Our Mission, Our Vision, Our Values

Brother Jim: On the board for you.

Brother Jim: As we head into a new series here.

Brother Jim: And as you mark those down, let me read something to you.

Brother Jim: A little country church once had a sign hanging over its front

Brother Jim: doors that read, you are now entering the mission field.

Brother Jim: For years, people walked past

Brother Jim: the sign without really thinking

Brother Jim: about thinking about what it

Brother Jim: really meant.

Brother Jim: They came to church every Sunday.

Brother Jim: They sang the hymns, they listened to the sermons, and

Brother Jim: then they went home unchanged.

Brother Jim: One Sunday, an elderly man in the church named Walter noticed

Brother Jim: a teenage boy sitting alone outside a grocery store.

Brother Jim: The boy looked defeated.

Brother Jim: He looked broken.

Brother Jim: Walter felt God tugging at his

Brother Jim: heart to speak to him, but fear

Brother Jim: crept in.

Brother Jim: What if he doesn't want to talk to me?

Brother Jim: What if I say something wrong?

Brother Jim: As Walter stood there wrestling with fear, he remembered the

Brother Jim: words of Jesus from the Bible.

Brother Jim: Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations.

Brother Jim: So Walter walked over, introduced himself, and simply

Brother Jim: said, son, are you okay?

Brother Jim: That conversation nearly lasted two hours.

Brother Jim: The young man opened up about his struggles, his broken home,

Brother Jim: and how he felt.

Brother Jim: Nobody.

Brother Jim: Nobody cared about him.

Brother Jim: Walter listened.

Brother Jim: Walter prayed with him, and Walter invited him to church.

Brother Jim: Weeks later, that young man gave his life to Christ.

Brother Jim: Years passed and that same

Brother Jim: teenager became a youth pastor

Brother Jim: who led hundreds of young people

Brother Jim: to Jesus.

Brother Jim: One small act, my friends of

Brother Jim: obedience changed countless

Brother Jim: lives.

Brother Jim: The Great Commission is not

Brother Jim: always about standing before

Brother Jim: crowds or traveling across the

Brother Jim: world.

Brother Jim: Sometimes it begins with one conversation, one invitation,

Brother Jim: one moment of courage.

Brother Jim: Jesus did not call, didn't call of us.

Brother Jim: All of us, to be famous.

Brother Jim: What he did do was call us to be faithful.

Brother Jim: And every time a believer chooses to go.

Brother Jim: God can use that obedience to change a life forever.

Brother Jim: I gotta be honest today.

Brother Jim: I have been waiting for a while

Brother Jim: to sink my teeth into this

Brother Jim: series.

Brother Jim: Into this.

Brother Jim: We're going to be discussing the Great Commission.

Brother Jim: But better yet, what is our mission church?

Brother Jim: What is our vision?

Brother Jim: What is our values?

Brother Jim: Now, to me, that's a very good question.

Brother Jim: You can call me pastor.

Brother Jim: You can call me Shepherd, you can call me Brother Jim.

Brother Jim: You can call me whatever you want.

Brother Jim: But at the end of the day, I

Brother Jim: have to answer to God because

Brother Jim: there is a calling put on my

Brother Jim: life.

Brother Jim: You are my flock.

Brother Jim: You are my church.

Brother Jim: You are my people, and I care.

Brother Jim: I cannot stress that enough.

Brother Jim: But also in life, let's be honest, complacency creeps in,

Brother Jim: does it not?

Brother Jim: How many of us and Brother Jim

Brother Jim: knows from his own personal

Brother Jim: life?

Brother Jim: It is so easy to come in on a Sunday morning, pick up that

Brother Jim: Christian hat, put it on your head, sit in the service for an

Brother Jim: hour and a half.

Brother Jim: Walk out there.

Brother Jim: Put your little Christian hat

Brother Jim: back on the coat hook and walk

Brother Jim: outside and live the rest of

Brother Jim: your life for the week in the

Brother Jim: world.

Brother Jim: True, it is my job, my responsibility, to make sure you

Brother Jim: understand what we are called to do as a church.

Brother Jim: And that weighs very heavy on my

Brother Jim: heart as well as I hope it

Brother Jim: weighs heavy on your heart this

Brother Jim: morning.

Brother Jim: So again, I have been waiting patiently to get into this

Brother Jim: because I am very concerned that we sometimes become complacent.

Brother Jim: Because let's be honest, as we get into this look around the

Brother Jim: world today, what is going on?

