January 20, 2019 - Inscriptions from the Heart

Pastor Tony Tira

ROOTED TO BRANCH OUT

6 “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. 8 For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me… 13 But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.

20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. (ESV, John 17:1-8, 13-23)

In Sunday School (9AM Sunday mornings) we are currently studying the book of Romans. A couple weeks ago we discussed Paul’s words in Rom 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel”. A fruitful discussion I was encouraged to consider ‘what is the gospel?’ In Lyndsey Brown’s paper, We have a Gospel to Proclaim he points out four things to consider: of utmost importance is “the uniqueness of Christ and the truth of the biblical gospel,” these include (i) the exclusive claims of Christ, (ii) the meaning of Christ’s death, (iii) the necessity of conversion, and (iv) the lostness of humankind, meaning that “without a foundational commitment to truth, we [Christians] have little to offer.” And “unless we are clear on what we believe, we cannot engage in mission”.

This January we started our sermon series with being Rooted in Christ with the goal of (in our 30th year) being Deeply Rooted. This 2019, I would encourage you to ask yourself three questions: (1) As a disciple of Christ are you fully aware of his unique claims and message? In other words do you know who you are following and do you agree with him? (2) Are you committed to bearing witness to Christ (and his complete message) in every area of your life? (3) How are you committed to Christ’s church becoming a more faithful (deeply rooted) witness in 2019?

If you desire to being rooted in Christ in mission this year, I want to invite you to join us in prayer for the Missions and Evangelism Team’s first meeting of the year on Saturday, February 2 @ 6PM, Kung Fu Tea (2827 Mill Woods Rd NW). It is the ME Team’s goal that for 2019 we would know that we are sent, the truth of the one who sends us, and to each be able to confidently proclaim ‘this is how I go!’