.

332

:

You're dealing with being

part of that family.

333

:

The good, the bad, all of it.

334

:

Christ gives us the choice to

enter into the family of God.

335

:

But the moment we become

336

:

believers in Christ, the moment that we

become part of this family of Christ,

337

:

the mission is ingrained in our DNA.

338

:

It is who we are.

339

:

And it's beyond who we are

into how we live our lives.

340

:

The mission isn't just in our DNA.

341

:

The mission is our life.

342

:

There's a quote that some people will

attribute to this person or that person.

343

:

In reality, no one really

knows who says it, but maybe

344

:

you've heard it this morning.

345

:

It says this, it says to preach the gospel

at all times and when necessary use words.

346

:

I'm going to say that again.

347

:

It says, preach the gospel at all times.

348

:

And if necessary, use words.

349

:

When we think of the idea of preaching

the gospel, some of us sit back and we

350

:

say, Well, I'm going to let Pastor Nate

do that because he's really good at it.

351

:

I'm going to let Pastor Jeremy or Pastor

Victoria or I'll let Travis do it.

352

:

You know, God's called

them to be preachers.

353

:

But the reality is, is God's

called us all to preach the gospel.

354

:

And you don't always have to

preach the gospel with words.

355

:

You can preach the gospel and

should be preaching the gospel

356

:

every day of your life with the way

in which you're living your life.

357

:

The way that we live our lives

speak louder to the unbeliever

358

:

than the words we say.

359

:

Because if we're not living in truth, they

will never hear the truth we have to say.

360

:

We have to understand that being the

Great Commission, being a kingdom

361

:

builder, is part of our lives.

362

:

Every day we wake up, it's

an opportunity before us.

363

:

And how we live our lives and

what we do, Are we going to point

364

:

Everyone to Christ, or are we going

to point everyone to ourselves?

365

:

Do we live this life for Christ, or

do we live this life for ourselves?

366

:

And it can be hard, I get

it, trust me, I understand.

367

:

It's difficult, and it's not easy.

368

:

But I'd never read anything in the Bible

where Christ says it's going to be easy.

369

:

In fact, He says it's going to be hard.

370

:

He says to take up our

cross and follow Him.

371

:

But I can tell you, it's worth it.

372

:

Many of us sitting in this

room know it's worth it.

373

:

If we look back at the Great Commission,

374

:

you go up a few verses before

Christ talks to the disciples.

375

:

If you look at the beginning, you see

that Christ presents himself to the

376

:

women at the tomb, and the guards at

the tomb see what kind of transpires.

377

:

They see that there's no body in the tomb.

378

:

And we see what happens

with the guards in verse 11.

379

:

Same chapter, Matthew 28 verse 11,

it says, While they were going, they

380

:

being the guards, Behold, some of the

guard went into the city and told the

381

:

chief priests all that had taken place.

382

:

And when they had assembled with the

elders and taken counsel, they gave a

383

:

sufficient sum of money to the soldiers.

384

:

And they said, Tell people his disciples

came by night and stole him away.

385

:

While we were asleep, and if this

comes to the governor's ears, we will

386

:

satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.

387

:

So they took the money and did

as they were, they were directed,

388

:

and this story has been spread

among the Jews to this day.

389

:

There's a contrast that happens.

390

:

We see Jesus tell his disciples,

Go and duplicate yourselves.

391

:

Go and speak truth and make disciples.

392

:

And what we see with the guards

is the chief priest saying,

393

:

Go and lie to the people.

394

:

Tell them that Christ hasn't resurrected.

395

:

The guards had a decision to make.

396

:

Speak truth, speak death.

397

:

The disciples had a decision to make.

398

:

Speak truth, speak death.

399

:

And we see the consequences

of those actions.

400

:

It affects the generations to come.

401

:

We as believers have a decision

to make every day of our lives.

402

:

Are we going to speak truth that day or

are we going to speak death that day?

403

:

And we have to understand that

that decision has a consequence

404

:

for this next generation

405

:

and the generation after

and the generation after.

406

:

And I know this to be true

because I've witnessed it myself.

407

:

But I also know it to be true because

I've come across something that that's

408

:

pretty cool that I want to point out.

409

:

About sometime last week, we're

cleaning out the district office.

410

:

And for those of you who don't know, You

know, I, I work for the Assemblies of

411

:

God, our district office is in Portland.

