Gateway Franklin Church

John 14:12-13 (NIV) 12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

Being flows from doing. Believers do.

Acts 1:8 (NIV) 8 you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

The Holy Spirit empowers witness/doing. Witnesses move.

We can do mission out of…

Duty. 

Guilt/Empathy. 

Being. 

360° Mission

Proverbs 11:25 (NIV) “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”

Refresh!

A Fresh Perspective:  

“A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”  Proverbs 11:25

Sowing and reaping in the spiritual realm:  

“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” (Galatian 6:7-10, NIV)

Acts of the Flesh vs. Fruit of the Spirit 

The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.  

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”  

(Galatians 5:19-23, NIV)

Watch out!  Possible seed contamination!

“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.”  

(Romans 7:15, NIV)

The Sower influences the size of the crop but God gives the growth and ultimately controls the size of the crop.

Good news: “Remember this:  Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.”  (2 Corinthians 9:6, NIV)

Bad news: “They sow to the wind and reap the whirlwind,”  (Hosea 8:7, NIV)

Where do I start? 

Visit the tables in the Great Room to learn more about current opportunities.

Visit gatewayfranklin.com to learn about and sign up for information about upcoming events.

“Why am I here?” 

There is a distinct difference between the questions, “Why am I here?” and “What do you want to be when you grow up?” 

“Why am I here?” is directed at purpose.

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” is directed at bent and arena.

Culture says purpose is personal live for yourself. Jesus said your purpose is my purpose, live for me. 

Your Real Purpose is a Co-mission.

Webster’s “a” definition for commission is: a formal written warrant granting the power to perform various acts or duties. 

Matthew 28:18-20 (AMP) 18 Jesus came up and said to them, “All authority (all power of absolute rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations [help the people to learn of Me, believe in Me, and obey My words], baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always [remaining with you perpetually—regardless of circumstance, and on every occasion], even to the end of the age.”

Mark 16:15-16 (NIV) 15 He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 

3 Facts About the Co-mission

The co-mission is God given not self-generated. 

The co-mission is God-powered not self-powered. 

“and lo, I am with you always [remaining with you perpetually—regardless of circumstance, and on every occasion], even to the end of the age.”” 

Acts 1:8 (AMP) 8 But you will receive power and ability when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be My witnesses [to tell people about Me] both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth.”

3 Facts About the Co-mission

Thank you for listening. Take a look at the sermon notes of this message on the church website: https://www.gatewayfranklin.com/sermons

To find out more about Gateway Franklin Church, visit us at gatewayfranklin.com or join us online each week at gatewayfranklin.online.

Thank you for listening. Take a look at the sermon notes of this message on the church website: https://www.gatewayfranklin.com/sermons

To find out more about Gateway Franklin Church, visit us at gatewayfranklin.com or join us online each week at gatewayfranklin.online.

Introduction
Pastor Torry Sheppard begins Ever Ancient, Ever New by celebrating the enduring strength and beauty of the Church. Through a humorous story about a pastor describing his “multinational company” on a flight, he reframes how people perceive the Church—not as an outdated or oppressive institution, but as the greatest movement in human history. From hospitals and schools to justice and family care, the Church has shaped civilization and carried the hope of Christ for over two millennia. Despite scandals and shifting cultures, it endures—not by human strength, but because it is built on the rock of Christ Himself.

The Ache of Our Age
Acknowledging the growing cynicism toward organized religion, Pastor Torry notes that modern culture rewards criticism of the Church. While he affirms the need for accountability where there has been real harm, he also exposes the deeper spiritual current behind this distrust—a postmodern, hyper-individualistic worldview that rejects absolute truth and views authority as oppression. This isn’t new, he reminds us—it’s the same lie from Eden: “You will be like God.” In a world disoriented by self-made truth and moral relativism, people are hungry for something solid. The Church, he insists, offers that anchor: a tested, ancient, and enduring truth. Instead of apologizing for the Church to make room for Jesus, believers must recover a holy pride in her beauty, legacy, and mission.

Our Inheritance and Stewardship
The message shifts to inheritance. The faith we hold didn’t begin with us—it was handed down through apostles, martyrs, and reformers who preserved the gospel at great cost. This is our inheritance, but it also makes us stewards. We are called to guard this truth, live it out faithfully in our time, and hand it intact to the next generation. As Jude 3 says, we must “contend for the faith once entrusted to God’s holy people.” The Church doesn’t stand on shifting ideas but on eternal truths—truths that, as Augustine said, are “ever ancient, ever new.” This series, Pastor Torry explains, will reawaken pride in belonging to the Body of Christ and rekindle passion for passing the torch forward.

The Confession that Built the Church
Turning to Matthew 16:13–18, Pastor Torry examines Jesus’ question to the disciples: “Who do you say that I am?” Peter’s reply—“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God”—becomes the confession on which Jesus builds His Church. The rock is not Peter the man, but the truth he proclaimed. The Church is founded on that confession, and every believer who declares it becomes another living stone in God’s house. Confession, Pastor Torry explains, is not just intellectual agreement but heart surrender. What we confess shapes how we live. Doctrine is the foundation of discipleship and the doorway into God’s family. The early Church captured these essentials in creeds—“the theological carry-on” of the Christian faith. Pastor Torry reads the Apostles’ Creed, describing it as the timeless summary of what Christians everywhere have believed: one God, the Father Almighty; Jesus Christ, the crucified and risen Son; the Holy Spirit; the united Church; and the hope of resurrection and eternal life.

