To make disciples who love God, love people, and serve the world.

To make disciples who love God, love people, and serve the world.

Many of us are like the prophet Jonah and don’t care about global missions. Yet we should care, because it is God’s purpose for his people.

From the story of Jonah, the reluctant missionary:

1. Reluctance is the norm. (Chapter 1)

2. Ever so often we need a devine correction. (Chapter 2)

3. Believe it or not, the gospel has power. (Chapter 3)

4. Respect the Creator not the creation. (Chapter 4)

Our God-given identity IS to be missionaries.

Follow up:

1. Join a home group that is studying the Missions Curriculum, especially created for this sermon series.

2. Develop a heart for missions by going on a short term mission, like the Richmond Eye Screening July 17-20, 2017.

Many of us are like the prophet Jonah and don’t care about global missions. Yet we should care, because it is God’s purpose for his people.

From the story of Jonah, the reluctant missionary:

1. Reluctance is the norm. (Chapter 1)

2. Ever so often we need a devine correction. (Chapter 2)

3. Believe it or not, the gospel has power. (Chapter 3)

4. Respect the Creator not the creation. (Chapter 4)

Our God-given identity IS to be missionaries.

Follow up:

1. Join a home group that is studying the Missions Curriculum, especially created for this sermon series.

2. Develop a heart for missions by going on a short term mission, like the Richmond Eye Screening July 17-20, 2017.

“Carry one another’s burdens and in this way you will fulfill the requirements of the law of Christ [that is, the law of Christian love]. 3 For if anyone thinks he is something [special] when [in fact] he is nothing [special except in his own eyes], he deceives himself. 4 But each one must carefully scrutinize his own work [examining his actions, attitudes, and behavior], and then he can have the personal satisfaction and inner joy of doing something commendable without comparing himself to another. 5 For every person will have to bear [with patience] his own load [of faults and shortcomings for which he alone is responsible].” Galatians 6:2-5 AMP

“Carry one another’s burdens and in this way you will fulfill the requirements of the law of Christ [that is, the law of Christian love]. 3 For if anyone thinks he is something [special] when [in fact] he is nothing [special except in his own eyes], he deceives himself. 4 But each one must carefully scrutinize his own work [examining his actions, attitudes, and behavior], and then he can have the personal satisfaction and inner joy of doing something commendable without comparing himself to another. 5 For every person will have to bear [with patience] his own load [of faults and shortcomings for which he alone is responsible].” Galatians 6:2-5 AMP

To make disciples who love God, love people, and serve the world.

To make disciples who love God, love people, and serve the world.

He gave himself to: Service Acts 20:17-19

He served Jesus his Lord.

He served with humility .

He served through the pain.

He gave himself to the: Gospel Acts 20:20-21

The Gospel needs to be believed.

The Gospel needs to be shared.

The Gospel needs to be showed.

He gave: Himself Acts 20:22-24

He gave up his loves.

He gave up his longings.

He gave up his life.

He gave till it: Hurt Acts 20:25-38

He hurt over those who would leave.

He hurt over those would stumble.

He hurt over those who wouldn’t listen .

A Prayer of Surrender

Loving Father,

I surrender to you today with all my heart and soul. Please come into my heart in a deeper way. I say, "Yes" to you today. I open all the secret places of my heart to you and say, "come on in." Jesus, you are the Lord of my whole life. I believe in You and commit you You as my Lord and Savior. I hold nothing back.

Holy Spirit, bring me to a deeper knowledge of the person of Jesus Christ. I surrender my all to you: my time, my treasures, my talents, my health, my family, my resources, my work, my relationships , my successes, and my failures. I release it all and let it go.

I surrender my understandings of how things "ought" to be, my choices and my will. I surrender to you the promises I have kept and the promises I have failed to keep. I surrender my weaknesses and my strengths to you. I surrender my emotions, my fears, my insecurities, and my sexuality.

Lord, I surrender my whole life to you, the past, the present, and the future. In sickness and in health, in life and in death, I belong to you and you alone.

He gave himself to: Service Acts 20:17-19

He served Jesus his Lord.

He served with humility .

He served through the pain.

He gave himself to the: Gospel Acts 20:20-21

The Gospel needs to be believed.

The Gospel needs to be shared.

The Gospel needs to be showed.

He gave: Himself Acts 20:22-24

He gave up his loves.

He gave up his longings.

He gave up his life.

He gave till it: Hurt Acts 20:25-38

He hurt over those who would leave.

He hurt over those would stumble.

He hurt over those who wouldn’t listen .

A Prayer of Surrender

Loving Father,

I surrender to you today with all my heart and soul. Please come into my heart in a deeper way. I say, "Yes" to you today. I open all the secret places of my heart to you and say, "come on in." Jesus, you are the Lord of my whole life. I believe in You and commit you You as my Lord and Savior. I hold nothing back.

Holy Spirit, bring me to a deeper knowledge of the person of Jesus Christ. I surrender my all to you: my time, my treasures, my talents, my health, my family, my resources, my work, my relationships , my successes, and my failures. I release it all and let it go.

I surrender my understandings of how things "ought" to be, my choices and my will. I surrender to you the promises I have kept and the promises I have failed to keep. I surrender my weaknesses and my strengths to you. I surrender my emotions, my fears, my insecurities, and my sexuality.

Lord, I surrender my whole life to you, the past, the present, and the future. In sickness and in health, in life and in death, I belong to you and you alone.