The Gospel and Mission: Being an attractive people

My name is Chris. I help oversee the community groups here at Watermark Church.

And today, as Tobin has already mentioned, we are going to be looking at the gospel and mission.

We've been looking at a series of the gospel and work.

Next week, we're going to look at the gospel and community.

And you may think we've heard this all before, and you probably have.

But the thing is, as Tobin said earlier, we sometimes have memories like goldfish.

And we need reminding. We need reminding of who we are and what we're about.

So today, we're going to talk about this value of mission.

Now, everyone is on a mission.

Some people's mission is very obvious.

They just want to make as much money as they can and then retire early.

And their mission drives their behavior, so they will work crazily long hours.

They will sacrifice anything, sacrifice their family time.

They will trample over other people just to get as much money as they can.

Other people's mission in life is a little bit more subtle.

They just want to be as comfortable as they can and avoid as much pain and suffering.

So what they do is they have already looked at the calendar for the next five years

and worked out when the public holidays are going to be.

They've marked off the possible days to take sick leave.

And they're praying for tomorrow that Typhoon 8 is still going to be going.

Even companies have mission statements which are meant to encapsulate what their mission is all about.

I need some participation here.

I'm going to give you a couple of mission statements from companies.

I want you to tell me what the company is.

It's not too difficult.

Well, let's see.

Our mission is to inspire and nurture the human spirit.

One person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time.

Oh, you go too often.

Okay, next one.

Our mission is to refresh the world,

inspiring moments of optimism and happiness,

creating value and making a difference.

Not Google.

This is one very dear to Tobin's heart.

Ah, yes.

Very good.

Coca-Cola.

I don't know how many moments you've been inspired with optimism and happiness

when you drink Coca-Cola.

Okay, last one.

Our mission is to be the ultimate house of luxury,

defining style,

and creating desire now and forever.

The number five might help you.

Chanel.

Okay.

So you see, companies have mission statements,

and a mission which is meant to drive the way that they do business.

Your mission should drive and shape your behavior.

So as we come to talk about us as watermark and us as Christians,

what does it mean?

What is our mission?

Now, mission simply means to be sent.

What is the mission we're sent on?

Well, Jesus says in that passage in John 20,

he says,

as the Father has sent me,

so I send you.

So what is the mission we're sent on?

Well, it's the mission that Jesus was on.

So then you've got to ask,

what is the mission that Jesus was on?

And Jesus says in John chapter 7,

John 7 · chapter mention

he says,

my mission is really to make God known,

to make the goodness and the greatness of God known.

And how do I do that?

I do that through seeking and saving lost people.

I do that through dying on a cross to bring people back to myself,

to bring people back to relationship with God.

That was Jesus' mission,

to make God known so that people can come into relationship with him.

So what is our mission as Christians?

It's the same.

To make the goodness and greatness of God known

through our words and through our lives

and call people back to that relationship with God.

So here's the main thing I want to say.

If you just zone off after this, that's fine.

But the main thing I want you to remember is this.

God's primary mission strategy for the world is his church.

God's primary mission strategy for the world is his church.

And his strategy is this.

That the lives of Christians should be so attractive

that people look at them and admire and say,

I'd love to live like that.

That your kids look at your lives and say,

I want to be like my parents.

That people from other religions look at Watermark community and say,

I wish we were part of a community like that.

God's mission strategy is our lives to reflect his goodness and how amazing he is.

Now, if you're like me, you kind of think about the reality of your own life

and you feel, wow, I fall so far short of that calling.

So how do we come to live who we are?

Well, I've got three main points.

The first one is just knowing your identity.

The second is living your identity.

And the third is living out mission in the day to day.

Okay?

So knowing your identity, living your identity,

living out your mission in the day to day.

Your behavior flows out from your sense of identity and who you are.

And so we're going to come and have a look at this passage in 1 Peter.

If you've got your bulletin, turn with me.

This passage in 1 Peter is, remember, this is written by Peter,

one of the disciples of Jesus.

And it's written to small groups of churches which are scattered around Turkey.

And these churches are having a hard time

because they're living in a very hostile world.

They're living in the midst of the Roman Empire,

which dominates everywhere.

