On Mission Together

Have you all been enjoying this series on the church for the last few Sundays?

Well, I have too, and I hope that we continue to learn from it, be challenged from it, each one of us.

The idea is we are the church. It's a study in ecclesiology, which is a big word that just means the Bible doctrine

that has to do specifically with the church.

We have been adopting some statements that we can all unite around and agree upon from the Word of God.

And the first statement is we don't just go to church. We are the church. Let's say it together. Ready?

We don't just go to church. We are the church. Amen.

And then the next statement that we have adopted is, ready, let's say it together.

The church is not about me. Who's the church about? God. That's right. The church is about God.

Seems like a simple, obvious truth. Everybody would say, yeah, sure, church is about God.

But sometimes the way we act, the way we talk, the way we live communicates more that we feel like the church is about us rather than about God.

So we need to remind ourselves of that continually.

And then last Sunday we talked about this. Don't let what is secondary become primary.

Let's say that together. Ready? Don't let what is secondary become primary.

What do we mean by that?

Don't let our personal opinions about things, our personal agendas get in the way of the main thing, keeping the main thing the main thing.

And that is the church is about Jesus. It's not about me.

The mission of the church is to go out and share the gospel with all who will hear it.

And that is the main thing to bring honor and glory to Jesus Christ through obedience to him and accomplishing the mission that he gave the church.

So don't let other things, other secondary things, take the place of the main things, the primary things.

And so today we're going to look at this one.

This was not original with me. A friend of mine gave it to me, but I love it.

I want to share it with you all.

Well, as the church, we gather, we grow, we give, and we go.

Think about that.

Those are some of the things that we have covered already in our series on the church.

The first couple of weeks we talked about gathering.

We talked about how important it is to gather together, to be here as a body of believers, unified together, worshiping together.

How we can encourage one another, grow together from our obedience to God's command together as the church.

And then we did talk about growing.

And we talked about how it is important for every member of the body to take on their role within the church.

We're not all the same.

We're all different, but there is unity in that diversity.

And it brings glory to God when people who are so different from one another all take up their roles within the church

and serve together, grow together, and take the next step in their journey with Christ together.

A couple weeks ago we talked about giving, how important it is for it to take ownership, financial ownership of our church body

and give to support the work that we do.

There's nothing that the church does without the support, direct financial support of its members.

And so that is an essential command and ingredient in a healthy church.

So let's say these together.

Today we're going to do the last one.

We're going to talk about going.

All right?

We're going to talk about going.

We've got a couple of weeks left in our church series.

We're going to kind of do a summary and wrap up at the end.

But today we're talking about the mission of the church, the going.

So let's read this together.

Ready?

We gather, we grow, we give, and we go.

That's right.

We gather, we grow, we give, and we go.

Alliteration.

They all start with the same letter.

You know, preachers love alliteration.

So it's kind of a memory tool.

Sometimes it sticks in our minds a little better when we do that.

But that's all right if it doesn't.

So Matt, I just lost this for some reason.

There we go.

I don't know if you advanced that or if I did, but regardless, here we go.

All right.

Our topic today, as we talked about going, is the church on mission together.

That is our title.

That's our topic that we're going to dive into today from the scriptures.

The church on mission together.

You and I have a common mission from God.

It's not just my mission.

It's not just your mission.

It's our mission together that God gave to his people.

So we are on mission together.

That evokes images of nighttime commando raids in my mind.

And, you know, because I was a little boy and thought that stuff was cool growing up.

And so that's something that paints a picture in my mind of being on a mission together.

On a special mission that we have been commanded by the Heavenly Father himself to fulfill.

So I pray that we are challenged today to accomplish the mission that God has given us.

The common mission.

Would you stand with me?

Let's go to John chapter 17.

John 17 · chapter mention

John chapter 17.

John 17 · chapter mention

We're going to spend a little time in John 17.

Then we're going to turn back a page and be in John 15 for a little bit later.

So John chapter 17, beginning in verse 6.

John 17 · chapter mention

Let's read together.

I have revealed your name to the people you gave me from the world.

Jesus is speaking to his father.

He's praying to his heavenly father saying,

I have revealed your name, God, to the people you gave me from the world.

They were yours.

You gave them to me.

And they have kept your word.

Now they know that everything you have given is from you.

Because I have given them the words you gave me.

They have received them and have known for certain that I came from you.

They have believed that you sent me.