Brother Jim: And as I said Wednesday night,

Brother Jim: it's not going to get any

Brother Jim: better.

Brother Jim: So again, I want you to think about all those little ones that

Brother Jim: just went out for junior church.

Brother Jim: You look at the precious baby right back there with Mike and

Brother Jim: Ruth, our little grandchildren.

Brother Jim: What are we doing?

Brother Jim: Church to make sure they understand what the love of

Brother Jim: Jesus Christ is, what Jesus Christ did for us.

Brother Jim: So yeah, I'm going to be a

Brother Jim: little bit passionate this

Brother Jim: morning.

Brother Jim: And as I said, when I first came the day, the very first day, I'm

Brother Jim: going to be the biggest, ugliest cheerleader you've ever had.

Brother Jim: So today it might get a little ugly out of love.

Brother Jim: It's a challenge.

Brother Jim: And we're just going to skim the

Brother Jim: top surface of what the Great

Brother Jim: Commission is.

Brother Jim: So if you would get your Bibles out with me.

Brother Jim: We're going to go to Matthew twenty eight eighteen to twenty.

Brother Jim: And Jesus came and spoke to

Brother Jim: them, saying, all authority has

Brother Jim: been given to me in heaven and

Brother Jim: on earth.

Brother Jim: Go therefore and make disciples

Brother Jim: of all nations, baptizing them

Brother Jim: in the name of the father and of

Brother Jim: the son, and of the Holy Spirit,

Brother Jim: teaching them to observe all

Brother Jim: things that I have commanded

Brother Jim: you.

Brother Jim: And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

Brother Jim: Amen.

Brother Jim: Church.

Brother Jim: There are many last words recorded throughout history that

Brother Jim: have carried tremendous weight that we've heard or maybe had an

Brother Jim: impact in our life.

Brother Jim: The final words of a dying loved one or a patient, a parent.

Brother Jim: Even, God forbid, a child.

Brother Jim: The last instructions of a military commander.

Brother Jim: The closing thoughts of a beloved leader or teacher.

Brother Jim: But there are no words more important than the final earthly

Brother Jim: command of Jesus Christ before he ascended into heaven.

Brother Jim: And these words, my friends,

Brother Jim: they are not merely a

Brother Jim: suggestion.

Brother Jim: They are not optional.

Brother Jim: They're not only for pastors, missionaries, or evangelists.

Brother Jim: They are the marching orders for every believer.

Brother Jim: Now, if you're going to claim to

Brother Jim: be a believer and follower of

Brother Jim: Jesus Christ, this applies to

Brother Jim: you today.

Brother Jim: So you might want to pay

Brother Jim: attention to these words,

Brother Jim: because I want to remind you all

Brother Jim: that one day we will all stand

Brother Jim: before final judgment, will we

Brother Jim: not?

Brother Jim: And Lord knows I've got a lot to answer for.

Brother Jim: But here's the only thing that's going to save my sorry backside

Brother Jim: from hell is Jesus Christ.

Brother Jim: Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ alone.

Brother Jim: The Great Commission is the mission of the church.

Brother Jim: It is the heartbeat of God.

Brother Jim: If we really think about it, the heartbeat.

Brother Jim: Think how vital your heartbeat is.

Brother Jim: It's the reason you and I are still here.

Brother Jim: You ever wonder why you were born in this time period?

Brother Jim: Do you ever wonder that?

Brother Jim: And I've come to the revelation, if you will.

Brother Jim: There is a reason I am here right now.

Brother Jim: And if one soul hears the seeds that I can plant or something to

Brother Jim: chew on for the week, then that is well worth it.

Brother Jim: That leads them just like that

Brother Jim: little boy like Walter took the

Brother Jim: time to offer an ear to

Brother Jim: somebody.

Brother Jim: This young man who was lost because nobody cared.

Brother Jim: Do we find that in our world today?

Brother Jim: How many people would raise

Brother Jim: their hand and say, nobody

Brother Jim: cares?

Brother Jim: If God's only purpose was to

Brother Jim: save us and immediately take us

Brother Jim: to heaven.

Brother Jim: He could have done that the moment we were converted.

Brother Jim: Could he have not?

Brother Jim: Think about it.

Brother Jim: Why go through all this.

Brother Jim: But he didn't.

Brother Jim: He left us here for a reason.

Brother Jim: And that reason is to glorify.

Brother Jim: Glorify him.

Brother Jim: And oh, baby, how sweet it is to

Brother Jim: bring other people to Jesus

Brother Jim: Christ.