And the Roman Empire tells you,

you need to worship the emperor and the gods that he worships.

And if you want to move up the career ladder,

you've got to join guilds, associations,

where part of the initiation into those associations

is you have to offer sacrifices to the emperor and to the gods.

Everywhere you go, there are statues,

who's shouting to you,

you need to worship this god and this god over here.

And the Christians,

who knew that that's not what they were meant to be doing,

struggled because everyone was laughing at them, mocking them.

Why would you?

Listen, you can join the Roman Empire

and you can have everything you want.

You can have your ambitions.

You can have all those things.

And yet you're choosing to stay as a Christian.

Why would you do that?

Now, this is who Peter's talking about.

They're marginalized.

They're feeling on the edge of society, these Christians.

They're what Peter calls aliens and strangers.

They feel like they don't belong.

And Peter says to them,

don't you realize you're not called to be like everybody else?

You are a people on the margins.

But you're a people who dance to a different beat.

You're a people who are different,

not because you've got crazy hairstyles or you live like the Amish,

not because you're separated from people physically,

but because your life is different.

Now, I don't know about you,

but in Hong Kong, I think there's many similarities with this.

We all want to belong in this society.

We all want to fit in.

We all want to feel like we're accepted.

I don't know about you.

When I used to have my former colleagues,

I used to be sitting around,

and sometimes people just start criticizing another colleague

or just saying negative things,

complaining about certain things,

and you knew it wasn't right,

but I would just find myself just kind of joining in with them.

I don't know if you ever do that.

Maybe it's just me.

But I would join in.

Why was I joining?

And I'd think after,

oh, I wish I hadn't said that.

Why?

Because I wanted to belong.

I wanted to fit in.

I wanted to be accepted by them.

And so I went along with everything that they went along with.

I want to be accepted.

I want to belong.

It's what the society calls peer pressure.

But actually, it's just a desire to belong.

We want to be accepted.

We want to be liked.

We want to be valued.

And Peter tells you,

well, Peter tells them something mind-blowing.

If you look in verse 9,

he says,

Listen, I know you want to belong

to what everyone else is telling you to belong to.

But he says,

Don't you know who you are?

Verse 9.

But you are a chosen race,

a royal priesthood,

a holy nation,

a people for God's own possession.

These are four terms that any reader of the Old Testament

would have been familiar with.

Because these were four terms that were used

for the people of God,

God's special chosen people in the Old Testament.

And what are they saying?

They're saying,

You belong,

not to the world,

but you belong to God.

You are His.

You have access

to a relationship

with the God of all creation.

And that's what priesthood is about.

Only the priests could have access

to God

into His presence.

You have access

like nobody else has access.

And you are set apart for Him.

That's what the word holy means.

You are set apart for Him.

And notice what he's saying is,

he says,

You,

and normally when we read you,

we think me.

But actually that you is a plural.

He's saying you as the church

are His special people.

You are set apart.

Now,

I don't know when you were younger,

but when I was younger,

people used to play.

We had a playground at school.

And people used to pick teams

for games.

So,

we used to play football,

soccer,

in the playground.

And,

when it came to choosing the teams,

the good kids

always got chosen first.

And, you know,

there was the kid at the end

who no one wanted.

Did you ever have that?

And people were fighting

not to have him.

They were saying,

Listen, no, you have him.

You have him.

We had him last week.

No, no.

Oh,

just take him.

Go and sit at the back.

And that kid,

when I was at school,

he always wanted to be

one of the people

who was chosen

at the first.

He always wanted to belong

in the team,

but always felt like

he was outside.

He always wanted to belong.

But,

if you imagine

that one day

the most famous footballer

in the world

came to that school

and said,

I've got a team

that I'm picking players for.

And,

and he comes in

and all the kids

are kind of there.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Choose me.

Choose me.

Look at what I've done.

I'm really good.

And what he does,

he goes to the kid

that nobody else wants

and he says,

I want you in my team.

And it's not that

I just want you in my team.

I'm going to spend time with you.

I'm going to hang out with you.

I want you to

be with me.

To be a part of my team.

And now,

imagine how that kid

would feel.

Doesn't that change

the perspective now

when he feels rejected

from the other teams

but he knows

that he is now part

of a team

that is so much better.