Verse 9.

I pray for them.

I pray for them.

I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me.

Because they are yours.

How amazing is it to know that Jesus prays for us?

This isn't the only time in scripture that we read that Jesus prays for us.

Another time he says, Satan would desire to have you, to lead you astray, but I have prayed for you.

That's an incredibly encouraging note to pop back into our mind.

Every morning, every day, during those dark moments,

Jesus, the Son of God, the Lamb of God, the Messiah, is praying for me.

Y'all ever said you pray for somebody?

I have.

Sometimes we do it.

Sometimes we might forget.

Sometimes it's a good idea to stop and do it right then so we don't forget to do it later.

But Jesus will never forget.

He'll always be praying for us.

And when God makes intercession for us on our behalf with the Father,

that can move mountains.

So, I pray for them.

And then in verse 10,

Everything I have is yours.

Everything you have is mine.

And I am glorified in them.

I am no longer in the world,

but they are in the world.

And I am coming to you.

This was right before Jesus was crucified.

And then resurrected and went home to be with his Father.

And so he said, I am no longer in the world.

I'm coming to you.

He knew he was on physically on his way out.

But the Holy Spirit would be left behind.

And so he said,

Holy Father, protect them by your name that you have given me.

Protect them that you have given me by your name.

So that they may be one as we are one.

I highlighted that.

Did you see?

They may be one as the Father and the Son are one.

That is his prayer for us.

Verse 12.

While I was with them,

I was protecting them by your name that you have given me.

I guarded them.

And not one of them is lost,

except the Son of Destruction,

so that the Scripture may be fulfilled.

Now I am coming to you.

And I speak these things in the world,

so that they may have my joy completed in them.

I have given them your word.

The world hated them.

Because they are not of the world.

Just as I am not of the world.

You ever wonder why Christians just don't seem to fit in?

It's because we don't.

The world hates us because we are not of the world.

And Jesus wasn't of this world.

Now that's a different reason than when the world hates us

because we are living in a way that would invoke that kind of hate.

When we are unkind, when we are selfish.

That's not what this is talking about.

But darkness and light cannot come together.

Light erases darkness.

Darkness is what happens when the light is gone.

They cannot agree together.

So the world and God and the things of God

will never be compatible.

But Jesus, despite that,

impacted this world in a positive way

like no one else ever could.

So that doesn't mean that because we are not of this world,

that we don't leave a positive impact on this world.

That doesn't mean that just because

we cannot dive in and agree with everything

that this world promotes,

that doesn't mean that we can't make a profound difference

in this world.

Jesus was magnetic.

He drew people to Him.

And He wants us to do the same thing.

Even though we are strangers in this world.

So let's dive back into the text.

Verse 18.

Last two verses that we're reading today.

Verse 18.

He said in verse 16,

They are not of the world,

just as I am not of the world.

So sanctify them by the truth.

And your word is truth.

Then in verse 18,

As you sent me into the world.

Here we go.

I also have sent them.

Let's change that pronoun

because He's praying to His Father on behalf of us.

And so let's change it to us.

He has sent,

He said,

I also have sent them.

So He has sent us into the world.

He has sent us into the world.

Verse 19.

I sanctify myself for them

so that they also may be sanctified by the truth.

God, I pray for our church right now.

I pray for myself, my family,

and everyone represented in this building this morning.

Those watching online,

we're grateful that they are able to,

through technology,

have a part continually in our service.

We know there's people who can't be here

and would love to.

But God, our church,

those away on trips,

those at home sick,

think of Nicole and others

who are not able to be here right now

because of extenuating circumstances.

I pray on behalf of everyone that you have given us

that we would be on mission together.

That's not going to look the same for every person,

but you have sent each of us into this world

and you have not yet called us home.

So I pray that we would be on mission together.

That we would hear from your word this morning

and let it minister to our hearts in Jesus' name.

Amen.

You may be seated.

Thank you for standing for that extended period of time.

We don't always do that,

but sometimes we like to give honor

to the scriptures by doing that.

John 17.

Jesus gives us our commandment.

This is not the only place.

There are many other places,

Matthew 28, Mark 16,

many other places throughout the scriptures

that God gives us the command to go out.

God has commissioned his church

as messengers,

as ambassadors to go out.

So here's the problem.

There's really no option for a believer

to not be willing to accept his mission from God.

There is no option for that.

