2022-11-20 Call to Mission

This sermon was last in the Work of the People series and covered our sending prayer from the end of the service. Liturgy is meant to prepare us for mission. Line by line "May we go from here as those sent by God" The church has a mission in the world to be salt and light Matthew 28 "Teaching them to obey all that I command you" - Jesus sent his followers into the world to heal, seek justice, share the gospel by word and deed. To serve the immigrant & poor, etc. The Great Reversal Yes we are to share the gospel but also we are made for good works. Ephesians 2 v10. The following four lines in our sending prayer are reflective of the good works we are to do. "To love our neighbors as ourselves" - Luke 10 Including those with different political / theological views Don't forget our actual physical neighbors! "To seek the peace and propserity of our city" - Jeremiah 29 v5-7 "To bear witness to the coming kingdom of God" - 2 Corinthians 5 v17-20 We are to show the world what it means to live in the coming kingdom of God. We are ambassadors of Reconciliation - exemplars to the people around us "To joyfully serve all of creation" - Colossians 1 v20 Service to creation Genesis 1 v27-28 (imago dei) Genesis 2 v15 - The Hebrew words translated "keep and work/cultivate" are translated in other places in the OT as "serve" and "protect" e.g., as the priests should do to the Holy of Holies. Romans 8 v19 "In the love of the Father, the name of the Son, and the power of the Holy Spirit, Amen." Trinitarian We are sent in the love of the Father with authority delegated from Christ and the power & guidance of the Spirit