And all of us

are like that kid,

Peter tells us.

We were not a people,

he says.

But now,

you are a people.

All of us,

if you were a Christian,

you were part of God's family.

You were part of his people.

And what that means

is this.

It means you're set apart

for him

but it also means

that you'll be an alien

and a stranger.

Jesus was rejected

by people.

So you

will also

experience

not belonging

in this world.

That's the first point.

The second point is,

if we are a new people,

as it were,

what are we for?

Is it just to hide away

by ourselves,

kind of enjoy

the relationship with God?

And Peter says,

no,

that's not what it's about.

It's not all about you.

Look at verse 9 again.

So he says,

you are this chosen people,

this chosen race,

royal priesthood,

people for God's own possession,

so that,

so that

you may proclaim

the excellences

of him

who has called you

out of darkness

into his marvelous light.

What does that mean?

Why has God saved you?

Why has God brought you,

if you are a Christian today,

why has he brought you

into his family?

He saved you for a purpose.

He saved you for the purpose

of making him known,

proclaiming his excellences,

his goodness,

his greatness,

how amazing he is.

And that mission

is to shape all of life.

It's to shape the decisions we make,

the way we spend our money,

the way we spend our time.

It's meant to be

a shaping influence

if we really are

this people

that God has set apart

for himself.

And actually,

that word proclaim,

in Greek,

it can mean

praise,

tell out,

but it can also mean

to advertise.

Your life

is to be an advertisement.

And not just your words,

but it's every part

of your life,

your words,

your actions,

is to show

how amazing God is.

Now,

I don't know about you,

but I'm a bit suspicious

of advertisers

and salespeople in general.

And I know there's a few of you

among here,

so I've got to be careful

what I say.

But the thing that gets me

about advertisers

is that they're always

trying to sell you something,

but they're not really

interested in you.

Even when they're trying

to appeal to your personal needs

and things,

you know what they're trying to do

is they're trying to sell.

something to you.

You know,

you see these things

because you're worth it.

And I look at that

and I think,

no,

because you want my money.

And even,

you think of,

like,

tele-sales people.

I don't know if you've ever

had this,

where they ring you up

and it's like,

hi,

thank you as a valued customer.

we would just like to do a survey

on customer satisfaction.

And you think,

okay,

let's go on.

And 30 seconds later,

you suddenly realize

they're actually trying

to sell you something.

And at that point,

in my most polite,

angry British voice,

I say,

thank you very much,

and I put the phone down.

Because

they're kind of being underhand.

They're not really

interested in me.

they want to sell me

a product

or a service.

And

so often,

the world sees Christians

trying to sell Jesus

as a product

or a service.

You know,

come to Jesus

and he'll fix all your problems.

He'll give you

a great life.

Come to Jesus,

get the Father

and the Holy Spirit

for free.

You know,

we're,

we're not,

we're not selling

a product

or a service.

When,

when it,

we talk about

being advertising,

we're not selling

a product

or a serving,

service.

We're living adverts

of a relationship

with the king

that we were created

to have relationship with.

That everybody

who is chasing

after belonging,

acceptance,

everything in the world

is truly,

truly made for.

Where they were made

to find satisfaction.

So what that means,

as a Christian,

we don't have to use

kind of underhand tactics

to try and get people

kind of,

to come along to church.

I mean,

you see sometimes,

you know,

I've,

I've heard people,

and I've done this myself,

you know,

we've got a,

a great buffet lunch

this Sunday.

You know,

you,

you should come along.

It's,

it's going to be fantastic.

Food was great

and everything.

And they say,

okay,

yeah,

where is it?

Oh,

it's down at Cyberport.

And you say,

okay,

great.

And,

and there'll be

a little bit

of church beforehand.

But don't worry,

the food is fantastic.

If we had to be

these people

who have proclaimed

the extences,

we don't have to be

trying to be

underhand about,

no,

it's a relationship

that we're advertising.

So we can be open

about our motivation

just to say,

I want you

to come to know

the living God

who is amazing.

That's what I want

for you.

And if you're

genuinely concerned

about people,

genuinely interested,

not just trying

to sell them something,

but genuinely

interested in them,

people will

honor your integrity.