If a believer is not making an attempt,

a personal attempt,

to fulfill the mission from God,

then that believer is wrong in his relationship

and thinking about God.

That's not coming from me.

That's coming from the word of God.

Time and time again,

God commands us to obey his commandments

in going out and bringing them in.

What does that mean?

Is that bringing them into church?

Well, that's a great place to bring them

because you know that they will hear the gospel there.

You know that they will meet other believers in Jesus there.

And you know there's an increased opportunity

for them to continually be presented with chances

to receive Christ.

So that's a great place to bring them in.

But that's not the only thing.

That's not the only goal that we have

is inviting people to church.

So Jesus said he wants us to go out

and send them in.

Now, before he did this,

let me back up a little bit.

He said,

I have sent them into the world.

That's our mission.

But before he got there,

he said,

may they all be as one.

May they all be one as you,

Father,

are in me

and I am in you.

As we are unified,

as you and I, God,

are together

of one mind,

of one accord,

may they be the church.

May the church be that way as well.

So, point number one,

if you're writing anything down,

point number one,

we are to be a unified body.

A unified body.

That's what we are.

The church is not a building, right?

The church is a body.

We thank God for our building,

but if the building was destroyed,

we could still meet and have church.

We'd figure out a way to do it

because we are a body of believers,

of Jesus' followers,

and we are to be unified in that body.

A body that's not unified

doesn't operate very well,

does it?

Of course not.

How many of y'all work in the medical field?

Anybody?

Slip your hands up.

Don't be ashamed of it.

Slip your hands up.

There you go.

Y'all have seen firsthand

when the body doesn't work right.

Correct?

If you're a parent,

you've raised kids,

you've seen firsthand.

Everyone has seen firsthand

what happens

when the body is not unified,

when it's not working together

in cohesion,

cohesively

with all its different parts.

So we are to be a unified body.

I like this quote.

I know it's kind of small

and probably a little bit hard to read.

It says,

it is not so much the case

that God has a mission

for His church in the world

as that God has a church

for His mission in the world.

Mission was not made for the church.

The church was made for mission.

God's mission.

That is the polar opposite way of thinking,

I believe firmly.

After 20 years of preaching,

I believe firmly that most churches

do not think this way.

They might claim this line of thinking,

but that's not really probably how they operate.

So if we were able to get to the place

where we operated this way,

we'd probably be setting ourselves apart

from a lot of the churches in America.

And I believe tearing down

some of the walls

that limit God

from working through our church

how He wants to.

So the idea here

is that God did not ordain the church

as that is the main thing

and then come up with a job

for the church to do.

God had a mission

before time ever began.

It's a diametric shift

in our way of thinking

that would then trickle down

to the other parts of our lives.

So if you are going to be a Jesus follower,

then you can't just be a casual Christian.

If you're going to claim Jesus Christ,

then you can't just say,

oh yeah, I go to church on Sundays

because that's what you're supposed to do.

Jesus talks about those kinds of churches

in Revelation

and He says,

we talked about it a little bit earlier,

He said,

I'd rather you be hot

or I'd rather you be cold.

This middle of the road stuff,

this lukewarm stuff,

He just wants to spit it out.

That's not what it's about.

He said,

either be for me

or be against me.

That doesn't mean

He's requiring perfection

as a Christian

or as a church,

but He is requiring a commitment

to Him

that says,

I will strive

to be more like Jesus every day.

I will strive to fulfill the mission

that God gave me

as part of this church.

And if I fail,

I know God forgives me

and I will get up

and try again.

It's so important

to get up

and try again

because we're all going to fail.

We're all going to miss opportunities

to share the gospel with somebody.

We're all going to chicken out sometimes.

We're all going to get distracted by life.

We're all going to let the secondary things

become primary things.

We're all going to not do the things

that we should do sometimes.

Paul the Apostle wrote about it

throughout his letters

that we read in the New Testament

time and time again

how he wishes that he was better

at doing the things

God wants him to do.

But when we continually say,

I committed to this,

I'm not going to give up on God.

I'm not going to give up

on seeking him daily.

I'm not going to give up

and just say,

forget it.

This is just who I am

and everybody's going to have

to be okay with that.

Now we probably all know

somebody like that

or multiple people like that.

Well, this is just who I am

and I'm not going to change.

Well, that's unfortunate

because what if God wants

to change you?

Then you're saying,

sorry God.