412

:

Uh, and that place is full

of files from like:

413

:

Um, and so we're cleaning stuff out.

414

:

And we find a stack of these

old directories dating all

415

:

the way back to like 1965.

416

:

And, and I, I shared them, we,

we just had a, a, a youth leaders

417

:

retreat, uh, in which some of

your youth leaders were, were at.

418

:

Uh, but I, but I shared it

with the youth leaders there.

419

:

And encouraging them, like, look

at everyone that came before us.

420

:

Uh, and I wasn't planning on this,

but as I was looking through, through

421

:

one, uh, I came across something.

422

:

So, so, so here is the 1965 to 1966.

423

:

They called them yearbooks back then.

424

:

Uh, it's just a directory.

425

:

Fancy term for directory.

426

:

Uh, and you can flip through it and

you can see the names of every person,

427

:

uh, that was a, uh, pastor in, uh,

Northern New England, ordained, licensed.

428

:

Uh, and so if we go to the ordained list

of pastors, if I go all the way down

429

:

to the O's, there's a, there's a name

that some of you in Dover will probably

430

:

recognize, and maybe some in, in some

of the other locations will recognize.

431

:

It's For

432

:

those that don't know, that's

Pastor Bob Oberg, who's sitting

433

:

right up here on the second row,

434

:

who was a minister of the gospel

of Christ with Assemblies of God.

435

:

This was in 1965.

436

:

I went to him before service, and I

showed him, and we were talking, and

437

:

he said, uh, yo, yes, I remember that.

438

:

And he, he knew exactly

what his address was.

439

:

He, he, he even remembered the day

he entered that church was:

440

:

65 years ago He's been living a life

where every day he chooses to speak truth

441

:

and we see the outcome Recognized in

this church his children are believers.

442

:

His grandchildren are believers.

443

:

His great grandchildren are believers

now Some are on different journeys,

444

:

but generations are affected because

of the life that he chose to live

445

:

Generations are affected because of the

lives that you and I choose to live.

446

:

I pray that one day someone

can look back and say, Man,

447

:

Travis spoke truth every day.

448

:

Now I know the reality

is, is that's not true.

449

:

There are days I wake up and nothing

but venom comes out of my mouth.

450

:

And you say, well Travis, you're a pastor.

451

:

Listen, You know what I'm talking about.

452

:

I'm a human just like you.

453

:

I have flesh just like you.

454

:

And every day I wake up, I

have to die to that flesh.

455

:

And some days I die pretty easily.

456

:

And other days it, God has

to kill my flesh a few times.

457

:

But what I know to be true is

that the impact that we have

458

:

today will last generations and

generations and generations.

459

:

The Great Commission isn't

just for the disciples.

460

:

It wasn't just when you became a

new believer, the Great Commission

461

:

is something that we live out day

after day after day after day.

462

:

The mission wasn't something that

was for back then, and the mission

463

:

wasn't something that was for

the future, the mission is here.

464

:

The mission is now.

465

:

It's for us this morning.

466

:

If we jump over to Acts,

467

:

Chapter one, verse eight.

468

:

The Great Commission was, was

what many believe to be the, the,

469

:

the first word, spoken to the

disciples after the resurrection.

470

:

And then in Acts one, uh, verse

eight, these are the last words

471

:

spoken to the disciples before

Christ ascends into heaven.

472

:

Acts one, chapter one, verse eight

says, but you'll receive power when

473

:

the Holy Spirit has come upon you.

474

:

And you'll be my witnesses in

Jerusalem, in all Judea and

475

:

Samaria until the end of the earth.

476

:

The mission is in motion.

477

:

You and I are going, as we are going.

478

:

But where are we going?

479

:

To Jerusalem.

480

:

You're like, wait, what?

481

:

No, I'm not talking about actual Israel.

482

:

Your Jerusalem is here.

483

:

Your Jerusalem is your inner circle.

484

:

It's those people that you see.

485

:

Your Jerusalem is the dinner table this

Thursday when you gather for Thanksgiving.

486

:

Your Judea, Samaria, your community,

487

:

multiple locations across New Hampshire,

The state of New Hampshire, our country.

488

:

Now, now, my prayer is that God is

calling some people in this room and

489

:

some people across our locations to be

missionaries and to go into other nations.

