Sunday Words of Encouragement October 25, 2020

I was able to watch our service last Sunday while we were waiting at Union Station in Denver for breakfast at Snooze. The original reservation was 1hr and 40mins. At 1 hr and 30mins they advised that there would be another hour wait! By then it was 10:30am and we hadn’t yet eaten. This was the second time that we waited for that restaurant which is obviously very popular. We realize that they were only serving at half capacity and further hindered Sunday morning due to drizzly weather that closed their outside porch area. Even so, we were starving and decided to head over to the Coors Field stadium where we had a great lunch at Cherry Cricket Ballpark.

In any event, I am combing my notes from last week and this week. Pastor’s message is titled Before and After. 10/18 His question was: what will the church look like in 2021, after the pandemic danger is gone? Will we continue to be secluded or will we return to being active and protected?
The Church needs to remember to be a Bible-centered focus.

The Point: Disciples keep their eyes on Jesus; are empowered by the Holy Spirit; and have their destination set for the Kingdom of God.

Are we this kind of disciple? We need to be disciples who follow and make other disciples.

This morning, 10/25, Pastor continued this theme. He noted that discipleship is foundational for the church. Will the church be healthier after the pandemic? He reminded us we need to keep our eyes on Jesus, be directed by the Holy Spirit and keep our destination as the kingdom.

What kind of disciple will I be after the coronavirus is gone? There is concern that people will be complacent. Pastor shared an example of taking his family on a hike up many steps where they had to commit to continue climbing more steps to get back to their car. Each Christ follower has extra work to do.

The Bible tells us in Luke 10:1-10, 16-17 that Jesus chose 72 disciples who were ready to be sent out. What were they to do? Go tell people to follow Jesus. Go and make other disciples.

Would you be ready for Jesus to chose you to go out?
When the 72 returned expressing joy that the demons obeyed when they used the name of Jesus, Jesus told them to rejoice because their names were registered in heaven. Luke 10:20.
Christ followers have five main purposes"
Worship.
Belonging - fellowship bringing others in.
Spiritual growth - helping each other understand the Word.
Serving others.
Mission for each individual.

How do I fulfill my life responsibility to do the mission?
Disciple makers start at step two, by going together.
This is consistent with the commandment to Love One Another. John 13:34-35.

What drove the ‘People of the Way’ to follow even years after Jesus’ death?
They were witnesses. They were willing to risk their lives to make other disciples.
Pastor noted how the Disney Dine and Dash has classic cars that aren’t used as cars but as tables. What is a disciple who doesn't do disciple things?
What step are you stuck on?
God will help you. Push past the enemy who says you can't, you don't want to, you’re not worth it.
Take someone up the steps with you. The enemy is afraid of that kind of church.
God gets people unstuck!

This song fits (and is our church moto): Love God, Love People!

Verses for Today:
Luke 10:1-4, 16-17 (NLT)
Jesus Sends Out His Disciples
1 The Lord now chose seventy-two other disciples and sent them ahead in pairs to all the towns and places he planned to visit. 2 These were his instructions to them: “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields. 3 Now go, and remember that I am sending you out as lambs among wolves. 4 Don’t take any money with you, nor a traveler’s bag, nor an extra pair of sandals. And don’t stop to greet anyone on the road.

16 Then he said to the disciples, “Anyone who accepts your message is also accepting me. And anyone who rejects you is rejecting me. And anyone who rejects me is rejecting God, who sent me.”
17 When the seventy-two disciples returned, they joyfully reported to him, “Lord, even the demons obey us when we use your name!”

Lord, help me to see if I am stuck and direct me to do your will to reach others.