When we were

in Austria

on our,

on our honeymoon,

we were told

about a,

a local guest house

where you could

get food.

We were looking

around for restaurants

and,

and we went down

to this restaurant,

just kind of

checked it out

and thought,

okay,

the food's,

the food's pretty good

and then we started

talking to a couple

who'd been there,

who'd been coming back

to the same place

for 18 years.

Now,

I know some people

like that,

so instantly

I'm kind of like,

okay,

I kind of write them

off in that kind

of corner.

And,

and,

and then

they started talking

about the owner

and,

um,

they started sharing

how incredibly generous

and hospitable

the owner was.

And I'm thinking,

okay,

that's great.

And as they,

they taught,

they shared story

after story

about the,

the owner

and the more impressive

she sounded.

But I'm naturally

cynical.

It's part of British

education.

We have,

we have classes

in cynicism.

It's called,

um,

critical thinking.

Um,

um,

and so I was

kind of a bit

suspicious.

Yeah,

okay,

yeah,

I've seen those

people before.

They're,

they're really just

after to get your money.

They're just nice,

they're polite

just to get your money.

You've been coming

back for 18 years.

You've really fallen

for it.

But,

you know,

after a while,

we,

we saw this couple

talking to the owner

and,

um,

she mentioned,

I heard them mention

that we were on honeymoon.

We mentioned to this couple

that we're on honeymoon

and,

um,

they spoke to the owner

and said,

oh,

these guys are on honeymoon.

One minute later,

the owner comes out

with a free bottle

of champagne,

pours out the champagne

for us,

and then starts taking

a real interest

in asking us questions

about,

about our lives.

And,

and then as I observed her,

I saw the way

that she was

just really genuinely

interested in people.

She,

she would take out

candy and sweets

for kids

as they were leaving.

She would really

take an interest

and a pride

in what she was doing

and wanted to know

how people were.

And I began to see

why this couple

had been coming back

for 18 years.

And so,

from that moment on,

we were converted.

We became the greatest

missionaries

for that restaurant

that you could imagine

in the whole region.

Because,

we'd heard the message

from this couple,

but then we had seen it,

we had tasted it,

we had experienced it

for ourselves,

and we saw how it worked.

And we were convinced.

And it's the same

with the gospel message,

proclaiming God.

Many people will hear you say,

oh, God's amazing,

and you say,

yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah,

I've heard that one before.

But actually,

what is it

that's going to attract people?

It's going to be

lives which are

genuinely interested

in people,

genuinely loving people,

genuinely taking

concern and care

for people.

That's why,

if you look in

verse 11 and 12,

Peter says,

beloved,

I urge you,

as aliens and strangers,

you don't belong,

you're a different community,

abstain from fleshly lusts

or sinful desires,

which wage war

against the soul.

Keep your behavior

excellent among the Gentiles.

Another translation,

it says,

live such good lives

among the people

around you.

so that in the thing

in which they slander you

as evildoers,

they may,

because of your good deeds,

and they observe them,

they see them,

they will glorify God

in the day of visitation.

There are two things here.

How do we live

attractive lives?

One is something

we don't do,

which is we abstain

from sinful desires.

Tobin has talked

in the last two weeks

about coveting,

worry,

control.

these things are not just

to make us a bit better

for ourselves.

These things are meant

to be a mission strategy,

whoops,

a mission strategy

as we learn

to really walk with God

and reflect Him

in our lives.

the second thing is

your good deeds,

what you do,

so there's a thing

you don't do,

there's something

you do do,

there's an active element.

it's an active element

that as a community

we are doing

and as individuals

we are doing.

So the question is,

can people see that?

Can people see that?

Both in your life,

but also,

can they see

the Christian community

living out

these lives together,

loving one another,

caring for one another

in the world?

Can they see that?

Can they see

how many non-Christians

are connected in

with your community groups?

How many of them

see your life together?

We would be

an advertisement for God.

One implication of this

is that mission,

as we're talking about here,

is not an add-on to life.

Sometimes,

and I'm guilty of this,

we can think mission

is some event

that we just hold

or we've just done

an outreach.

But actually,

what he's saying is,

we are all missionaries

in whatever context,

in whatever relationships

you're part of.