490

:

But you don't have to live the Great

Commission by going to another country.

491

:

You live the commission by just going,

sometimes just going across your hall,

492

:

in your house, and speaking to your kids,

and speaking truth and living truth.

493

:

Sometimes you live out the Great

Commission and, and crossing the, the,

494

:

the aisle of the church or Or going into

your workplace or going into your schools

495

:

or or just going into your community

Living truth and speaking truth at the

496

:

same time We are called to be the body

of christ the body of christ Now we know

497

:

that our bodies are intricate every single

part of our body is important, right?

498

:

But we are specifically called to

be the hands and the feet of christ

499

:

I want to tell you this morning.

500

:

No one in this room is called

to be the belly button of christ

501

:

Now sometimes you may feel that way.

502

:

Sometimes you may feel

like, oh, I'm nothing.

503

:

Like, yeah, I'm a Christian, but yeah, I'm

not really a part of the body of Christ.

504

:

And listen, we all have belly buttons.

505

:

We can talk about them.

506

:

It's weird.

507

:

I get it, but we got him.

508

:

Does anyone know what that thing does?

509

:

No.

510

:

It exists.

511

:

It's there.

512

:

I'm sure there's a couple

people in the audience like,

513

:

yeah, I do know what it does.

514

:

Great.

515

:

That's awesome for you.

516

:

You're ruining my illustration.

517

:

But the reality is we don't

know what the belly button does.

518

:

But we know what the

hands and the feet do.

519

:

The hands and the feet are in motion.

520

:

God's calling you to be the

hands and feet of Christ.

521

:

To do something, to go, and keep going.

522

:

God's calling you to, to go into

your workplaces, to go into your

523

:

families, to be the hands to reach out.

524

:

I think what can be hard sometimes

as Christians, as believers, whether

525

:

you're a new believer, or you've been

at this for 65 years, what can be

526

:

hard sometimes is that it gets tiring.

527

:

It gets tiring.

528

:

Spreading the gospel, speaking truth over,

especially when, when you're hearing no's.

529

:

Especially when, when you invite someone

to church and they just keep saying no.

530

:

It can get tiring and it can get hard.

531

:

But we have to remember when it

gets hard, we have to remember

532

:

how hard it was when we were lost.

533

:

It was far harder.

534

:

My life before I came to Christ

was far harder than it is

535

:

spreading the gospel every day.

536

:

My life before Christ was far harder

than it is speaking truth every day.

537

:

Yeah, it's hard to die to my flesh some

days, but my life before Christ was far

538

:

harder than dying to my flesh, because

I was lost, I was alone, I was confused.

539

:

When it gets hard, we have to

remember that Jesus says, rest your

540

:

cares on me because my yoke is easy.

541

:

When we get tired, we have

to remember that Jesus says,

542

:

rest in the shadow of my wing.

543

:

It can get hard, it can get tiring

living out the Great Commission.

544

:

If we truly want to live out the Great

Commission, if we truly want to follow the

545

:

words of Jesus, He's not telling us to go.

546

:

He's already expecting that you

and I are going this morning.

547

:

And as we're going,

we're making disciples.

548

:

But if we look back at the Great

Commission, if we look back at

549

:

that last verse in verse 20,

550

:

because it can get hard, it can get

tiring, it can sometimes be lonely.

551

:

But Jesus says in verse 20 and behold, I

am with you always to the end of the age.

552

:

I am with you always

to the end of the age.

553

:

When it gets hard, when it gets

tiring, when you feel lonely, when

554

:

it feels like all hope is lost.

555

:

Christ says, I am here.

556

:

He didn't just say, Hey, go do this.

557

:

Peace out.

558

:

In fact, he said, Hey, go do this.

559

:

I'm gonna give you the Holy

Spirit to live within you.

560

:

So then you have the strength

and the courage to do it.

561

:

Oh, but by the way, I'm

still gonna be here.

562

:

I'm not gonna leave you alone.

563

:

Christ is with each and

every believer this morning,

564

:

turning every light green

that we come across.

565

:

And we have a decision

to make as believers.

566

:

We can continue to allow Christ

to sit in our passenger seat,

567

:

yelling at us to go when

the light turns green,

568

:

telling us, don't wait, keep going, or

569

:

just slide on over, let him drive.

