Vintage Faith Community

When we say that one of our core gospel Identities is "We Are Missionaries," we're primarily saying something about God and his work in the world. The Scriptures recount how God has worked in history to bring everything back under his gracious rule in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. In Jesus, he is making all things new. We then, as we place our trust in Jesus, are "new creations" in him - radically called into fellowship with him and with one another. At the very same time, we are "ambassadors" of his kingdom - radically sent into the world to join with God in restoring all things to Him.

Text:
Theme: Identity: We are Missionaries
Aim: Embody the Identity of Missionary – a call to live into the reality of who you are!

INTRO: the new series on “IDENTITY” – our core convictions about WHO we ARE

Here’s the CONTENTION: Next 4 Weeks talking about WHO WE ARE as church, a body of Christians
    Difference in Scripture between Indicatives and Imperatives – anyone know the difference?
Dialogue: What happens when all we talk about is the imperatives? (Example: Jeff Beal)
        Treadmill-like existence: you don’t rest in God’s justification of you, try to justify self!
        Rather, you work hard to change yourself, outside-in – I’m a Christian… so work hard!

    So many Christians doing all they do out of a sense of ought or in search of identity
    Gospel is that God gives that to you in Christ – your life is Christ! – and actions flow out!

IN that sense, gospel Christianity is different from both religion and secularism
    Secular: find identity in accomplishments, relationships, lifestyle – based on what you accomplish
    Religious (Christians): find identity in practices and beliefs and religious observances they perform
    Gospel Christianity: we are given our Identity as children of God as a gift through Jesus death
        You don’t earn it through your performance, by keeping rules/regulations – treadmill!
        Rather, you live from that identity – beloved, favored, loved – though you don’t deserve it

Challenge for the Christian is to LIVE INTO who GOD SAYS WE ARE: a FAITH ISSUE
    When we aren’t, it isn’t just wrong behavior, it is rooted in wrong belief – unbelief, lack of faith
        We’ve forgotten who we are, and we are trying to earn Identity again: performance & treadmill
        And we need to go back to the cross and remember that he did it for you, you are delighted in
            And he did it because you are BOTH more messed up than you even dare acknowledge
            And more loved and cherished than you even dare believe
    And begin to worship him again, delight in him, find your hope & joy & righteousness in him!

My HOPE: as we REMEMBER what HE HAS DONE, and REMEMBER WHO WE ARE – Call you into this!
Begin to live differently: not in order to become these IDs, but because you are them

FOUR GOSPEL IDENTITIES that DEFINE WHO WE ARE as CHRISTIANS – the Foundations
    Family: anyone give a summary of this IDENTITY?
Missionaries, Servants, Learners – first and foremost these are our IDENTITIES
        These are who we are because of what God has done in JESUS
        Actions connected to them for sure! They are super practical, mundane, normal…
    BUT they are not things we DO as if they are activities, tasks, or religious obligations
        Rather, we LIVE THEM because we ARE THEM: Embody them or Incarnate them!
    God’s activity in the GOSPEL leads to by faith a change of IDENTITY that leads to changed lives…

We’re doing this NOW For a couple reasons:
1.  We are re-launching the church: don’t want us to ever think we’ve arrived… we’re a real church!
2.  We are starting a new gathering or expression: see how it is an extension of our core convictions
3.  We are re-starting our Missional Communities: primary community where we work this out
        Not just a weekly meeting but a community of people embodying & living out these identities
        We call them M/C because it describes them, but we could use the word “churches…”
    PICK UP A BOOKLET for more INFO!!

[MISSIONAL COMMUNITY LEADERS Share: Nick, Trent, Matt B?]

MISSIONARIES: We are sent by God to join with Him in restoring all things to himself.
   
WE ARE SENT: not a task but primarily an identity: a fact about who we are because of Jesus.

 
Creation (Genesis 1.26-28): What is the PURPOSE for which GOD MADE THEM? VOCATION?
    Not created to sit in the garden and drink martinis!  They had WORK to do (men – listen up: David)
What implications for Art? Music? Architecture? Food? Politics? Relationships? Sex? Work?
    All done in his image: they would reflect his heart and mine the resources of creation to do it
    Stewards of Creation for the fame of the CREATOR and their OWN JOY IN HIM!
    They would be KINGDOM BUILDERS – God’s people with God’s mission, purpose!
    Easiest: Build a GOD-CENTERED and GOD-REFLECTING CULTURE!

