Second Baytown

After this the Lord appointed seventy-two[a] others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go.

Luke 10:1 ESV

And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.

Luke 10:2 ESV

See the Harvest.
Pray for Workers.

Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.
Luke 10:3 ESV

See the Harvest.
Pray for Workers.
Go your Way
Depend on Him

Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road.

Luke 10:4 ESV

Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.

Luke 10:20 ESV

Matthew 14:13-21 (ESV)

13 Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns.
14 When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.
15 Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.”
16 But Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.”
17 They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.”
18 And he said, “Bring them here to me.”
19 Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.
20 And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over.
21 And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

Connecting with God involves both me…and we!

12 But when Christ[b] had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. Hebrews 10:12-14

“22 “let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” Hebrews 10:22-25

1. Let US…draw near to God…together.

“22 “let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”

2. Let US…hold on to hope…together.

23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.

3. Let US…stir up one another to love and good works…together.

24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,

25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

Romans 12:1-2 (ESV)
1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.


Matthew 16:26 (ESV)
26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

Matthew 22:37 (ESV)
37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.

Romans 7:22-24 (ESV)
22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being,
23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.
24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?

Our greatest act of worship is when we present ourselves completely and fully as living sacrifices to God.

Don’t conform, but transform.

Romans 12:2 (ESV)
2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Don’t conform, but transform.
a. By renewing your mind.
b. By doing the will of God.

What does love demand of me?

What’s love got to do with the way we do church?

What is the faith of your unbelieving friend worth?

But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.

Acts 15:1 ESV

But we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.”

Acts 15:11 ESV

And with this, the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written, “‘After this, I will return, and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who makes these things known from of old.’ Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God.

Acts 15:15-19 ESV

“It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.” -Acts 15:19 NLT / NIV

but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood. 21 For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.

Acts 15:20-21 ESV

We must Know our context as we share the Gospel.

Follow the Spirit.

2. Listen to the Word.

3. Look back at History.

We should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.” -Acts 15:19

Are we making it difficult for people to come to Jesus?

How can you make it easier for people to come to faith in Jesus?

Loving your community begins with obedience to God’s plan for your life.

Jeremiah 29:11-14

29:1 These are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders of the exiles, and to the priests, the prophets, and all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.

4 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon:

5 Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. 6 Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease.

7 But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.

8 For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream,[a] 9 for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you in my name; I did not send them, declares the Lord.

10 “For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place.

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (NIV)

12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.

13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.

14 I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.

1. Grow DEEP roots…IN your community.

2. Pray BIG prayers…FOR your community.

3. Seek God with ALL your heart.

A New Commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
John 13:34 ESV

By this all people will know you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.
-John 13:35 ESV

What does love demand of me?

What does love demand of me in regard to race relations?

In regard to race relations:
Love demands equality under the cross.

For in Christ you are all sons of God, through faith.
-Galatians 3:26

Love allows diversity in the body.

Proverbs 11:3 (ESV)

The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.

integrity[ in-teg-ri-tee ]
noun
adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty.

The Integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity. Psalm 11:3 (NIV)

Christian integrity is living like Jesus all the time.

Only let your manner of life be worthy of the Gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the Gospel.
-Philippians 1:27

Integrity guides.

The Integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.
Proverbs 11:3 (NIV)

Integrity guides; Duplicity destroys.