Joining Jesus on His Mission

How is Jesus messing with you? What is he up to? What is he inviting you to notice, believe, or wrestle with? What is he inviting you to do? Let's go find out in this episode of Joining Jesus on His Mission. 

Jesus is on a mission, and he invites you to join him. He does not give you a mission to do for him. He is on a mission and invites you to come with him. Now, let's turn our attention to this mission field we call the United States of America. 

It's hard to take, but it is what it is. The river has moved. You are a missionary to your own community. It's time to trust Jesus and join him in building the next span of bridge to our current U. S. culture. In this episode, Greg & Craig will share some insights on this concept. 

Stop Stalling. You will learn more about being a missionary by doing something missional than you will be reading something missional. It's not what you know, but what you do with what you know that makes a difference in people's lives.  

Jesus has made our participation in his redemptive mission simple. Let's keep it that way. We make it hard when we try to do the work of Jesus rather than what he gave us to do. 

It really is this simple. Jesus' secret weapon for accomplishing his redemptive mission was hanging out with sinners and enjoying them in his Father's grace. It was inefficiently effective. We can question this strategy, but Jesus would have us imitate it. 

How do we seek, recognize, and respond to what Jesus is already doing in the lives of the people we are enjoying? We start by paying attention to what he is already showing us. He says, "Open your eyes and look," for a reason. 

The kingdom of God is God himself and came in the created world through Jesus. When Jesus arrived here, he unleased he promised season of world redemption. It is happening now. Wherever God is redemptively present and active his kingdom is at work. We can seek it, recognize it, and join with it. 

If we see a need in a human being, we can recognize that the Kingdom of God is nearby and active. That is what Jesus invites us to look for, recognize, and respond to. 

Jesus is already doing everything necessary to make our participation in his mission simple. All we have to do is reorient our minds to his good news and keep asking Jesus two questions: What are you up to? And how would you have me join you? 

Are you ready to move beyond an occasional mission program and become as everyday missionary? Then let's get in position with the 5 practices.

The practice of seeking the Kingdom is simply forming the habit of watching for what God is showing us every day in the midst of our daily routines. How have you seen God at work in your life this week?

The practice of hearing from Jesus in the Gospels is all about being able to better recognize and respond to what Jesus is telling and showing us on our daily mission in everyday life. What has he been teaching you in his Word lately? 

The practice of talking with people happens in many ways. However, all of them boil down to this: Jesus can do more with two people who are talking with each other than he can with two people who are successfully ignoring each other. So, what kind of conversations are you having with people around you.? 

The missional practice of doing good is the result of God preparing us and us responding. What good can we do around here? How can we help make the kingdom and grace of God a little more real to people nearby? 

The 5 Practices are effective at positioning us to enjoy people and to seek, recognize, and respond to what Jesus is already doing redemptively in their lives. 

Over time, neighboring allows us to answer key missional questions about the people God has put around us: Who are these people, what is Jesus already up to in their lives, how can I join Him? 

How do we get to know the people with whom God has put us? Environments: Unhurried time +proximity+activity(food) = conversation X over time = friendship. Jesus can to more with neighbors who are friends then he can with neighbors who are strangers. Begin planning your neighboring activity today. 

While the 5 practices put us into position to join Jesus on his missional every day, the missional community and the 5 questions help us to stay intentional and inspired for the missional life. Mission doesn't happen in our missional community, but mission doesn't last without our missional community. So, who will you invite? Where will you gather? When will you start?