OUTLINE FOR OPEN CELLS
(Week of 2 /28 – 3/6, 2010)
"Mission Possible"
Subject - Jesus challenged His disciples with these words; "Do you think the work of harvesting will not begin until the summer ends four months from now? Look around you! Vast fields are ripening all around us and are ready now for the harvest." (John 4:35 NLT) Christ's followers are exhorted in every generation to "lift up their eyes" to the harvest fields of the earth. Where are your eyes focused in this current generation?
I. Are we declaring war "on" the culture or peace "to" the culture? (ASU this week!)
A. What is the Gospel of the Kingdom? What is the core message of the Prince of Peace?
1. (Rom. 10:15) How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!" (Note - peace . . . glad tidings . . . good things!)
2. (Matt. 9:35) "And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and disease among the people." (The healing of mankind is the Earthly outworking of a Heavenly message.)
3. (Matt. 24:14) "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." (It's not over till its over.)
B. We have a reputation to overcome. How does the average American view the church?
C. Are we cross-cultural, countercultural or sub cultural?
1. cross-cultural/combining, pertaining to or contrasting two or more cultures or cultural groups
2. countercultural/the culture and lifestyle of those people, especially among the young, who reject or oppose the dominant values and behaviors of society
3. sub cultural/the cultural values and behavioral patterns distinctive of a particular group in a society
II. The accomplishment of our global mission is possible, maybe within a generation, maybe in 10,000 years. The determining factor is not the will of God (firmly established), but the will (or won't) of man.
A. God is not willing that any should perish. (2 Pet. 3:9)
B. The facts are encouraging. (1,000,000 Chinese people come to faith each month, 1,000,000 Latinos come to faith every six weeks - (source/Global 12 Project) . . . other encouraging statistics . . .
III. We are His representatives (ambassadors); representin' by re-presenting. (or misrepresenting?)
A. If you've seen Christ, you've seen the Father as He really is, re-presented by Jesus. (John 14:9)
1. Prodigal Son (Lk. 15:1-32) Do we "make merry" when the broken return? Do we miss them?
2. Be perfect (Matt. 5:43-48) Shine on and rain goodness on the evil and the good.
3. He went about doing good (Acts 10:38) . . . for God was with Him.
4. I am the light of the world (Jn. 9:5) "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."
5. I have meat to eat that you know not of (Jn. 4:34) . . . to do His will, to finish His work.
B. Where do I fit in?
1. You are the light of the world (Matt. 5:14) . . . because He is no longer in the world.
2. You are the salt of the earth (Matt. 5:13) . . . salt heals, sanitizes and preserves.
3. You are a city set upon a hill (Matt. 5:14) . . . we are exposed. What do they see?
4. You are exhorted to attain to something far beyond moral improvement. You are called to be
perfect. (Matt. 5:43-48) . . . love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to them.
5. You are His ambassadors. They have been reconciled, yet they are not reconciled. (2 Cor. 5)
6. (John 17) You are the answer to the prayer of Jesus . . . that the world may believe and know! The Church's greatest "billboard" is love for one another extended to all! (Jn. 13:35)