Brother Jim: Now, if you have done that in your life, you've said the

Brother Jim: sinner's prayer with somebody.

Brother Jim: You've seen the transformation.

Brother Jim: If you were just that small of an inkling of helping them, is

Brother Jim: it not worth it?

Brother Jim: And doesn't it make you feel good?

Brother Jim: Doesn't it put a smile on your face?

Brother Jim: Doesn't it give you a joyous

Brother Jim: heart to say, oh, thank you,

Brother Jim: God, because I was a part of

Brother Jim: that?

Brother Jim: So this Sunday morning, I challenge you as followers of

Brother Jim: Jesus Christ as well as the body of Rockford Church.

Brother Jim: Are we obeying the Great Commission?

Brother Jim: Are we making disciples and are we sharing the gospel?

Brother Jim: It can all look good on paper, can it?

Brother Jim: But I want to dig deeper into the main function of this

Brother Jim: church, into the main function.

Brother Jim: What you truly believe as believers of Jesus Christ.

Brother Jim: Because again, our time is so important.

Brother Jim: Our time is so precious.

Brother Jim: It is easy and I know it.

Brother Jim: I'm going to get my Bible today.

Brother Jim: I'm going to be kind to somebody.

Brother Jim: But hey baby, I gotta go.

Brother Jim: Everybody's on a fast track, are they not?

Brother Jim: I was telling Mr. Cunningham back there the other night.

Brother Jim: I was out there in the back field.

Brother Jim: And you know what I heard?

Brother Jim: It was right before dark.

Brother Jim: The birds were putting on an

Brother Jim: orchestra like you've never

Brother Jim: heard.

Brother Jim: And I said, this has got to be a little bit of heaven right here.

Brother Jim: But again.

Brother Jim: And I told Carl, I said, I thank God I didn't have my phone

Brother Jim: because I just listened.

Brother Jim: And is that not part of the part of being a Christian, as a

Brother Jim: follower of Christ, to open yourself up, to listen to people

Brother Jim: to take the time.

Brother Jim: Something to think about.

Brother Jim: Are we living our lives dedicated to this mission?

Brother Jim: Dedicated.

Brother Jim: Now, church, here's a warning for all of us today.

Brother Jim: Because a church that forgets the Great Commission eventually

Brother Jim: loses its what?

Brother Jim: Its spiritual fire.

Brother Jim: You ever been fired up about something?

Brother Jim: You ever have a passion for something?

Brother Jim: It's a good thing, isn't it?

Brother Jim: But like anything, sometimes it comes to an end, doesn't it?

Brother Jim: So what can we do to keep that fire going?

Brother Jim: That dedication, that

Brother Jim: determination going in our lives

Brother Jim: right here.

Brother Jim: Let's turn it over.

Brother Jim: How many people again, will die

Brother Jim: in this amount of time not

Brother Jim: knowing Jesus Christ as Lord and

Brother Jim: Savior?

Brother Jim: What if you get a phone call

Brother Jim: right now, God forbid, in the

Brother Jim: middle of the service saying,

Brother Jim: hey, your loved one just died

Brother Jim: and they didn't know Jesus

Brother Jim: Christ?

Brother Jim: That concerns me.

Brother Jim: My friends and I pray it concerns you as well.

Brother Jim: Because even though death is hard, it's hard to say goodbye.

Brother Jim: But when we know that person belonged to Jesus Christ and had

Brother Jim: him as his personal, he or she is his personal Savior.

Brother Jim: It is a celebration as well because they are home.

Brother Jim: They are no longer walking the stinking earth.

Brother Jim: Even with all its glory, all its beauty, we still have sin here,

Brother Jim: do we not?

Brother Jim: Warning my friends.

Brother Jim: Well, Brother Jim, what is the great commission that you have

Brother Jim: been speaking of?

Brother Jim: I have heard the word sprinkled sprinkled around on a Sunday

Brother Jim: morning, or during Bible study or Wednesday night service.

Brother Jim: I heard great grandma talking about it.

Brother Jim: But how many of us truly understand the Great Commission?

Brother Jim: The Great Commission in our

Brother Jim: world today is the command of

Brother Jim: Jesus Christ for believers who

Brother Jim: to go into the world, share the

Brother Jim: gospel, make disciples, and

Brother Jim: teach people to follow him, not

Brother Jim: to follow the church, not to

Brother Jim: follow a pastor, not to follow

Brother Jim: some saint, but to follow who

Brother Jim: Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ

Brother Jim: alone.

Brother Jim: And that is where we are in so much trouble today.