Well, that's a sad

and depressing thing to see

from a child of God

that Jesus shed his blood for.

Let his only son die

and suffer for.

So this kind of shift

in our thinking,

God doesn't have a mission

for the church.

God has a church

for his eternal mission.

His eternal mission

is to bring glory to himself.

His eternal mission

as it regards to mankind

is to redeem

or to buy back

those who went astray.

And that's us.

That's the people

on this earth.

Jesus said he came

to seek

and to save

those who are lost.

So,

that's the mission

and the church

was created

to fulfill

the mission.

Our common mission

unites us.

Each one of these sermons

in this series

has, by God's grace,

been building blocks

on top of one another

to get to this point.

we must gather together.

We shouldn't forsake that.

It's easy to stay at home

and sleep in on Sunday morning.

We shouldn't

fight

and bicker

back and forth

and talk badly

about each other

and spread rumors

and all this kind of stuff

that tears us up

from the inside.

We shouldn't let

the secondary things

become the most

important things

or let them distract us

or pull us away

from the most

important things.

Remove the focus

from what's truly important.

But all of this

is leading up

to the mission

of the church.

If we are just

gathering

and singing

and hearing

the preaching

and then it doesn't

go and change

how we live

and more than that,

more than just

changing us,

it's not just all

about us,

remember that?

More than just

changing us,

it's not affecting

others that we encounter

throughout the week.

If that is not

happening,

then we're not

accomplishing the mission.

Then we're just

nice people

and we've got

a nice little

social club here.

And we all

more or less

like each other

and get along

and fellowship

together

and all that

and it's a nice

enjoyable thing,

but we're not

really accomplishing

the mission

that God gave us.

So that is

what should unite

us as a church,

our common

mission.

Jesus said,

I have sent

them

into the world.

Otherwise,

y'all,

as good as you

think this is,

heaven's going

to be so much

better.

Let's just get

on home to heaven

and it'll be

great.

It'll be

wonderful.

But if God

is not ready

to call us

home to heaven,

it's because

he's got a

divine purpose,

a divine mission

for each of us

individually

that works

together and

unites us

together as

the church.

Let's look over

now in John 15.

Turn the page

back to John 15.

We'll spend

just a few

minutes here

and then we'll

be done this

morning.

John 15

John 15:1

verse 1.

We're going

to read the

first eight

verses.

For sake of time,

I'm going to go

ahead and read.

I am the

true vine.

That's Jesus.

That's not me,

okay?

Jesus is talking.

He says,

I am the

true vine.

What does he

mean by that?

Jesus always

spoke allegorically.

Now, I can't

say always,

but so much

of the time.

You know,

you read the

parables,

he would get

up there and

people are like,

what does he

mean by that?

I am the

true vine and

my father is

the gardener.

So he's painting

a picture here.

We got the

horticulturalists

in the room.

Did I get that

one right?

So he's probably

appealing, you

know, to this

demographic here.

And he says,

every branch in

me that does

not produce

fruit, God

the father

removes and

he prunes every

branch that

produces fruit

so that it

will produce

what?

More fruit.

That's why we

prune things

back, right?

See, God knew

that before

science ever

figured it out.

God created

all of that

so he knew

exactly how it

should work.

In verse 3,

you are already

clean because of

the word that

I have spoken

to you.

Remain in

me and

I in you.

Just as a

branch is unable

to produce fruit

by itself unless

it remains on

the vine,

neither can

you unless

you remain

in me.

I am the

vine, you

are the

branches.

The one who

remains in

me and I

in him

produces much

fruit because

you can do

nothing without

me.

What are you

talking about?

I can do all

kinds of things

without God.

I can go to

bed, I can get

up, I can go

eat, I can work,

I can argue

and fight and

I can do all

kinds of things

on my own, God.

Yeah, you can't

produce anything

spiritual apart

from God.

You can't produce

true spiritual

fruit that remains

apart from God.

You can draw

attention to

yourself, you can

accomplish what

seem to be good

and helpful tasks.

There's all kinds

of world relief

organizations that

have nothing to do

with God and they

accomplish a lot of

what we would call

good in the world.

But the reality

is none of that

will bear true

spiritual fruit unless

it comes from God

because He is

divine.

He's divine.

It's got to come

from Him or else

it's something else.

It's something else

completely.

It's not true

spiritual fruit.

So I'm challenging

you, do you see

true spiritual fruit

in your life?