We're all missionaries.

So we can't just separate

and say,

okay,

I did my community service

last week.

Some of us went down

to St. Barnabas

on Saturday.

We had a great time.

That's a homeless

and elderly outreach.

Had a fantastic time.

And it's great

just to see

how people

were inviting

even their

non-church colleagues

to come in

and just serve together

so they could see

our relationships together.

It's fantastic.

And I come away

and sometimes

I think,

okay, great,

I've done mission now.

Now I can live

the rest of my life.

But I just say,

no.

Mission is all of your life,

your lifestyle,

lived out

wherever you are

in whatever context.

And that's why

we want to be about

church planting,

multiplying community groups

because in our

relational networks

we want to spread

this attractive

advertisement

of our lives

into every

nook and cranny

of Hong Kong.

Now,

you may be thinking

that sounds great.

But

in my life

I know

that I've tried

to live an attractive

life to people

but people are not

interested.

People just say

no.

And Peter here

is actually not naive.

What he says is

live such good lives,

keep your behavior

excellent

so that in the thing

in which they slander

you as evildoers,

what does that mean?

That means

there will be

people

who do not

see the attractiveness

of your life.

There will be people

who might say

you're stupid.

And I find this,

for me,

it's easy to talk

about God

to people.

It's very difficult

because people say,

okay,

you've got God,

I've got my iPad,

that's cool,

great.

You know,

each to their own.

But when we talk

about Jesus,

sometimes it just

get a little bit weirder.

It feels a little bit

more personal.

It's suddenly

you're a little bit

different.

And Peter says,

that's okay.

You're an alien

and you're a stranger

in this world.

But he says,

don't give up.

Keep persevering

in doing good,

in loving people,

in praying for people.

There are people here,

I know you've been praying

for your family members,

for your colleagues

for a long time.

And he says,

persevere.

Don't give up

doing good deeds

because one day

people will see

what you've been

trying to tell them

all along

and they will glorify God

in the day that he comes.

One day people will see

that he is worth it.

So we've looked at

our identity,

knowing our identity.

Who are we?

We're a people,

not just individuals,

we're a people

on a mission together

who live out

this identity

as advertisements

to show how good God is.

The final thing

I want to say is,

how do we live out

our mission

in the day-to-day?

Because when you come down

to the practicalities

of it in the day-to-day,

for everybody,

it's going to look different.

How do we live

these attractive lives

in front of people?

For everybody,

it's going to look different

because you're

in different contexts,

you have different relationships,

you're involved with

different gifts,

different passions.

So here's just a few things.

If you could put

the slide up for me.

I find this slide helpful.

Sometimes I get into

a mentality of thinking,

I've got to tell everybody

everything all at once.

And then it all becomes

a project.

It's all about getting

a message across to people,

rather than about

really loving people.

So here is a helpful,

I think,

way of approaching

and seeing,

how do we live lives

which attract people

and call people

into a relationship

with God?

And here's a picture

of a baseball field.

Start off in the places

where you are.

Meet people in the everyday

places you do life,

whether that's at your work,

whether that's in your family,

whether that's at your club,

and show hospitality to them.

Show hospitality to them.

Have a coffee.

Go for lunch.

Whatever it is,

show them kindness.

It's not a tactic

to get them in.

Genuinely show them hospitality.

Second thing,

invest in the relationship.

Ask questions

to get to know their story.

Begin opening up

your life to them

and look for avenues

just to love them

and serve them.

Ask questions

about their kids.

What are their hopes

for their kids?

What are their dreams

for their kids?

What are they aiming for in life?

Enjoy the friendship.

Seek extended time

through similar interests

if you've got a hobby.

Enjoy it together.

Keep asking questions.

Continue to love and serve.

And the final one,

get them around

your gospel community,

your community groups.

Begin exposing them

to the word of God.

In all of those things,

I think there's

three things

which can be helpful.

One is,

we need to be intentional.

In the busyness of life,

you need to be intentional

about how you live your life.

What I mean by that is,

do you have two or three people,

if you're a believer,

who you are trying

to actively be

a living advertisement to,

who you can really

show an interest in

and love?

Two or three people

that you know their names,

you've written them down,

you are praying

for them regularly.