Brother Jim: True.

Brother Jim: Come on now.

Brother Jim: Don't.

Brother Jim: Don't back off on me.

Brother Jim: With me here.

Brother Jim: Follow me on this.

Brother Jim: Because it is coming.

Brother Jim: Because of a concern, my friends.

Brother Jim: It comes from the Bible, the Word of God, where Jesus says

Brother Jim: again from verse nineteen, as we stated just a few moments ago

Brother Jim: there, go therefore and make disciples of all nations.

Brother Jim: But you know what?

Brother Jim: How many times we get concerned on what over in the other parts

Brother Jim: of the the world, which is great, don't get me wrong.

Brother Jim: But what about in our own backyard?

Brother Jim: How about the people we see all the time when we go to Walmart?

Brother Jim: The person when we go through

Brother Jim: the car wash up here on West

Brother Jim: High.

Brother Jim: What about those people?

Brother Jim: The person we go through at Burger King.

Brother Jim: What about those?

Brother Jim: What about the ones we see that we're going to see here coming

Brother Jim: up next weekend, Memorial Day, summer picnics, even those

Brother Jim: family members we can't stand.

Brother Jim: Don't they deserve our best?

Brother Jim: Don't they deserve our love?

Brother Jim: Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations.

Brother Jim: And if we're honest, this

Brother Jim: morning, that mission has not

Brother Jim: changed.

Brother Jim: But can we agree this morning?

Brother Jim: The world sure has changed around us, hasn't it?

Brother Jim: The world has changed around us.

Brother Jim: Now, today, it's just my little opinion with what is happening

Brother Jim: in our world today.

Brother Jim: The Great Commission brings the hope.

Brother Jim: And you know what?

Brother Jim: How many of us are just riding that fringe right now?

Brother Jim: The only thing we're clasping on to is hope.

Brother Jim: Hope that Christ gave to each of us in this world.

Brother Jim: Hope.

Brother Jim: Hoping tomorrow is a better day.

Brother Jim: Hoping that the procedure.

Brother Jim: Praying that the procedure that's coming up will bring me

Brother Jim: good news or my loved one.

Brother Jim: Good news.

Brother Jim: The hope we have for future

Brother Jim: generations to come for our

Brother Jim: children, our grandchildren, for

Brother Jim: our churches.

Brother Jim: Let's be honest.

Brother Jim: Confusion, division, fear, loneliness, addiction, violence,

Brother Jim: the mass murders of innocent babies, sexual immorality, all

Brother Jim: the spiritual emptiness.

Brother Jim: It is what we face every day.

Brother Jim: Do we not?

Brother Jim: And here's that question for you.

Brother Jim: Where is the church in all this sin and chaos?

Brother Jim: So let me ask you something today.

Brother Jim: Where is Rockford Church?

Brother Jim: Where is Brother Jim?

Brother Jim: Where are each of you with this question?

Brother Jim: Something to chew on.

Brother Jim: It's sad to say many churches, as well as pastors have changed

Brother Jim: from bringing the gospel to entertaining the congregations.

Brother Jim: I'm the first to say, you know me.

Brother Jim: I love to be entertained.

Brother Jim: I love it.

Brother Jim: You put curly on up there with me and Larry.

Brother Jim: I'm entertained all day like a little kid.

Brother Jim: And entertainment is good.

Brother Jim: That comes from God right to joyous laugh, to chuckle where

Brother Jim: it hurts, where you snort.

Brother Jim: Pop out your nose because you're laughing so hard.

Brother Jim: But what about the church, my friends?

Brother Jim: What about pastors who stand before congregations

Brother Jim: entertaining instead of telling.

Brother Jim: Out of love, out of compassion, out of concern that there is a

Brother Jim: heaven, there is a hell.

Brother Jim: But there's also one guidebook

Brother Jim: map that will help you make your

Brother Jim: choice, and that is a wise

Brother Jim: choice.

Brother Jim: Entertainment, my friends, has crept into the church.

Brother Jim: Why?

Brother Jim: Well, Brother Jim, we need to

Brother Jim: keep that money coming in, don't

Brother Jim: we?

Brother Jim: Oh, brother Jim, we need to make

Brother Jim: sure those numbers stand at a

Brother Jim: certain level.

Brother Jim: Brother Jim.

Brother Jim: You better not offend anyone.

Brother Jim: Come on.

Brother Jim: True.

Brother Jim: True.

Brother Jim: True true.

Brother Jim: Why should a pastor speak about eternal heaven as well as hell?