I am the vine,

you're the branches.

Verse 6, if anyone

does not remain in

me, here's the scary

part, he is thrown

aside like a branch

and he withers.

They gather them,

throw them into the

fire and they are

burned.

But if you remain

in me and my words

remain in you, ask

whatever you want and

it will be done for

you.

My Father is glorified

by this.

Y'all, when we read

things like this in

Scripture, we ought to

pay attention.

When we see a

statement that says,

my Father is glorified

by this, colon,

everybody knows what a

colon does, it

introduces what's

about to come after

it.

Pay attention.

Here it is.

My Father is glorified

by this, that you

produce much fruit

fruit and prove to

be my disciples.

If we took a poll in

this room and said,

are you a disciple of

Jesus?

I guarantee you we

would get over 90%,

if not higher, of the

people in this room

saying, yes, I am a

disciple of Jesus.

And then I would say,

prove it.

Prove it.

That's what Jesus

said.

You can prove to be

my disciples if you

produce fruit.

So if you're not

producing fruit, why

in the world should we

believe that you're a

disciple of Jesus?

If I'm not producing

fruit in my life, and I

get up here and open the

word of God and preach

to you on Sunday

morning, why in the

world should you listen

to anything I have to

say?

Because I'm not

producing spiritual

fruit in my life.

So you have every

reason to doubt whether

or not that's a true

disciple of Jesus.

Well, that's not very

nice.

Folks, we don't get to

make the rules.

God does.

This is his world.

This is his plan of

redemption.

This is his story.

We're just part of it.

So that's the challenge.

We are, we, God called

us to be, part of our

mission is to be a

unified body.

But then secondly, we

should be a useful

branch.

What do you do with

branches that aren't

useful?

What do you do with

branches that don't

produce fruit?

You cut them off.

You gather them up and

you burn them.

That's what it said in

the text.

I don't want to see that

happen to any of us in

this church.

church.

But I can promise you

this.

It will.

It will happen.

Unfortunately, despite all

of our best efforts and

best intentions, there will

be people in our church who

God decides to cut off,

gather up, and get rid of.

Does that mean they're going

to go to hell?

Well, if they've never put

their faith in Jesus, then

yes.

But I believe specifically,

this is talking about people

who have put their faith in

Jesus, but they have

allowed their own flesh to

suffocate the Holy Spirit

in their life, and they do

not produce any spiritual

fruit.

They don't go share the

gospel with people.

They don't let God transform

someone else's life because

of their efforts on his

behalf and the Holy Spirit

taking hold of those

efforts and magnifying

them, making them so much

more powerful than they

could ever be on their own.

That doesn't happen with

those people.

They don't produce the

fruit of kindness and

compassion.

I mean, you can look at

the lists of the fruit of

the Spirit and say,

is that me?

Am I that person?

And if not, I need to put

my own faith under the

microscope and say, have I

ever really put my faith in

Jesus?

Or am I just kind of going

along with the flow?

That's why every morning,

every Sunday morning, at the

end of this time, I always

ask, is there someone who

needs to put their faith in

Christ today?

And I will always do that

every Sunday after church.

church.

Because I truly believe there

are still people in this

room who have not yet done

that.

Holding out.

You're not quite aware of

what we're talking about.

Whatever the reason is, I

believe God is still giving

you opportunities.

But there's going to come a

day when you get your last

opportunity.

And if you turn that down,

seal your own fate.

I don't want that to happen.

Turn to Jesus today.

Whether it's for salvation

and forgiveness of sins, or

whether it's turning back to

God and saying, God, please

produce fruit through me.

I am an open, willing vessel,

willing servant.

I can't go out and accomplish

the fruits of the Spirit on my

own.

I can't go out and accomplish,

reproduce myself spiritually by

sharing the gospel with someone

who doesn't know Jesus and

seeing them turn to Christ and

seeing there's my living,

breathing, spiritual fruit

right there.

Say, God, do that through me

because I want to be a useful

branch.

I want this church, more than

anything, to be a useful

branch for God.

He is the vine.

We are the branches.

Let's be branches that bear

fruit.

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down the door of 4 Burlington

Street to sign up for his

expedition?

Probably not.

But when he put it out there, he

probably had a pretty good idea that

whoever signed up was ready for

whatever was going to face them.

Folks, I'm telling you that as we

served Jesus, he did not promise an

easy road.