Three Reasons We Can Trust the Church
As the message closes, Pastor Torry offers three compelling reasons believers can trust the Church and its message.

The Historical Case – Christianity has withstood two thousand

1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: 2 “Come, go down to the potter’s house, and there I will let you hear my words.” 3 So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel. 4 The vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as seemed good to him.

5 Then the word of the LORD came to me: 6 Can I not do with you, O house of Israel, just as this potter has done? says the LORD. Just like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. (Jeremiah 18:1-6)

God is the potter; we are the clay.

The question is not whether we are willing to be formed by the hand of God but whether we are aware of the forming that is already and always happening.

“My bones were not hidden from you, 

when I was made in secret, 

woven in the depths of the earth. 

Your eyes saw my unformed substance,

and upon your scroll all of them were written, 

the days that were formed before one of them was.” (Ps 139:15-16)

The ruin isn’t specified.

The ruin isn’t sugarcoated.

The ruin isn’t from the potter’s hand.

The ruin isn’t the first or the last word.

2. God is the potter; we are the clay?

7 At one moment I may declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it, 8 but if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will change my mind about the disaster that I intended to bring on it. 9 And at another moment I may declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it,  10 but if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will change my mind about the good that I had intended to do to it. 11 Now, therefore, say to the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: Thus says the LORD: Look, I am a potter shaping evil against you and devising a plan against you. Turn now, all of you, from your evil way, and amend your ways and your doings.

12 But they say, “It is no use

Never short sell an immeasurably more God.

Never underestimate the power of a simple prayer offered on behalf of a complex situation.

Never dismiss the impact of obedience (disobedience).

Never be afraid of the repercussions of telling the truth in love. One of those repercussions is freedom.

When in the dark always ask for more of God. You need Him more than answers, advice or direction.

Change always requires change.

A desire for change is common, actual change is elusive. Spiritual change always has spiritual opposition. 

Newton’s Law of Motion #1 An object at rest will stay at rest, and an object in motion will stay in motion with the same speed and in the same direction, unless acted upon by a net external force. 

Application: People tend to stay in the same spiritual and physical spot until the pain of staying exceeds the “pain” required in changing. On the positive side, spiritual momentum is also difficult to stop.

Newton’s Law of Motion #2 The acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass. 

Application: Surrender/Repentance is a powerful force and spiritual change requires it.

Fallen man is not simply an imperfect creature who needs improvement: he is a rebel who must lay down his arms. C.S. Lewis.

Newton’s Law of Motion #3 For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. 

Application: We pose the greatest threat to Satan’s kingdom when we gain spiritual strength, a spiritual family and spiritual momentum. 

Salvation is the act of freedom and life.  Sotiera & Sozo = Deliverance, rescue, freedom, wholeness. 

Acts 4:8-13 (NIV) 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! 9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, 10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of J

September 14th, 2025

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Never short sell an immeasurably more God.

Never underestimate the power of a simple prayer offered on behalf of a complex situation.

Never dismiss the impact of obedience (disobedience).

Never be afraid of the repercussions of telling the truth in love. One of those repercussions is freedom.

When in the dark always ask for more of God. You need Him more than answers, advice or direction.

When I am primarily after God to serve my interests, I have missed His greatest value – presence. 

God’s love for us isn’t best expressed in what He does for us. His love was best expressed by what He did for us. 

John 3:16,17 (NIV) “16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” 

John 1:14 (AMP) 14 And the Word (Christ) became flesh, and lived among us; and we [actually] saw His glory, glory as belongs to the [One and] only begotten Son of the Father, [the Son who is truly unique, the only One of His kind, who is] full of grace and truth (absolutely free of deception).

Matthew 1:23 (NIV) “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). 

3 Aspects of God’s presence vital to navigating dark and directionless seasons. 

Presence = Guidance & Protection

Presence = Daily Provision

Presence = Identity & Security

1. God’s Presence = Guidance & Protection
Exodus 13:17-18, 20-22 (NIV) 17 When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through

Words to Live By

Never short sell an immeasurably more God.

Never underestimate the power of a simple prayer offered on behalf of a complex situation.

Never dismiss the impact of obedience (or disobedience).

This week our word is… 

Never be afraid of the repercussions of speaking the truth in love; one of those repercussion is freedom.

The problem with avoiding conflict is that you actually live longer in the conflict than you need to and you miss what God can do in you and them as a result of a resolution. 

What I propose to you this morning is…

God may have a purpose for your conflict. All of God’s purposes are good.

God will do something redeeming in your conflict if you trust Him enough to follow Him through it.

Conflict can be a path to freedom for both parties if both parties cooperate. 

Replace “winning or avoiding” with freedom as your new frame for conflict. 

Never be afraid of the repercussions of speaking the truth in love; one of those repercussion is freedom (redemption). 

If you just want the conflict to be over you will leave a lot of restoration on the table. 

Conflict is a freedom opportunity.

Changing your perception of conflict will change the way you process conflict.

Ephesians 4:1-6, 11-16 (NIV + CAV) As a prisoner for the Lord [bound by His words, way and will], then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love [agape selfless all in love]. 3 Make every effort [implies consistent work] to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and throu