Keller (“Messengers” – his thinking has influenced me greatly, as well as Vanderstelt & Soma, others):
“Radical Call IN and a Radical Call OUT” – both, to the nth degree, at the same time
        Not a priority of one over the other, not one important & other secondary
        They are created to KNOW GOD INTIMATELY and to BUILD HIS KINGDOM FERVENTLY
    IDENTITY is BOTH as FAMILY (children) and also AMBASSADORS (kingdom representatives)

THE FALL: turned in on themselves, no longer find ID in God, broken relationships all around
What happens to Adam & Eve in this outward, culture-building Identity because of the FALL?
Interestingly, God does send them out – out of the garden – and they do build a kingdom
        But it is a kingdom of rebellion and sin and corruption: “vandalize shalom”
        Culture of DEATH!

Redemptive Storyline traced through Bible:
Abraham: The OT story is God’s call on this man & his family, through whom he will bless the world
        Radically IN & Radically OUT throughout the entire OT!  Israel was to be vehicle of blessing!

Question: what happens when Israel fails to become a servant to bless the world?   
Jeremiah 29: Seek the shalom of the city I’ve SENT YOU!

Turn to Matthew 4.23 – what is Jesus doing?
    Proclaiming: announcement, “kingdom is at hand” – Good News b/c HE is doing it, & inviting us in!
    Teaching: think parables – explaining and illustrating what life is like in this kingdom culture
    Healing: Pictures of what it is like when the kingdom culture is re-established (not drawing a crowd!)

And what does he do with those who DO COME IN?

John 20.19-23: same thing again – as I have been sent, so you too are sent… What is he describing?
“Am sending” is present & active, ongoing, continuous activity toward us – not occasional!

NEED TO SEE: this is the IDENTITY of GOD’S FAMILY: called to HIM and sent to World

Practical Implications: IF this is WHO WE ARE, part of God’s Redemptive Activity, how do we live?

What might it look life for us to take a weekend and BE rather than Go to church?
    3 or 4 times this Fall we’ll be having Weekends on Mission where we practice this together.
        From Dale: $1000 given to this work!
    My HOPE – I know it will take time – is that we put our time & resources into kingdom work
        MORE than into church gatherings, saying that we are indeed about kingdom first
        (W/C? – 1. Running out of room!  2. Empower local mission 3. To keep mission at heart!
    Celebration on 12th – extended worship in song, and sharing time – how were we good news?
        (Or: what do we still need to learn? How did we suck? How can we do more good next time?)

VISION: Our Missional Communities are responding to this RADICAL CALL IN and SENDING OUT
    Together, what brokenness in our city are we bringing God’s healing to?
How are we agents of redemption?
Where are we proclaiming and demonstrating good news in our city? (Do we even know?)
 
CONCLUSION & MOTIVATION
I want to end by looking at Eph 2.10:
Workmanship, Created in Christ Jesus: he has made you (making you) who he wants you to be
    No boasting here!!  Why? Because you’ve not made yourself this, or accomplished this
    All you can boast in is the CROSS of Jesus… and keep doing it!  Keep rejoicing in it!
    Find your identity in the magnitude of what the CROSS means for broken, messy people
    Find your Identity in Jesus – this is above all a call to HIM, to be with HIM and GO with HIM
For good works: called to Him & radically sent out into the world for life devoted to good news works
    Again: NOT Optional, not an add-on to just being a Christian!!  This is your IDENTITY
        Either you are a joy-filled faithful servant missionary in our city
        Or you are an unfaithful missionary in our city
        But either way – YOUR IDENTITY does NOT CHANGE (like if you went to Africa!)
God prepared beforehand: not a new way for you to EARN your ID – look at what we’ve done!
That we should walk in them: or “should be our way of life” – a lifestyle flowing from an Identity

I am CALLING YOU INTO THIS as a WAY of LIFE:
This is YOUR IDENTITY in CHRIST, and I am asking WILL WE EMBRACE IT & EMBODY IT?
    And will we do it TOGETHER?

My role, according to Eph 4: Equip the saints for the work of the ministry!


What do we still need to DIALOGUE about?


Communion: if you come & take this bread and drink this cup, saying TWO things
    1. Jesus has done it and is calling you in
    2. Jesus has done it and is sending you out


Church planting is the outworking of mission and community.  It is the point where mission and community intersect.  It is by definition a missionary activity, arguably the missionary activity or the core missionary activity. It ensures mission is at the heart of church life. But church planting is by definition a church activity. It ensures that the church is integral to mission activity. It defines mission activity as forming and building churches. Church planting puts mission at the heart of church and church at the heart of mission. (Total Church, p.85)