Brother Jim: Come on now, church.

Brother Jim: Come on now.

Brother Jim: Why would God Sunday.

Brother Jim: Why would a loving God let me correct myself.

Brother Jim: Why would a loving God send anybody to hell?

Brother Jim: He's a loving God, right?

Brother Jim: Come on.

Brother Jim: Everybody goes to heaven, right?

Brother Jim: Please note the sarcasm in my voice.

Brother Jim: Okay.

Brother Jim: But that's what we face every day now, don't you?

Brother Jim: Oh, you know what I. How many times I hear that a week.

Brother Jim: Oh, I believe in God.

Brother Jim: Well, he believed in God.

Brother Jim: He's in heaven.

Brother Jim: I want to take my head and ram it into this pulpit.

Brother Jim: Sometimes there's a little bit

Brother Jim: more to it than that, my

Brother Jim: friends.

Brother Jim: Again, a little more to it.

Brother Jim: Let me tell you something, church.

Brother Jim: If we open our Bibles to James one twelve to fifteen.

Brother Jim: And if you've been joining us on

Brother Jim: Wednesday nights, we're talking

Brother Jim: about temptations.

Brother Jim: We've covered lust, we've covered anger.

Brother Jim: Now we are in envy and jealousy.

Brother Jim: But James one twelve to fifteen

Brother Jim: tells us something that we face

Brother Jim: every day, even as believers in

Brother Jim: Jesus Christ.

Brother Jim: Anybody here not tempted?

Brother Jim: Anybody here not tempted?

Brother Jim: Please raise your hand if you're not tempted, because I'd love to

Brother Jim: know how you do it.

Brother Jim: Blessed is the man who endures temptation, for when he has been

Brother Jim: approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has

Brother Jim: promised to those who love him.

Brother Jim: Let no one say when he is tempted, I am tempted by God.

Brother Jim: For God cannot be tempted by

Brother Jim: evil, nor does he himself tempt

Brother Jim: anyone.

Brother Jim: But each one of us is tempted when he is drawn away by his own

Brother Jim: desires and enticed.

Brother Jim: Then when desire has conceived,

Brother Jim: it gives birth to sin, and sin,

Brother Jim: when it is full grown, brings

Brother Jim: forth death.

Brother Jim: Did you pick up on these words, my friends?

Brother Jim: Then when desire has Conceived.

Brother Jim: It gives birth.

Brother Jim: To what?

Brother Jim: To sin and sin, when it is full grown, brings forth death.

Brother Jim: Death.

Brother Jim: Say that word with me.

Brother Jim: Death.

Brother Jim: Do we take that word serious anymore?

Brother Jim: Oh, we we we pre-plan our funerals.

Brother Jim: We have everything paid off.

Brother Jim: We have our wills.

Brother Jim: We've got all the check marks.

Brother Jim: We got everything covered.

Brother Jim: Being good stewards of our families.

Brother Jim: But what about eternal.

Brother Jim: Eternal death.

Brother Jim: Are we too afraid as a church to talk about that?

Brother Jim: Are we too afraid to share it with our loved ones, our

Brother Jim: neighbors, our friends?

Brother Jim: If you go to John eight forty four, you are.

Brother Jim: We've used this one a lot because it speaks to truth.

Brother Jim: You are of your father, the devil, and the desires of your

Brother Jim: father you want to do.

Brother Jim: He was a murderer from the beginning and he does not stand

Brother Jim: in the truth because there is no truth in him.

Brother Jim: When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resource resources,

Brother Jim: for he is a lie.

Brother Jim: He is a liar and the father of it.

Brother Jim: Now think about this church.

Brother Jim: We are told from God's own word,

Brother Jim: for he is a liar and the father

Brother Jim: of it.

Brother Jim: So say that word with me this morning.

Brother Jim: Liar, liar.

Brother Jim: Have you ever been lied to?

Brother Jim: I've heard some humdingers in my

Brother Jim: life and I've come up with some

Brother Jim: humdingers myself.

Brother Jim: But I want you to think about Satan.

Brother Jim: The lies he tells each one of you every day.

Brother Jim: The question is, do you believe it or not?

Brother Jim: Are we as adults as well as children and grandchildren being

Brother Jim: fed lies from our world as well as the demonic realm that

Brother Jim: encircles us this very day.

Brother Jim: What is the hot topic now?

Brother Jim: Social media and I couldn't help but think of my brother Larry

Brother Jim: Carr on this one.

Brother Jim: Oh, we're blowing the whistle on aliens who?

