Preached by pastor Adam Sinnett on 9.06.2009

It’s All About Jesus – Mission from mhcwestseattle on Vimeo.
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This week we dove into the theme of mission and unpacked it across the four acts of the story of God – creation, fall, redemption restoration. We saw that we’re not merely supposed to hold tight on our own and wait for God’s eventual new creation but actually begin to live and experience it now within Jesus’ redeemed community, the church, and as the church participate w/ God on mission for the spiritual, social and cultural renewal of the city that serve as a sign of the kingdom to come, until the perfect arrives.  We defined God’s mission as his aim to make a people of His own from all tribes, tongues and nations through the gospel for his glory, our supreme good and the eventual renewal of all things. It’s that mission that he invites us to join him on.

Act I. God’s Mission. Gen 1:26-28
The story of God begins in Genesis where we see that we are created in the image of God, meaning that we represent God and are like God. From the beginning God had a mission of creating a people of his own, image bearers that would glorify him and in turn be fully satisfied in him. God gave Adam and Eve the cultural mandate to “be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it”. In other words, build and establish a culture, life, kids, legacy, schools, cities, governments, laws, crops, bridges, computers, and compose music that glorify me. Live a life of purpose, intention and fulfillment wrapped up into the mission of God for the whole of creation. This is what we all want, to live and be part of a mission that is full of purpose, intention, meaning, fulfillment.

Act II. Man’s Mission. Gen 3:6
The story of God moves on to the second act, known as “the fall”, where there is a horrific turn of events as sin enters into creation and the once harmonious community between God and man, and between Adam and Eve, was broken by sin. Whereas God had a mission of creating a people of his own, image bearers that would glorify him and in turn be fully satisfied in him. Adam and Eve chose autonomy instead of participating in the mission of God. Whereas the purpose of the mission of God was to glorify him, the purpose of the mission of man is to glorify man (lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh and boastful pride of life).  Ever since we’ve done the same, choosing to be on our  own missions instead of God’s mission.

Act III. Gospel Mission. John 1; Mt 28:18-20; 1 Cor 9:22-23; 2 Cor 5:20
God himself came 2,000 years ago, as the God-Man, Jesus Christ. Jesus, was God’s promised Curse-Remover and Creation-Renewer, who lived our life, died our death and rose again in victory over Satan, sin and death. He did so as the first fruits of the new creation to bring forgiven sinners together under his rule to live lives of worship, in community on mission. Jesus came to reverse the effects of the fall and make all things new through the forgiveness of sin and make us right with God. Simply put the gospel is the good news that everything in Christ will be made new. God’s mission is to redeem and renew his whole creation. “We need a holistic gospel because the world is in a holistic mess.” (Christopher Wright, The Mission of God)

Act IV. Kingdom Mission. Rev 7:9-12
We’ll live following Jesus on mission together living ordinary life doing ordinary things with gospel intentionality, praying for opportunities to share the gospel with those around us, in love, and seeking the spiritual, cultural and social renewal of our neighborhoods and cities until King Jesus returns to inaugurate the fourth act of the Story of God. Eventually, one day, the next act of the God’s story will begin and all things will be made new – fully restored. God’s mission of creating a people of his own to glorify him, and be fully satisfied in him, will be fully realized. God’s people will be in God’s place under God’s rule. This is no fairy tale, but it is all about Jesus. God’s people really will all live happily ever after glorifying him, worshipping him and being satisfied in him forever.