RESET: Resetting Your Mission

Summary

What is the mission of the church? In the fifth week of our Reset series, Todd Wagner teaches about the mission of the church and how we are to lives of both love and truth.

Key Takeaways

• We need to reset our thinking. The Bible isn’t a book of rules we must do or else we go to hell. The Bible is the story of God’s kindness rescuing us from hell.
• Church is where we remind ourselves of who God is and remember how to respond to Him.
• The church is not a building. The church is a people.
• The church is the pillar and support of the Truth (1 Timothy 3:15).
• Vision rarely repeated is vision quickly forgotten.
• We are not trying to get you to come cruise with us, but to come be on mission with us.
• People often feel conviction (or judgment) around those committed to excellence (John 3:14-15).
• If we are strong, courageous, bold, successful, effective, and efficient, but not loving, then we are nothing (1 Corinthians 13:1-3).
• We are to do God’s bidding while we love people.
• Great churches are made up of people who know they are not grace graduates, need community, need pruning, and continually abide.
• Great churches are not grace graduates.
• Great churches need gospel community.
• Great churches need pruning.
• Great churches are nothing without love.
• Great churches can’t be great without abiding with Jesus.
• If we are not known for love it doesn’t matter what else we are known for (John 13:34-35).
• God wants us to rest on AND build on our foundation (Ephesians 2:19-21; 1 Corinthians 3:11-13).
• Churches die when they stop resting in and relying on Jesus. They fail to fulfill their calling when, in their apathy and indifference, they neglect to proclaim Him and powerfully labor to advance and live for His Kingdom sake (Colossians 1:28-29).
• We are to love truth…which means we are to love Jesus. (John 14:6)
• When we love Jesus, we shouldn’t be surprised that the world will not love us. (John 15:16-20)
• The more we love God to the more we understand how sinful we are.
• Toleration where people are concerned is a virtue. Toleration where truth is concerned is a tragedy.
  
• Loves always does…truth and grace. (Micah 6:8)

What Love Is:

• Love listens (Proverbs 18:2).
• Love servers (Mark 10:45).
• Love does (James 1:18-27).
• Love smells like Jesus (2 Corinthians 2:15-16)
• Love fights for truth (2 Corinthians 10:3-5).
• Love is ready to suffer (1 Peter 2:21-23).

What Love Isn’t:

• Love isn’t something where we determine how it smells. Truth sounds like hate to those who hate the truth.
• Love isn’t love without truth (Proverbs 27:5-6). Love without truth isn’t loving, Truth without love will not be heard.
• Love isn’t bitter (Hebrews 12:15).

What We Can Do:

• Being as winsome as possible (Colossians 4:2-6).
• Love in word and deed (1 John 3:18).
• Not grow weary in doing good (Galatians 6:9).

Discussing and Applying the Sermon

• How are you doing at living in the balance of love and truth?
• Do people in your life know they are loved by you? Would they say that you remind them of Jesus?
• Are you better at resting with God or building for God? Why do you think this is the case?

Mentioned or Recommended Resources

• Sermon Series: The Wolf at The Door
• RTRQ: Religious Freedom
• Suggested Scripture study: 1 Timothy 3:14-4:16; 1 Corinthians 16:13-14; 1 Thessalonians 4:1; John 3:19-20; Psalm 89:14; John 1:14; Micah 6:8; Exodus 34:6-7; John 13:34-35; 1 John 4:8-10; Mark 10:45; Proverbs 18:2; 1 John 2:15; John 3:16; John 14:6; John 15:1-20; James 1:18-27; 2 Corinthians 2:15-16; Revelation 19:11-16; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5; 2 Timothy 2:2-4; John 14:6; Colossians 4:2-6; 1 John 3:18; Galatians 6:9; Proverbs 25:21-22; Luke 2:34; John 9:39; John 13:1-8; 1 Peter 2:21-23; Hebrews 12:15; Ephesians 2:19-21; 1 Corinthians 3:11-13