Brother Jim: How many of us are expecting to be beamed up?

Brother Jim: Scotty?

Brother Jim: It's news.

Brother Jim: Did you ever happen to stop and think, get in your Bible?

Brother Jim: And maybe it's explained with these so-called aliens.

Brother Jim: It's worth getting into the Bible, isn't it?

Brother Jim: Demonic?

Brother Jim: Demonic?

Brother Jim: Demonic.

Brother Jim: Do you think Satan fears us today?

Brother Jim: He is out there in full force, is he not?

Brother Jim: I mean, the mask is off.

Brother Jim: True.

Brother Jim: And we're such knuckleheads and

Brother Jim: I'm going to use that word

Brother Jim: knuckleheads.

Brother Jim: We're just embracing it.

Brother Jim: True, because we're feeding our own desires, my friends.

Brother Jim: Feeding our own desires.

Brother Jim: Is that not what?

Brother Jim: Oh, excuse me before we go on.

Brother Jim: I apologize on that.

Brother Jim: Let's go to second Timothy three one to seven.

Brother Jim: Here we go.

Brother Jim: We've heard this from many a

Brother Jim: times, but this is talking about

Brother Jim: today.

Brother Jim: But no, this this is the last day.

Brother Jim: Perilous times that in the last

Brother Jim: days, perilous times will come

Brother Jim: for men will be lovers of

Brother Jim: themselves, lovers of money,

Brother Jim: boasters, proud, blasphemers,

Brother Jim: disobedient to parents,

Brother Jim: unthankful, unholy, unloving,

Brother Jim: unforgiving, slanderous, without

Brother Jim: self-control, brutal, despisers

Brother Jim: of good, traitors, headstrong,

Brother Jim: haughty, lovers of pleasure

Brother Jim: rather than lovers of God having

Brother Jim: a form of godliness but Denying

Brother Jim: its power, and from such people

Brother Jim: turn away.

Brother Jim: For of this sort are those who creep into households and make

Brother Jim: captives of gullible women, loaded down with sins, led away

Brother Jim: by various lusts, always learning and never able to come

Brother Jim: to the knowledge of truth.

Brother Jim: You think about all the

Brother Jim: capability we have to learn from

Brother Jim: today.

Brother Jim: I mean, you want to know anything, go on YouTube or

Brother Jim: Google it, right?

Brother Jim: And if you want it, just put it in the Amazon cart and boom,

Brother Jim: bada bing, two or three days, you got it right.

Brother Jim: Is that not what at least most

Brother Jim: of our world supports and lives

Brother Jim: today?

Brother Jim: What I just read from second Timothy three one to seven, what

Brother Jim: our society is telling our children is telling us it's okay

Brother Jim: to do these things because, Dave, it's your life You enjoy

Brother Jim: to be happy.

Brother Jim: Lies big difference between what

Brother Jim: the world tells us and what God

Brother Jim: tells us.

Brother Jim: So why is this Great Commission so important in our lives today

Brother Jim: as followers of Jesus Christ?

Brother Jim: The Great Commission means means

Brother Jim: Christians, you and I as well as

Brother Jim: this church.

Brother Jim: As a body, we are called to live out our faith.

Brother Jim: Your faith, my faith not only inside this church building, but

Brother Jim: everywhere from our homes, our schools at work, our endless

Brother Jim: time online, in our local areas, our doctor's offices that so

Brother Jim: many of us visit, even in our hospitals when we are there.

Brother Jim: Hey folks, how about even prisons?

Brother Jim: And yes, even in our churches in

Brother Jim: today's world, a great

Brother Jim: commission should include

Brother Jim: sharing the truth of Jesus with

Brother Jim: love, helping hurting people

Brother Jim: physically, spiritually, and

Brother Jim: mentally.

Brother Jim: Think about how many people are hurting today.

Brother Jim: How many people of you sitting

Brother Jim: here today are hurting mentally,

Brother Jim: physically, spiritually?

Brother Jim: How about standing for biblical truth, my friends?

Brother Jim: We have found a way to corrupt the Bible, have we not?

Brother Jim: We have found a way to twist God's Word, have we not?

Brother Jim: And that concerns me, my friends.

Brother Jim: Not out of hate, not out of anger, but concern.

Brother Jim: Because again, it comes back to what we just talked about lies

Brother Jim: from Satan and he will do anything he can to keep you,

Brother Jim: your loved ones, from heaven.

Brother Jim: He knows where he's heading.

Brother Jim: He knows it.

