Sermon Notes:
You have a calling:
You cannot understand that calling apart from your identity.
You cannot understand that calling apart from living in community
You cannot understand that calling apart from embracing Jesus’ Divinity
The greatest person has given us the greatest command that can have the greatest results.
Jesus- Loving your Neighbor
Paul- Be an Ambassador
Jesus’ teaching almost always lead to an action – John 13:12-17
This Action:
- Is to benefit others
- Is not based upon merit
- Will lead to blessings
Commitment card:
We are asking you to embrace the following in 2021:
- I recognize that I am a sinner in need of God’ saving grace (Connect)
- I recognize that I must not lead my spiritual life alone (Grow)
- I recognize that I must love my neighbor if I am to obey Jesus (Serve)
Commit to an Action Step:
- Pick up or download and read Concord’s Neighboring Toolkit.
- Be a Neighborhood Ambassador right where I live.
- Identify 3 families by name on my street and start praying for them.
- Identify 1 family on my street and start a meaningful friendship with them.
- Become a Digital Ambassador (details and training coming soon).
- Carry out at least one family missions project.
- Visit the Missions Center after it opens on February 7th.
Discussion Questions:
TALK IT OUT:
- Pastor Rusty observes that Jesus’ teaching is usually intended to lead you to
action. He says, this action is to benefit others. How might you
putting what Jesus teaches into action help others? - Pastor Rusty also says that putting Jesus’ teaching into actions will lead to
blessings. What blessings that you have experienced in your life have come
out of your obedience to what Jesus has taught you? - We also learn in this message that we need to recognize we are a sinner in
desperate need of God’s grace. Have you done that? Have you by faith
connected to Jesus? - We also need to recognize that we don’t do well living the spiritual life alone.
We need to grow in relationship with others. Are you doing that? How might
you do it even better? - Jesus also teaches us that we are to love our neighbor. How could you better
serve your neighbors in 2021?
LIVE IT OUT:
- Pick up and read Concord’s Neighboring Took Kit. Ask God to show you how to be a good neighbor to your neighbors.
- Find the names of 10 people on your street and write those names down in a notebook. Pray for these 10 people today.
- Make a commitment to join a training group for Digital Ambassadors.
- Identify one home and ask God help you begin a meaningful friendship with the neighbors who live there.
- Make a list of the steps you are going to take to develop a friendship with those who live in that home, Take the first step today.