He did not promise that we'd always

win the popularity contest.

He didn't promise that our values

would always line up with the

cultural values around us.

He didn't promise that family

relationships would always be

strong.

He didn't promise that everybody

would like you, that everybody

would always be patting you on the

back, that everybody would give you

notice for the good things that you

do.

But someday, honor and recognition

will come.

And you know what we'll do with that

honor and recognition?

We'll turn right around and give it

back to God.

That's what we see.

He will give us the crowns, and then

we will cast those crowns back at his

feet.

It's a hazardous journey.

The pain is not always great.

Sometimes it can feel cold.

Those around us tend to drift away.

Sometimes it can feel dark, even though

we know that Jesus is the light.

There is constant spiritual danger.

There's spiritual warfare going on

around us every day, even when we

don't realize it.

This world will not always be safe, but

Jesus will carry us safely home.

He'll carry us safely home.

John 15, you didn't choose me, I chose

you.

I like how the New Living Translation put

this verse in particular.

You didn't choose me, I chose you.

I appointed you to go and produce

lasting fruit.

To go and produce lasting fruit.

So a key thought for today, we'll have

our takeaway in just a moment.

A key thought for today.

Our church, our church needs each branch

to produce lasting fruit.

Each branch.

I'm looking at every face in this room.

God has brought us together.

He does not make mistakes.

God has brought us together.

For this moment.

We're not guaranteed tomorrow, but he

has brought us together for this

moment.

Each branch.

Each and every branch.

You've seen the branches and then the

little twigs that come off of them, you

know?

The church is kind of like the branch

and we're kind of like the twigs that

sprout off.

We need every twig.

We need every branch to produce

lasting fruit.

Because if you don't, and you don't,

and you don't some more, and years

later you still don't, I don't know

when, but some point in there, the

gardener is going to come and snip off

your branch.

And that's it.

And if you weren't a believer and you

never put your faith in Jesus, then

eternal punishment in hell is your

destiny.

If you were a believer and you did put

your faith in Jesus, but you never

opened yourself up to the Holy Spirit of

God and let him produce fruit in you, then

you will be brought home early.

Your twig will be cut off and you'll be

home in heaven with nothing to show,

no honor to give, certainly no honor to

receive.

So, our church needs it.

One of our key values of our church, let's

say them together if you remember them.

Ready?

Let's say loving God, seeking truth,

serving people.

This one's on the screen.

Let's try that again.

We all need to familiarize with ourselves

with that more as we begin to do

decorations and different things in our

church.

We're going to try to get those up on the

walls and out in front so we know what

our church is about.

We're continually reminded of the values of

our church.

Loving God, seeking truth, serving people.

Let's say them together.

Ready?

Loving God, seeking truth, serving people.

So, our third value here is all about

mission.

The best way that we serve people, I

didn't create that slide by the way,

Tabitha Pierce created that slide and she

did a great job.

The best way that we can possibly serve

people is to share Jesus with them, is to

go on mission as the church.

And so, that's our takeaway this morning.

We serve people best by introducing them

to our master.

You and I are servants.

Everyone in this world is a servant.

You're all serving something.

Every one of you is serving something.

Everyone has a master.

The master is either sin

or it's the Savior.

So, we introduce the lost world who's serving the wrong master

to our master and say, this is a whole lot better master.

You can trust what he has to say.

You can obey him.

And he will not lead you astray.

He will not lead you to the path to destruction.

So, we serve people best by introducing them to our master.

That is our mission.

And we are on mission together.

We should be united in our mission,

a united body of believers,

and a useful branch.

As individual members of that united body,

we should be, each of us,

a branch that produces fruit.

So, that's my challenge daily to myself,

to my family.

Men, I encourage you to keep that

before your wife and your children.

Mothers, I encourage you to keep that

before your children.

And wives, keep it before your husband too.

Two, we all must keep each other accountable.

One, are we keeping the main thing?

The main thing.

And the main thing is the mission.

So, let's keep the mission at the top of the heap.

Let's keep the mission in the forefront of our minds

and say, God, don't let me be a branch

that doesn't bear fruit.

Let's pray together.

Lord Jesus, I thank you so much

for your continual challenge from the word of God.

I ask right now, God, if there's someone here

who doesn't know you,

as their personal, personal Savior,

Father and friend,

that they would not leave this building this morning

without having a true, genuine encounter with Jesus.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.