Brother Jim: But he wants to pull you away from God.

Brother Jim: Because why?

Brother Jim: God loves you.

Brother Jim: How many of us disciple new

Brother Jim: believers, supporting

Brother Jim: missionaries, praying for the

Brother Jim: lost, and being a light in dark

Brother Jim: places?

Brother Jim: I think we can all agree

Brother Jim: technology, the good and the bad

Brother Jim: has also changed how the Great

Brother Jim: Commission is carried out

Brother Jim: through social media, podcasts,

Brother Jim: live streams, videos, online

Brother Jim: ministry.

Brother Jim: The gospel can now reach people across the world instantly.

Brother Jim: I can't help but think of the

Brother Jim: great Billy Graham and his

Brother Jim: crusades.

Brother Jim: Now all you gotta do is sit in the convenience of your home,

Brother Jim: your bedroom in the car, and you can hear about the gospel.

Brother Jim: You don't have to go to a stadium anymore.

Brother Jim: And yes, it can be a message preached in a small church.

Brother Jim: And yes, that message can touch someone thousands of miles away.

Brother Jim: Talk to David about that one.

Brother Jim: He'll inform you the great things we're blessed to be able

Brother Jim: to do here at Rockford Church.

Brother Jim: But even with our modern tools, the heart.

Brother Jim: Remember I talked about that just a few minutes ago.

Brother Jim: The heartbeat of the Great Commission remains the same.

Brother Jim: People you and I telling other people about Jesus.

Brother Jim: The Great Commission, again, is

Brother Jim: not only for pastors or

Brother Jim: missionaries.

Brother Jim: It is for each one of you.

Brother Jim: And hear me on this.

Brother Jim: People at Rockford Church, every believer has a role.

Brother Jim: You don't have to be a bag of

Brother Jim: wind like me to make a

Brother Jim: difference.

Brother Jim: You might not be able to play beautiful music like Leonard

Brother Jim: Dave, but you might be sitting on a voice.

Brother Jim: Oh my goodness.

Brother Jim: You might be one of the most

Brother Jim: hardcore praying people in this

Brother Jim: church, but you gotta release

Brother Jim: it.

Brother Jim: I challenge you, start searching for those gifts.

Brother Jim: Buckle down and ask God, Lord, help me come out of my shell.

Brother Jim: Each of us, if your claim to believe have to be a believer,

Brother Jim: you gotta roll.

Brother Jim: And again, some are called to

Brother Jim: preach, some to teach, some to

Brother Jim: encourage, some to give and some

Brother Jim: to serve.

Brother Jim: But all are called to help others know Christ.

Brother Jim: How many are willing to stand up

Brother Jim: and say that our world today,

Brother Jim: the Great Commission, is

Brother Jim: urgently needed more than ever

Brother Jim: because many people are

Brother Jim: searching for meaning, but they

Brother Jim: are looking in all the wrong

Brother Jim: places.

Brother Jim: Again.

Brother Jim: Think of all the options we have now.

Brother Jim: Where is God?

Brother Jim: Is it fair to say this country is almost too blessed?

Brother Jim: Too blessed?

Brother Jim: And we've turned our backs on God in so many ways.

Brother Jim: Maybe you are one yourself who falls into this category.

Brother Jim: Or maybe, just maybe, there is

Brother Jim: someone that you love so much

Brother Jim: who needs Jesus Christ in their

Brother Jim: life.

Brother Jim: I was one once.

Brother Jim: And I can attribute that to a praying grandma.

Brother Jim: How many of us here can say it was probably due to our praying

Brother Jim: grandmas that led us to the Lord, that protected us from all

Brother Jim: the silly things we did.

Brother Jim: Grandma's never gave up hope.

Brother Jim: We need a lot more praying grandmas.

Brother Jim: We need a lot more praying people in this church.

Brother Jim: So how about a church?

Brother Jim: I'll tell you right now, Jesus is still the answer.

Brother Jim: Still the answer.

Brother Jim: The only answer for broken

Brother Jim: hearts, lost souls, and a

Brother Jim: hurting world.

Brother Jim: The mission of the church today is not just to survive culture,

Brother Jim: it is to reach culture, our society with the love and truth

Brother Jim: of Jesus Christ.

Brother Jim: And that might put us in a little bit of a sticky situation

Brother Jim: at times, huh?

Brother Jim: But you're called to do it.

Brother Jim: I'm called to do it.

Brother Jim: I am commanded to do it.

