The Missional Church - Part 2

Introduction

Who has ever seen the ‘LOST’ – prophet television

• Group of people form different walks of life, different personalities, different likes and dislikes all with one thing in common…

They are all hopelessly lost – including any one watching the show

The Missional Church

(Luke 19:1-10 NIV) Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. {2} A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. {3} He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. {4} So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. {5} When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." {6} So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. {7} All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a 'sinner.'" {8} But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount." {9} Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. {10} For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."

Jesus entered a city – people

• Jesus entered a house – person
• Jesus entered a life – heart

He came to seek and save the lost

• Note: Zacchaeus was a wealthy man – top of his field
• Jesus is not just for the down and outs

God loves people

(John 3:16-17 NIV) "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. {17} For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

When he wants something done he sends a man

God’s plan is man

• People looking for the latest idea to grow the church
• God is more interested in growing you

God’s method is man – and you are that man (woman) God is looking for

• God needs us to do the work of the evangelist
• To actively seek and save the lost

Why is it so important that we understand this?  Because…

1. People needed a mediator

Job knew this

• Job’s life took a terrible turn for the worse
• His business, house, family all destroyed (Feels that God has left him)

Feels he can’t talk to God because God is not a man

He is saying I can’t relate to God because he is not a man and I need someone to speak into my life

• I need someone I can understand what I’m going through here

(Job 9:32-34 NIV) "He is not a man like me that I might answer him, that we might confront each other in court. {33} If only there were someone to arbitrate between us, to lay his hand upon us both, {34} someone to remove God's rod from me, so that his terror would frighten me no more.

Here I am a human being – a man in a mess – God’s up there in heaven

If only I could have someone who could put his hand on God and his hand on me and connect us to arbitrate between us that’s what I need – but there wasn’t one

• People need an arbitrator, a connector (connect with God)
• The gap between me and God is too big

2. God looked for a mediator (Ezk.22:30)

• God knew that Job needed a person to connect him with God

So He looked for a man

(Ezek 22:30 NIV) "I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none.

• You're right – you need a man I looked for a man but there wasn’t one
• Man is saying I need a man between me and God
• God is saying I need a man between me and man

MAN is needing an arbitrator – GOD is needing an intercessor

• Someone who is going to stand in the gap

But there wasn’t one – so what did God do?

3. God became a mediator

• No one to intervene

(Isa 59:16 NIV) He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so his own arm worked salvation for him, and his own righteousness sustained him.

• God saw man was in a mess knew that there needed to be someone in between him and man

So he became a man himself – word became flesh

(John 1:14 NIV) The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

• Job had his prayer answered (mediator)
• Man finally had a mediator – the man Christ Jesus

(1 Tim 2:5 NIV) For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

• Now there was a man who could put his hand on man and his hand on God and connect the two

People needed an advocate – God looked for an intercessor (not one)

God became a mediator

• His method is about connection
• As a man/woman of God – Your role is to connect men with God

4. God called us to mediate

(2 Cor 5:17-21 NIV) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! {18} All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: {19} that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. {20} We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. {21} God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

I am a God send to you

• I have been sent as an Ambassador, as a representative, as a reconciler – to get you to connect with heaven
• That’s my role in life – and it is your role as well

Conclusion

You are a God send

• To your school, family, work place, footy club – you represent the king
• Be a reconciler
• Bring the good news to someone near you
• Actively seek and save the lost
• It is not about cities or homes or schools – It is about people

God’s method is man – you are that man/woman

• Your job is to be a person who connects humanity with heaven

(John 20:21 NIV) Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you."