570

:

Cause I can tell you, Christ

is going to keep going.

571

:

When that light turns green, there's

not going to be a red light before him.

572

:

He's going to keep going.

573

:

He's going to keep going.

574

:

He's going to keep going.

575

:

It's when we try to take

that steering wheel.

576

:

It's when we try to get in that

driver's seat that we stop, that fear

577

:

stops us, that loneliness stops us,

578

:

that circumstances stop us.

579

:

Or maybe you're in here this morning

and you just feel like you're just

580

:

surrounded by red lights, that your

life is just motionless right now.

581

:

Maybe you're, you're here this morning

or you're in one of our locations or

582

:

you're online and you've never heard the

truth that there's a God that loves you.

583

:

There's a God that loves you so much

that not only did he create you, but

584

:

he sent his son to the earth over

:

585

:

which he didn't deserve for you so

that you don't have to walk in death.

586

:

You don't have to walk surrounded by

red lights that you can walk in life.

587

:

If that's you this morning, if

you're saying, look, this is the

588

:

first I've heard that there's

something different for me out there.

589

:

That there's life

available for me out there.

590

:

If that's you this morning, I just

ask across our locations, just stand.

591

:

If you're saying, I want life for

the first time, would you stand?

592

:

I can promise you no

one's gonna point at you.

593

:

No one's gonna pay attention to you.

594

:

This is a moment between you and God But

you're in the family of christ right now.

595

:

You're in the body of christ right now

that surrounded you with love So if

596

:

that's you this morning you're saying

I want to give my life to christ I'm

597

:

tired of walking around in red lights,

and I just want to go would you stand?

598

:

Now if you're a believer in here

this morning Maybe you've been a

599

:

believer for five minutes Maybe

you've been a believer for 65 years.

600

:

If you're a believer in this morning,

and you're saying, I am going.

601

:

I'm going.

602

:

I am going, and I'm

going to make disciples.

603

:

I'm going this Thursday

into my family gathering.

604

:

I'm going.

605

:

In my community, I'm

going in my neighborhood.

606

:

If, if you're willing to take the

mission seriously, that God has for

607

:

you and I this morning, if you're

willing to go, would you please stand?

608

:

If you're a believer and you're

willing to go and take it

609

:

seriously, would you please stand?

610

:

My prayer is, my prayer is

that no one stood up because

611

:

their spouse pulled them up.

612

:

That no one stood up because someone

gave him a glaring eye or, My prayer is

613

:

that every single person that stood up is

serious about living the Great Commission.

614

:

About not just giving to kingdom

builders, but being a kingdom builder.

615

:

If you're not standing, I ask that

you please stand now as we pray and

616

:

get ready to enter into worship one

last time all across our locations.

617

:

God, we thank you for this morning.

618

:

We thank you, Father, for what your word

says, that we are called to be going.

619

:

Amen.

620

:

To be going to be making disciples to

be baptizing to be teaching but God to

621

:

be going And lord, I pray right now for

those of us in the room Or those of us

622

:

across our locations or online who gave

their life to you for the first time

623

:

Lord forgive them Show them lord

that you love them Show them lord

624

:

that you care for them show them

lord that you Want to be the driver?

625

:

God show them lord that you're

their father Lord, and I pray for

626

:

every single person that stood up

that says, I am going on mission.

627

:

I am going to fulfill the great

commission in my life, wherever that

628

:

looks like Lord, give them the strength

to keep going when they get, it gets

629

:

hard, give them the rest to keep going.

630

:

When they get tired,

631

:

Lord, I pray that restoration is forever

changed because we live on mission.

632

:

God, I pray that New Hampshire is forever

changed because we live on mission.

633

:

I pray that northern New

England is forever changed

634

:

because we live on mission.

635

:

And so God, I lay it all to you.

636

:

Have your way in our lives.

637

:

We thank you, Father, for

leading us to this point.

638

:

And we thank you, Father, for

leading us on the path ahead.

639

:

In the name of Jesus, we pray.

640

:

Mike Mayo: Amen.

Next Episode All Episodes Previous Episode

Listen for free

Show artwork for Restoration Church

About the Podcast

Restoration Church
Sunday Messages
Welcome to the Sermon Podcast of Restoration Church led by Pastor Nathan Gagne. To learn more about visit our website hhtp://restorationchurch.cc