Joining God
Every year around this time, we pause to remember our identity and mission as a Church family. This year, as a part of our series Restorers, we’re focusing on how – and why – we join God’s restoring work in the world around us. Over the next 6 weeks, we’ll explore partnering with God through evangelism, justice, mercy, service, and hospitality.
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Luke 4:18-19 NIV
They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.
Isaiah 61:3b-5 NIV
We believe Jesus is restoring people who restore the world. Our mission is to join Him.
“It is not so much the case that God has a mission for his church in the world, as that God has a church for his mission in the world. Mission was not made for the church; the church was made for mission.
Christopher J.H. Wright, The Mission Of God
God is already present and at work among us.
“Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does.
John 5:19 NIV
“See, I am making all things new.”
Revelation 21:5 NRSV
“We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?” Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Matthew 19:27-28 NIV
Heaven must receive him until the time of the restoration of all things, which God spoke about through his holy prophets from the beginning.
Acts 3:21 NIV
For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
Colossians 1:19-20 NIV
All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ…
2 Corinthians 5:18-19a NIV
Our mission is to join God in the restoration of all things in Jesus.
Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?
1 Corinthians 3:16 NIV
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?
1 Corinthians 6:19 NIV
God’s primary mission strategy is you.