With those two or three people,

does your community group

know who those two or three,

know them by name,

who those two or three people are?

That's a great thing to do.

Your community group

is not just a place

to have nice time together.

It's actually a place

where together,

you can encourage one another,

pray for one another,

help each other walk on.

So be intentional.

Be intentional about

starting conversations

with people.

Be intentional about

inviting people around

for a meal.

Be intentional in your life.

Second thing,

plan.

Plan,

put things in your diary.

If mission shapes your life,

it will be evident

in your diary.

If mission shapes your life,

it will be evident

in your diary.

Plan.

Plan.

For me and Fiona,

we plan to have people around

once every couple of weeks.

You can plan this week.

Who is it that I can really

reach out to have coffee with?

Have lunch with one of my colleagues?

Plan.

Plan.

Bless.

Third thing, bless.

I find when I was in,

working in an office,

offices can be full of negativity

and competitiveness.

To be a light in an office,

how are you actively going to say,

try and bless people?

It could be with words,

just encouraging someone,

saying,

I appreciate what you've done this week.

It could be by taking them out for a meal.

There are tons of ways,

but bless.

Look to bless.

Think,

who this week

could I actively go out and bless?

And remember,

this is a mission we're on together.

It's a family on missions.

So your community group,

use your time

to really encourage one another

in the mission you're on.

We will be setting up pod meetings.

What I mean by pod meetings is,

at the end of October,

there will be a time

where if you're in a community group,

three or four community groups

will come together,

and that will be a time

where we're going to share the stories

about our mission,

our life on mission together,

where we can pray for each other,

where we can encourage each other,

where we can see

how has God answered our prayers.

And when we struggle with these things,

we can just lift each other up.

Each of you,

each of us,

are at a different stage,

and I don't know

what your next step is.

But here's the final thing

I want to say.

If you're not yet a Christ follower,

what I want you to do

is I want you to observe

the lives of the Christians around you.

I want you to observe their lives,

and I want you to ask

some questions.

Is their life matching

what they say they believe?

Is their life matching

what they say they believe?

If you're a Christian at this point,

you are probably thinking,

oh no.

And I genuinely sometimes feel,

oh no.

And so what I tend to do is,

I know that I've shouted this week

at one of my colleagues.

I know that I lied,

and my friends know about it.

I know that I've been stressed this week,

and I haven't looked like

I'm trusting God with my life.

And that's often,

we feel like a hypocrite,

so we feel,

I can't share my faith,

I can't be open,

I can't do these things.

But we've forgotten who we are.

Peter says,

once you had not received mercy,

but now you've received mercy.

What he means is,

God didn't choose a people

who got it sorted.

He chooses the people

who are messed up and broken.

He chooses the people who fail.

But the thing is,

when we fail,

we come back to his mercy,

and realize that it's only because

God is so amazingly merciful,

that I can go,

and that his mercy is changing me.

His mercy transformed me,

and it pushes me out now

into the world

to say,

listen,

I messed up.

But do you know what?

I have a God

who is so amazingly merciful,

that I don't have to hide.

When I mess up,

I can apologize.

And I can be honest with people.

It gives you great humility

to go out and say,

God is amazing.

I'm not.

He is good.

And we walk on this journey together.

In a world where everyone else

is living for the mission

of making more money,

having a comfortable life,

God's call for us as his people

is,

will you make me known?

Will you keep running back to me,

relying on my mercy,

walking together,

and you will know

how I change people's lives through it.

Let's pray.

Father, when we see

the really high standard

that you've called us to,

it can make us feel

crushed sometimes.

It can make us feel like,

well,

I'm just

not good enough.

And Lord,

I pray for each one of us

who

feel like that

because actually

that is the reality.

We're not good enough.

But the amazing thing is

it's your grace

and your mercy

which chooses us.

It's nothing because of ourselves.

I pray, Lord,

that you'd help us

to shape our lives

around the mission

you've called us on.

That we'd really show

a genuine concern

and care for the people

around us.

That we would want

to proclaim a God

who is so gracious,

who is so loving,

who calls people

to come back

to relationship with him.

And that that would be

what shapes

all of our lives together.

In your name.

Amen.

Amen.