Brother Jim: And I like to say this to meet people where they are, to meet

Brother Jim: people where they are, which might take you to some places

Brother Jim: you might feel uncomfortable.

Brother Jim: But you know what?

Brother Jim: Who's with you?

Brother Jim: Jesus is with you.

Brother Jim: The Holy Spirit's walking with you.

Brother Jim: So why be afraid?

Brother Jim: Why be fearful?

Brother Jim: And don't you think God's going to give you the right words to

Brother Jim: say at the right time?

Brother Jim: Where is your faith?

Brother Jim: Church.

Brother Jim: Where's my faith?

Brother Jim: Where's your faith?

Brother Jim: And trust me in this transformation I am on.

Brother Jim: It is amazing.

Brother Jim: God will never let you down.

Brother Jim: I want to leave you this morning

Brother Jim: with a question to ponder

Brother Jim: throughout this week, if you

Brother Jim: will.

Brother Jim: Now, as Rockford Church, we state in our newsletter and

Brother Jim: other literature kind of like our mission statement.

Brother Jim: Rockford church, the church that wakes up the Christian in you.

Brother Jim: Enlightened and brightened by the grace of God with joyous

Brother Jim: minds, hearts and soul, intensifying our faith in God.

Brother Jim: We are.

Brother Jim: Rockford Church.

Brother Jim: Sounds good, doesn't it?

Brother Jim: Sounds good on paper.

Brother Jim: Let me ask you something.

Brother Jim: Are we really doing this, my friends?

Brother Jim: Are we really doing this?

Brother Jim: And I want to ask you first before we can show.

Brother Jim: Show others.

Brother Jim: Are you doing it?

Brother Jim: When you come in here each Sunday morning and I get it,

Brother Jim: there's days, there's days.

Brother Jim: But overall, are you coming in here with a joyous mind, a

Brother Jim: heart, a soul?

Brother Jim: You are ready to rock and roll.

Brother Jim: And I'm talking about for Jesus.

Brother Jim: Are you?

Brother Jim: When you get up each morning, are you feeling good?

Brother Jim: And again, I get it.

Brother Jim: Aches, pains.

Brother Jim: But still you're blessed because

Brother Jim: I'm going to tell you something

Brother Jim: right now.

Brother Jim: There are people out there that's got it worse than you.

Brother Jim: Amen.

Brother Jim: Oh yeah, they do.

Brother Jim: So again, before we go out and fix the world kind of to say it

Brother Jim: like that, we gotta make sure we're strong here.

Brother Jim: Each one of us are strong in our beliefs.

Brother Jim: Now, when I came to Rockford

Brother Jim: Church here four years ago,

Brother Jim: almost four years, I had a

Brother Jim: calling to build us together as

Brother Jim: a family.

Brother Jim: And I think we have succeeded that in the social functioning.

Brother Jim: You gotta bring people together and we bring it together with

Brother Jim: food, don't we?

Brother Jim: Food and laughter.

Brother Jim: We got that going.

Brother Jim: But now what are we going to do

Brother Jim: that we've got that part secure,

Brother Jim: strong.

Brother Jim: Isn't it time to take it out there?

Brother Jim: And again, we don't have to go to Africa.

Brother Jim: We can support Africa.

Brother Jim: But why not people right here in our own backyard?

Brother Jim: So again, I want you to look at that.

Brother Jim: Grab your monthly messenger.

Brother Jim: Take a look at that.

Brother Jim: Read it, learn it, know it, and

Brother Jim: then ask yourself, am I doing

Brother Jim: this?

Brother Jim: Is our church doing this?

Brother Jim: Is our pastor doing this?

Brother Jim: Don't leave me out, okay?

Brother Jim: But it's a challenge.

Brother Jim: Come on, my friends.

Brother Jim: Look at this.

Brother Jim: Time's the ticking.

Brother Jim: It's a ticking.

Brother Jim: And there ain't no going back, is there?

Brother Jim: No going back?

Brother Jim: Something to chew on this week, my friends.

Brother Jim: And again, this is just

Brother Jim: scratching the surface on the

Brother Jim: series we're going into on the

Brother Jim: Great Commission.

Brother Jim: But again, making sure we are prepared as a church, as

Brother Jim: brothers and sisters in Christ, to go out there.

Brother Jim: So maybe take a little self-reflection this week.

Brother Jim: I'm going to look in that mirror.

Brother Jim: Okay, Jesus, here I am.

Brother Jim: Tune me up a little bit.

Brother Jim: Lead me, guide me true.

Brother Jim: Amen.